The Zionist Congress was established in 1897 by Theodor Herzl as the supreme decision-making body of the organ of the Zionist movement. The first Zionist Congress was held in Basel, Switzerland in 1897. Any Jew over age 18 who belongs to a Zionist association is eligible to vote, and 500 delegates are elected to the Congress. 38% of the delegates are allocated to Israel, 29% to the United States of America, and 33% to the remainder of the countries of the Global Jewish community. Approximately 100 additional delegates are granted to international organizations such as B’nai Brith, WIZO, World Emunah, and the World Union of Jewish Students.
After the First Zionist Congress in 1897, the Zionist Congress met every year until 1901, then every second year from 1903 to 1913 and 1921 to 1939. Until 1946, the Congress was held every two years in various European cities, aside from interruptions during the two World Wars. After the Second World War, meetings have been held approximately every four years. Since the creation of the State of Israel, the Congress has met every four or five years in Jerusalem.
Zionist participants in the World Zionist Congress are free to form Zionist World Unions which are somewhat like political parties. While Israeli political parties can participate in the Congress, world unions or brits are also organized and voted into the Congress by non-Israelis, making the Congress a multinational deliberative body for the Jewish people.
A World Union must have representation in at least five countries to send a delegation to the Congress. Countries either come to an agreement regarding who should represent them in the congress or they have elections. Each country is designated a number of delegates based on the size of its Jewish population and the Zionist activity in their community.
Israeli delegates for each congress are assigned to political parties based on the outcomes of the previous election to the Knesset. Zionist parties represented in the Knesset are apportioned a number of Congress delegates proportional to their strength in the Knesset.
In addition to the delegates with full voting rights participating in Congress, other participants can be involved in the Congress in an advisory capacity and in committee debates but without voting rights.
The Congress determines who will hold leadership positions in the national institutions – the World Zionist Organization, Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael, Jewish Agency, and Keren Hayesod – and how to allocate the Zionist movement’s budgets.
The World Zionist Organization was founded at the initiative of Theodor Herzl at the First Zionist Congress which took place in August 1897 in Basel, Switzerland.
When it was founded, the goals of the Zionist movement were stated in a resolution that came of that Congress and came to be known as the “Basel Program” which dictates that:
“Zionism aims at establishing for the Jewish people a legally assured home in the Land of Israel. To achieve this purpose, the following means shall be employed:
Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the WZO has shifted from establishing the state to connecting the state to global Jewry. It’s many departments include Diaspora Activities, Education, Religious Affairs, Promotion of Aliyah, Countering Antisemitism, and Pioneer Youth and Future Generations.
The Zionist Executive made of department heads based in Jerusalem and the Zionist General Council made of Zionist Congress delegates from around the world lead and direct the organization’s direction and activities.
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The World Zionist Organization was founded at the initiative of Theodor Herzl at the First Zionist Congress which took place in August 1897 in Basel, Switzerland.
Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund was established in 1901 at the Fifth Zionist Congress which met in Basel.
In the bible, the word Zion as a namesake for Jerusalem (and by extension the land of Israel) first appears in the book Samuel II
The World Zionist Organization was founded at the initiative of Theodor Herzl at the First Zionist Congress which took place in August 1897 in Basel, Switzerland.
When it was founded, the goals of the Zionist movement were stated in a resolution that came of that Congress and came to be known as the “Basel Program” which dictates that:
“Zionism aims at establishing for the Jewish people a legally assured home in the Land of Israel. To achieve this purpose, the following means shall be employed:
Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the WZO has shifted from establishing the state to connecting the state to global Jewry. It’s many departments include Diaspora Activities, Education, Religious Affairs, Promotion of Aliyah, Countering Antisemitism, and Pioneer Youth and Future Generations.
The Zionist Executive made up of department heads is based in Jerusalem and the Zionist General Council made of Zionist Congress delegates from around the world and leads and directs the organization’s direction and activities.
Keren Hayesod – United Israel Appeal is the preeminent worldwide fundraising organization for Israel, which was established in London in 1920, to serve as the fundraising arm of the Jewish People and the Zionist Movement.
Since its establishment, Keren Hayesod has been at the forefront of Israel’s growth and progress. Its history has been inextricably intertwined with that of the State of Israel, the People of Israel and Jewish communities around the world.
