Committee No. 7 -
Klal Yisrael, Jewish unity, and the centrality of the State of Israel.

Zionist commitment in Israel and the Diaspora - developing a relevant Zionist program

Draft Resolution No. 7 / 1

Submitted by Solly Sacks
HaMizrachi, HaPoel HaMizrachi, Meimad, Gesher

In light of the fact that articles of the Jerusalem Programme of the Jewish year 5728, June 1969, are not current or relevant,

the Zionist Congress resolves that the Presidium of the Zionist General Council and the Zionist Executive form a public committee, composed of representatives of all opinions and viewpoints within the Zionist Movement, in order to rewrite the Jerusalem Programme in the Jewish year 5762.

Draft Resolution No. 7 / 2

Submitted by Solly Sacks
HaMizrachi, HaPoel HaMizrachi, Meimad, Gesher

The 34th Zionist Congress instructs the Zionist Executive to present an operative Zionist program valid for our present-day reality, and to work toward the expansion of the spheres of influence among the Jews of the Diaspora.

Draft Resolution No. 7 / 3

Submitted by Solly Sacks
HaMizrachi, HaPoel HaMizrachi, Meimad, Gesher

The Zionist Movement, from its outset, regards the responsibility for all of Israel and the unity of Israel as a great and necessary foundation for the reinforcement of identification with, and obligation to, the Jewish State in the Land of Israel. On the basis of the activity of the Zionist Executive,

the 34th Zionist Congress currently resolves to instruct the Zionist Executive to prepare:
· a strategic worldwide program for the reinforcement and deepening of Jewish solidarity in general, and with the State of Israel in particular,
· an operative program for the cultivation and deepening of the connections between the spiritual, communal and organization leadership in the Diaspora, and the leadership and society in Israel,
· The Center for Religious Affairs in the Diaspora of the World Zionist Organization is regarded as an important and meaningful factor in the cultivation of the consciousness of Jewish belonging and identification, as well as obligation to the State of Israel.

Draft Resolution No. 7 / 4

Submitted by Solly Sacks
HaMizrachi, HaPoel HaMizrachi, Meimad, Gesher

One Hundred Years Since the Establishment of Religious Zionism - The Mizrachi Movement

The 34th Zionist Congress of 2002 marks the one hundred years since the establishment of the Mizrachi Movement in the Jewish year 5662, as well as its joining the World Zionist Organization.

The Zionist Congress congratulates and praises the Mizrachi World Movement and all its branches for the nurturing and cultivation of generations of religious Zionists, Bnei Torah and activists, who are integrated in all fields of Zionist activity: in aliyah, settlement, religious Zionist education, security, science, creativity and social involvement.

Draft Resolution No. 7 / 5

Submitted by Moshe Testa
The Zionist Council in Israel

The Zionist Congress calls upon the National Institutions to help strengthen the connection of Israeli society with the Jewish People and the Jewish communities abroad. This is to be achieved through aiding organizations and institutions such as the Zionist Council in Israel, youth movements and schools in dealing with the subject of the Jewish People.

Draft Resolution No. 7 / 6

Submitted by David Breakstone
Mercaz

Hasbara
Whereas the need for Hasbara and Zionist education has become increasingly critical over the past few years as attacks on Zionism have intensified, and as the ideology of post-Zionism has been promulgated, and

whereas knowledge of and commitment to Zionist principles cannot be assumed, particularly among the younger generation, and

whereas support for Israel has become increasingly tenuous among Jews and non-Jews alike in recent years, and

whereas those who oppose Israel have become increasingly vociferous and sophisticated in their anti-Zionist campaigning,

be it hereby resolved that the World Zionist Organization, through the Department for Zionist Activities, accept the mandate to actively engage in Hasbara and Zionist education, and

be it further resolved that a special committee be established immediately, which will decide on effective ways to implement this, by taking advice from the Department for Zionist Activities, and whereby the possibility of cooperation with the Jewish Agency should be considered.

be it further resolved that the budget of the World Zionist Organization should reflect the implementation of this decision.

Draft Resolution No. 7 / 7

Submitted by World Labor Zionist Movement

Jerusalem

1. Jerusalem has always been a central focus of Zionism, the symbol of the Jewish People, and its spiritual and cultural center, it is to her that the Jewish People continue to turn from all over the world.

2. The Zionist Movement firmly stands behind the demand of the Israeli government and of the Jewish People to safeguard the unity of Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel.

3. In order to strengthen Jerusalem as a symbol of the Jewish nation, the Zionist Congress attributes great importance to the channeling and encouragement of immigration to Jerusalem.

4. Jerusalem is an important center for the higher education of the Jewish people, including the Hebrew University as well as secular and religious educational institutions on a high level, in the fields of the arts and different occupational fields. The effort will continue to direct Jewish youth to come and receive education for a period of time in Jerusalem, to encourage the participation of Jewish students in academic studies at the Hebrew University and in different colleges in Jerusalem.

5. The Zionist Congress calls upon the Jewish public throughout the world to continue to come to Jerusalem as tourists and visitors, and especially visits to Jerusalem by young people and students, despite the security problems. Visits of this kind are an important layer in the continuing existence of the Jewish People.

6. It is necessary to continue the effort to strengthen Jerusalem's economy in those areas special to her, among them tourism, medicine, culture, higher education, government, National Institutions, and to expand infrastructures and the support of the channeling of special encouragement given on behalf of the Jewish People and the State, to Jerusalem.

