The results are finally in: the liberal slates that ran in last month’s Canadian elections for the World Zionist Congress (WZC) grew and took 2nd and 3rd place. Overall, now the majority of the Canadian delegation is represented by liberal-leaning slates.
ARZA Canada secured four seats at the WZC with 3,508 votes, while Hatikvah won three seats with 2,830 votes. The Mizrahi (Orthodox) slate came first, with four seats and 4,013 votes. Canadian Jews will send a total of 19 delegates to the WZC from nine different delegate slates, each representing a different set of political, religious, or cultural traditions.
Click here to read the full results.
Both Hatikvah and ARZA Canada share NIFC’s values of democracy, equality, and peace in Israel.
“Whether you cast a ballot, encouraged a friend to vote or simply helped spread the word, you were part of this success,” said ARZA Canada Co-Chairs Judith Wiley and Jeff Denaburg. “We have shown that our movement, though the smallest denomination in Canada, has a big vision and a dedicated community ready to stand up for pluralism, democracy, and an inclusive Jewish future. Your engagement makes a difference. Not only in these election results but in strengthening the bridges between Israel and the Canadian Reform community. This milestone reminds us that when we speak up, we are heard.”
Meanwhile, Hatikvah says the election results show a majority of Canadian Jews support a pluralistic vision for Zionism, based on the principles of Israel’s Declaration of Independence, and oppose the dominance of the State of Israel by far-right parties. “We are especially proud of having realized this achievement without the support network of synagogues, schools or other communal institutions that other slates relied on,” said Hatikvah.
“We look forward to working with all like-minded Canadian Jews to promote Hatikvah’s values of democracy, peace and social justice in the interests of an Israel we all can be proud of.”
Hatikvah also says participation in this election was almost 50 per cent higher than in the US Zionist elections, crediting the support of many young and previously unaffiliated voters.
Together with delegates from Israel and other countries, the WZC helps shape the Jewish world by setting policies and influencing more than $1 billion in funding that’s used to support education, social programs, and land development in Israel.