At Opening Session, World Zionist Congress Honors October 7 Victims, Reinforces Unity Call

The 39th World Zionist Congress opened in Jerusalem this week with solemn remembrance and a powerful reaffirmation of Zionist unity, as more than 1,400 delegates from 43 countries gathered to shape the future of the global Zionist movement.

The Congress began with a moment of silence honoring the victims of the October 7 Hamas massacre, setting a tone of deep reflection. Delegates were reminded not only of the 920 soldiers who fell in the war, but also of the hostages both living and deceased who remain in Gaza, including American-Israeli soldier Omer Neutra and Lt. Hadar Goldin, whose bodies have never been returned.

Speaking before the assembly, Ronen and Orna Neutra, parents of Capt. Omer Neutra, delivered a stirring appeal. “This war will not truly be over until the very last hostage is home to be buried,” they said, urging the Zionist movement to remain steadfast in advocating for the hostages and supporting the soldiers who defend Israel.

World Zionist Organization Chairman Yaakov Hagoel emphasized that pain must not paralyze the movement—it must propel it forward. “The Zionist movement is not just a historical memory,” he declared, “but a living and active engine… the force that paved the way for the establishment of the state.” Hagoel called for unwavering unity across political and denominational lines, stressing that the memory of the fallen should strengthen Zionist resolve.

Supreme Zionist Court acting President Steve Adler echoed this call for togetherness. “We are all brothers and sisters,” he said, challenging delegates to prioritize Israel’s future over partisan quarrels. His message was reinforced by World Zionist Organization President Tova Dorfman, who invoked the spirit of Theodor Herzl to guide the Congress forward. “We have an opportunity here to correct, to fix things,” she said. “It’s time to create a real, courageous, authentic Zionist movement.”

Dorfman called on Zionists to reclaim the narrative. “We should not allow those who speak badly about Zionism to define it for us,” she said, emphasizing the need to rejuvenate the movement to meet 21st-century challenges. She urged the creation of new alliances, new partnerships, and a deeper sense of mission rooted in Herzl’s vision and anchored in the present.

President Isaac Herzog addressed the Congress with a direct rebuttal to those who use “Zio” as a slur. “These ‘Zios’ are the finest of human beings,” he said passionately, “who returned to their ancestral homeland… and built a Jewish, democratic, life-affirming and peace-seeking state.”

“Zios” around the world, he reminded the audience, came to Israel’s defense in its time of need, without hesitation. “We are proud of our Zionism and we will never forsake it. We will fight for it and defend it. We will remember and we will proudly declare: the people of Israel live.”

Beyond the emotional speeches, the Congress also dove into its core mission: setting the agenda for Zionist institutions such as the World Zionist Organization and KKL-JNF. Coalition negotiations intensified by internal Likud factional disputes are expected to shape the future leadership and funding of Zionist programs worldwide.

Still, the deeper message resonating across the halls of the Congress was clear: Zionism is alive, and it is needed now more than ever. Delegates left the plenary with a renewed sense of mission to safeguard Jewish identity, promote aliyah, strengthen the State of Israel, and ensure that the Jewish story continues with pride and purpose.

In a world increasingly hostile to Jewish self-determination, Zionism remains not just relevant, but vital. Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter to follow Israel’s unfolding story and the movement that continues to support it.