Though millions of Americans have already voted, we are two weeks away from what is formally known as “Election Day,” on Nov. 3 this year.

While the overwhelming focus is on the presidential election, all 435 members of the House of Representatives will also be decided during the election along with 35 seats in the Senate.

A key issue for everyone reading this email is foreign policy — specifically the Middle East and most specifically, Israel. While the president and his administration sets and guides foreign policy, Congress does play a role: from determining budgets and funding, to considering resolutions that are advisory but have little consequence, to passing laws, to holding investigative hearings that can shed light on a range of issues.

A candidate’s opinion and position on Israel and the Middle East therefore is important. Rarely during congressional campaigns is foreign policy an issue the candidates delve into with any depth. So Greater Philadelphia ZOA decided to ask candidates vying in select contests within our region their opinions/positions on key matters about and related to the Middle East and Israel. Some candidates opted to respond to our request while others did not.

The Zionist Organization of America is a non-profit organization and as such does not endorse candidates. The purpose of the questionnaire and our publishing of the responses is purely informational for voters. One should not read anything related to a candidate’s position on an issue based on the candidate’s failure to respond to our questionnaire. The answers that we received are published verbatim as they were sent to us.

To see the questions, who responded and what they had to say, plus our methodology, please go to: https://philly.zoa.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2020/10/candidates-questionnaire-2020-results-responses.pdf

 

Click each image to enlarge

 

 

On Tuesday, May 19 at 3:30 p.m. Greater Philadelphia ZOA will offer a special event for children and their parents and grandparents featuring a reading of the new book Z Is for Zionism. This was created by Ze’ev Zion to counter the anti-Israel book called P Is for Palestine. Z Is for Zionism uses rich text and illustrations to give children ages 6 through 13 a good foundation to understand Zionism and Israel. Ruth Gleit – a mom, grandmom and former reading teacher – will read the book live while on screen we will display each page as she reads it so that children can read along.

Please: If you have children or grandchildren, nieces or nephews in that age range – register them and help them watch this event. If you are an educator or have a connection to a Jewish school or congregation school: Please get word of this event out to as many people as possible so that as many young Jews as possible can benefit from this event and this book. This book could have great positive impact on young Jewish children.

To register: Please email us at [email protected] with your interest or have someone from the school or congregation email us and we will send them the link. We are taking this extra step for security purposes.

Please help support these virtual events by being a sponsor of one or through a donation. Call our Office at 610-660-9466 for details. You can promote a business, celebrate a simcha, honor a loved one or a friend, or dedicate an event in memory of someone.

Please click on the image to enlarge:

Ensure a strong Israel, a strong Diaspora and a strong relationship between the two by voting for the ZOA Coalition slate in the World Zionist Congress election beginning at 12:01 am on January 21, if you are Jewish, in America and age 18 or older.

Voting is a simple five-step process as the image below details. The few minutes you spend voting for the ZOA Coalition at zionistelection.org will have an impact to help Israel and world Jewry that can last a lifetime! There is a nominal administrative fee collected by the American Zionist Movement to cover the cost of the election.

It is important not only that you vote, but that you also strongly encourage everyone in your circle who is eligible to vote for the ZOA Coalition slate: Your relatives, your friends, your business associates, your neighbors, those you see at shul and your social-media contacts and email lists. Please forward this email and post the contents on social media. You can also print it out and offer it to people as a flyer.

By random selection, the ZOA Coalition – formally known as “ZOA Coalition: Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), Torah from Sinai, MIG (Make Israel Great) & National Pro-Israel Partners – Courageously Defending Israel, Sovereignty & the Jewish People” – is listed 11^th among the slates vying for delegates.

Some of the slates are coalitions of radical Leftist organizations that, for example, support BDS. The more delegates that the ZOA Coalition can send to the World Zionist Congress later this year, the more our staunch pro-Israel/pro-Jewish education delegates can stave of the Left’s efforts to get the World Zionist Organization to lurch leftward – and that depends on you and those close to you.

See below:

• How to vote for the ZOA Coalition;
• What are the ZOA Coalition’s platforms;
• What groups comprise the ZOA Coalition and;
• A link to a concise video about the World Zionist Congress.

If you have any questions, please call the Greater Philadelphia ZOA Office at 610-660-9466.

Click on all images to enlarge.

How Do You Vote for the ZOA Coalition? See the Image Below:

What is the World Zionist Congress?

The World Zionist Congress, the international “parliament of the Jewish people,” meets next in October 2020, to make decisions regarding key institutions which allocate nearly $1 billion annually to support Israel and World Jewry (including the World Zionist Organization, Jewish National Fund and the Jewish Agency for Israel).

“The First Zionist Congress, convened by Theodor Herzl in 1897, was the genesis of the Zionist movement. It was the original meeting of great minds that first put to paper the idea that the Jewish people should have a state of their own. The WZC meets every five years to discuss policy and funding for Jewish institutions in Israel and across the world. In the United States the American Zionist Movement (AZM), as the national Zionist federation, organizes a grassroots public vote where the American Jewish community elects 152 delegates to the WZC, a body of 500 delegates from Jewish communities worldwide. The election in the US is overseen by an “Area Election Committee” established by AZM under the rules of the World Zionist Organization.” (source: American Zionist Movement)

Please vote for the ZOA Coalition in the World Zionist Congress election.

The ZOA Coalition platform: Courageously Defending Israel, Sovereignty & the Jewish People

• Rescue Jews Endangered by Global Antisemitism & Promote the Safety of Jews Around the World: ZOA Coalition initiated & obtained passage of the WZC resolution to give highest funding priority to rescuing endangered Jews. We need your vote to keep making saving endangered Jewish lives the first priority!
• Combat Global & Campus Antisemitism & Boycotts, Divestments & Sanctions (BDS): ZOA Coalition initiated & obtained passage of the WZC anti-BDS policy (which includes stopping BDS against Jews in Judea & Samaria) & “Buy Israeli” program. We’re leading a multi-pronged battle against antisemitism and Israel-bashing.
• We’re protecting Jewish students’ legal rights to safe campuses. ZOA Coalition is the only American slate that voted for declaring that anti-Zionism is a manifestation of antisemitism.
• Vote for the ZOA Coalition to say “no” to BDS!
• Say “No” to an Iranian-proxy Palestinian-Arab terror state!
• Promote Love & Respect for Jewish Tradition, Torah from Sinai – and All Our People: Join us in promoting the bedrocks that sustain, unite & strengthen the whole Jewish people.
• Defend & Strengthen Israel; United Jerusalem Under Israeli Sovereignty; & the Jewish People’s Rights to Live in & Settle Judea & Samaria: ZOA Coalition led the 23-year battle to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem. We are now leading the battle to transform the World Zionist Congress – and Israel’s national institutions under the WZC umbrella – into bodies that will arise and assert the Jewish people’s rights to our land.
• Strengthen Jewish & Zionist Education in Israel & the Diaspora. Vote for ZOA Coalition for future generations!

What groups comprise the ZOA Coalition:

The ZOA Coalition includes:  Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) • Aharai USA • Aish HaTorah • Americans Against Antisemitism • Americans for a Safe Israel (AFSI) • American Friends of Ateret Cohanim • American Friends of Likud (AFL) • Americans for Peace and Tolerance • Beit Juhuro Gorsky Kavkazi Center • Chovevei Zion • Eretz Israel Movement • Hasbara Fellowships • ILead • JCC Watch • Make Israel Great (MIG) Russian Jewish Coalition for a Strong Israel • The Lawfare Project • National Conference on Jewish Affairs • NORPAC • One Israel Fund • Save the West • Students Supporting Israel (SSI) • Torah from Sinai • United Mashadi Jewish Community of America (UMJCA) • US Russian Jews Stand With Israel • World Likud • Young Jewish Conservatives (YJC) • Z Street

What Is the World Zionist Congress, What Does It Do and Why Does Your Vote Matter? Watch this brief video at the link:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From memorable speeches by our deserving honorees, to the warmth and camaraderie of 300 like-minded people, to the air thick with love for America and Israel, and of course delicious food — Greater Philadelphia ZOA’s 2019 Gala was a great event.

If you were among the large crowd, then surely you will agree. If you were not at the Gala, perhaps a look at our Gala video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDDSDiT_8PI&t=2405s will give you a sense of what the event was like, and how inspiring and informative were the speeches by honorees Malka Kantor-Rapkin, Cliff Rieders, Rabbi Eliezer Hirsch and keynoter Professor Dr. Jason D. Hill — along with ZOA National President Morton A. Klein, Rabbi Neil Cooper and Emcee Gary Erlbaum.

See the photo collages below for more flavor from this fabulous Gala.

In addition, we want to thank everyone who placed a congratulatory notice or ad in our 2019 Gala Tribute Book and Ad Journal. We encourage you to patronize the businesses and service-providers who participated. Our Gala book is chock full of articles and information in addition to the ads, notices and letters from elected officials. See a list of advertisers below, along with a link to look through the book.

We hope to see you at our 2020 Gala!

Click on each collage to enlarge:

See their ads and the entire 2019 Gala Tribute Book and Ad Journal at: http://philly.zoa.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2019/09/Gala-2019-tribute-book-ad-journal-final-w-Lee-pg.pdf