The Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah met last Thursday to discuss the issue of voting in the ongoing World Zionist Organization elections. On Tuesday, they issued the following Kol Korei: The Zionist Movement was founded 125 years ago with the purpose of uprooting the foundations of Judaism and redefining the Jewish people from “a kingdom of servants of Hashem and a holy people” into a nation like all nations who are defined by a common language, culture and land. Since, in the words of Rav Saadiah Gaon, “our nation is a nation by virtue of its Torah,” the gedolim of that time did battle with this movement and ruled that anyone who considers himself a Jew may not support it in any manner whatsoever. It was for this reason that they founded Agudath Israel-to prevent those who keep Torah and mitzvos from joining the Zionist Movement. Accordingly, the geonim the Chofetz Chaim, the Gerrer Rebbe, Rav Chaim of Brisk, the Chazon Ish, Rav Aharon Kotler, the Steipler, Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach, and Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, zichronam livracha, forbade joining the World Zionist Organization (WZO). The Chofetz Chaim ruled that it is forbidden to join it even if this means a third of the yeshivos will have to close. Similarly, recently, a ruling forbidding this was issued by Maran Hagaon Rav Dov Landau shlit”a. About five years ago, a party of Chareidim was formed with the declared intention of joining the WZO. It claimed that thereby they would rescue the holy sites of Israel from control by the Reform and that they would thereby direct monies of the WZO to the yeshivos. Now that at this time there are elections for the WZO, this party and others similar to it have embarked on a massive advertising campaign to convince those committed to Judaism to vote for them to become delegates to the WZO. In order to vote, the voter must sign a declaration that he accepts upon himself the Zionist ideology, which does not recognize that the Jewish people is bound by the Torah. He also declares that he encourages participation in the IDF and that those who are exempt must serve in Sherut Leumi (national service for both yeshiva students and Chareidi girls). The elected delegates become full partners in the activities of the WZO, including those that negate the Torah. We therefore believe that it is forbidden to vote in these elections. We do not intend to impugn the honor of those distinguished rabbis who ruled that it is permitted. However, our opinion is that there are many issurim (prohibitions) involved here, both for the voters and for the delegates. 1) There is a massive chillul Hashem in declaring acceptance of the heretical ideas of the WZO. 2) It is forbidden to agree to matters that the Torah leadership of Klal isroel says are forbidden. 3) For elected delegates, it is forbidden to join a group of sinners (hischabrus I’resha’im). 4) The voters are mesayei’a lidei aveirah (assisting in the commission of aveiros). It is obvious that the money hoped to be received from the WZO does not justify these serious issurim. We have therefore agreed to publicize our opinion that it is forbidden to vote for any party in the election for the WZO. We firmly believe that […]