Two separate events were produced in English for young women students from the Diaspora attending one-year seminary programs in Israel, each drawing approximately 500 participants. A guest appearance was made at both events by 10th grader Shira Perez, daughter of the Director for Spiritual Services, Rabbi Doron Perez, who lost her brother Daniel Perez z”l, when he was taken hostage and killed, while serving on active duty on October 7.
This project arranges guided tours of the Gaza border region for yeshiva and women’s seminary students from the Diaspora that provide a close-in focus on the tragic disaster that befell us all on Simchat Torah last year. More than 2,500 students have participated in the program over the past year.
Photographer Yifat Pe’er’s exhibition – an initiative of the Zionist Council in Israel in conjunction with MomToo – went on display in the courtyard of the Haifa Cinémathèque. The moving opening ceremony was attended by a number of the bereaved mothers and deputy Mayor of Haifa, Mr. Yossi Shalom. The exhibit, which has so far gone on display in ten cities in Israel and around the world, relates the stories of 26 young men and women who were murdered in the October 7 attack, or killed during the war, through the eyes of their mothers.
This year-long program, in conjunction with the Hashomer Hatzair youth movement, focuses on recovery and growth and is now running at three kibbutzim in Israel’s western Negev region – Nir Oz, Magen and Karmia, which were all seriously hit by the October 7 atrocities. For this purpose, each kibbutz has been assigned a team of dedicated, professional madrichim who are now in residence: their task is to provide hands-on support and guidance for informal educational activities – across the entire age range, from kindergarten through high school – as well as extra-curricular programming; they can also offer meaningful guidance for individual children and teenagers. The first trimester of the task forces’ program was devoted to acquiring a deeper understanding of the kibbutzim and their respective communities; this included providing guidance for local education teams, the development of robust relationships and creating a safe space for them to share their emotions and ventilate. In the coming weeks, the program will focus on group crystallization for the educators involved in the Derech Ravid project, to help develop their professional and educational knowledge and skills, while simultaneously building stronger bridges with these communities and their children. The project, named for Ravid Katz z”l – a member of Kibbutz Nir Oz who fell in defense of the kibbutz on October 7 – is a living reminder of the power and hope that persists, even at critical moments. Day by day, ‘Derech Ravid’ continues to expand its influence through close collaboration with these communities, as part of its vision to provide ongoing support and desire to create a better and more secure future for all.
The Zionist Council in Israel, in conjunction with ‘Haogen (Anchor) for Drafted Families’ association and the Rishon LeZion Municipal Council, organized an event for the wives of miluimnikim – women whose husbands are currently serving their third or fourth tour of duty over the course of the past year. While these reservists have been serving on Israel’s northern border and in the Gaza Strip, their wives have taken up the challenge at all levels – of coping at home, taking full responsibility for child care, and simultaneously pursuing their careers. The special program included a brunch and a guest speaker on an enlightening subject, with each participant receiving a gift with a hint of luxury.
Photographer Yifat Peer’s exhibit, a venture initiated by the Zionist Council in Israel in conjunction with the MomToo association, went on display at Jerusalem’s Safra Square. The exhibition, which has to date been shown in ten cities in Israel and countries in the Diaspora, brings the stories of 26 young men and women who were murdered in the atrocities or fell in the war through the eyes of their mothers. The emotional opening ceremony was also attended by some of the bereaved mothers whose narratives are featured in its narrative panels.
The ‘Alone in the Lounge’ drama evening continues to tour Israel, reaching new locations: this time – Rosh Ha’ayin. The program was devised and organized by the Zionist Council in Israel, based on the story of Shlomo Ron z”l, who sacrificed his life to ensure the survival of his family, who were hiding in their safe room. During the course of this emotionally charged evening, a monodrama, entitled ‘Shabbat Baboker (Sabbath Morning),’ is delivered by actor Shlomo Bar-Aba, in which he voices a farewell soliloquy, combined with original as well as familiar music. After his finale, the actor engages with the audience in an open discussion about contemporary Zionism and other issues. The monodrama was created by Michal Aharoni, together with Zionist Council in Israel Director, Adv. Oz Haim.
