The June 2002 election for the 34th World Zionist Congress looms as one of the more important items on Orthodoxy's communal agenda. The World Zionist Congress determines the policies and budgetary allocations of the Jewish Agency in Israel, the central agency which administers the bulk of the funds raised by the UJA-federation system worldwide. This affects allocations to educational and social institutions in Israel, the United States and around the world, as well as the religious and social orientation of Jewish Agency social service programs. In recent years, there has been an erosion of Orthodox representation in the Congress in favor of Reform and Conservative with a consequent increase in support for non-Orthodox institutions and programs and a sea change in philosophy on issues that are fundamental to the Torah character of the Jewish state.
In the coming weeks, we will share with our readers information about the voter registration process and the Orthodox slates. Remember, the registration deadline is December 14, 2001!