Resolutions approved at the 36th World Zionist Congress

Saving water and energy
Given the limited water and energy resources of Israel, this resolution calls for saving water and energy in Israel by calling on KKL-JNF, the World Zionist Organization (WZO) and the Jewish Agency For Israel (JAFI) to:

• Transition to energy-efficient lighting in their offices and fuel-efficient vehicles;
• Install energy-generating solar panels and rainwater-savings systems on the rooftops of their buildings.

Abating climate change
This resolution deals with issues that can help abate climate change through action in Israel, such as by requiring the Congress itself and the travel of its participants to be carbon offset through carbon-mitigating projects in Israel.

Integrating immigrants into Israeli society
This resolution calls for JAFI to incorporate environmental education as part of the immigrant experience.

Food justice
This resolution aims to attempt to better influence Israeli society and make the Congress an exemplar event through its food procurement.

Complete text of the proposed resolutions

Saving water and energy

Whereas this year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Theodor Herzl, and

Whereas Herzl, in book AltNeuLand, envisioned a Jewish homeland powered by clean renewable energy, and

Whereas Israel is already feeling the effects of climate change in terms of severe heat waves, droughts and storms, and

Whereas the Israeli Union for Environmental Defense is predicting even greater negative climate-related effects for Israel, and

Whereas climate change may be abated through reductions in greenhouse gases caused by vehicles and energy production, and

Whereas it's estimated that more Israelis die every year as a result of air pollution than as a result of terrorism and wars combined, and

Whereas Israel regularly faces water shortages,

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED THAT the Congress instructs that the World Zionist Organization and Zionist representatives to Keren Kayemet L’Yisrael and the Jewish Agency For Israel to act according to the following at those three organizations:

1. Make efforts toward a transition to energy-efficient lighting, such as compact fluorescent and LED bulbs, in all of its offices and buildings.
2. Make efforts to only purchase new vehicles that are alternative-fuel models or that meet high fuel-efficiency standards.
3. Aspire to install energy-generating solar panels and rainwater-savings systems on the rooftops of all of their buildings, and paint the remainder of the rooftops white.

Abating climate change

Whereas this year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Theodor Herzl, and

Whereas Herzl, in his book AltNeuLand, envisioned a Jewish homeland powered by clean renewable energy, and

Whereas in the 150th year since the birth of Herzl, his dream of an exemplary society fits the need to place environmental protection high on our agenda, and

Whereas climate change is a problem that affects Jews around the world, and   Whereas God has given us this world to care for and protect, and

Whereas a typical flight to Israel of 16,000 kilometers (10,000 miles) generates about 2,400 kilograms (5,300 pounds) of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere per person, and

Whereas the country of Israel is small in size and has difficulty finding space for its refuse,

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED THAT at future Congresses:

1. To bring Herzl's dream of "Medina HaMofet" — a model nation — to reality, Congress organizers shall be committed to developing and/or supporting carbon-mitigating projects in Israel as a major platform, ideally offsetting the transportation emissions of all Congressional delegations through carbon-mitigating projects in Israel, such as JNF's Go Neutral program and the Good Energy Initiative.
2. Congress organizers shall ensure good environmental practices, by reducing, recycling and composting waste generated, providing sustainable modes of transport for participants and carbon offsetting the Congress through carbon-mitigating projects in Israel, such as JNF's Go Neutral program and the Good Energy Initiative.

AND BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED THAT:

1. Jewish environmental education and supporting local agriculture is recognized globally as important within the Jewish community.
2. The Congress urges the WZO and all its partners in Jewish/Zionist education, both in Israel and the rest of the world, to include and enhance the teaching of environmental threats facing Israel and the rest of the world.

Integrating immigrants into Israeli society

Whereas this year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Theodor Herzl, and

Whereas Herzl recognized that developing a connection to the land was important, as he said, “We wish to give the Jews a homeland — not by dragging them ruthlessly out of their sustaining soil, but rather by removing them carefully, roots and all, to better terrain,” and

Whereas the Jewish Agency for Israel (hereinafter: JAFI) has helped bring more than three million Jews to Israel since 1948, and

Whereas JAFI is responsible for the absorption and integration of so many immigrants into Israeli society, and

Whereas environmental education is both an important value within Judaism and — with Israel's small size, energy issues and water issues — an imperative for Israelis, and

Whereas a JAFI absorption center in Beer Sheva has a successful food garden for its immigrants, run in conjunction with the Israeli NGO Earth's Promise,

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED THAT Zionist representatives on the JAFI board of governors shall work toward incorporating education about the environment and sustainability of the land into the immigrant experience at absorption centers run by JAFI, and that they work toward developing gardens at JAFI absorption centers for immigrants to connect with the land and grow their own fruits and vegetables.

Food justice

Whereas this year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Theodor Herzl, and

Whereas Herzl's dream of the Jewish State was of a "Medina HaMofet" — a model nation — and

Whereas the World Zionist Congress, as a large convention client, may have the ability to exercise sway over the type of food vendors which service the Congress, and

Whereas the use of pesticides can harm wildlife, habitats and people and pollute Israel's water supply, and

Whereas the production of each kilogram of beef consumes 15,500 liters of water and 7 kilograms of grains and

Whereas the production of each kilogram of chicken consumes 3,900 liters of water and 3 kilograms of grains, and

Whereas animal-based agriculture is a major contributor to many environmental threats, including climate change, deforestation, desertification, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, and water and air pollution, and animal-based agriculture uses far more water, energy, land and other resources than plant-based diets, and

Whereas we were once slaves in Egypt, and now we are free, and we are obliged to fight slavery, economic or otherwise,

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED THAT the Congress instructs its Zionist representatives who shall serve as Congresses organizers to request Congress food vendors and purveyors to:

1. Procure at least 50 percent of the food for the Congress from small-scale local producers;
2. Procure at least 50 percent of the food for the Congress from organic farmers who use sustainable farming practices and, in particular, are sensitive to local water scarcity;
3. Reduce meat consumption at the Congress, with any meat that is consumed coming from animals raised and slaughtered according to both kosher as well as humane and ethical standards;
4. Procure food from farmers that provide their laborers with a living wage;
5. Provide on-site compost bins where compostable material can be collected and delivered to composting sites.

Click here to see the GZA 2006 resolutions passed at the 35th World Zionist Congress.