The Zionist Council in Israel has announced a public call for nomination of candidates for the award, for a second, consecutive year. The finalists will be selected by a committee, chaired by Israel Prize laureate, Ms. Miriam Perez. This year, the prestigious awards will be presented to ten civilians and/or civil society bodies whose work during this year of wartime is deemed worthy of commendation and distinction, as exemplifying the industrious nature, volunteering spirit, sustained consistency, commitment and solidarity that permeates Israeli civil society in diverse domains. announcement and application form
This program ran at Kfar Vitkin, Raanana and Rehovot. It was created and developed by the Zionist Council in Israel and inspired by the story of Shlomo Ron z”l from Kibbutz Nachal Oz, who died saving his family, hidden in their reinforced safe room. The performance of the monodrama is given by actor Shlomo Baraba and entitled ‘Shabbat Morning.’ In a deeply moving monologue, combined with original and familiar music, he bids farewell to life; his soliloquy is followed by an open discussion with the audience about contemporary Zionism. The monodrama was composed by Michal Aharoni and the Director of the Zionist Council in Israel, Adv. Oz Haim.
The display was inaugurated in Kfar Saba at an impressive ceremony attended by city mayor, Rafi Saar, and World Zionist Organization Vice-Chairman, Gil Segal, as well as Director General of the Zionist Council in Israel, Adv. Oz Haim. The event was also attended by bereaved mothers Carmit Bazak-Bodner, mother of Guy Bazak z”l, and Orin Zach-Gantz, mother of Eden Zechariah z”l, and included songs performed by the singer, Sharon Haziz.
This year, the Herzl Center opened its doors during the intermediate days of Succot (Tabernacles) to receive the thousands of visitors arriving from all over Israel, including evacuee families from northern and southern Israel and the families of IDF reservists, with activity programs designed to offer them an enriching and stimulating experience. Visitors were able to tour the Herzl Museum and participate in activities in Herzl’s succah, with fascinating group discussions on the topic of “Growth Through Crisis,” where they addressed leadership dilemmas confronted by the heads of the Zionist movement, both past and present. The focus was chosen to enable visitors to become more familiar with the history of Zionism and relate this to the present day.
During the month of August, this program, which operates in conjunction with the Hashomer Hatzair movement, was officially launched on three kibbutzim in Israel’s south-western region – Nir Oz, Magen and Karmia. A group of madrichim (counselors) was created for each kibbutz and the team members will live on site. Initially, they will undergo professional training, after which they will assume responsibility for the informal educational programming framework, from kindergarten through high school. The program is designed to meet the urgent need to strengthen the kibbutzim in the western Negev, after the severe trauma and disruption they experienced in the wake of the October 7 events. The project has been named for Ravid Katz z”l, who fought heroically and was killed by Hamas terrorists, in defense Kibbutz Nir Oz. On September 9, 2024, the official inauguration of the program was held in the Eshkol Regional Council area, attended by the Katz family, the secretary general of the Kibbutz Movement, the secretary general of Hashomer Hatzair and the Head of World Zionist Organization’s Department for Social Activism and Tikkun Olam.
This project was initiated by the Zionist Council in Israel and has been exhibited at many different locations in Israel and the Diaspora. It opened in mid-September at the ‘Moshava’ Commercial Plaza in Hod Hasharon with an impressive inauguration ceremony, attended by mayor Mr. Amir Kochavi, the Vice-Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, Mr. Gil Segal, and the Director General of the Zionist Council in Israel, Adv. Oz Haim. Featured artists at the event were the Carakukly Sisters. ‘Eternal Embrace’ narrates the story of those murdered on October 7 and those who fell in the “Iron Swords” War, through the eyes of their mothers. The exhibit was on public display at the Moshava Plaza in Hod Hasharon until September 25 as part of the municipality’s commemoration program for the victims and the fallen since October 7.
