Committee No. 9 -
Activity and involvement in Israeli society

Draft Resolution No. 9 / 1

Submitted by Rabbi Ehud Bandel
World Mercaz

The 34th Zionist Congress again ratifies the resolutions made at the 32nd and 33rd Zionist Congresses, as follows:

"Whereas religious and secular pluralism in Israel is an issue that concerns Zionists in exile, the Zionist Congress calls upon all political parties in Israel to recognize the fact that:

i. In a democratic society, there will be a variety of expressions of Judaism.
ii. Secular and religious Jews of all streams have an equal democratic right to practice their faith and way of life in their own way.
iii. An attempt by any body to force religion, or to prevent the other from practicing it, is anti-democratic and may undermine respect for Judaism."

The Zionist Congress congratulates the decision made by High Court of Justice regarding the issue of conversion (20/02/2002) and calls upon the government of Israel to ensure the implementation of this decision according to its spirit and wording.

The Zionist Congress calls upon the Israeli Knesset to avoid any legislation that bypasses the High Court of Justice, that prevents the recognition of non-orthodox conversions and that may, God forbid, lead to a deep gap between Israel and the Diaspora.

The Zionist Congress praises the Jewish Agency and all those who have participated in the establishment of the Joint Institute for Jewish Studies. Only extensive national effort, built upon cooperation between the different streams in Judaism, has the power to respond to the challenge of converting the many immigrants from the Russian Federation who are not Jewish and wish to convert.

The Zionist Congress expresses its support of the implementation of free choice in marriage in Israel, and calls upon the Knesset to legislate a marriage law that will allow any citizen of Israel to marry according to his/her worldview, whether in an Orthodox-religious, Conservative or Reform ceremony, or in a secular civil ceremony.

Draft Resolution No. 9 / 2

Submitted by New Faction

Pluralism and Unity In Israel

Whereas previous Zionist Congresses have accepted a commitment to pluralism and support for equal rights for all streams in Judaism and have viewed these subjects as essential for the preservation of the unity of Am Yisrael and its connection with Zion (decision no. 93 of the 32nd Congress and decision 21 of the 33rd Congress), and

Whereas The Zionist Congress attaches great importance to subjects related to Jewish pluralism and recognition of the right of choice of word, thought and deed of secular and religious Jews of all streams, as a central element in viewing Israel as a Jewish Zionist and Democratic State, sees them as important and central in the world view of Zionism in this age, and is interested in strengthening the involvement of the representatives of the WZO in promoting these issues,

Therefore the Congress once again instructs the Chairman of the Zionist Executive and its representatives in the Executive of the Jewish Agency and all its bodies to work for the practical promotion of these values in Israel, to call upon the Government of Israel, the Knesset and local authorities to translate these values into legislation and policy for local and national government and to strengthen, within the educational system in Israel, programs which promote recognition of the wide variations existent within the Jewish people and the importance of Jewish pluralism.

Appendix:

In: The Resolution of the 32nd Zionist Congress, 26-30 July 1992
Resolution no. 93 - Religious Pluralism

"Whereas religious and secular pluralism in Israel is an issue that concerns Zionists in exile, the Zionist Congress calls upon all political parties in Israel to recognize the fact that:

i. In a democratic society, there will be a variety of expressions of Judaism.
ii. Secular and religious Jews of all streams have an equal democratic right to practice their faith and way of life in their own way.
iii. An attempt by any body to force religion, or to prevent the other from practicing it, is anti-democratic and may undermine respect for Judaism."

Draft Resolution No. 9 / 3

Submitted by New Faction

Whereas the State of Israel and the Jewish People worldwide are under serious attack and the security situation is such that the united support of Jews everywhere for the well-being and safety of the Israeli people is a primary necessity; and

Whereas the Zionist Congress has, in the past, taken the position that new religious legislation should not be passed unless there is wide agreement and consideration of the support of all parts of the Jewish people in Israel and in the Diaspora, (decision no. 21 of the 33rd Congress); and,

Whereas recently there have been renewed attempts to raise the issue of "The Conversion Law" in a manner that would cancel decisions of the Supreme Court about the obligation of the State to register as Jews those individuals who have been converted by Rabbinical courts of the non- Orthodox movements, whether in Israel or abroad; and,

Whereas at this extremely difficult time for Israel and the Jewish people any action to move forward with the Conversion Law will undermine the very unity of world Jewry that is needed to bolster Israel during this national crisis;

Therefore the Congress calls upon the Chairman of the Zionist Executive and the Executive and its representatives in the Jewish Agency to take all actions necessary to make clear to the Government of Israel and the Knesset that any action to move forward with the Conversion law at this time would bring about a serious undermining of Jewish unity, just when there is a crucial need for a united front of world Jewry in support of Israel.

