Arzenu UK
UK Progressive Zionist affiliate of ARZENU and the World Zionist Organization
| Arzenu UK | |
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| Type | Zionist political grouping |
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| Website | arzenu.uk |
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Arzenu UK is the United Kingdom branch of ARZENU (the International Federation of Reform and Progressive Religious Zionists). It was formerly known as ProZion (also styled Pro-Zion) and alternatively as the Progressive Religious Zionists. It is the political representative of Progressive, Reform and Liberal Jews in British Zionist institutions and at the World Zionist Congress.[1] Those communities have been organised through Reform Judaism and Liberal Judaism, both part of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, a constituent of the World Zionist Organization; the two movements merged in 2025 as the Movement for Progressive Judaism.[2]
The group describes itself as "the Zionist voice of Reform and Liberal Jews in the UK" and says it advocates "an Israel that reflects our Progressive Jewish values".[3] Its X account, formerly ProZion, states that it promotes Israel in Reform and Liberal Judaism and advocates religious pluralism, gender equality and minority rights in Israel.[4]
History
A 1968 Israel commission of the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain (RSGB), chaired by Rabbi Henry Brandt, urged a Progressive Jewish settlement in Israel and a year of study there for Leo Baeck College students. A later Progressive movement lecture said commitment to Zionism in British Progressive Judaism grew through the 1960s and 1970s and led to the establishment of ProZion, described as the UK branch of ARZENU, in 1978.[5] International ARZENU itself was founded in 1980 as a Brit Olamit of the WZO.[6]
At the 29th Zionist Congress in Jerusalem in February 1978 the RSGB was represented by Bernard Davis, then a vice-president. The same lecture presented the Congress resolution on equal treatment of Jews regardless of religious identification as a milestone for Progressive recognition inside the Zionist movement and as evidence of ProZion's emerging influence.[5] Rabbi Hugo Gryn of Britain also appeared at that Congress for the World Union for Progressive Judaism.[7]
The organisation later adopted the name Arzenu UK. Its X account announced in January 2020 that it was "Formerly known as @ProZion".[4]
World Zionist Congress
The United Kingdom is allocated 19 of the Congress's hundreds of seats. Slate bargaining and, in some cycles, court rulings have determined how those seats are shared.
| Cycle | Arrangement | Progressive-related seats |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Zionist Supreme Court ruling after appeals by Pro-Zion and the Jewish Labour Movement | Pro-Zion 5; Mercaz UK 3; JLM/Meretz combined faction 2[8] |
| 2020 | Deal among UK Zionist groups | ProZion 4; Mercaz UK 2; Likud UK 2; FZY 2; Mizrachi 4; one each for Jewish Labour Movement, Over the Rainbow, Herut UK, Meretz and Hanoar Hatzioni[1][9] |
| 2025 | Open election; 10,651 votes; cap of five mandates per slate | "Our Israel" (joint list of Liberal, Masorti and Reform Judaism) 5 mandates on 2,088 votes. Other seats: Eretz HaKodesh 5; Shas Olami UK 3; Jewish Labour–Meretz 3; Orthodox Israel Coalition (Mizrachi UK) 3[10][11] |
Arzenu UK promoted the 2025 contest on its website as a "Joint list of Liberal, Masorti and Reform Judaism". Oaks Lane Reform Synagogue reported that Rabbi Charley Baginsky, Paulo Kulikovsky (chief operating officer of Leo Baeck College) and Rabbi Lea Mühlstein sat as UK Progressive delegates at the 39th Congress, with Rabbi Jordan Helfman and Rebecca Singerman-Knight of Kingston Liberal Synagogue as observers or alternates.Oaks Lane Reform Synagogue, World Zionist Congress Report swesrs.org.uk, 5 November 2025. The WZO published delegate roll includes Charlotte Baginsky and Deborah Blausten for the United Kingdom and Ireland under the ARZENU grouping.World Zionist Organization, Delegates wzo.org.il, 39th Zionist Congress, accessed 10 September 2026.
