A committed activist and top leader of the Masorti/Conservative Movement in Israel and around the world, Co-Chairwoman of MERCAZ Olami, Emily Levy-Shochat, joins us for a conversation about how our voices as American Jews can help protect Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state, while also strengthening the Jewish people and pluralism worldwide. Overall, Emily will speak about the situation in Israel, the challenges facing Israeli society since October 7th and explain why the Zionist Congress is such a powerful tool, the only tangible democratic tool Diaspora Jews have.

As the former long-time Chairwoman of the Masorti Movement in Israel, the former Vice Chairwoman of KKL/JNF and Chairwoman of its Environment and Science Committee (dealing particularly with combating climate change in Israel), and a member of the board at the Association of Ethiopian Jews in Israel, Emily can speak so passionately and knowledgably about the national institutions of the Jewish people – WZO, the Jewish Agency, and KKL/JNF – and why these democratic institutions (that is, voting in elections for the World Zionist Congress) that belong to Jews around the world are so crucial for the future not only of Masorti Judaism in Israel, but for Conservative/Masorti Judaism and its values around the world as well as the future of Israel, Israeli society, and the Jewish people as a whole.

A light dinner will be served.