The WZO was founded by Theodor Herzl over 100 years ago to
create a Jewish state and to promote the Zionist idea. It raises and
distributes money to its constituent parties, which they can each use toward
that goal as they see fit.
As I understand it, the funds are distributed based on the
percentage of votes each party receives. This means that the party with the
most votes gets the largest share of the funding.
One might find it surprising that the anti-Zionist Charedim have joined the pro-Zionist WZO. However, when it comes to the badly needed funds required to sustain their institutions and way of life, they do what they have to do - while simultaneously rejecting secular Zionism as anti-religious and illegitimate.
Religious Zionism is considered an illegitimate handmaiden to secular Zionism. In essence, they argue that one cannot be both religious and a Zionist.
Some rabbinic leaders opposed joining the WZO for this very
reason. However, if I understand correctly, most Charedi rabbinic leaders
support participation, especially this year, when government funding for their
schools was cut due to the refusal of Charedim in Israel to comply with the
draft.
They might even claim to be the real ‘Zionists’ in the sense that they firmly believe the Land of Israel (also called Zion) belongs to the Jewish people. Why, they might argue, shouldn’t Charedim get a slice of the Zionist pie?
Given the massive need, the Charedi world has decided that
it would be foolish to pass up the money they would get via the WZO. This explains why they are making a
strong push to get people to vote for Eretz HaKodesh. The last
time this happened, Charedim shocked the Reform members by
securing a far greater share of the vote than anyone expected. This, in turn,
prompted the Reform movement to mobilize their own voters, fearing that they
would lose their influence in the WZO altogether if they failed to rally their
base.
I, for one, am happy to see more funding go to religious
Jews. However, I did not vote for Eretz HaKodesh. I voted for the OIC Mizrachi - the Orthodox
Religious Zionist party.
Even though I am a strong supporter of Israel and its
governing body (regardless of the ruling party), I am not a religious Zionist.
Nor am I Charedi. I tend to evaluate the issues and support the individuals who
best represent my values and priorities.
I would urge all religious Jews who are motivated to vote in
the WZO elections NOT to vote for Eretz HaKodesh, but rather to vote for OIC Mizrachi (Religious Zionists) for one very simple but critical reason.
It was religious Zionist Jews who provided their sons and daughters to the IDF in order to protect all Israeli Jews during more than a year of war in Gaza. (In greater percentage then even secular Israelis.) It was their sons and daughters who shed blood. It was from their ranks that IDF soldiers were killed, maimed, or in other ways permanently damaged (both physically and psychologically) in order to defend the Jewish people of Israel. Including the protection of Charedim, who did not serve and instead spent the year studying Torah, as they always have.
I understand, appreciate, and truly respect their ethos regarding Torah study. know how desperately they need the money. Now more
than ever. But this is a situation of their own making. If anyone deserves a
larger share of the WZO’s resources, it is the people that made the greatest sacrifice. The people whose sons and daughters
put their lives on the line for their country.
If you want to understand just how much they have contributed, visit a hospital where seriously wounded IDF soldiers are being treated. If that doesn’t motivate you to vote for OIC Mizrachi, I don’t know what will.
As I said, I am not a religious Zionist. I do not agree with
everything they do. But I do have a conscience. They are the ones risking life
and limb for the Jewish people. The Charedim are not.
Every religious Jew who does not vote for the Religious
Zionist party and instead votes for Eretz HaKodesh is diverting WZO funds away
from the people who deserve it the most.
If you are Charedi, I ask you to search your soul and
do the right thing.
If your community isn’t going to fight, the least you can do
is support the part of the religious community that does. It’s the right thing
to do.
