With World Zionist Congress elections coming up in the United States from March 10 - May 4 2025, La Djente staff reached interviewed the WZO Chairman Yaakov Hagoel to find out more about the WZO, including Hagoel’s role as the first Sephardic Chairman of the global Jewish organization.
Tell us a little bit about your background. Where does your Sephardic heritage come from, and what was it like growing up in Israel with this heritage? Were you actively connected with a Ladino-speaking Sephardic community in Israel as a child?
I was born and raised in Tel Aviv to parents who were also born in Tel Aviv, descendants of a rich Jewish heritage representing the ingathering of exiles: on my mother's side, a grandfather from Poland and a grandmother from Romania, and on my father's side, a grandfather from Kavala, Greece, and a grandmother from Izmir, Turkey. I’ve always taken great pride in my background, culture, and heritage. As a child, I was exposed to the unique customs of Sephardic Jewry, hearing the ancient Ladino language, which has accompanied us for over 500 years, singing "Ein Keloheinu" in Spanish, and preserving the special foods that are unique to this tradition.
Tell us about some of your favorite Sephardic customs and traditions. Do you remember any Ladino words or phrases your family used when you were growing up? Are there any specific customs you loved in your home as a child, perhaps around holidays like Passover or Rosh Hashanah?
Sephardic Jewry is rich with stories, unique tunes, songs, food, and traditions that are only known to our people. One of the phrases I vividly remember, especially during Shabbat and holiday dinners when we had guests, is "Mezadas de Alegría" – a wish expressed around the dining table, hoping we will all gather only for blessings and happy occasions. I also recall hearing synagogue members blessing each other with "Sano i rezio" (health and strength), and during long travels, wishing one another "Kaminos de leche i miel!" (paths of milk and honey). As a child, I eagerly awaited singing the Sephardic version of "Echad Mi Yodea" ("Ken supiense i entendiense") at the Passover Seder, a custom of Turkish and Balkan Jews. Even today, I still get emotional when singing it around the Seder table.
Let’s talk a little bit about your professional career and the World Zionist Organization. What is the World Zionist Organization, and what is its role? What is your role in the organization? Can you explain to our readers what the Zionist Congress is, how it functions, and why it is important?
The World Zionist Organization was established in 1897 by Theodor Herzl at the First Zionist Congress in Basel. Herzl, a Jewish lawyer and journalist, was exposed to waves of severe antisemitism. He envisioned the salvation of the Jewish people through the establishment of a Jewish state in the Land of Israel. Many argue that the antisemitic Dreyfus Affair, in which the Jewish officer Alfred Dreyfus was sentenced to life imprisonment for treason in France, drove Herzl to push harder for the creation of a Jewish state.
For the first time in 2,000 years of exile, Herzl successfully convened around 200 participants—Zionist activists, rabbis, Jewish leaders, men and women—from 17 different countries, united by one goal: paving the way for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in the Land of Israel. At that First Zionist Congress in Basel, Herzl founded the World Zionist Organization. Through it, he laid the groundwork that would eventually form the government of the Jewish people. From the World Zionist Organization emerged key institutions that founded the state: the Jewish National Fund, the Jewish Agency, and Keren Hayesod—national institutions that still work today to strengthen Jewish and Zionist identity, fight antisemitism, encourage aliyah (immigration to Israel), and foster the unbreakable bond between the Jewish Diaspora and the State of Israel.
Every five years, the Zionist Congress convenes, serving as a kind of parliament of the Jewish people, bringing together about 750 delegates from around the world. This gathering unites representatives of political and ideological movements from both the right and left, religious and secular, under one roof to discuss, decide, and implement the values of Zionism for the coming years.
About four years ago, at the 38th Zionist Congress, I was honored to become the first Sephardic Jew to serve as Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, representing World Likud and the ZOA coalition. This is not just a personal achievement but a historic moment for Sephardic Jewry. For too long, the rich heritage of Sephardic Jews has been absent from the public discourse, even though it is a central part of Jewish history. Now, with a Sephardic Chairman, we are working to bring the unique traditions, culture, and contributions of Sephardic Jewry to the forefront of the Zionist movement.
