The meeting was opened by its initiator, Head of the Aliya Promotion Department of WZO Marina Rozenberg Koritny. She emphasized that aliyah (repatriation) is not only the return of Jews to their historical homeland but also a crucial condition for the further development of the Zionist project, a guarantee of the future of the State of Israel. Marina expressed hope for the return of Israeli hostages held by Hamas terrorists.

Herbert Block, the Executive Director of the American Section of the WZO, talked about the upcoming elections to the Zionist Congress in 2025. He noted the activity of American Jews in the 2019 elections and expects that the number of voters will significantly increase this time. He paid special attention to the importance of the Russian-speaking Jewish community in the USA in supporting Israel.

Former Israeli intelligence officer Anton Sh. spoke about the challenges faced by Israeli society during the war. “The reality is that many reservists have left their families, their jobs, and businesses and went to serve in the army,” Anton Sh. noted in his speech. “And this absence of men and women is reflected in all spheres of life. But we will show that Israelis are stronger than all this!”

IDF spokesperson, Major Anna Ukolov-Kharish, talked about the role of public relations in strengthening Zionist unity and establishing relations between Israel and Jewish communities in different countries.

Olga Rizkov, the mother of an Israeli soldier who died in the first days after the Hamas attack, gave a particularly emotional speech. She talked about her son Maxim, who served in the elite forces. His heroic death became an example of resilience and courage. “Heroes are not mourned — heroes are applauded,” said Olga, and the hall greeted her words with a standing ovation.

Marina Rozenberg Koritny: “The meeting took place in an atmosphere of amazing solidarity and demonstrated the significance of Zionist values, which continue to inspire Jews around the world.”