The Zionist Council in Israel, together with the Israeli Congress and the Menomadin Foundation, has issued an invitation to students from the Druze community who served or are currently serving in the IDF’s active reserves, to apply for studentships of 3,000 NIS. The project is dedicated to the memory of members of the Druze community who fell in the “Iron Swords” War in defense of their country and will be awarding a total of 40 stipends. The program is further testimony to the Covenant of Life between the Jewish people and the Druze community and to our shared destiny.
The Chairman of the World Zionist Organization and the Chair of the Fund for the Victims of Terror, Ms. Ayelet Nahmias-Verbin, visited a day camp at the Kedma Youth Village, where they met children both from the Gaza border region communities and from cities over a wider geographical radius (Ashkelon, Netivot, Sderot, etc.) The summer day camp is an ongoing annual project by the Fund, intended specifically for victims of terror and their families and committed to bolstering resilience within Israeli society and providing response in times of crisis.
An end-of-summer event was organized byThe Zionist Council in Israel at the Holon Country Club for over 700 children from families of IDF reservists, in conjunction with the “Hasdei Dror” (Dror Family) Association and “Ogen (Anchor) for Drafted Families” (i.e., families of Israeli reservists, drafted since October 7.)
The winners of the 11th Zionist Quiz final, which took place on Yom Ha’atzma’ut (Israel Independence Day), have donated their prize – worth 20,000 Israeli Shekels – toward the Loewenstein Rehabilitation Hospital. The winners traveled to the Center in Raanana in order to donate their winning prize money in person. The decision to donate their prize to the LRH was made by team members after they won the finals, in view of the fact that the hospital has been providing much-needed assistance to the war-wounded (men and women) since the outbreak of war: treating IDF soldiers, members of the security forces and victims of terrorism alike, over the lengthy rehabilitation process so that they can return to as normal a life as possible. Members of the Zionism Quiz winning team, along with the Director General of the Zionist Council in Israel, met with Dr. Hagay Amir, the Hospital Director, and Yedidim (Israel) Association Director, Ms. Shiri Mazor, to present the donation in what proved to be an emotionally charged moment for all. The team were given a tour of the hospital, where they were introduced to staff and patients and learned about the scope of its activities, and the its intense activity since the outbreak of the “Iron Swords” war.
The Zionist Council in Israel created and premiered an evening performance of “Alone in the Sitting Room,” a memorable and highly emotive dramatic presentation inspired by the story of Shlomo Ron z”l of Kibbutz Nachal Oz, who chose to sacrifice himself on October 7 by remaining in his armchair in the lounge to face the terrorists, in order to save his family who were hiding in the safe room. The program, which has run in Herzliya and Rishon Lezion, is expected to go on tour to other locations. The presentation centers around Shlomo Ron’s parting soliloquy, “One Shabbat Morning,” with a spine-chilling rendition by actor Shlomo Bar-Aba (Producer: Shemer Gaon.) The deeply moving drama includes original music and songs performed by Asi Meskin and Shlomo Bar-Aba, as well as a post-performance discussion with the audience on Zionism in our time, with a panel comprising actor Shlomo Bar-Aba, Michal Aharoni, author of the “One Shabbat Morning” monologue, and the Director General of the Zionist Council in Israel.
Photographer Ifat Peer’s “Eternal Embrace” exhibit, in conjunction with MomToo, has opened in Petah Tikvah. An initiative of the Zionist Council in Israel, the 24-panel exhibit depicts 24 bereaved mothers alongside photographs of their children, who will never return again. Each photo is accompanied by their stories and an account of their last (eternal) embrace. The formal opening ceremony was attended by Petah Tikvah mayor, Rami Greenberg, the Deputy Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, Gil Segal, and the Director General of the Zionist Council in Israel, Adv. Oz Haim. No-one is able to walk by the display unaffected: passers-by stopped and stared, read the bylines, bowed their heads, and continued on their way. This was precisely the concept behind the design of an exhibition that would be on view in a public space, at the heart of a busy shopping mall. Indeed, it is also close by the workplace of Maya Biton z”l, a 22-year old Petah Tikvah resident who was murdered at the Nova Festival and whose story is commemorated in the exhibit. The exhibition is currently on display at Amy B.S.R. City in Petah Tikvah for a period of two weeks, after which it will move to Herzliya and other locations.
