Rabbi Doron Perez: A journey to rebrand Zionism and honoring his son

Rabbi Doron Perez, newly elected president of the World Zionist Organization, told Diaspora Affairs correspondent Michael Starr that his top priorities are reshaping how Zionism is understood internationally and strengthening Jewish unity across ideological lines.

He argued that Zionism has become an easy target in public discourse, and said the organization should help present Zionism and Israel as a positive force, especially for younger audiences, while confronting what he described as the normalization of anti-Zionist rhetoric.

Perez said the pressure on Zionism did not begin with the current war, pointing to decades of delegitimization efforts and moments he described as turning points in international forums, alongside the accelerating effect of social media. He also linked the urgency of unity to internal Jewish and Israeli divisions that intensified before October 7, saying the shock of that day briefly restored a sense of shared fate, but that polarization later returned.

He presented the World Zionist Organization as a platform suited to consensus-building because of its geographic reach and ideological diversity.

Asked what practical steps could follow, Perez floated a major push to expand immersive Jewish and Zionist education earlier in life, including greater investment in Jewish day schools and camps, and more programs for teenagers before the usual gap year stage.

He also described how the October 7 death of his son, Daniel, shaped his focus on healing and responsibility, and said he chose the presidency, a role he said was being expanded beyond ceremonial duties, because it offered a longer five-year platform to advance unity goals amid internal political negotiations.

In a closing message, he urged Jews worldwide to pursue broad cooperation, arguing that the ability to disagree respectfully is essential to strengthening Zionism and Jewish communal life.