Heads of Keren Hayesod in Switzerland sent a critical letter to the heads of the organization in Jerusalem on Sunday, in which they expressed concern about the current political situation in Israel, as well as the public discourse, according to Walla.

Keren Hayesod is one of the Jewish Agency’s main fundraising arms and raises funds from Jews around the world with an exclusion of the US.

Keren Hayesod Switzerland demanded that the organization’s leaders speak out against the moves this government is promoting and hinted that they are “threatening the continuation of fundraising and donations to Israel,” according to Walla.

‘We cannot stand aside silently any longer’

“We mourn the lost Jewish and also the Palestinian lives and casualties. But after the death penalty bill was passed on a preliminary first vote by the Parliament of the Jewish state, we cannot stand aside silently any longer. This was like a red line for us. This is not the Israel we want to support,” the letter stated.

“We support Israel because we believe that even if we do not live there, it is also our country. This is why we stand with Israel whenever needed – unconditionally,” they wrote.

They added that the mantra “we collect [funds] for the people of Israel; for the poor; for the elderly and for children,’ does not work for us anymore,” meaning that they can no longer fundraise in this fashion. They continued by saying that “our mutual responsibility is not only about giving money while we watch how this amazing vision called Israel, is being threatened and emptied out of values we believed; we shared.”

They expressed that their support for Israel is “unconditional,” as long as “the basic principles of humanity are respected and as long as Israel continues to be committed to the principles of a liberal and democratic system.”

The heads of Keren Hayesod in Switzerland concluded by writing that they “believe that at this moment, your voice should also be heard.”

They emphasized the leadership of this organization, saying that it should be “loud and clear: We need to know, hear and see, that the organization for which we dedicate our time and our resources, an organization that was instrumental in the building of Israel, is loyal to its charter, and does not turn a blind eye to a real and immediate threat to the basic fabric of Israel society.”

Sources in Keren Hayesod approved the acceptance of this letter and explained that their organization is very diverse since they raise funds from many countries around the world, with different political agendas. World chairman of Keren Hayesod is Sam Grundwerg, who was initially recommended for the role by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after he returned to Israel from Los Angeles, where he served as Israel’s Consul General.

Grundwerg is no longer associated with Netanyahu or the Likud Party and received the support of the main donors and board of the organization in order to continue in his position even though the Prime Minister fought against it. Keren Hayesod is one of the four national institutions in Israel, which include the Jewish Agency, the World Zionist Organization and the Jewish National Fund. 

As a national institution, Keren Hayesod has played a vital role in the success of Zionism and Israel for over 103 years and has always strived to remain above politics. The causes we support are not controversial but humanitarian in nature and help strengthen Israel and its people.

Together with our entire global leadership, we are deeply concerned about the adverse effects that the current situation in Israel is having on the unity and solidarity in Israeli society and among the Jewish people around the globe. We support efforts attempting to unite the parties and promote a respectful dialogue leading to an agreement that will safeguard the values of Israel and the unity of the Jewish people.

Keren Hayesod responded to the letter and sent a statement to the Post: “As a national institution, Keren Hayesod has played a vital role in the success of Zionism and Israel for over 103 years and has always strived to remain above politics. The causes we support are not controversial but humanitarian in nature and help strengthen Israel and its people,” they stated.

“Together with our entire global leadership, we are deeply concerned about the adverse effects that the current situation in Israel is having on the unity and solidarity in Israeli society and among the Jewish people around the globe. We support efforts attempting to unite the parties and promote a respectful dialogue leading to an agreement that will safeguard the values of Israel and the unity of the Jewish people,” the Keren Hayesod statement said.