Study seminars were held for two military preparatory academies, Orot – in Talmon, and Lapidot – in Mitzpeh Dani, near Michmash. The program included an introductory lecture by the Vice Chairman and Acting Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, a guided tour of the Herzl Museum, a Jewish Peoplehood workshop, and an encounter with an oleh or olah. A day-long program was also provided for the Natur Pluralistic Military Preparatory Academy from northern Israel, with an introductory lecture by Meirav Livneh-Dill on the bond between Israel and Diaspora Jewry, with a special focus on the impact of the October 7 events on that connection, which was followed by a guided tour of the Herzl Museum.
This innovative and highly relevant educational program for teenagers focuses on perpetuating Shoah (Holocaust) Remembrance through personal testimony, video clips and short films produced by the teenagers themselves. This year, in the wake of the October 7 atrocities, the program structure underwent adaptation, as did the guidelines provided for the teenagers involved.
Nitzan is a circular philanthropic fund for seed investments in projects that promote women and gender equality. The Council discussed the expansion of the donor community as well as the various fields that will open up in the new call for application proposals, from which grants will be awarded to those projects selected. As part of the Agenda, Council members also toured the National Institutions building, where they learned about the World Zionist Organization’s history and its pioneering spirit on gender equality. From the outset, at the First Zionist Congress, both women and men were entitled to equal voting rights, and the World Zionist Organization thus became only the second institution in the world to grant women the right to vote. The Nitzan Fund was launched earlier this year, on International Women’s Day, and it may be contacted via the Department for Social Activism. The Fund enables the selection and funding of change-leading initiatives that promote women and gender equality in Israel, as well as the provision of care and therapy for victims of gender crimes perpetrated during the October 7 massacre and atrocities.
This program builds and trains groups of young people and focuses on education and strengthening kibbutz rural communities in the western Negev region, with a view to helping them contend with the unique educational challenges that emerged following October 7. The program is part of the kibbutzim’s rehabilitation and regrowth process and has been developed in full partnership with them.
The Zionist Council in Israel, together with #Mom Too, mounted an exhibition of recent works by the photographer Yif’at Pe’er, in which she documented 25 mothers, and 25 stories of separation – lives and relationships that ended during the “Iron Swords” war. Each photo is accompanied alongside by the story of the fallen person and the narrative of their final embrace: the last time mother and child saw each other. The exhibition was on display in Ben Gurion Boulevard, Tel Aviv. From there, it is due to go on tour across Israel and around the world, in order to bring these stories to as many people as possible and raise awareness about life and the situation in Israel.
This is a new World Zionist Organization project, focused on providing a response to the frontline cities that were not evacuated and those whose residents have recently returned home, in the cities of Netivot, Ofakim and Ashkelon. A tailored community program is being developed in conjunction with each local authority to support municipal services, help existing communities coalesce and provide a comprehensive response to its population’s emergency requirements, through systems and processes that connect up residents actively with the local authorities, and the establishment of local self-help systems for the residents.
Ahead of Yom Ha’atzma’ut, the Zionist Council in Israel launched a project in conjunction with Yedidim, to distribute 50,000 wristbands, inscribed with the message “Saying Thank You to the IDF.” The idea is to send a clear message to all soldiers serving in the IDF that the people of Israel are thinking about them, stand behind them and are proud of them. The project was picked up with interest by the media and received positive coverage.
The Zionist Council in Israel engaged in a dedicated project in conjunction with the ‘Sihi’ (Special Hesed Patrol) organization, whereby local ZCI coordinators met with senior citizens to give them an Israeli flag and a postcard, and simply say “thank you” – “Thank you for being part of building this country, thank you for your dreams, your faith and your prayers; thank you for fighting and for making it come true. Thank you for creating the State of Israel for us all.”
This new World Zionist Organization venture, in conjunction with the Peres Academic Center, is intended for young people who became amputees due to injuries during the “Iron Swords” war. Candidates are invited to apply to the project, which offers ongoing support during their undergraduate degree program as well as guidance with studies and psycho-social support.
