PARTIES, PLATFORMS, SLATES
Before voting, Zionists should carefully review the detailed information about the different parties and their platforms. Here is a quick overview:
ALLIANCE FOR A NEW ZIONIST UNION
ANZU describes itself as the voice of the Jewish young adults who are “passionately engaged in the national struggles of our people.” People running on this slate are mostly activist students at various campuses across the U.S., including UCLA (Yaakov Tarko), University of Maryland (Alyssa Gabay), Columbia University (Albert Kohn and Britt Henoch), as well as Craig Dershowitz, of Artists 4 Israel.
AMERICAN FORUM FOR ISRAEL
AFFI represents the Russian American Jewish community, with a strong Zionist orientation.
ARZA (Representing Reform Judaism)
ARZA is focused on the Reform social agenda, as it applies to Israel. It is based on principles of “Women’s Rights and Gender equality; religious equality; and the Two State “Path to Peace.” The ARZA Slate is headed by Rabbi Rick Jacobs, the leader of the American Reform movement, and many others.
GREEN ISRAEL (Green Zionist Alliance/Jewcology)
If air quality and animal rights are what you think is the most important issue regarding Israel and the Jewish people, this party is probably for you.
HATIKVA (The Progressive Zionist Voice)
Do not be deceived by the use of the Hebrew word Hatikva, which is also the name of the national anthem of Israel. The Tikva these party members have is for Israel to form vivisection and create out of its tiny space another state, one to be handed over to those committed to destroying the Jewish State. The partners with Hatikva include Ameinu (which worked on Arab voter registration and get out the Arab voter drive to defeat Netanyahu in this past election), Partners for a Progressive Israel (advocates for boycotts against SodaStream and Ahava) and like-minded social justice activities. People on this slate include the head of the New Israel Fund, Daniel Sokatch.
HERUT NORTH AMERICA (The Jabotinsky Movement)
Describes itself as “dedicated to social justice, Jewish unity and the territorial integrity of the land of Israel.”
MERCAZ USA (The Zionist Arm of the Conservative Movement)
This party represents the Conservative movement in the U.S. It supports an “open pluralistic Jewish society,” which seeks alternatives to the current monopoly on religious issues by “the rabbis,” a contemporary Zionist agenda and a “negotiated Two-State” Solution. Mercaz is affiliated with the Jewish Theological Seminary, the Jewish Federations and
RELIGIOUS ZIONIST SLATE (Vote Torah for the Soul of Israel)
Sponsoring organizaitons of the RZS include AMIT, the Rabbinical Council of America, Bnei Akiva, Touro College, Yeshiva University, and the Religious Zionists of America. This party focuses on enriching Torah values and Jewish life in Israel and around the world.
WORLD SEPHARDI ZIONIST ORGANIZATION (Ohavei Zion)
The Sephardi Zionist Movement was started four years ago and it is a vehicle for represntatives of the Sephardi tradition to have a voice on the direction of Jewish education within Sephardi communities throughout the world. The slate includes Rabbi Elie Abadie, M.D., Odelya Jacobs, and many others.
ZIONIST SPRING (Restoring Vision to World Zionism)
This party is supported by the Baltimore Zionist District and the Young Judea movement. Its platform includes promoting Jewish unity, supporting Aliyah and inspiring young leaders. It also addresses infrastructure issues within the WZC. Candidates running on this slate include Sarri Singer and Eve Stieglitz.
ZIONIST ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA (Defend Jews and Israeli Rights)
The ZOA believes in a greater Israel, including an undivided Jerusalem; in the survival and annexation of the disputed territories of Judea and Samaria; and in fighting back hard against anti-Israel activity and anti-Semitism on U.S. college campuses. The ZOA also opposes the creation of a Hamas-Fatah Terrorist State. Those running for the ZOA party include long-time head of the ZOA Mort Klein, JCC Watch’s Richard Allen, leading anti-Semitism scholar Prof. Phyllis Chesler, Human Rights Prof. Anne Bayefsly, Americans for Peace and Tolerance’s Dr. Charles Jacobs, AFSI’s Helen Freedman and many more leading Zionists.