Marat Ressin
Where does your family come from?
Like my parents, I am originally from Moscow, but our family roots go back to Yekaterinoslav – now Dnepr. It was from there that my grandparents moved to the capital.
Were Jewish traditions observed in your family?
Our family led a secular lifestyle, but Jewish moral values were part of my upbringing from childhood. It was these spiritual guidelines that formed my foundation on the path of returning to tradition, which culminated in receiving a smicha - a rabbi's diploma, in Kfar Chabad - a town of Lubavitch Chassidim in Israel, in October 2023. Today, I am happy to see that my children are growing up in a family where mitzvahs are observed. I am sure that this will give them strength and confidence on their path in life.
Today I want to talk about the elections to the World Zionist Congress. The World Zionist Congress is, in essence, the parliament of the Jewish people. Founded in 1897 as an instrument for the creation of a national home in the Land of Israel, it has become the expression of the will of the Jewish people scattered throughout the world. Today, more than a century later, the Congress remains the most important body where decisions are made that determine the future of the Jewish people at the global level.
Since its founding, the Zionist Congress has been influenced by left-wing parties. However, the recent elections saw a historic turning point: for the first time in history, a right-wing coalition received a majority of mandates. This majority was minimal - only seven votes, and five of them were won by representatives of the Russian-speaking Jewish community of Canada. We have truly changed the political landscape of the Congress.
Elections to the Congress are held every five years in each country - this is a unique opportunity to influence key decisions: how resources will be distributed, which areas will receive investments, which projects will receive support.
Israel is not only a state for its citizens. This is the spiritual and historical home of the entire Jewish people, regardless of where they live. That is why the participation of the Jewish diaspora in the Congress elections is of particular importance.
This year, Canada received 19 seats in Congress. And I am convinced that the Russianspeaking Jewish community, numbering between 100,000 and 120,000 people, should be represented in proportion to its size and importance.
The last election cycle was a turning point for us. Then we managed to get five representatives from the Russian-speaking community into Congress — and this was a turning point: we began to be heard, we began to be taken into account, our opinions began to be listened to.
Why is this important? Because the Congress is not just a symbol. It actually controls significant resources. For example, about 17% of the land in Israel is controlled through organizations accountable to it. Every year, about a billion dollars is distributed to educational, cultural, innovative and infrastructure projects both in Israel and abroad. In the last convocation, we managed to achieve historic changes. The Imanuta organization, which buys land from Arabs for Jewish settlement, has begun actively acquiring land in Judea, Samaria and other strategically important areas for the first time in many years. These lands are now used for Jewish projects, which allows for investment and strengthening the Jewish presence in the Land of Israel.
For me personally, an important achievement was the adopted bill on promoting Israeli innovation through Zionist channels. In December 2023, we held an international conference, bringing together Israeli startups and Canadian companies. This is a clear example of how the Congress can serve as a tool for shaping the image of Israel - as a center of progress and creation, and not just constant confrontation.
Preparations for new elections are now beginning. Registration started at the end of April. Anyone over 18 years old, living in Canada and eligible for repatriation to Israel can participate. All that is required is to register online, provide your details and make a symbolic contribution of $2. In June, online elections will be held: each registered participant will receive a personal access code to the site where they can cast their vote.
We expect to win at least 5 of the 19 seats again, provided that our community is active. This is a chance to make the voice of Russian-speaking Jews heard again, to achieve fair treatment and to continue to make real positive changes.
I am not a politician. But over the past five years, as a member of Congress, I have clearly seen how important it is to work from within the system. A lot depends on who is represented in Congress: how we are perceived in Israel, how support programs are developed in the Diaspora, what decisions are made on key issues.
It is important for us to be equal. It is important for us to be proud of ourselves. And for this we need very little - just register and vote. It is important for us to be equal. It is important for us to be proud of ourselves. And for this we need very little - just register and vote. Our faction is called United For Israel - Together for Israel, and it is first on the ballot. Please go right now to the website united4israel.ca, register - and do not forget to invite family and friends. Together - we will win!
