For Immediate Release:
March 13, 2019
Contact: Herbert Block
The American Zionist Movement (AZM) convened its Biennial Assembly this weekend in New York City under the theme “Unity and Community: Bringing Together the Many Voices of Zionism”. Richard D. Heideman was re-elected to serve as AZM President and Dr. Francine Stein was re-elected as Chair of the AZM National Board.
The several hundred delegates and representatives of AZM’s national agencies gathered proudly and welcomed four new organizations to its now 32-member umbrella network as the Zionist Federation in the United States.
In addressing the Assembly upon his installation in 2017, Heideman announced the commitment of the AZM to moving “Zionism Forward”, which has governed the wide programmatic and leadership activities which the AZM has experienced.
Upon his 2019 re-installation, Heideman, who previously served as President of B’nai B’rith International as well as in various other leadership positions and who serves as Senior Counsel of the Washington law firm, Heideman Nudelman & Kalik, P.C. is quoted as saying:
“We find ourselves in a chess match of hatred. Fighting Antisemitism and Anti-Zionism is our communal obligation. We must defend our people, our heritage and our good name. We must adopt a policy of Zero Tolerance against Antisemitism and Anti-Zionism”.
Keynote presentations were delivered by Elan S. Carr, newly-appointed United States Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism; Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations; Alon Ben-Gurion, grandson of David Ben-Gurion and Gil Troy, author of The Zionist Ideas.
The Assembly’s broad array of speakers included:
- Noa Bloch, Zionist Federation of Australia
- Ambassador Dani Dayan, Consul General of Israel in New York
- Ambassador Akuei Bona Malwal of South Sudan
- Galit Peleg, Consul for Public Diplomacy
- Efrat Raelbrook, El Al Ambassador
- Rabbi Arthur Schneier, Park East Synagogue
The Biennial Co-Chairs were Jan Gurvitch (NA’AMAT USA) and Mindy Stein (Emunah) together with AZM Rabbi Paul Golomb, AZM Vice President for Programming.
The AZM Assembly included fifteen sessions on Zionism and Israel and included participation in the WZO Global “Hate Stops Here” Rally Against Antisemitism; a special focus on “FeminIsrael” on the occasion of Women’s History Month and the launch of preparations for the 2020 US elections to the World Zionist Congress
Herbert Block, Executive Director of AZM said: “We are pleased that as AZM has endeavored to expand its Zionism Forward campaign across America, we have grown our network and have more partners with whom to work in communities and on campus.”
AMERICAN ZIONIST MOVEMENT: 2019-2021 Officers
- Richard D. Heideman, President
- Dr. Francine Stein, Chair of National Board
- Rabbi Paul Golomb, Vice President for Programming
- Alan H. Silberman, Vice President for WZO Relations
- Dr. Marilyn Wind, Vice President for Inter-organizational Relations
- Marlene E. Post & Martin Oliner, Co-Vice Presidents for Financial
Resource Development
- W. James Schiller, Treasurer
- Shelley Sherman, Secretary
The organizations newly admitted to AZM are:
AFSI (Americans for a Safe Israel)
EMET (Endowment for Middle East Truth)
Ohavei Zion (World Sephardic Zionist Organization)
WIZO USA (Women’s International Zionist Organization
To see the full AZM Biennial National Assembly program go to: www.azm.org/biennial
Photos available on request
The American Zionist Movement (AZM) is comprised of 32 national Jewish Zionist organizations and works across a broad ideological, political and religious spectrum linking the American Jewish community together in support of Israel, Zionism and the Jewish people.
AZM Member Organizations: American Forum for Israel • Ameinu • AMIT • ARZA (Association of Reform Zionists of America) • Aytzim • Bnai Zion Foundation • Hadassah – The Women’s Zionist Organization of America • Herut NA • MERCAZ USA (Zionist Organization of Conservative Judaism) • NA’AMAT USA • Partners for Progressive Israel • Religious Zionists of America – Mizrachi • World Sephardic Zionist Organization – Ohavei Zion • Zionist Organization of America Affiliated Organizations: Americans for a Safe Israel • Baltimore Zionist District • B’nai B’rith International • Emunah • Endowment for Middle East Truth • Friends of Israel Scouts – Tzofim • Israel Forever Foundation • Jewish National Fund • WIZO USA Zionist Youth Movements: • American Zionist Youth Council • Bnei Akiva • BBYO • Habonim Dror • Hashomer Hatzair • NCSY • NFTY • USY • Young Judaea
