ZF welcomes interim chair as it improves its finances
RABBI LEA Muhlstein, international chair of the Arzenu Progressive religious Zionist movement, has taken over as interim chair of the Zionist Federation as the organisation looks to rebuild.
A year ago, the cash-strapped federation was forced to lay off its executive director and two other permanent staff.
According to the minutes of the ZF’s national council meeting at the end of last month, it has now reduced its debt to around £8,500, while needing £1,000 a month to run.
Affiliate organisations have previously been asked to help bail it out by making a one-off contribution of £5,000, on top of membership fees. According to Rabbi Muhlstein, three have so far done so — the leftwing Zionist group Meretz, Arzenu and the Masorti Zionist movement, Mercaz.
Joining Rabbi Muhlstein on the new interim executive are former Alyth Synagogue chair Noeleen Cohen, outgoing Masorti chief executive Dr Matt Plen, representing Mercaz, and Professor John Strawson of Meretz.
They were the “only people who volunteered” their services at the council meeting, she explained. If others wanted to join, they could put their names forward at the next meeting.
In the meantime, the UK branch of the new Strictly Orthodox Zionist movement, Eretz Hakodesh, has applied to join the ZF.
The Zionist Supreme Court in Jerusalem, which regulates the World Zionist Organisation, recently ruled that Eretz Hakodesh’s membership should be accepted. Eretz Hakodesh turned to the court after not receiving a response from the ZF to its original application. But according to the minutes of the national council meeting, the ZF wants to see the documentation usually required for membership from Eretz Hakodesh. If Eretz Hakodesh were unable to supply it, the court decision should be appealed, the council said.