Jews come in all shapes and sizes....

Here at the World Zionist Congress you meet every type of Jew which--as much as what is said--is a statement itself about Jews as they are: in all their diversity and differing visions of how to remake the Jewish world. In every meeting there are Shomer Hatzair blue shirted youth proudly holding up the flag of Socialist Zionism, observant ladies in their hats from the world Mizrachi organization, together with representatives from every other shade of Jewish Zionist life including ourselves of course.

The difference between a meeting here and many I have attended elsewhere in the Jewish world is the fiercely clear fact that what divides the strands of Jewishness are real and passionate. For example, this morning during a talk on Zionism/Post-Zionism/Renewed Zionism by Dr Micha Goodman (of the Hebrew University and one of Debra’s teachers at the Hartman Institute), one of the moderators stood up and said that perhaps the real issue is that Reform and other liberal Jews are supporters of the Palestinian cause and not of Israel! With this as but one example of the accusations that are flying in all directions (remember that Shas is now for the first time represented here at the Congress), you can imagine that a number of the meetings are already quite heated.

I think that the interactions that happen at the WZC are of primary importance. The reality of the diverse Jewish world--the many accents, languages, and viewpoints--and the reality of Israel as the meeting place for all is palpable. As well, one point of great pride: the Canadian delegation (Mizrachi, ARZA and Mercaz) interact with great respect and friendship.