Draft Resolution No. 9/ 4

Submitted by New Faction

Marriage

Whereas the Zionist Movement is committed to strengthening the identity and character of the State of Israel as a Jewish, Zionist and Democratic State; and

Whereas the State of Israel does not yet recognize the ability of its citizens to freely choose the kind of marriage ceremony they wish to have, which is against the promise of freedom of religion and conscience in the Declaration of Independence and against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil Rights; and

Whereas in the current reality, the basic right of getting married in Israel is denied to hundreds of thousands of new immigrants to Israel from the FSU who are the children of mixed families, to most of the immigrants from Ethiopia, to immigrants who are converts to Judaism through the non-Orthodox religious movements, and to citizens of Israel who are not considered eligible to marry by the Chief Rabbinate; and

Whereas this reality has also negative effects on the promotion of Aliyah, since most Jewish communities in the world are dedicated to a liberal way of life, and to the principles of democracy and freedom of faith, and

Whereas most of the Jewish public in Israel supports legislation that grants freedom of choice in marriage, as all public surveys and research shows that have been made on the subject, and

Whereas recently a law on this subject, which was formulated by a wide coalition of public organizations in Israel who are organized in the framework of the Forum for Freedom of Choice in Weddings, was presented for public discussion;

Therefore the Zionist Congress calls upon the Chairman and the Zionist Executive to take action to encourage the Government of Israel and the Knesset to promote legislation, which would protect freedom of choice in marriage for all citizens of Israel. The Congress calls upon the representatives of the Zionist Movement in the Jewish Agency's governing bodies to take action to raise this subject in the Jewish Agency and to receive support for this needed change which is required to match the pluralistic nature of the Jewish people, the character of the State of Israel as a Jewish, Zionist and Democratic state, public opinion in Israel and the desire to promote Aliyah and solidarity with the State of Israel.

Draft Resolution No. 9 / 5

Submitted by Hannah Melamed
World Emunah

In the history of the Jewish People throughout the world, the Jewish family constituted the foundation of the society and the community.

Whereas the basic family unit is today being threatened by negative and destructive phenomena,

the Zionist Congress is instructed to take action in this matter and will act for the strengthening and support of the Jewish family, for the increased education for consciousness and of the importance of the family and its demographic growth as an essential national goal.

Draft Resolution No. 9 / 6

Submitted by World Labor Zionist Movement

The Zionist Council in Israel

1. The Zionist Congress calls to strengthen the Zionist Council in Israel as a central factor for Zionist activity in Israel, and as a branch of the World Zionist Organization in Israel.

2. The Zionist Congress calls to strengthen the enterprises of the Zionist Council in Israel: the Zionist Council for Youth, the Amichai Preparation for Social Leadership, the Alei Tsameret for the training of social-community leadership and activities of the Zionist Council's jurisdictions.

3. The Zionist Congress calls upon the Zionist Council to expand its activity, mainly among shapers of public opinion, and to cultivate a forum similar to the Strategic Forum for the deepening of the Jewish-Zionist character of Israel.

4. The Zionist Congress praises the initiative of the Zionist Council to operate the Brit-Haim program for understanding and cooperation with the Druse sector.

5. The Zionist Congress calls upon the Zionist Council to expand the frameworks of those programs that deal with the integration of olim into Israeli society, and to increase the number of meetings and integrate olim into the activities of the Zionist Council.

6. The Zionist Congress calls to support the Achva project of the Zionist Council, to expand the number of conference days and seminars for acquaintance with the Jewish People and Jewish communities in Israeli society, especially among youth and young people.

Draft Resolution No. 9 / 7

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

The 34th Zionist Congress resolves to operate together with government and public elements in Israel, in order to deepen the awareness that "the people of Israel are a guarantee - one for the other".

Draft Resolution No. 9 / 8

Submitted by World Labor Zionist Movement

Pluralism in Judaism

1. Judaism is a combination of nationality, culture, history and religion. The Jewish People consists of different streams - culturally and socially. The Jewish faith is expressed in various ways, which have developed over the course of generations, as it should be in the case of a living faith that is renewing itself.

