The World Zionist Organization maintains continuous contact with the Jewish and Israeli federations and communities in the Diaspora through Zoom meetings and webinars, with the goal of allowing space for discourse, providing explanatory tools and ventilation.
An evening of tribute in honor of serving IDF soldiers was held under the auspices of this project and attended by a delegation from the World Zionist Organization, comprising lone soldiers who made Aliyah from South America. The IDF soldiers spoke of their meaningful period of service over the past eighteen months and about their experiences during the war as well as the importance of the connection between Israel and the Diaspora. The event was attended by 150 people.
A special educational booklet has been dedicated to eight heroes of the ‘Iron Swords’ war. Dozens of Diaspora Jewish communities are thus learning about the Maccabees of our time and have an opportunity to pay tribute to IDF combatants who fell during the course of the war.
The booklet was produced and has been distributed to dozens of Jewish communities across the United States, to enable families to light Chanukah candles and engage with stories about IDF heroes who have fallen in the past year. The educational pack relates the story of a different soldier each night and suggests a Chanukah activity for each candle-lighting ceremony, such as: a song, a fallen soldier’s favorite recipe, or a topic of conversation. The booklet is appropriate for communal candle-lighting ceremonies and is also being to distributed to families, for use at home. It thus helps connect families to Israel and to events that have taken place over the course of the past year, as well as commemoratiing those who fell and the values they held dear.
A different booklet was produced for French Jewish communities, focusing on eight courageous heroes from French Jewry – five men who fell in combat during the ‘Iron Swords’ war and three women who continue to make a significant contribution to the war effort, each in her own way. The booklet was produced in print and in digital format, for use in communities over the Chanukah holiday as well as at Jewish youth winter camps which will be held over the winter break, which this year overlaps with Chanukah.
As part of the project, a special evening will also be dedicated in Jerusalem in honor of the heroism of olim from French Jewry, together with members of the bereaved families.
The Chairman of the WZO and the Head of the Department for Zionist Activity in the Diaspora welcomed the family of lone soldier Rose Lubin z”l, who fell a year ago while on active duty at Sha’ar Shechem (Nablus Gate of the Old City) in Jerusalem. Rose had also been part of the force that defended Kibbutz Sa’ad on October 7 and her name has become synonymous with dedication to Zionism, love for Israel and the sense of commitment. In this manner, her impact continues to reach many Jewish communities around the world after her death.
This project is still ongoing in Latin America and aims to disseminate and share values and ideas dear to those who have fallen over the course of the past year. To date, the project has enabled communities to connect to Israel and the fallen as well as the ideals and concepts they epitomized, while concurrently facilitating the development of unity between Israel and the Diaspora. The initial activity opened at the Magen school in Mexico City. An additional activity took place at the Institute for Youth Leaders from Abroad for madrichim (counselors) from around the world, including Latin America, the UK, Canada and Australia.
This new project is designed to perpetuate the legacy of Israel’s heroes who fell in the ‘Iron Swords’ War and to inculcate the values of kindness, volunteerism, and love for others among students in Jewish schools around the world. To date, the project has been launched in approximately 40 schools, reaching thousands of pupils worldwide.
Jewish schools in Johannesburg, South Africa, joined together with two communities affiliated to the ‘South Africa Friends of Israel’ - whose members are not Jewish – to sing for peace in Israel and show support for families of the hostages. The video of this song can be seen at the following link:
Two sets of resource materials have been developed and distributed widely to Israeli and Jewish communities, World Zionist Organization and Jewish Agency shlichim, teacher shlichim and other organizations in Israel and around the world. Both collections are available in Hebrew and English, with positive feedback being returned from by the users - and additional orders continuing to arrive for the programming kits.
A discussion was held on the findings of the survey among Israelis living in the Diaspora following October 7 conducted by the World Zionist Organization’s Department for Irgoon and Connections with Israelis Abroad, together with a presentation of recommended directions for action that emerged from in-depth discussions with leading members of Israeli communities in North America, Europe and the UK. The Head of Department was interviewed on this issue by the Israel Knesset TV channel prior to the Committee session.
Meeting with Educators from Diaspora Jewish Community Centers
The post-October 7 reality demands a change in the educational approach to Jewish identity and sense of collective pride. A professional dialogue on the subject of the challenges currently facing Jewish education in the context of worldwide escalating Antisemitism (i.e. in terms of incidents and public discourse) took place at an encounter with a visiting delegation of senior figures in Diaspora Jewish education from around the world. The delegation was a joint initiative by the World Zionist Organization, the Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, the Pincus Fund, the Koret Center and United.
On the 100th day since the outbreak of the “Iron Swords” War, a Mezzuzah was affixed to mark the opening of the Yael Foundation’s new office premises. The foundation’s mission is to enable every Jewish child in the Diaspora to receive a high quality Jewish education that is result-oriented and sustainable, while continuing to build a bridge and connections between the State of Israel and Diaspora Jewry. The event was attended by distinguished guests: the Israel Minister of Religious Services, the Minister of Education and the Minister for Diaspora Affairs.
The Zionist Federation organized a solidarity delegation to visit Israel made up of representatives of the Zionist Federations from the USA, England, Canada, South Africa, France, Bulgaria, Denmark, Mexico and Colombia.
The heads of the federations met the chairman and the board of the World Zionist Organization and the head of the department for organization and relations with Israelis in the Diaspora. Later, they heard lectures from journalists, Foreign Ministry employees and professionals about the current situation in Israel and its implications for the communities in the Diaspora.
The delegation also participated in a memorial ceremony for those who fell in the Swords of Iron War at the National Memorial Hall on Mount Herzl and held an emotional meeting with Kibbutz Or Hanar evacuees, who are staying at a hotel in Jerusalem for more than a month already.
Later, the group will travel for a day of touring and solidarity with settlements in the Gaza Envelope, Mefalim and Kfar Gaza, for a tour of the south and a meeting at the headquarters of the abductees and the Hostages Square.
The World Zionist Organization is in constant contact with Hebrew teachers and educators all over the world. Throughout the year, the World Zionist Organization delivers educational materials, conducts professional training and promotes the status of Hebrew and its teaching in the Diaspora.
As a part of this framework and with the limitations of the political and security landscape, online meetings are held between youth from Israel and the Diaspora who engage in conversation about what is happening in Israel, with the aim of exposing Diaspora Jews to the atmosphere in Israel, hearing the feelings of the youth in the country, and having open and authentic conversations to understand how the war affects the lives of all Israeli residents.
About 600 Jewish students from the USA, Canada and various countries participated in the first meeting. In Europe, middle school and high school students in Jewish schools and students studying Hebrew in universities participated.
The meeting was very significant for all participants and resulted in additional meetings once a week - and sometimes even three times a week - which were joined by hundreds of students, teachers and lecturers from North America, Europe, Australia, Paraguay, Costa Rica and more.
The number of participants from Israel also expanded, and teenagers and young people from all over Israel such as Haifa, Netanya , Ashdod, Petach Tikva, students from kibbutzim and moshavim in the Hefer Valley and the Lachish Valley joined as well. Students who immigrated to Israel as refugees from Russia and Ukraine and are now forced to face war again have joined in too.
In addition, special meetings were held in cooperation with the Education Committee of AMIA (Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina) for dozens of Jewish schools in Argentina and another one for non-Jewish schools. These meetings, which were held in Spanish also contributed greatly to information in the international arena.
The demand for these meetings is increasing and growing, and it is planned to expand them to additional target audiences - olim, educators and more.
