Thursday, March 14, 2013

STATEMENT FROM ZF CHAIRMAN


STATEMENT FROM ZF CHAIRMAN 

Dear members

Since the beginning of the year, we at the ZF have seen the greatest successes from our largest events.  These include our most popular Parliament Lobby Day ever, the ZF Science Week which drew extensive national media coverage in showcasing ground breaking achievements from Israeli scientists and our largest ZF Gala Dinner to date.  These events sit alongside all the many other day to day activities working on behalf of Israel.
 
However, we feel we need to work harder in communicating the principles and values of the ZF which drives the passion behind that work.
 
The ZF are deeply committed to the State of Israel and its security.  We at the ZF believe that pursuing peace is an obligation set upon us to ensure that our children need not know war.  We believe in a two state solution providing peace and security for Israel and an independent state for the Palestinians, where both prosper economically and work together to maintain peace. We believe in Israel as a Jewish state, living in peace and security amongst its Muslim neighbours. 
 
At the heart of the ZF lies a dedicated liberal and democratic ideology. Israel sitting alongside other western democracies must protect all its minorities, hold human rights to the highest standards, seek social justice for all and support religious pluralism.  We do not support religious or secular extremism.  In fact we support absolute tolerance in a society that holds that all men and woman are treated equally no matter their colour, race, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity. 
 
We at the ZF believe in the future of Israel as a safe, peaceful and prosperous light amongst nations.
 
These values are shared by our membership and the organisations that work alongside us in actively engaging and promoting Israel in the UK.  We at the ZF would like to ensure that going forward there is greater dialogue and cooperation with progressive Judaism and that we engage the younger community in working for these values.
 
Paul Charney
Chairman ZF