Religious Zionists Of America Leadership Mission Will Be First U.S. Delegation To Meet With New Israeli Government Leaders

By BJLife Newsroom
Posted on 06/24/21

Delegation from 5 U.S. States & 2 Canadian provinces to arrive in Israel shortly to press Religious Zionist agenda with members of broadbased coalition

NEW YORK — The Religious Zionists of America (RZA)-Mizrachi has announced a communal leadership mission to Israel for early next month that will be the first to meet with members of the new Israeli government. The delegation includes rabbis and communal leaders and is designed to press new government leaders to stay true to religious Zionist values, despite being part of a broad-based leadership coalition.

“We are very concerned that because of the broad-based coalition traditionally religious Zionist parties cobbled together to lead the nation, our values may be under threat in order for the government to remain intact,” said Religious Zionists of America Executive Vice President Rabbi Ari Rockoff. “We are bringing a delegation of top North American communal leaders to drive the message to the prime minister and other cabinet members that they must hold true to these values if Israel is to continue its growth on the international stage.”

“While we are thrilled that Israel’s new president and prime minister spent significant time during their childhood in the United States and part of religious Zionist communities, we are concerned that as the majority of the government is left-leaning, it could severely impact the relationship with the North American Jewish community and the values we hold close,” he added. 

The group is expected to meet with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Religious Services Minister Matan Kahana, Intelligence Minister Elazar Stern, MK Bezalel Smotrich, and others. The group will land in Israel on Thursday July 1, and depart July 7.

They will also meet with the country’s chief rabbis, HaRav David Lau and HaRav Yitzhak Yosef, as well as other religious leaders of various communities and institutions to discuss the the rise in antisemitism and its impacts on communities across America. They will also tour areas and meet with those impacted by the recent violence and unrest in Israel including communities near the Gaza strip, in the West Bank and Lod.

“There has never been a more critical time for Religious Zionist leaders to make this trip. With the change of administration in Washington, the growing number of antisemitic attacks here in response to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, and the results to the recent Pew study, it’s all the more important for us to come to Israel to communicate there are American Jews who staunchly support Israel,” said Religious Zionists of America Co-President Rabbi Leonard Matanky.

The trip’s participants include:

The trip pariticipant list includes: