Zionist Organization of Utah finds home in Utah County
Daniel M. Weberman, the president of the Zionist Organization of Utah, poses for a portrait in the office of the organization on Tuesday, Mar. 13, 2017, in Provo.
From left, Keagan Drazin, general secretary of the Zionist Organization of Utah, and Daniel M. Weberman, the president of the Zionist Organization of Utah, pose for the a portrait in the office of the organization on Tuesday, Mar. 13, 2017, in Provo.
Daniel M. Weberman, the president of the Zionist Organization of Utah, is surrounded by the Utah flag, the American flag, and the flag of Israel as he poses for a portrait in the office of the organization on Tuesday, Mar. 13, 2017, in Provo.
On the evening of March 30, Jews throughout the world will begin celebrating Passover, one of the most important holidays in Jewish culture and history.
In Utah County, there are only 10 recorded Jews, who will likely be celebrating with a traditional Seder supper that night.
Daneil M. Weberman, who recently moved to Utah and Utah County, will be one of them.
Weberman moved here to establish the Zionist Organization of Utah. His personal family history tells its own powerful story of life, death, the Holocaust and promises of a homeland in Israel.
Weberman’s family is originally Jewish of German descent. He has been in the U.S. for six years, and is the CEO of Weberman Finance, based in New Jersey.
With only 7,500 known Jews living throughout the state, it is worth noting that Utah County and Utah now have Zionist representatives here to help educate residents and students on the Zionist cause, on anti-semitism and anti-Israelism.
To introduce the Zionist organization an event called Friends of Israel will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. April 11 at the Provo Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Provo. The public is invited to come learn more about the organization and Judaism.
Weberman hasn’t wasted time getting to meet prominent leaders in the state.
“Upon moving to Utah, I met with Mike Mower in the capital building and soon after, met with Governor Herbert at the Elephant Club lunch meeting in the Republican Party headquarters,” Weberman said. “I’ve also met with Utah [Republican Party] Chairman Rob Anderson and Utah County [Republican Party] Chairman Rob Craig, along with Provo Mayor Kaufusi.”
Weberman added, “Recently, at the Lincoln Day Dinner I had the opportunity to meet Mitt Romney.”
Weberman discussed with these leaders how Utah and the Jewish community can work together to fight anti-semitism as well as to help educate locals about Israel.
Weberman said he is impressed with the local leaders, politicians, members of the LDS faith and Utah citizens.
“They are all good friends of Israel,” he said.
As part of educating residents about Zionism, Weberman gives a bit of a culture lesson.
“Zionism is Israel’s national ideology,” Weberman said. “Zionists believe Judaism is a nationality as well as a religion, and that Jews deserve their own state in their ancestral homeland, Israel. Jews often trace their nationhood back to the biblical kingdoms of David and Solomon, circa 950 B.C.”
Weberman continued, “Modern Zionism, building on the longstanding Jewish yearning for a ‘return to Zion,’ began in the 19th century — right about the time that nationalism started to rise in Europe. A secular Austrian-Jewish journalist, Theodor Herzl, was the first to turn rumblings of Jewish nationalism into an international movement around 1896.”
“The Zionist Organization of Utah is an association which was created in accordance with the laws of the United States of America and is part of the Zionist Organization Union of America,” Weberman said.
The purpose of Zionists is to protect the rights of the Jewish people living in Utah and to help provide cultural growth.
“The [organization] strives to develop the Jewish union and culture which is a loyal part of the American nation,” Weberman added. “All of the activities of the association are intended to strengthen the relationship between Israel and the U.S.A.”
The organization invites friends of Israel, whether Jewish or not, to visit and support Israel.
The Zionist association will use collected donations to provide scholarships for Jewish students in Utah.
