At the board of governors meeting that began on Sunday in Jerusalem and runs until Oct. 29, the Jewish Agency announced its new strategic plan, which includes rebranding the 90-year-old organization as a hub for the Jewish world.
The plan seeks to address the major challenges facing the Jewish people for the coming decade and includes strategies to launch an "uncompromised assault on anti-Semitism, following the hundreds of violent, life-threatening incidents" against Jews around the world in recent years, reinforce the affinity between Jews and the State of Israel, and strengthen connections between Diaspora communities.
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The plan was formulated through a global process conducted by Jewish Agency chairman Isaac Herzog, chairman of the board Michael Siegel, CEO Amira Aharonovich and Beth Kieffer Leonard, member of the board of governors.
The Jewish Agency said this process was the first of its kind for the organization.
"This is a historic moment for an organization that has held a historic role in the life of the Jewish people over the past 90 years," said Herzog. "The Jewish Agency founded the State of Israel and brought 3 million Jews on aliyah and established hundreds of communities throughout Israel."
"We are refining our strategic mission for the coming decade, based on the challenges Jews are facing today," he said. "In collaboration with additional partners in the Jewish communities and in Israel, we will work to provide concrete solutions to the greatest challenges facing the Jewish people at this time: mending the rifts among our people, building a two-way bridge between Israel and world Jewry, encouraging aliyah and providing security for Jews around the world."
Aharonovich, who is leading the change process within the organization, said: "Only by building a bilateral bridge, on which Jews from global communities and Israeli society march together, while deepening their acquaintance, appreciation and love, can we create a vision of mutual success, joint alliance and a united future among the Jewish people."
In the coming days, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz will also address the hundreds of Jewish leaders attending the board meeting from all over the world.
Reprinted with permission from JNS.org
