Jews with Views – Chanukah 5786
What was the highlight of the World Zionist Congress for you?
BY JONATHAN BOLLAG
Attending the World Zionist Congress in Jerusalem for the first time was an unforgettable experience. As a Swiss delegate, I felt a special connection knowing that the very first Zionist Congress took place in Switzerland. Being in Jerusalem, where Herzl’s vision ultimately took root, made that history feel vivid and close.
The moment that moved me most was the singing of Hatikva at the opening event. I looked around and saw Jews from every corner of the world, of all ages and backgrounds. Many of us hold strong and often opposing political opinions and very different visions for the future. The debates during the Congress sometimes highlighted those differences. Yet in that moment, none of it mattered. Everyone stood together and sang with one voice. It was simple, yet full of emotion and a deep sense of belonging, especially after what Zionists around the world have experienced over the past two years.
Rav Doron Perez says we are a tiny people, but the biggest family in the world. In that hall, I felt exactly that. That moment captured the true spirit of the congress and reminded me how much more unites us than divides us.
Jonathan Bollag was born and raised in Zurich, where he still lives. He grew up in Bnei Akiva and now leads the movement in Switzerland. He serves as president of the Swiss Zionist Federation, represents Mizrachi at the World Zionist Congress, sits on the boards of the Jewish Zionist school Noam and KKL-JNF Switzerland, and is an alumnus of the Zionist Leadership Academy (ZLA). He works in finance at a major Swiss bank.
BY AVIGAIL CHANA ELAZAR
My highlight of the World Zionist Congress was seeing the incredible diversity of Am Yisrael gathered in one place. Jews from so many different backgrounds and communities came together, all united by a shared love for Israel and the Jewish people.
Growing up, I didn’t have much exposure to other Jewish denominations, so it was really meaningful to meet and learn from people whose understanding of Judaism is different from mine. Our conversations were open and respectful, and they reminded me how much strength there is in our diversity.
Attending as a proud Maslul Mizrachi alum, and now returning as a madricha for the next cohort, made the experience even more special – knowing I can help others connect to that same sense of shared destiny and feel part of something bigger than themselves.
Avigail Chana Elazar is a Machon Maayan alum and current Maslul Mizrachi madricha. With a background in computer science, she strives to bridge Torah and technology while deepening the connection between faith, innovation, and the Land of Israel.
BY COBY POLLACK
Serving as a Mizrachi delegate at the World Zionist Congress was one of the biggest honors of my life. At 20, I was often the youngest person in the room. Rather than let that intimidate me, I saw it as a challenge – a chance to prove that young voices belong at the table where decisions about our people’s future are made.
Before voting began, each delegate was assigned to a committee. I was chosen for the Constitutional Committee, the body responsible for writing and updating the rules governing the entire Congress – everything from policy to budgets to how Jewish communities worldwide are represented. The weight of that responsibility wasn’t lost on me.
The moment I’ll never forget came when I stood to speak before the entire committee. The room went quiet. Here I was, the youngest delegate there, and people were listening. Really listening. I wasn’t just speaking for myself – I was giving voice to my generation, showing that we have skin in the game, that the future of Am Yisrael matters to us as much as it does to anyone else.
That experience taught me something crucial: young people aren’t just the future of the Jewish people. We’re part of its present. And we have every right to help shape it.
Coby Pollack, from Lawrence NY, is currently a student at Yeshiva University. He is a proud graduate of Mizrachi’s Maslul leadership program, and an alumnus of Yeshivat Sha’arei Mevaseret Zion. He is currently a Mizrachi Campus Fellow, where he continues building his passion for Religious Zionism, Jewish leadership, and strengthening Jewish life on campus.
BY AVITAL SEIFMAN
Representing Emunah Australia at the World Zionist Congress, I saw something rare: what happens when people actually listen to each other.
I had drafted a resolution on expanding mentorship and leadership pathways for young Jewish women. What made the committee discussions meaningful wasn’t the proposal itself, but how delegates engaged with it. People asked questions with genuine curiosity. They listened with patience. They challenged ideas without attacking integrity. The resolution improved because of that process – it became something collective rather than individual.
This atmosphere isn’t always the norm at Congress. The political tensions and fractures in other rooms made clear how rare it is when truth-seeking and respect coexist. I was fortunate to experience it.
A pasuk kept echoing in my mind throughout: “Ha’emet v’hashalom ehavu, Love truth and peace” (Zechariah 8:19). Our committee room reflected that ideal. When we pursue truth with integrity and hold peace with intention, our leadership becomes stronger. Our community becomes wiser.
Avital Seifman is co-president of Emunah Australia and serves on the Mizrachi Melbourne committee. She is an Educational Consultant and parent advocate, as well as a mum of three and wife to Marc.
BY SAM WARTELSKY
It’s 11:30p.m., the end of a long day – the second day of the World Zionist Congress. We’d spent the day in heated debates about central issues facing the Jewish people, issues we vehemently disagreed on, even to the point of yelling and shoving. Now at the conclusion of the voting plenary, all the delegates stood on opposite sides of the room, the center empty between us.
Then we joined together in singing Hatikva. Left, right, center – everyone singing with shared hope for the future. A recognition that even with all the infighting, we look forward, towards a future where we are unified.
We don’t need resolutions and procedures to know that we are one nation, one family, shevet achim v’achayot, singing and working towards a better future for Am Yisrael.
Sam Wartelsky is currently a Shana Bet student in Yeshivat Hakotel. From Teaneck, New Jersey, he attended Yeshivat Frisch and Camp Moshava IO. Sam served as a delegate at the 39th World Zionist Congress in Jerusalem.