The Head of Department for Social Activism and Tikkun Olam conversed with the group from the IDF Education Corps during their tour of the National Institutions building and its fascinating history. On the famous balcony, each soldier received a badge embroidered with the Israeli flag and the slogan “Not Weary Wayfarers but Trailblazers,” which has served as the motto of Kibbutz Nir Oz since its foundation. Similar badges have already been awarded to over 1,000 soldiers around Israel who are wearing them and echoing this message of hope and pride.
The Zionist Council in Israel initiated the powerful project "Cry out for them", (#Israeli_women_count”). The program for female students in years K11-K12 involves a parallel learning and creative process, with the production of an original document in the form of an appeal to the entire world, conveying the teenagers’ protest call against the indifference and silence on the part of the world in face of the acts of sexual violence perpetrated on the black Shabbat of October 7. The girls composed a “Girls’ letter,” calling upon other teenage girls around the world to join their action and canvass organizations around the world to address the sexual atrocities that occurred on October 7. The appeal includes a short video film produced by the teenagers, urging others to join the digital campaign, and it will be disseminated to embassies and organizations worldwide.
Staff at the Herzl Center distributed cards written to soldiers by children at the Center, with an added snack bar and some warm clothing for the cold nights.
Under the auspices of the Zionist Council in Israel’s “Covenant of Life” project, Druze and Jewish students were able to meet up this week. Students from Herzliya’s ‘Harishonim’ High School hosted students from Bet Jann Comprehensive for an engaging encounter that included dialogue groups, an artistic program and a competitive sport contest in mixed groups. The levels of in-depth dialogue reached by students from both schools was awesome and truly impressive.
The Zionist Council in Israel’s “Retamim” (“Reins”) leadership program for Negev teenagers departed on weekend retreat last week, with a seminar focusing on Zionism, the pioneering spirit and love of the Land of Israel. The co-ed participants gained insights into the stories of the early pioneer men and women from the twentieth century and encountered the stories of contemporary pioneers. They closed the circle by addressing their own Zionist identity and its relevance in the present era.
The returning delegation from the overseas Hasbara (Israeli Diplomacy) mission, a project under the auspices of the World Zionist Organization, met at Mount Herzl for its wrap-up session. As part of the program, they followed the Zionist Women Leaders’ trail on Mount Herzl of figures who led change in Israeli society. They also visited the Herzl Museum and processed their experiences and insights from the mission (and its initial concluding encounter) together. This opened the way to an exploration of options for continued cooperation into the future - mission members are presently considering how best to further projects and reinforce their internal networking connections with each other and they remain in active contact and collaboration with the various bodies they met through the project.
The Zionist Council in Israel has officially launched the 2024 Zionism Quiz. This represents a unique opportunity to learn about our shared experiences in a different and far more interesting manner. This year, the Quiz will be dedicated to the IDF, the Israel security forces and the communities in Israel’s border regions. Local Quiz heats were held recently across dozens of schools and youth movement clubs around Israel. Successful contestants will continue to the regional tier and from there to the Finals, which will be televised on Keshet Channel 12 TV, with moderator Niv Raskin, on Yom Ha’atzma’ut, Israel Independence Day 2024.
Garin Tzabar (a core cohort comprising alumni from the Israel Scouts movement in the Diaspora), a group of young people who made Aliyah and enlisted in the IDF, were recently hosted at the Herzl Center. The day opened with a memorial ceremony for Border Police Officer and Garin alumna, Sgt. Elisheva Rose Ida Lubin z”l, who fell in line of duty last November in the Old City of Jerusalem. The program continued with a tour of the Museum and Mount Herzl Park with the National Service and Voluntary Service Year team. The young people heard presentations and engaged on the subjects of the Israeli dream and leadership; the day concluded with a visit to the National Memorial Hall for Israel’s Fallen.
In the South -The Division continues its activity toward the rehabilitation and renovation of the affected communities. At this point in time, the Division is focusing on the establishment of temporary accommodation at seven sites for residents of southern Israel whose homes were destroyed. These will include 196 units for residents of Kibbutz Beeri, who will temporarily relocate to Kibbutz Hatzerim, whereas new temporary homes at Omer will be provided for inhabitants from Kibbutz Kissufim and additional communities. The Division also continues to provide ongoing trauma counselling for the communities concerned as well as the villages and local councils, in order to ensure community rehabilitation in all localities.