Zionist Federation and other UK roles
After the January 2021 biennial of the Zionist Federation of Great Britain and Ireland, Arzenu UK congratulated members elected to ZF positions and said 22 of 26 elected National Council seats were then held by representatives of Progressive Zionist organisations. Rabbi Lea Mühlstein of the Ark Synagogue, Northwood, has been chair of the Zionist Federation and previously chaired international ARZENU. Rebecca Singerman-Knight has been described as chair of communications for ARZENU; she was among Board of Deputies of British Jews members suspended after a Financial Times letter critical of Israeli actions in Gaza.Progressive Movement launches new book on Zionism Jewish Chronicle, 1 May 2026. In 2026 the Movement for Progressive Judaism published Progressive Judaism, Zionism and the State of Israel, edited by Ed Kessler with co-leads Rabbis Josh Levy and Charley Baginsky. The Jewish Chronicle reported that the book "carries the imprint of the international Progressive Zionist organisation Arzenu".Simon Rocker, Grappling with ‘the challenge of our time’ – the relationship between Judaism and Israel Jewish Chronicle, 30 April 2026. The 2023 trustees' report of the London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism recorded organisational sponsorship of its launch and conference "from the Anti-Defamation League and through Arzenu".London Centre for the Study of Contemporary Antisemitism, 2023 Trustees Report and Financial Statements, Appendix 2, approved 27 August 2024.
People
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Rabbi Lea Mühlstein | Former chair of international ARZENU; chair of the Zionist Federation; 39th Congress delegate |
| Rabbi Charley Baginsky | Co-lead, Movement for Progressive Judaism; 39th Congress delegate listed on the WZO roll under ARZENU |
| Paulo Kulikovsky | COO, Leo Baeck College; 39th Congress delegate |
| Rabbi Jordan Helfman | International ARZENU vice-chair; Congress observer/alternate; co-vice-chair support role at the 39th Congress |
| Rebecca Singerman-Knight | Chair of communications, ARZENU; Kingston Liberal; Congress observer/alternate |
| Deborah Blausten | UK & Ireland delegate on the WZO 39th Congress roll under ARZENU |
| Bernard Davis | RSGB vice-president; representative at the 29th Congress (1978) |
ARZENU, arzenu elects new leadership arzenu.org, 28 August 2023.
See also
ARZENU ProZion World Zionist Organization Zionist Federation of Great Britain and Ireland
External links
Official website International ARZENU Arzenu UK on X Internet Archive holdings of prozion.org.uk Internet Archive holdings of arzenu.uk Zionist Federation
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Simon Rocker, UK Zionist groups agree on congress delegation after heavy wrangling Jewish Chronicle, 5 August 2020.
- ↑ Harriet Sherwood, Progressive Judaism co-leaders pledge to welcome critics of Israel The Guardian, 28 May 2025.
- ↑ Arzenu UK, Arzenu UK | Progressive Zionism arzenu.uk, accessed 10 September 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Arzenu UK, @ArzenuUK X, account created 28 January 2020, accessed 10 September 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Movement for Progressive Judaism, Principles of Progressive Judaism: Disability and Inclusion YouTube, 4 January 2026 (historical segment on ProZion and the 29th Zionist Congress).
- ↑ ARZENU, About arzenu.org, accessed 10 September 2026.
- ↑ World Zionist Organization, Resolutions of the 29th Zionist Congress, Jerusalem, 20 February–1 March 1978 BJPA, accessed 10 September 2026.
- ↑ Simon Rocker, Zionist Congress swings to the left Jewish Chronicle, 13 May 2010.
- ↑ Simon Rocker, Pay a shekel – and get to vote who represents us in Israel Jewish Chronicle, 7 April 2025.
- ↑ UK Area Election Committee, UK World Zionist Congress Election Results Zionist Federation, 31 July 2025.
- ↑ Zionist centre of UK diaspora collapses in historic WZC election results Jewish Chronicle, 31 July 2025.