News Posts

Dear BA Family,
 
This is Election Season... 

We see the highly competitive Democratic Party primaries… 
We experienced the latest round of Israeli Knesset elections and quest to form a viable coalition… 
And once every 5 years we have the opportunity to vote in the Election for the World Zionist Congress [WZC]
To participate in the WZC and support the institutions of Conservative/Masorti Judaism worldwide - Please go to  www.mercaz2020.org and Vote for Mercaz-Slate #6 –
 
Voting ENDS on March 11 so it’s important to be heard NOW!

Why is this important to our Conservative Movement?

VOTING for MERCAZ – SLATE #6 – is crucial to ensure Conservative Judaism’s place at THE TABLE of:

• The “National Institutions of the Jewish People” for the next 5 years  until the next WZC in 2025
• Jewish National Fund’s global arm – Keren Kayemet LeYisrael /KKL
• The Jewish Agency for Israel, the global umbrella of which our local Jewish Federation is a part
• The World Zionist Organization, the convener of the Congress, and funder of Israel related activities to our affiliated organizations around the globe 

• Will harm the stature, reputation and the ability to represent “Our Voice as our synagogue’s Religious Movement”
• Would incorrectly make us appear to be tiny in numbers rather than our actual strength --- 1.2 million in the USA, plus an addition 900,000 Jews around the world
• Would leave the fate of our affiliated institutions solely in the hands of other folks
• Would harm the flow of close to $4 million of crucial funds to our institutions annually; that is, nearly $20 million over the next 5 years

  
Specifically, it would negatively impact:

• The Israel Masorti Movement’s ability to service our B’nai Mitzvah ceremonies at the egalitarian Robinson’s Arch alternative to the Orthodox section of the Kotel
• Support for Israel-education training for our future Rabbis at JTS, Ziegler, the Schechter Institute, the Seminario [Argentina], and the Frankel Rabbinical School [Germany]
• The Global Masorti Movement [Masorti Olami] offering home meals of Shabbat and Yom Tov hospitality [e.g. Rosh Hashanah, Passover Seder, etc.] – when requested – for our visiting young adults and tourists to Jewish communities throughout Latin America, Europe, the FSU, Australia, etc.
• Young “Shlichim” [Israeli young emissaries] present each year in dozens [and growing numbers] of our US synagogues
• Training for Shlichim for our Schechter and Community day Schools
• Training for Shlichim for our Ramah overnight and day camps as well as other Jewish summer camps
• Funding for Israel pilgrimage programs of USY, Israel seminar programs for Ramah, gap year Israel programs like NATIV, Hannaton Educational Center, etc.
• Support for Israeli “Twin” Masorti synagogues/Kehilot
• Support for pairing US Conservative Rabbis with Israeli Masorti Rabbinic peers via “Rav Siach”
• For protecting the rights of our converts when they seek to come to Israel via the work of the Rabbinical Assembly of Israel
• Security funding for our synagogues and schools world-wide [Europe, Latin America, etc.], which we visit as tourists
• Israeli-themed Adult Education materials
• Enhancement of the skills of our Hebrew language instructors
• AND SO MUCH MORE….

 
Please VOTE MERCAZ – Slate #6 --- immediately – since voting ends March 11
To do so, go to Mercaz2020.org or print out a paper ballot by clicking HERE, fill it out and mail it as instructed on the ballot - to the AZM [American Zionist Movement] checking Mercaz – Slate #6.

Paper ballots also are available in the Rabbinic Suite and will be on tables this coming Shabbat , at the Purim Carnival on Sunday March 8, and during the evening of the Megillah reading on Monday March 9
 
PLEASE VOTE MERCAZ – Slate #6
Your vote counts! Thank you in advance for your support!

In gratitude and appreciation,
Rabbi Carnie Shalom Rose