In the North – The Division is working on rehabilitation and renovation programs for the rural sector of northern Israel. Five-year projects have been submitted on infrastructure renovation, the expansion of various communities, and financial assistance to support projects and private enterprise.
Teenagers of the Zionist Council in Israel participated in collecting, packing and distributing equipment to soldiers throughout the country and for families in the south who were evacuated from their homes.
This activity takes place throughout the week in many settlements in Israel including Druze settlements. Additionally, the coordinators of the Zionist Council in Israel traveled around the country distributing Israeli flags.
The World Zionist Organization helps write action plans related to the war for the Diaspora youth movement instructors so that they know how to use the many materials available on the Internet and adapt them to the different ages of their groups. Additionally, all the projects and initiatives of the World Zionist Organization are published among the movement's graduates, university students and college graduates. This way, needs can be met and movements are accompanied by further local or regional initiatives or needs.
The World Zionist Organization helps with the educational procedures and organizational needs of the movements whose graduates are in educational programs in Israel, especially at the Institute for Guides Abroad (Machon L’Madrichei Chul). They offer special creative activities for evacuees in Eilat, the Dead Sea and all over the country. Furthermore, participants in long-term programs of the youth movements in Israel volunteer in agricultural work in kibbutzim and agricultural farms as a part of their educational program.
Due to the situation, many foreign workers left Israel, leaving Israeli farmers desperate for help. The World Zionist Organization launched an initiative to help Israeli farmers via volunteers who will join the agricultural work. The first volunteer mission began on Wednesday, November 1st, at the jojoba fields in Kibbutz Netiv HaLamed Hey.
Israeli agriculture is facing huge challenges currently, especially due to the shortage of workers. In order to maintain functional continuity and a continued supply of fresh “blue and white” [Israeli] produce, we set out this week together with hundreds of Israelis to aid and support the farmers in the Beit Ezra settlement.
The World Zionist Organization (through the Zionist Council) purchased hundreds of board games for children. These games, which are distributed throughout the country at the evacuation centers, are used by the children to enable them to create a relative routine in the complex situation they are in and allow them to have independent leisure activities. Some of the places we distributed this week were Beer Sheva for evacuees from the south and Kfar Nahar HaYarden for evacuees from the north.
The Zionist Council’s young adults in their year of service at "Garin Tzameret" have operated in several aid centers continuously since the first day of the war. They assist in sorting and preparing the equipment boxes according to the field’s needs, volunteer at the Barzilai hospital assisting the medical staff and even serve as babysitters for children whose parents were conscripted to serve in the war. In addition, they also assisted at emergency shelters and volunteered at the local “War Room” (Hamal), while staying together with the families of the evacuees in central centers, running activities and providing an informal educational framework for the children of the evacuated families.
The trainees of the Pre-Military Preparatory School of the Zionist Council deployed across the country in a wide range of volunteering activities. They used kindergartens, helped parents recruited to reserve duty and medical teams, helped with kibbutz security, ran a mini camp at the Sheba Hospital for the children of the medical teams, and also participated in helping with agriculture, food packaging, transportation, food preparation, clothing donations and more. The trainees also volunteered at the Dead Sea hotels, where they created a registration list of elderly people who are staying at the hotel and require assistance.
Since the outbreak of the war, a variety of voluntary activities have taken place with the Druze population. The World Zionist Organization through the Zionist Council continues to strengthen the home front by collecting and assisting in distributing equipment and creating activities in cooperation with the "Eshkolot" department and Druze youth for aid and volunteer missions. In many localities of the Druze populations, boxes of food and equipment were donated and sent to the soldiers serving in bases in the north. A blood donation drive was held in Ma'ar, and many Druze went to visit and cheer up the wounded in the hospitals.
Representatives of the Zionist Council went to many Druze communities and distributed Israeli flags to passers-by. The flags are a symbol that aims to raise morale and strengthen the Israeli spirit.
