# 38th World Zionist Congress

The 38th World Zionist Congress (Hebrew: הקונגרס הציוני העולמי ה-38) convened in Jerusalem, on October 20–22, 2020, with the participation of over 700 delegates and thousands of people from 35 countries to elect leadership positions and determine policy for the World Zionist Organization (WZO). Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic during 2020, the Congress sessions and deliberations were held online by means of a global virtual platform.

## Delegates and elections

The Congress is composed of 524 delegates: 199 from Israel (38%), 152 from the United States (29%), and 173 from the rest of the Jewish diaspora (33%).

### Australia

Representation of the Australian Zionist delegation was determined on June 2, 2020. For the first time, progressive groups ran under the Hatikvah grouping, which included the New Israel Fund, Ameinu, Meretz, Habonim Dror and Hashomer Hatzair. The group won two seats. Other parties represented included ARZA (4 seats), Mizrahi (4 seats), Mercaz-Masorti (2 seats) and Friends of Likud (1 seat).

### Israel

The number of delegates representing Israel in the Congress is determined in accordance with the size of the Zionist parties in the Knesset. Thus, the Israeli representatives to the Congress will be apportioned according to the results of the elections to the twenty-second Knesset, held in September 2019.

### United States

Representation of the United States Zionist delegation is determined by elections held under the auspices of the American Zionist Movement several months prior to the Congress. These elections took place from January 21, 2020 to March 11, 2020.
123,575 votes were cast, more than double the number in the election for the previous congress in 2015. Fifteen groups, comprising over 1,800 candidates, competed for the 152 seats allocated to the American Zionist movement. The results of the elections were as follows:
| Slate | Votes | Seats | Position/Ideology |
| Reform | 31,483 | 39 | ARZA; Reform Movement and Reconstructing Judaism |
| Orthodox Israel Coalition – Mizrachi | 21,692 | 27 | Mizrahi; religious Zionists |
| Eretz Hakodesh | 20,045 | 25 | Haredi; ultra-Orthodox |
| Mercaz USA | 14,655 | 18 | Conservative-Masorti Judaism |
| ZOA Coalition | 10,312 | 13 | Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), Torah from Sinai, Make Israel Great (MIG) & National Pro-Israel Partners |
| American Forum for Israel | 8,096 | 10 | Yisrael Beiteinu affiliation |
| Hatikvah | 7,936 | 10 | Progressive Israel Slate; representing 11 groups |
| Shas Olami | 2,045 | 2 | Shas Olami; worldwide Sephardi Orthodox movement |
| Kol Yisrael | 1,749 | 2 | "For the Love of Israel – Making Zionism Compelling in the 21st Century" |
| Dorshei Torah V’Tziyon | 1,371 | 2 | Modern Orthodox; "Torah and Israel for All" |
| Herut Zionists | 1,154 | 1 | The Jabotinsky Movement |
| VISION movement | 1,038 | 1 | Hebrew Universalism; "Empowering the Next Generation" |
| Americans4Israel | 856 | 1 | "Peace, Unity & Security" |
| Israel Shelanu | 769 | 1 | "Our Israel"; Israelis residing in the United States |
| Ohavei Zion | 374 | 0 | World Sephardic Zionist Organization |

### Mexico

Representation of the Mexican delegation was determined by elections held under the auspices of the Mexican Zionist Federation during March, 2020. Five slates competed for 7 delegates allotted to México. The final results of the elections were as follows:
| Slate | % of vote | Seats | Position/Ideology |
| Magshimim | 29.7% | 2 | Coalition of Hanoar Hatzioni, Dor Jadash, Hejalutz Lamerjav, Organización Sionista Sefaradí & Confederatzia; Center, independent |
| Union Sionista | 26.3% | 2 | Coalition of Mercaz, Meretz/Hashomer Hatzair & Guimel LGBTQ; Center left |
| Likud México | 19.2% | 1 | Likud; Right wing |
| Mizrahi – Bnei Akiva | 15.4% | 1 | Mizrachi; Modern orthodox |
| Movimiento Avoda Hatzionit | 9.5% | 1 | Israeli Labor Party; Left wing |

### Other countries

The delegates from the Jewish communities other than Israel and the United States are usually determined by agreement between "the various Jewish communities and factions" instead of elections.

### Canada

Canada sent 20 delegates which broke down as follows.
| Slate | Seats | Position/Ideology |
| MERCAZ Canada | 3 | Conservative-Masorti Judaism |
| Labour | 1 | Israeli Labor Party |
| Artzeinu | 6 | Reform Judaism |
| Mizrahi | 4 | Mizrachi; Modern orthodox |
| Beiteinu Olami | 5 | Yisrael Beiteinu affiliation. |
| Herut | 1 | The Jabotinsky Movement |
These numbers come from Election Result of the 38th World Zionist Congress, which contains the complete breakdown for each country.