Zionists from around the world discuss cooperation

Under heavy security in Budapest last weekend, the top leadership of the World Zionist Organization (WZO), along with heads of Zionist federations from around the world, gathered for a unique and in-depth seminar that dealt with the central question “What and how do we do Zionist cooperation?”. 

The conference, led by the Department for Organization and Liaison with Israelis in the Diaspora at the WZO, brought together about 60 representatives from 24 Zionist federations from countries, including European countries, the United States, Canada, India, South Africa, and Australia. The conference participants included volunteer elected officials, who began their term of office after the 39th Zionist Congress held at the end of 2025, alongside senior professional echelons of the various federations. 

The seminar, led by Professor Omri Gefen, an international expert on cooperatives and author of the book The Power of Collaboration: From Ego-System to Eco-System, placed the concept of “cooperative Zionism” centre stage. 

During the three days of the conference, four main axes of action were examined: internal work strengthening the mechanisms within the federations themselves; strengthening cooperation between the Zionist federations and local Jewish communities; creating direct work channels between the various federations around the world; and deepening cooperation between the federations and the department and WZO as an organising body. 

Gefen summed up his impressions of the meeting. “I didn’t know that there was a Zionist federation or the power of the World Zionist Organization, but after this conference I find that there is a group of leaders who are willing to act and work for Israel in the diaspora, and it’s amazing.” 

The chairperson of the WZO, Yaakov Hagoel, pledged that now that it has a budget, the organisation will work in close cooperation with each federation to advance the issues that are important to them. 

Hagoel expressed gratitude to the senior team who attended the conference, including the president of the WZO, Rabbi Doron Perez, its secretary, Reuven Shalom, and the chairperson of the executive committee, Elisheva Kennedy-Ansbacher. He praised head of department Yair Lootstein for leading a conference that is described as the first of its kind. 

Herbert Block of the American Zionist Federation (AZM) emphasised the importance of the event. “This conference was an important opportunity for Zionist federations to get to know each other better, from large to small communities around the world, and to address our common challenges in advancing Zionism.” 

Andrea Wein, president of the Greek Zionist Federation, described the gathering as a breath of fresh air that marked a new beginning. “Our open and frank discussions, and the commitments made by senior Zionist leaders, did much to overcome the bitter memories of last October’s congress. There was no political discussion and the discourse was respectful and constructive.” 

The conference was also attended by the Israeli ambassador to Budapest, Maya Kadosh, who shared with those present her experiences from diplomatic work in Hungary and the importance of continuing cooperation between the countries, even during periods of changing administrations, while presenting practical examples from recent days. 

Tal Gottstein, director of the Department for Organization and Liaison with Israelis in the Diaspora at the WZO, said, “This conference was a significant moment for us of listening, connection, and renewal. Some 60 representatives from 24 Zionist federations, alongside the leadership of the World Zionist Organization, participated in it, and it created a rare space for honest, professional, and exciting discourse on the future of Zionist work in the diaspora.” 

Lootstein summed up the event by saying, “The conference of the Zionist federations of Europe and the English-speaking countries expressed the Zionist spirit at its best: a deep commitment to the people of Israel, the State of Israel, and the Jewish communities around the world. It was precisely in this complex period that we saw how essential the work of the Zionist federations is as a bridge between Israel and the diaspora, between different communities and between volunteer public leadership and professional activity in the field. The conference dealt not only with questions of identity and meaning, but also with building practical collaborations for the current term of the World Zionist Congress, which began about six months ago ‒ within the federations, between the federations and the communities, between the various federations, and between them and the World Zionist Organization. We left the conference with a clear sense of shared responsibility and a real desire to deepen Zionist activity in the world.” 

• Josh Aronson is a journalist and activist.