The Zionist Council in Israel initiated a project to support the families of the Druze reservists. Three hundred support and encouragement packages were delivered to the families of Druze reservist soldiers who were recruited for reserves with the outbreak of the war. The packages include board games for children, family games, snacks and a blessing for unity and peace. The initiative was announced by reporters on the N12 news website and on the Walla website.
Over a hundred participants of the global Zionist youth movements stayed in Eilat for a week in order to volunteer. The city required volunteers in a variety of areas due to the number of citizens who were evacuated to Eilat. The volunteers are part of the studies at the Institute for Guides Abroad (Machon L’Madrichei Chul), a joint program of the Jewish Agency, Keren Kayemet, the global youth movements and the World Zionist Organization.
Some of the volunteers study in Kiryat Moriah in Jerusalem while some are in Kibbutz Ketura. They volunteered in many fields such as agriculture, helping with agricultural work in kibbutzim, moshavim or agricultural farms, packing packages, running activities with evacuated children and adults at the hotels, helping at the municipal hotline - mainly with conversations with Spanish speakers and more. All of the participants are guides in their movements in the Diaspora.
The Zionist Council in Israel is continuing their activities with the evacuated families through the program “Embracing the Envelope.” One of the highlights of this week's events was a meeting with the children's star Tal Mosari, who came to entertain the children of the families who were evacuated to Kibbutz Lavi and Kfar Tavor. In addition, in Kibbutz Shefayim, where most of the residents of Kfar Aza were evacuated to, there was an evening full of sports and cheering for the Israeli soccer team in its match against the Kosovo team. The event took place at the "Pabushka" pub, the neighborhood pub of Kibbutz Kfar Aza, which they recreated in the hotel lobby.
A video is being distributed created by trainees and members of the global Zionist youth movements from all over the world. The video is unanimous for all of the global movements. The councils were asked to contact the local municipalities in order to have their trainees participate.
The 3Z organization ran a conference in Palo Alto in the United States. A seminar was held for young representatives of the United States youth movements, the managers and professional coordinators who accompany the movements at the conference. During it, representatives of the World Zionist Organization conducted significant activities on the war and the current situation in Israel.
The World Zionist Organization, in cooperation with the Zikaron B’Salon association, continues to visit holocaust survivors for Shabbat. This is the second week that dozens of volunteers went to the homes of hundreds of Holocaust survivors to spend some time with them and try to alleviate a bit of their loneliness.
Many volunteers keep visiting Holocaust survivors to reduce their loneliness a little. Little pockets of light!
The student community of "Totzeret Ha'aretz" in the Galilee, in cooperation with the Zionist Council, volunteered in the Hefer Valley’s harvest fields with the goal of helping Israeli agriculture and Israeli produce.
Ilai Azulai from Kiryat Shmona was preparing for his bar mitzvah when the war broke out. Representatives from the Zionist Council came to the Club Hotel to help produce his special event and together with other partners, a wonderful celebratory Bar Mitzvah was organized.
The vests and helmets used by all of the World Zionist Organization’s units during tours have been branded with our logo.
An extensive tour was conducted in Kfar Aza for the "Conference of Influencers'' group - senior journalists in the ultra-orthodox sector and in the Israeli media - newspaper writers, radio broadcasters, television anchors and all social media platforms influencers.
About forty people participated in the tour. The tour was accompanied by Reservist Lt. Col. Yaron Bouskila, head of the operations division of the Gaza Division.
During the tour, an overview was presented by Zaka member Mr. Simcha Greinman, who has been at the scene since the beginning of the events until today.
During the tour, the influential people met with residents and heard about the horror stories that occurred on the Black Shabbat and saw firsthand the harsh and painful evidence of the horrible massacre.
After the tour, a visit was made to the United Hatzalah’s war room in Sde Yoav, where they heard stories and listened to first-hand recordings of the rescue teams who were in the field on October 7th.
In the days after the tour, many articles were published on the various websites and channels the group members represent which provided a unique angle for events and expanded the media coverage that is so necessary today for the world to see.