In its early years, Keren Hayesod focused on aliyah, established over 900 urban and rural settlements and developed the economic, industrial, educational, and cultural framework for the state-on-the-way. It supported the establishment of national and public organizations, such as the national airline El Al, the Israel Electricity Company, the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, the Hebrew University and more.
Today, Keren Hayesod operates fundraising campaigns in over 40 countries and 60 communities around the world and with friends of Israel, in 9 languages, based on partnerships with local offices and leadership.
Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund was established in 1901 at the Fifth Zionist Congress which met in Basel. The Congress established the Jewish National Fund to act as purchaser of lands that would be “the perpetual property of the Jewish People,” i.e. property that would never be expropriated from them. KKL-JNF was appointed trustee and custodian of this land on behalf of the Jewish People.
All KKL-JNF land has been legally purchased and paid for in full through donations from the Jewish people, thereby making KKL-JNF a trustee on behalf of the Jewish People.
KKL-JNF’s work in Israel is concentrated into six action areas that include water, forestry and environment, education, community development and security, tourism and recreation, and research and development. The organization has planted more than 220 million trees, maintained 100,000 acres of natural woodland, forged 7000 kilometers of roads & forest trails, built 175 water reservoirs for water conservation and recycling, developed more than 600 recreation areas, and prepared infrastructure for thousands of new homes.
KKL-JNF also supports Zionist and environmental education, works to enhance the bond between the Jewish people and their homeland, builds connections among people who love Israel, ensures a thriving Negev and Galilee, preserves our natural and cultural heritage, and cooperates with the UN on environmental issues for a viable tomorrow.
The Jewish Agency provides the global framework for Aliyah, ensures global Jewish safety, strengthens Jewish identity and connects Jews to Israel and one another, and conveys the voice of the Jewish People to the State of Israel to help shape its society.
Established in 1929, it was the governing political body of the developing Jewish state. The agency now works to strengthen Jewish communities worldwide and assists Israel through programs like securing affordable housing for Israel’s most vulnerable elderly citizens to mentoring at-risk youth.
The Jewish Agency views its current mission as creating a new generation of strong leaders, building a thriving economy in Israel, and providing meaningful opportunities for the global Jewish family to connect and engage.
The World Zionist Organization was founded at the initiative of Theodor Herzl at the First Zionist Congress which took place in August 1897 in Basel, Switzerland. When it was founded, the goals of the Zionist movement were stated in a resolution that came of that Congress and came to be known as the “Basel Program” which dictates that:
“Zionism aims at establishing for the Jewish people a legally assured home in the Land of Israel. To achieve this purpose, the following means shall be employed:
Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the WZO has shifted from establishing the state to connecting the state to global Jewry. It’s many departments include Diaspora Activities, Education, Religious Affairs, Promotion of Aliyah, Countering Antisemitism, and Pioneer Youth and Future Generations.
The Zionist Executive made of department heads based in Jerusalem and the Zionist General Council made of Zionist Congress delegates from around the world lead and direct the organization’s direction and activities.
After the First Zionist Congress in 1897, the Zionist Congress met every year until 1901, then every second year from 1903 to 1913 and 1921 to 1939. Until 1946, the Congress was held every two years in various European cities, aside from interruptions during the two World Wars. After the Second World War, meetings have been held approximately every four years. Since the creation of the State of Israel, the Congress has met every four or five years in Jerusalem.
Zionist participants in the World Zionist Congress are free to form Zionist World Unions which are somewhat like political parties. While Israeli political parties can participate in the Congress, world unions or brits are also organized and voted into the Congress by non-Israelis, making the Congress a multinational deliberative body for the Jewish people.
A World Union must have representation in at least five countries to send a delegation to the Congress. Countries either come to agreement regarding who should represent them at the congress or they have elections. Each country is designated a number of delegates based on the size of its Jewish population and the ZIonist activity in their community.
Israeli delegates for each congress are assigned to political parties based on the outcomes of the previous election to the Knesset. Zionist parties represented in the Knesset are apportioned a number of Congress delegates proportional to their strength in the Knesset.
In addition to the delegates with full voting rights participating in Congress, other participants can be involved in the Congress in an advisory capacity and in committee debates but without voting rights.
The Congress determines who will hold leadership positions in the national institutions – the World Zionist Organization, Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael, Jewish Agency, and Keren Hayesod – and how to allocate the Zionist movement’s budgets.
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