You have served as Chairman of the World Zionist Organization for the past four years. What has been your agenda, and what have you achieved during this time?
As Chairman of the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish people have faced a number of significant challenges that have underscored the need for responsible, unwavering leadership. The most recent Congress, held during the height of a global pandemic, was the first in history to take place virtually. The closure of Israel’s skies to tourists, including Jews, was a critical issue we fought against. We worked with all branches of the Israeli government to ensure that even during a global pandemic, Israel’s doors would not be shut to Jews wishing to come here.
In addition, when the Jewish community in Ukraine found itself caught in the midst of a war between Russia and Ukraine, I had the privilege of leading the Jewish Agency's assistance efforts, ensuring that families were evacuated, brought to safety in Israel, and provided with immediate support during this emergency.
On the front lines of the fight against antisemitism, we have exposed the ugly faces of organizations, universities, and media outlets, while providing critical tools to combat antisemitism, strengthening community resilience in the process.
Why is your Sephardic identity important to you? Why does it matter? With the Zionist Congress elections coming up, what is your platform moving forward, and how do you plan to better represent the Sephardic voice and needs in the future?
I am proud to be the first Sephardic Jew to serve as Chairman of the World Zionist Organization. Tradition is important, and preserving it is essential. After 2,000 years of exile, 127 years of Zionism, and 76 years of independence, it is clear to all of us that we are one people. Whether Ashkenazi or Sephardic, American or French, we are one nation with one destiny.
For many years, the leaders of the Zionist movement, naturally, represented a very specific segment of the Jewish people. The rich heritage of Sephardic Jews and the Ladino culture is a significant part of Jewish history and deserves to stand as an equal in the Zionist movement. This is a culture that has continued in proud communities in Turkey and Greece, in the United States, and many other countries. I take immense pride in my Sephardic Jewish heritage and see it as my mission to bring it to the forefront of the Zionist agenda. The beautiful mosaic of the Jewish people is something to be cherished—unity does not mean uniformity.
In many ways, we are at a crossroads for both Israel and the Jewish Diaspora, in light of the war in Gaza, rising antisemitism, and the challenges facing the Jewish people. Where do we go from here? How do we find a way forward?
The massacre of October 7 was not only a declaration of war against the State of Israel but against the Jewish people as a whole. We have witnessed an unprecedented rise in antisemitism (about a 600% increase), and "human rights" organizations have dropped their masks, while university leaders have turned a blind eye to protests, slurs, and violence against Jews on their campuses.
This reality requires us to take responsibility for our future. Education for Jewish, Zionist, and ethical identity, while emphasizing our shared fate, is a crucial foundation for our unity. We must ensure that all Jews, whether Israeli or Diaspora, Sephardic or Ashkenazi, unite around our commonalities and not the divisions.
How can our readers learn more about the World Zionist Organization and vote in the upcoming Zionist Congress elections?
I see immense importance in the involvement of every Jewish community and individual in Jewish life, especially in an organization that paved the way for the establishment of the State of Israel and continues to strengthen Jewish and Zionist values. The elections for the Zionist Congress will take place from March 5 to May 10. This is a golden opportunity for all of us to promote our values, vote, and make an impact. Voting for the Zionist Congress will take place online. After providing your details and paying a symbolic registration fee of $5, Diaspora Jews will have the chance to determine how the next five years will look for the Jewish and Zionist world.
As someone represented by the ZOA coalition in the United States, I will continue to promote Jewish and Zionist values, strengthen heritage and identity, and, as a Sephardic Jew, take pride in bringing our rich heritage to the forefront. This is a moment for us all to act and have our voices heard.
World Zionist Congress Elections will be taking place from March 10 - May 4 2025 online. All Jews in the United States have the right to vote in these global elections. To learn more and to cast your vote, go to azm.org/elections.
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