7. The Zionist Congress calls to act among the religious and secular so as to enable them to become acquainted with one another and to develop a public dialogue in Jerusalem in order to solve disputes on the basis of consensus and cooperation, and to act in cooperation to encourage processes of the integration of Haredim into the world of employment by means of education and professional training.

Draft Resolution No. 7 / 8

Submitted by World Labor Zionist Movement

Zionism in Israel

1. The Zionist Movement regards the Law of Return and its protection as a treasure of eternal value, which should not be changed, and the status of which should not be harmed.

2. The Zionist Congress calls upon the Ministry of Education to increase education toward a Jewish Zionist identity and toward love of the land, and toward the values of Jewish culture and heritage, by increasing the amount of teaching hours allocated to this subject at schools.

3. The Zionist Congress calls upon the national institutions to awaken and push forward Zionist activity in Israel, and to cultivate bodies that are dealing with Zionist thinking and activity, so as to help create a Zionist atmosphere in Israel.

4. The Zionist Congress calls upon all National Institutions to make efforts and help strengthen the connection between Israeli society and the Jewish People and the Jewish communities abroad, by means of aiding organizations and institutions such as the Zionist Council, youth movements and schools, through activities that focus upon the subject of the Jewish People.

5. The Zionist Congress calls upon the Government of Israel to consider as important, and as their responsibility, to aid the Jewish communities as part of the mutual guarantee between Israel and the Diaspora.

Draft Resolution No. 7 / 9

Submitted by Dr. Etti Serok
Mercaz

The Centrality of Israel in the Jewish Communities

Whereas the Zionist Movement is composed of the representation of unions, organizations and factions that are members of the Zionist Movement, and is working toward the distribution of the Zionist idea among Jewish communities in Israel and worldwide, and

whereas as waves of Anti-Semitism worldwide are becoming stronger, it is necessary to strengthen the connection to Zionism within Jewish communities worldwide,

the Zionist Congress resolves to act to strengthen the representation of the World Zionist Organization and the Zionist Movement among the various Jewish communities worldwide,

the Zionist Congress will establish a special committee, to reexamine the issue of the representation of Zionist movements in the different communities.

The committee will be composed of representatives of the movements and organizations of the Zionist Congress/the Zionist General Council. The committee will approach the umbrella organizations of the Jewish communities in the different countries.

The committee will be given the task of examining the possibility of establishing an "Israel Committee", which will address issues regarding Israel and Zionism throughout the every local Jewish Federation, or in all central organizations in Jewish communities in different countries. The committee will present suggestions for the structure of the "Israel Committee", the composition of its members, the method of structuring the committee and the election of its members and its relations to the local Jewish Federation.

The committee will be in touch with the representatives of Jewish communities/umbrella organizations in different countries, so as to establish committees according to regions, and to recruit into it representatives from local organizations. Each region that establishes an "Israel Committee" will be determine the need to continue the activity of the Zionist Federation according to its previous methods. The common committees will determine the composition of the "Israel Committee" and the mutual relations with the Jewish Federation; it will further formulate the way in which the members of the committee are elected, and create ways in which it will function.

Recommendations will be presented to the next Zionist General Council. A report on the progress of the committee's activity will be presented to the Zionist Executive and to the Presidency of the Zionist General Council before the next Zionist General Council.

Draft Resolution No. 7 / 10

Submitted by the American Zionist Movement

PREAMBLE: Twentieth-century Zionism was a profound historical accomplishment for our people, an accomplishment in the face of unprecedented persecution. In the last five decades, the Jewish People have successfully established a thriving, democratic Jewish nation, the State of Israel. However, the twentieth century also saw the rise of destructive nationalism, and many sought to slander Zionism as yet another nationalist movement.

Our contemporary world, the 21st century, is often described as a "post-national, global economy and consciousness". In today's world, so-called "nationalism" and "nationalist aspirations" are no longer seen as positive expressions of national character or cultural identity. Perhaps for this reason, among others, the concept of "Zionism" has developed a distasteful connotation in today's world.

Further, in Jewish liturgy, our divinely-ordained eschatological significance as the Jewish people constitutes our return to the Land of Israel and our yearning for the Messiah, the latter which reflects the aforesaid global consciousness, as Talmudic lore says: "When the Messiah comes, Jerusalem will encompass the whole of Israel, and Israel will encompass the whole of the world."

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Zionism remains a dynamic movement, progressing with the tides of history, namely: Let us define "Zionism" not only as our historical "ties to soil" in the Land of Israel, but as our historical covenant as the Jewish people which demands that we embody and practice the values of our heritage, scriptures, and traditions. In particular:

BE IT RESOLVED that Israel is the physical and spiritual center of the Jewish people; and that we reaffirm our right to live in the Land of Israel, and the obligation of every Jew to support and defend those living in the Land of Israel;

YET BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that our return to Zion, and the founding of the State of Israel, must constitute more than settling the land and the soil of Israel itself, namely,

BE IT RESOLVED that we conceive of "Zionism" as an emphasis on Jewish religious and spiritual values, as well as Hebrew and Judaic culture, which is rooted in, but must ultimately transcend, our ties to the land of Israel itself, and that Aliyah to Israel will remain among the highest ideals and expressions of Zionism, but not the exclusive aim or expression of Zionism.

Draft Resolution No. 7 / 11

Submitted by Nadav Kidron
World Yavne

Formulating a Current Zionist Programme

The 34th Zionist Congress instructs the Zionist Executive to present an operative Zionist programme, which is in-line with current reality, with a special emphasis on activity with students and young people.