2. Jewish communities in the Diaspora represent a variety of streams and hold the belief of pluralism within Judaism. Most of the Jews of the Diaspora belong to non-Orthodox streams. The communities in the Diaspora support the State of Israel, and act in order to strengthen it, its security, and its welfare.

3. The State of Israel is based on Jewish, universal and democratic values, which have been determined in the Declaration of Independence. Israeli legislation and jurisdiction draw from these values, and promise equality and full freedom of conscience for the believers of all religions.

4. During the past decade, two processes have taken place in Israeli society: the wave of aliyah has brought hundreds of thousands of new citizens into the country who are not recognized as Jews, and who therefore are faced with difficulties when they choose to exercise their personal basic rights, such as marriage or burial; the religious system has become more political than in the past, and the Haredi parties are operating in order to promote religious legislation that will grant the Orthodox stream a monopoly over conversion and those institutions that provide religious services.

Principles

1. The Zionist Movement supports the existence of different streams in Judaism, and determines that no person and no body of any kind has a monopoly over Judaism or over the Jewish way of life in Israel. The leadership must ensure an equal distribution of resources to all streams in Israel. The unity of Israel does not mean homogeneity, but variety.
2. The Zionist Movement calls for a separation of religion from politics, for the conservation of the purity of religion and the freedom of the individual. Religious services must be equal and suitable for all streams, supported and financed equally by the State and their authorities.

3. The Zionist Movement calls upon the Orthodox-religious leadership to work toward innovation in Judaism, and toward solutions within the framework of tradition
on issues of personal status and the status of women. The State must offer alternative services in the personal field, such as marriage and divorce, burial, etc., for those who are not entitled to these within the Orthodox framework.
4. a. The Zionist Movement calls for ensuring full equal rights for all religious streams in Israel.
b. The Zionist Movement calls upon the Jewish Agency to recognize all streams, including the secular stream, as worthy of support in their educational activities.
5. The Zionist Movement calls to prevent the legislation of the Conversion Law, which will allow only Orthodox conversions to take place in Israel, and any injury to the status of the Reform or Conservative movements in Israel, as this will seriously harm the connection between Israel and the Jews of the Diaspora.
6. The Zionist Movement calls for the expansion of conversion institutes, which are common to all streams operating in Israel, and to continue to operate them under the auspices of the Jewish Agency as the direct continuation of its function of bringing olim to Israel.
7. The Zionist Movement praises the Jewish Agency for continuing its Na'ale Project. The Zionist Movement praises the youth who arrive within this framework, recognizes their dedication to Israel and their self-sacrifice, especially in their military service. The Movement condemns the attitude of the Orthodox establishment toward them and their families after their death, as has been shown a number of times when soldiers were killed in action.
8. The Zionist Movement determines that military service is part of the basic civil duties in Israel. The Movement calls to define frameworks and rules to exempt Yeshiva students from military service, and to stop the present situation in which there is discrimination based on religious faith. The Movement calls upon the government to suggest alternative frameworks of parallel civil service for members of minorities, for religious women, and for additional groups, not recruited into the army. This service will provide its graduates with full rights, equal to the rights of those who have completed their military service.
9. The Movement condemns discrimination against women in Israel at Rabbinic courts. The Movement calls to allow women to give evidence at Rabbinic courts, to authorize more women as judges and as Rabbinic petitioners, and to avoid legislation that grants Rabbinic courts authority that surpasses that of civil courts in family matters.

Draft Resolution No. 9 / 9

Submitted by Meretz World Union

1. The Zionist Congress supports and joins the struggle for the legislation of a Basic Law for freedom of religion.
The Zionist Congress considers this of utmost importance for the unity of the Jewish People in general, for the creation of equality between the different streams in Judaism, including the liberal stream.

The Zionist Congress supports the elementary principles of the Basic Law for freedom of religion, which are:
i. No discrimination based on religion
ii. Equality for all streams within Judaism, including the liberal stream
iii. Freedom of choice between "religious and civil" regarding marriage and divorce

2. The Zionist Congress demands of the Interior Ministry to recognize non-Jewish parents of children who serve in the IDF and who are Israeli citizens according to the Law of Return, and to grant them Israeli citizenship immediately.

3. The Zionist Congress calls upon the Israeli government to legislate a Law of Burial, according to which all soldiers of the IDF may be buried next to one another, with no difference regarding religion or ethnic origin.

