Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations

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The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (CoP; often referred to as the Presidents' Conference) is a non-profit organization that describes itself as "a central address for key American, Israeli and other world leaders to consult on issues of critical concern to the Jewish community."

Currently comprising 51 national Jewish organizations, the Conference meets relatively infrequently to make major statements or meet with important leaders. The Conference was founded to promote the State of Israel in the United States and that remains its most primary task. The Conference does not draft comprehensive policies (as done by the Jewish Council for Public Affairs), nor does it do conventional lobbying (as done by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee).

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[edit] History

The Conference was created in 1956 in response to requests from President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his administration. The American Jewish community of the period was experiencing a large growth in its similar policy groups (such as the American Jewish Committee and American Jewish Congress) and the increasing influence of the Jewish denominations on politics (particularly from Orthodox and Conservative Jews]]). The Eisenhower administration wanted an easier method to gauge the opinion of the community, without having to wade into the internal politics of the community, and polling leaders of each organization. The Conference established a unified voice for the community, one that government officials could consult on important matters.

For its frst 30 years the Conference was led by one man, Yehuda Hellman. After his death in 1986, Malcolm Hoenlein became Chairman. Hoenlein took a much stronger role in shaping U.S. policy, especially through the executive branch. [1]

All of the members of the Conference sit on AIPAC's Executive Committee.

[edit] List of member organizations

As of 2008, member organizations included the following:

  1. Ameinu
  2. American Friends of Likud
  3. American Gathering/Federation of Jewish Holocaust Survivors
  4. America-Israel Friendship League
  5. American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)
  6. American Jewish Committee
  7. American Jewish Congress
  8. American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
  9. American Sephardi Federation
  10. American Zionist Movement
  11. Americans for Peace Now
  12. AMIT
  13. Anti-Defamation League (ADL)
  14. Association of Reform Zionists of America
  15. B'nai B'rith International
  16. Bnai Zion
  17. Central Conference of American Rabbis
  18. Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America
  19. State of Israel Bonds/Development Corporation for Israel
  20. Emunah of America
  21. Friends of Israel Defense Forces
  22. Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America
  23. Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society
  24. Jewish Community Centers Association
  25. Jewish Council for Public Affairs
  26. Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs
  27. Jewish Labor Committee
  28. Jewish National Fund
  29. Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
  30. Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America (JWV)
  31. Jewish Women International
  32. MERCAZ USA, Zionist Organization of the Conservative Movement
  33. NA'AMAT USA
  34. NCSJ Advocates on behalf of Jews in Russia, Ukraine, the Baltic States & Eurasia
  35. National Council of Jewish Women
  36. National Council of Young Israel
  37. World ORT - ORT America branch
  38. Rabbinical Assembly (RA)
  39. Rabbinical Council of America (RCA)
  40. Religious Zionists of America (RZA or Mizrahi)
  41. Union for Reform Judaism (URJ)
  42. Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (Orthodox Union or OU)
  43. United Jewish Communities (UJC)
  44. United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ)
  45. Women's International Zionist Organization (WIZO)
  46. Women's League for Conservative Judaism (WLCJ)
  47. Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ)
  48. Workmen's Circle (Arbeter Ring)
  49. World Zionist Executive, US
  50. Zionist Organization of America (ZOA)

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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