Zionism isn’t political; it is at the core of my family values.
I am the proud granddaughter of Milton Shapiro and great-granddaughter of Morris Leibowitz, both Zionist leaders who led and participated in the Zionist national institutions and fought for the land and the people of Israel. In my home, supporting our homeland was a moral imperative, one that I still take very seriously.
It is why my family co-founded and I chair Caravan for Democracy, a fellowship and 10-day trip to Israel for non-Jewish student leaders on college campuses run through JNF-USA. It is why my children have attended and volunteered with Alexander Muss High School in Israel. It is why my professional public platform has shifted so dramatically in the last five years to unapologetic Zionism (yes, long before October 7th). It is why I have been to Israel eight times in the last thirteen months. My heart lives in Israel; there is nothing I wouldn’t do to ensure that she thrives.
There is nothing I wouldn’t do to protect and defend Jews across the world. Of all the things I have done in my life, I truly believe this is my mission. It isn’t political. It is personal. Deeply personal.
I’ve never been fully comfortable on either end of the political spectrum. I am a centrist, someone who can listen to multiple perspectives and thinks that civil discourse and debate is a lost art. I don’t measure someone’s “goodness” based on their vote. And I don’t believe in getting involved in the policies or politics of a place I am not a citizen of. I can offer an opinion, but it would be myopic and narcissistic of me to assume that I, as an American, know how another country should operate.
I also know that I am not the only one.
I sit with 129 other people who share my priorities. We are members of the Kol Israel slate running in the World Zionist Congress. We are a delegation of General Zionists who put aside religious practice differences and political differences for the righteous mission of coming together for Am Israel.
Most people don’t know anything about the World Zionist Congress (WZC) despite the tremendous role it plays in Jewish life. The WZC is the only democratically elected body that represents World Jewry. Votes determine how $5 billion of public Jewish funding is allocated over the next five years.
Think about it: if you are a Jewish person 18 or older, your vote matters. You have a say in whose voices are amplified and which slate’s projects and priorities are funded. This is our chance to have an influence in supporting Israel while not being Israeli citizens! This is our opportunity to make a difference.
I am not naive: I know our task is a mighty one, and the stakes are high. But Kol Israel’s priorities are aligned – not only with my values – but with how I live my life. I believe in practicing what I preach. My family’s fight combating antisemitism in my son’s school is well documented, and my commitment to the relationships I have created in Israel in all of my trips is unwavering.
I believe in the next generation of Zionist leaders as my own passion was nurtured by those who came before me. Jews are not a monolith, and it is more critical today than ever to amplify the vastly different Jewish voices who have their own unique story. For all of these reasons, the Kol Israel platform speaks to me:
I never imagined that so much of my adult life would be returning to my roots, which my ancestors planted so many years ago. But here I am, a proud Jew and a proud Zionist, unapologetic in my belief that the next wave of Zionism is going to be better than the one before. Our tent is big and every single one of you is welcome in – including raising your voice by voting.
Let’s Stand Together for Israel and the Jewish People!
For more information about Kol Israel, our platform, our delegates, and how to vote, check out www.votekolisrael.org