4. The Zionist Congress recognizes the great importance of recognizing all streams within Judaism, whether the streams are religious or liberal, and to treat them all equally.

Draft Resolution No. 9 / 10

Submitted by Meretz World Union

The World Zionist Organization has engraved the ideal of aliyah to Israel on its banner and is attempting to achieve this by investing financial and educational resources. The World Zionist Organization must set challenges for young people who arrive in Israel, within the frameworks of projects intended to reduce socioeconomic gaps in Israeli society. This activity will be lead by new olim, who will also participate, in areas of poverty, unemployment and violence.

Whereas the Zionist Movement must map out the challenges that young immigrants will be faced with as goals of their activities,

The World Zionist Organization will suggest to the Israel Department of the Jewish Agency a range of unique projects for the improvement of Israeli society in which to be involved.

In our present difficult times, it is necessary to increase the involvement of the Jewish communities in the Diaspora in social activities in the State of Israel.

There is general agreement in Israel and abroad regarding the need to promote these issues.

We suggest that the 34th Zionist Congress encourage:
1. Joining the activities of young people during their Shnat Sherut in development towns and in poverty stricken neighborhoods.
2. Joining the program for young leadership, a program for the recognition of social, communal, educational and political frameworks.
3. Realization within the urban framework in weak cities and poverty stricken neighborhoods in joint projects of the youth movements worldwide and in Israel.
4. Increasing the budgets allocated for encouraging and bringing young people and adolescents into short and long term programs in Israel, so as to grant each young Jew worldwide the right to come closer his/her Zionist heritage and his/her Jewish roots.

Draft Resolution No. 9 / 11

Submitted by Nadav Kidron
World Yavne

The 34th Zionist Congress considers the social involvement of students from the Diaspora as of great importance, in long-term or short-term programs, in whose framework they arrive in Israel.

Draft Resolution No. 9 / 12

Submitted by Danny Dannon
World Likud

Support for the IDF

The 34th Zionist Congress expresses its support for the soldiers of the IDF, whether regular soldiers or reservists, who have been recruited or have volunteered to participate in the national struggle against terror, its initiators and its supporters.

The 34th Zionist Congress condemns and rejects the secondary phenomenon of conscientious objectors to reserve service, who are attempting to challenge the foundations of democracy.

The 34th Zionist Congress instructs the Executive of the Jewish Agency to ensure that those who shirk military service will not be allowed to serve in education and training within the framework of the Jewish Agency in Israel or abroad.

Draft Resolution No. 9 / 13

Submitted by Danny Dannon
World Likud

Support for the Israeli Government and the Security Forces

Due to the firm policy against the terror infrastructures, the 34th Zionist Congress expresses its support for the Prime Minister and the Israeli government.

The 34th Zionist Congress strengthens the hands of the IDF soldiers and security forces, operating for the security of Israel's residents day and night.

Draft Resolution No. 9 / 14

Submitted by Moshe Testa
The Zionist Council in Israel

The Zionist Congress praises the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish Agency, and the Zionist Council in Israel on their involvement in projects of cooperation, and on creating stronger ties of friendship with the ethnic group of the Druse. It calls for the cultivation of the relationship with this ethnic group as a faithful partner in the Zionist establishment and in the State of Israel.

On this matter, the Zionist Congress praises the activity of the Brit-Haim program for meetings for Jewish-Druse cooperation.

Draft Resolution No. 9 / 15

Submitted by Moshe Testa
The Zionist Council in Israel

A. The Zionist Congress praises the activity of the Zionist Youth Council for the cultivation of Zionist ideological youth leadership in Israel, and calls upon the World Zionist Organization to strengthen this activity, and to aid in the expansion of the circle of branches and activists of the Zionist Council throughout the country.

The Zionist Congress praises the project of the "Zionist Congress for Youth", having the aim of increasing the involvement of youth in the life of the society and the State, and calls upon all bodies which are part of the project, first and most important among them being the Zionist Council in Israel, to increase the number of youth participating in it.

B. The Zionist Congress praises the Zionist Council for the establishment of the pre-military preparatory school "Amichai" for developing social Zionist leadership among the religious and the secular.

The Zionist Congress calls upon the Zionist Organization to aid the preparatory school in expanding its activity.

C. The Zionist Congress views positively the increased cooperation between the Zionist Council and the Jewish National Fund.

The Zionist Congress praises the initiative for the covenant of cooperation between the two bodies, which is meant to increase the common enterprises, specifically in the field of education, of both institutions.