World Zionist Congress Marked by Politics and Pathos

When all is said and done, the 32nd World Zionist Congress will be remembered for two things: politics and pathos.

At Sunday night’s gala kickoff, both were very much in evidence. Some 3,000 Jewish delegates, alternates and observers, including Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and President Chaim Herzog, enjoyed a moving salute to the Jewish Agency-World Zionist Organization and its accomplishments, particularly in the field of aliyah.

There were cheers when a huge video screen showed family reunions between Ethiopian immigrants and their loved ones already in Israel. There were tears when 10-year-old Blanca, whom the Jewish Agency had airlifted to Israel from war-torn Yugoslavia a few months ago, stood onstage and heard her father’s far-away voice by live telephone hookup.

The audience watched, spellbound, as an E1 A1 jet loaded with new immigrants touched down, live, at Ben-Gurion Airport. Thanks to some technical wizardry, members of the audience were able to talk to the passengers of flight 660, who were still standing on the tarmac.

“Welcome to Israel,” Herzog’s voice boomed out to Yuli, an immigrant from the former Soviet Union. “In a short time you will be settled, integrated, absorbed into Israel society. But it will take some time.”

Looking a bit overwhelmed to be speaking to the president, Yuli mustered up some basic Hebrew and replied, “I’m very happy to be here together with my family. I am sure that everything will be fine.”

DOWN TO BUSINESS

For the evening’s finale, dozens of student delegates marched down the aisles carrying Israeli flags. When it was over, Shauna Kaufman, a 21-year-old student from Toronto, said she was “unbelievably excited” to be taking part in the congress.

“I’m only an alternate, but it’s still rewarding to see such an international group of Jews in one room,” she said.

By Monday, the delegates got down to business.

The Binyanei Ha’uma Convention Center, where the congress was convened, resembled the United Nations. In all, more than 700 delegates and 1,000 alternates and observers from 31 countries had come to make Zionist history.

Eastern Europe was represented for the first time in decades and the former Soviet republics sent delegates for the first time since 1917. Another first was the participation of student delegates from around the world.

The elections for the WZO chairmanship and the members of the Zionist Executive provided the day’s main drama.

In a surprise move, the Likud faction caucus endorsed Knesset member Ronni Milo for the position of Jewish Agency treasurer, a slot given to the Likud under the coalition agreement. Ruby Rivlin, who served in the outgoing Knesset and was identified with former Foreign Minister David Levy’s faction of the Likud, had been considered the odds-on favorite.

Milo’s tenure in the treasurer’s post, however, depends on the agreement of the Diaspora fundraisers who are partners with the WZO in the Jewish Agency. Because the WZO chairman and treasurer also hold those posts for the Jewish Agency, their election must be ratified by an advise-and-consent committee of the United Israel Appeal and the Keren Hayesod.

Insiders say that when the committee meets in November, it may veto Milo unless he agrees to step down from the Knesset.

Following the vote, Milo, who heads the World Likud faction in the WZO, told the press, “I was very surprised by the outcome. The faction felt it was important to fill the treasury post as soon as possible and it started to put pressure on me.” He added, “If Rivlin gets the American’s consent, he can have the job in November.”

The delegates also re-elected Simcha Dinitz for another four-year term as WZO chairman, but the proceedings did not go smoothly.

DINITZ CONSIDERED A SHOO-IN

Dinitz, who scored a 382-101 victory over his rival, Rabbi Richard Hirsch, had been considered a shoo-in. But the Reform Zionist movement went ahead and fielded its own candidate, Hirsch. With the support of the left-wing Ratz and Shinui blocs, the group was able to put Dinitz and his Labor bloc on the defensive.

Hirsch’s campaign stemmed from the decision last year by all American Zionist organizations, except for the Association of Reform Zionists of America, that one-person, one-vote elections to determine the American delegation to the congress were unnecessary. Such elections were held in 1987 at a cost of over $1 million. After months of acrimonious deliberations, the Zionist Supreme Court ruled that this year’s American delegation should reflect the results of the 1987 balloting.

On the third floor of the convention center, representatives from both sides feverishly attempted to avert a public confrontation. The elections, which had been set for 10 a.m., were postponed until 4 p.m. to give the negotiating teams more time to reach a compromise.

Hirsch’s people said he would withdraw his candidacy on one condition: Dinitz had to agree, in writing, to direct elections for the next congress. Dinitz refused, and the conflict went public.

At 4 o’clock, Hirsch officially declared his candidacy to boos and shouts from the audience.

‘POLITICS AS USUAL’

He told the gathering, “The WZO must not merely represent the strength of the various political parties, but also the real strength of the various religious streams in the Diaspora. If there are no elections, what is the point of the consensus?”

When Dinitz’s turn came, he took an indirect swipe at Hirsch’s candidacy. He told the audience, “I am sorry. I had hoped we could spend the entire congress discussing pragmatic issues, ways to solve our problems.”

In a more conciliatory tone, he said, “I hope the Reform movement will join the Zionist consensus. I propose that we set aside two Executive seats for the Reform movement, with the hope that they will join our wall-to-wall coalition.”

Looking back at the first 24 hours of the congress, one American Jewish organizational leader said, “Sunday night was incredible. It was an event most of us will never forget.”

And on Monday, she added with a shrug, “it was politics as usual.”