Welcome to Masorti Canada - MERCAZ-Canada

The Canadian home of Masorti/Conservative Judaism.

Connecting the Canadian Jewish Community with Israel
Lier la communauté juive canadienne à l’Israël
מחברים את הקהילה היהודית בקנדה לישראל

Celebration75 continues all year!

Our WZO Coalition was successful!

The World Zionist Congress - established by Herzl as the democratic parliament of the Jewish people from all streams, around the world - passed by large majorities a series of pro-democracy, pro-pluralism resolutions, including Promoting women’s rights and LGBTQ rights in Israel.
A full report on the voting results is available on the 75th Congress page

The Results of the 75th Anniversary Extraordinary World Zionist Congress are in!
Results of the vote held between Sunday – Tuesday, May 21-23, 2023, 8:00-20:00

Committee No.1 - Declaration of Independence and the Jerusalem Program
1.1 Anchoring the position of the Declaration of Independence in the Zionist movement

  • In favor: 418
  • Against: 202
  • Abstain:25
Therefore the resolution was accepted

1.2 The Jerusalem Program and the Declaration of Independence
  • In favor: 398
  • Against: 225
  • Abstain: 22
Therefore the resolution was accepted

1.3 125 Years of Zionism and 75 years to the State of Israel
  • In favor: 331
  • Against: 261
  • Abstain: 53
Therefore the resolution was accepted

Committee No.2 - Aliyah and Law of Return
2.2 The Zionist Congress calls on the Israeli government not to amend the Law of Return

  • In favor: 399
  • Against: 237
  • Abstain: 9
Therefore the resolution was accepted

2.2 The Zionist Congress calls on the Israeli government not to amend the Law of Return
  • In favor: 399
  • Against: 237
  • Abstain: 9
Therefore the resolution was accepted

2.3 Promoting Aliyah
  • In favor: 613
  • Against: 15
  • Abstain: 17
Therefore the resolution was accepted

2.4 A task force for drafting an agreed proposal on the matter of the grandchild clause in the Law of Return
  • In favor: 240
  • Against: 386
  • Abstain: 19
Therefore the resolution was accepted

Committee No.3 - Internal and external strengthening the State of Israel
3.1 Israel as a Jewish and Democratic State

  • In favor: 368
  • Against: 262
  • Abstain: 15
Therefore the resolution was accepted

3.2 The Establishment of an Office of Innovation in the National Institutions
  • In favor: 576
  • Against: 50
  • Abstain: 19
Therefore the resolution was accepted

3.3 Strengthening synagogues and Jewish community centers in the Diaspora in their connection to Zionism and the State of Israel - Votum Separatum -
  • In favor: 307
  • Against: 329
  • Abstain: 9
Therefore the resolution was NOT accepted

3.3 Strengthening synagogues and Jewish community centers in the Diaspora in their connection to Zionism and the State of Israel
  • In favor: 388
  • Against: 243
  • Abstain: 14
Therefore the resolution was accepted

Committee No.4 - Diversity in the Zionist Movement
4.1 The Zionist Congress In favor of strengthening the relationship between the LGBTQIA communities in the Diaspora and the State of Israel and complete equality for the LGBTQIA in the National Institutions In honor of the 75th anniversary of Israel's independence

  • In favor: 354
  • Against: 271
  • Abstain: 20
Therefore the resolution was accepted

4.2 The Zionist Congress opposes the revocation of recognition of Conservative and Reform conversion
  • In favor: 384
  • Against: 238
  • Abstain: 23
Therefore the resolution was accepted

Committee No.5 - The Holocaust Remembrance and the struggle against antisemitism
5.1 Documentation of Holocaust Evidence

  • In favor: 639
  • Against: 1
  • Abstain: 5
Therefore the resolution was accepted

5.2 Combatting the Exclusion of the Jews in multicultural education
  • In favor: 638
  • Against: 3
  • Abstain: 4
Therefore the resolution was accepted

Committee No.6 - Strengthening the Zionist Movement
6.1 The World Zionist Organization salutes the State of Israel on its 75th anniversary

  • In favor: 639
  • Against: 4
  • Abstain: 2
Therefore the resolution was accepted

6.2 Respecting the WZO Constitution after 75 years of Independence
  • In favor: 462
  • Against: 174
  • Abstain: 9
Therefore the resolution was accepted

Committee No. 7 - Constitution Committee
7.1 Appropriate representation of women

  • In favor: 432
  • Against: 197
  • Abstain: 16
Therefore the resolution was accepted

7.2 Proposal for Constitutional Amendment in the Matter of the Representation of the Inter-territorial Organizations on the Outer Executive
  • In favor: 586
  • Against: 34
  • Abstain: 25
Therefore the resolution was accepted

7.3 Draft Resolution Proposal for Amendment of the Constitution of the World Zionist Organization in the matter of “The Attorney of the World Zionist Organization – Pro Tem Provisions”
  • In favor: 360
  • Against: 259
  • Abstain: 26
Since constitution amendments requires 2/3 majority, the resolution was not accepted

At 10:00 am the siren begins all across Israel marking Yom Hashoah. For 2 minutes, everyone stops wherever they are and stands as best they can while the siren sounds. We went to Machane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem for this video, and you can see the people stop whatever they are doing and stand in silence marking the deaths of the 6 million in the Holocaust.

125-coin

We have commissioned a limited edition commemorative "challenge coin" to mark this important event!

125-banner

Reports on the 125th Zionist Congress may be found here.

 

2022-retreat

2022 MERCAZ-Canada / FJMC Anshai Zafon Weekend Conference

We were joined by Dr. Yizhar Hess, Vice-Chair, WZO, and Shiran Yahav, Jewish Peoplehood & Israel-Diaspora relations at the World Zionist Organization.

MERCAZ-Canada and Canadian Foundation for Masorti Judaism work in cooperation to foster and strengthen Masorti/Conservative Judaism in Israel and create engagement opportunities Jews living in Israel and the Diaspora, based on the ideals of tradition and tolerance, study and spirituality, and social action and love of Israel.

MERCAZ represents Masorti Judaism within the World Zionist Organization and Congress, the Jewish Agency for Israel, and Jewish National Fund. We advocate for funding of pluralistic streams of Judaism in Israel crucial to our movement’s growth in Israel and around the world.

Canadian Foundation for Masorti Judaism  - Make a donation

The Masorti Movement in Israel is a pluralistic, religious movement in Israel affiliated with Masorti/ Conservative Judaism around the world. The Canadian Foundation for Masorti Judaism supports the work of the Masorti Movement in Israel which promotes scholarship, Zionism and religious tolerance and pluralism within the context of modern Israeli society. The Foundation raises funds to support Masorti programmes in Israel through the Movement and in its synagogue centres. Your donation helps to ensure that our work may continue.

If you would like to make a donation, please use this button:

Join MERCAZ-Canada today!

Annual membership is available to all Canadians. Your membership includes acceptance of the WZO Jerusalem Program, details may be found here. Your membership information is subject to our privacy policy which may be found on the Privacy Policy page.

Masorti Canada - MERCAZ CANADA
55 Yeomans Road, Suite 201; Toronto, On ♦ M3H 3J7 ♦ 416-667-1717 ♦ 1-866-357-3384 ♦ E-Mail: info@masorti-mercaz.ca