Zionist Organization of America
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The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), founded in 1897, was one of the first official Zionist organizations in the United States, and, especially early in the 20th century, the primary representative of the Jews of the United States to the World Zionist Organization, espousing primarily Political Zionism. Along with its sister organization is Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, and the Labor Zionist Po'ale Zion parties, and the Religious Zionist Mizrachi, the ZOA served as one of the key voices in early American Zionism, especially as American Jews were not initially strong supporters of the Zionist movement.
Past presidents have included Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis and Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver. The ZOA was instrumental in mobilizing the support of the U.S. government, Congress, and the American public for the creation of Israel in 1948.
Today, the ZOA continues to exist as a prominent pro-Israel group in the U.S, and as part of the umbrella group, the American Zionist Movement. Despite its continuing influence, its 50,000 current members is dwarfed by its offshoot, the women's group Hadassah, with over 350,000 members.
[edit] History
The organization was founded in 1897 to support the re-establishment of a Jewish State in Palestine. The ZOA helped mobilize public support and Congressional backing for the creation of Israel in 1948. Its presidents have included prominent Jewish leaders such as Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis and Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver. A leading Israeli newspaper, Ma'ariv, recently called the ZOA "the most important organization in the American Jewish community today."
[edit] Current Activities
As of 2005, the organization has a national membership of over 50,000. There are active chapters throughout the United States, including Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Miami, Milwaukee, North Jersey, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, South Jersey and Washington, D.C.). The ZOA today works to strengthen American-Israeli relations, through educational activities, public affairs programs, support for pro-Israel legislation on Capitol Hill, and by combating what it perceives as anti-Israel bias in the media, textbooks, travel guides, and on campuses.
The ZOA also sponsors educational and cultural programs in Israel. ZOA House is the premier cultural center in Tel Aviv. The ZOA's Kfar Silver school, on a 500-acre campus near Ashkelon, provides education and vocational training for new Jewish immigrants and others. The ZOA's youth division, Masada, sponsors one of the largest programs for sending young Jews to visit Israel.
It has been reported that the ZOA no longer provides financial support for Kfar Silver and that the Masada youth division has ended its ties with ZOA because of a lack of funding.
The current president of the ZOA is Morton Klein, and the current Executive Director is Prof. Meir Jalavitz.
