WZO holds a conference in Budapest
The World Zionist Organization organized a conference in Budapest, during which participants from different parts of the world discussed various possibilities for cooperation.
Last weekend, the World Zionist Organization (WZO) held a conference in Budapest amid tight security, the Israeli newspaper Maariv reported. The seminar, which focused on Zionist cooperation, was attended by leaders of the WZO leadership as well as leaders of Zionist associations operating around the world. The conference was attended by about 60 delegates from 24 Zionist federations, European countries, as well as Ukraine, the United States, Canada, India, South Africa and Australia. The conference participants included voluntary elected officials who began their terms of office after the 39th Zionist Congress held at the end of 2025, as well as leading experts from the various federations.
During the three-day conference, participants examined four main courses of action:
- strengthening the internal mechanisms of alliances,
- strengthening cooperation between Zionist associations and local Jewish communities,
- creating direct working channels between different associations around the world,
- deepening cooperation between the federations and the World Zionist Organization, which acts as the organizing body.
The Maariv article notes that World Zionist Organization President Yaakov Hagoel shared with the participants that the World Zionist Organization will work closely with each federation to advance issues that are important to them. He said that the Budapest conference is the first of its kind and is considered critical for the organization’s activities.
Herbert Block, a representative of the Zionist Federation of America, also emphasized the importance of the event:
“This conference provided an important opportunity for Zionist associations to get to know each other better, both large and small communities around the world, and to discuss our common challenges in advancing Zionism.”
Andrea Wein, president of the Greek Zionist Federation, described the meeting as the beginning of a new era: “Our open and honest discussions, as well as the commitments made by the Zionist leaders, have helped us a lot to overcome the bitter memories of last October’s congress. There was no political debate, and the dialogue was respectful and constructive.”
Maariv also reported that Maja Kados, Israel’s ambassador to Budapest, also participated in the conference, sharing with those present her experiences of her diplomatic work in Hungary and the importance of continuing cooperation between the two countries, even during the change of government, while also presenting practical examples from the recent past.
