The 39th World Zionist Congress to convene in Jerusalem

The 39th World Zionist Congress of the World Zionist Organization will be held this year between October 28–30, 2025, at the Jerusalem International Convention Center (Binyanei Ha’uma), bringing together over 1,400 delegates and alternates from 43 countries under one roof. The World Zionist Congress is the supreme legislative and decision-making body of the World Zionist Organization — a kind of ‘Global Jewish Parliament’— and serves as the central platform for determining the organization’s policy, strengthening the connection between Israel and the Diaspora, and promoting Zionist values in the 21st century.

During the three-day conference, participants will take part in strategic discussions, intercommunity meetings, and unique events attended by leaders, public figures, representatives of Jewish organizations from around the world, and members of the younger generation.

This year, there is an unprecedented number of newly elected delegates, including Rabbi Gershom Sizomu from Uganda representing the Conservative movement; Elan Carr, former U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism under President Trump; social media influencer and pro-Israel advocate Lizzy Savetsky; and Tessa Veksler, former president of the Student Association at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who received death threats from Arab students.

For the first time, seven new federations will be represented at the Congress: Paraguay, Ecuador, Uganda, Serbia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan — expanding Zionist participation to additional communities around the world. At the conclusion of the Congress, Moldova and Latvia will also join the movement as new member federations.

The elections for the World Zionist Congress were held this year across the globe, with a record number of over 265,000 voters expressing their commitment to the future of the Jewish People, the State of Israel, and the strengthening of intercommunity ties in the Diaspora.

The World Zionist Congress will open on Tuesday, October 28, with an official ceremony attended by the President of the State of Israel, Isaac Herzog; Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, Yaakov Hagoel; members of the Zionist Executive; and public figures, as well as heads of Zionist movements and organizations from Israel and around the world. The evening will conclude with a guest performance by singer Yuval Raphael who represented Israel at the last Eurovision song contest.

It is worth noting that the 23rd Congress, held in 1951, was the first to convene in Israel’s capital, Jerusalem, following the establishment of the state. This historic gathering was a pivotal moment in which the Zionist movement grappled with essential questions about its role in the newly founded Jewish State. Deep disagreements emerged between delegates from Israel and the Diaspora regarding the organization’s mission in the age of statehood. The delegates struggled to agree on a unified formulation of Zionist goals and ultimately compromised on a definition of the movement’s role. This compromise later formed the basis for the “Jerusalem Program,” approved in 1968 at the 27th Congress, which continues to define the fundamental principles and aims of the Zionist Movement today: the unity of the Jewish People, the ingathering of exiles through Aliyah (immigration) from all countries, the strengthening of the State of Israel, the preservation of Jewish identity, and the protection of Jewish rights everywhere.