Jewish Agency for Israel

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The logo of the Jewish Agency

Jewish Agency headquarters, Jerusalem

The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI, Hebrew: Template:Hebrew, HaSochnut HaYehudit L'Eretz Yisra'el, Sochnut) The Jewish Agency for Israel is an organization that works with Jewish people in Israel and outside of Israel to ensure the future of a connected, committed, global Jewish people with a strong Israel at its center. The Jewish Agency served as the organization in charge of immigration and absorption of Jews from the Diaspora into the state of Israel.

Jewish Agency building, Tel Aviv

History

The Zionist Organisation (ZO) founded the Palestine Bureau (also known as "Eretz Yisrael Office") in Jaffa in 1908, under Arthur Ruppin, and began to adopt a systematic effort to buy and settle land in Palestine.

Following the promulgation of the pro-Zionist Balfour Declaration of 1917, Chaim Weizmann, president of the British Zionist Federation formed the Zionist Commission in March 1918 to go to Palestine and make recommendations to the British government. The Commission reached Palestine on 14 April 1918 and proceeded to study conditions and to report to the British government, and was active in promoting Zionist objectives in Palestine. Weizmann was instrumental in restructuring the ZO's Palestine office into departments for agriculture, settlement, education, land, finance, immigration, and statistics.

On 19 April 1920, elections were held for the Assembly of Representatives of the Palestinian Jewish community.

On 25 April 1920, the Principal Allied Powers agreed at the San Remo conference to allocate the Ottoman territories to the victorious powers and assigned Palestine, Transjordan and Iraq as Mandates to Britain, with the Balfour Declaration being incorporated into the Palestine Mandate. The League of Nations formally approved these mandates in 1922. Article 4 of the Mandate provided for "the recognition of an appropriate Jewish Agency as a public body for the purpose of advising and co-operating with the Administration of Palestine in such economic, social and other matters as may affect the establishment of the Jewish National Home and the interests of the Jewish population of Palestine." The ZO leaders had contributed to the drafting of the Mandate. In 1921, the Zionist Commission became the Palestine Zionist Executive and was designated as the Jewish Agency for Palestine for the purpose of Article 4 of the Palestine Mandate.

The Palestine Zionist Executive was charged with facilitating Jewish immigration to Palestine, land purchase and planning the general policies of the Zionist leadership. It ran schools and hospitals, and formed a defence force, the Haganah. Chaim Weizmann was the leader of both the Zionist Organisation and the Palestine Zionist Executive until 1929. The arrangement enabled the Zionist Organisation to issue entry permits to new immigrants.

Jewish Agency for Palestine

In 1929, the Jewish Agency for Palestine was officially created by the 16th Zionist Congress, held in Zurich. The new body was larger and included a number of Jewish non-Zionist individuals and organisations, who were interested in Jewish settlement in Palestine. They were philanthropic rather than political and many opposed talk of a Jewish State. There was strong opposition within WZO when the idea of enlargement was first raised in 1924 and it was only accepted by the Zionist Congress in 1927. It was Chaim Weizmann's initiative and was established on the principle of parity between Zionists and non-Zionists working together in the building of a Jewish national home. Those participating included Sholem Asch, H.N. Bialik, Léon Blum, Albert Einstein, Immanuel Löw, Lord Melchett and Herbert Samuel. American non-Zionists received 44 of the 112 seats allotted to non-Zionists. The British Board of Deputies joined as a constituent body.Weizmann was criticized for being too pro-British. When the 1930 White Paper was published recommending restricting Jewish immigration his position became untenable and he resigned from the Jewish Agency and in 1931 Nahum Sokolow was elected President, as well as President of the Zionist Organisation. Arthur Ruppin became President of the Jewish Agency in 1933 and David Ben-Gurion and Moshe Shertok joined the executive. In 1935, Ben-Gurion was elected President of the Agency to succeed Ruppin.

In 1937 The Peel Commission published its report into the disturbances of the year before. For the first time partition and the setting up of a Jewish State was recommended. The 1937 Zionist Congress declined to endorse the Commission's conclusions, a majority insisting that the Balfour Declaration referred to all of Palestine and Transjordan, but the executive was authorized to continue exploring what the "precise terms" were. This decision revealed differences within the Jewish Agency, with the non-Zionists disagreeing with the decision and some calling for a conference of Jews and Arabs.

The Jewish Agency was raided by British troops in 1946 under Operation Agatha in retaliation for a number of attacks against British forces, however the Haganah did not attack British forces directly. These were largely carried out by Etzel, better known as the Irgun. The Jerusalem headquarters of the Jewish Agency was bombed by agents of the Grand Mufti Haj Mohammed Amin al-Husseini in early 1948, with great loss of life. During the subsequent siege, the Agency moved its headquarters to Tel Aviv.

In 1947 the last non-Zionist member of the Jewish Agency, Wemer Senator, resigned and the Agency and the WZO once again became unified. The Jewish Agency Executive comprised David Ben-Gurion, as chairman, and Rabbi Yehuda Leib Maimon and Yitzhak Gruenbaum. On May 14, 1948, the Jewish Agency for Palestine, under its leader David Ben Gurion, became the Provisional government of Israel.

In 1921 Jabotinsky was elected to the Executive but he resigned in 1923 accusing Weizmann of not being vigorous enough with the Mandatory Government. Other issues between the Revisionists and the Agency were the distribution of entry permits, Weizmann's support for the Zionist Labour Movement and the proposal to expand the Agency. The Revisionist broke completely with Agency in 1935, but rejoined WZO in 1947. In 1951 the WZO/JA included all factions except Herut.

American Section

On September 14, 1943 the American Section of the Jewish Agency for Israel, Inc. registered as the Jewish Agency's foreign agent in New York. In 1962 and 1963 the Senate Foreign Relations Committee investigated and received sworn testimony from American Section – Jewish Agency Inc. regarding its status and source of funding. The American Section of the Jewish Agency for Israel shut down after the US Department of Justice forced it to file its 1953 Covenant Agreement with the Israeli government, revealing its quasi governmental powers and government funding.

Jewish Agency for Israel

Maabara housing for new immigrants, 1950

Following the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, the government created the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) to facilitate economic development and the absorption of immigrants. In 1952 the "Law on the Status of the WZO and the Jewish Agency - 5713" was passed formalizing the roles of each group. In June 1968 the Ministry for Absorption was created which took over some aspects of immigration from WZO/JA.Since 1948, the Jewish Agency for Israel has been responsible for bringing 3 million immigrants to Israel. New immigrants are accommodated in one of 32 absorption centers across Israel. There they receive vocational training and go through an acculturation process. Most of the olim, or new immigrants, in absorptions centers are from Ethiopia. One of the most significant projects to bring Ethiopians to Israel was through Operation Solomon. Since there are fewer Jewish communities at-risk in the diaspora, the Jewish Agency is focusing on aliyah of choice. Staff are working closely with youth and religious movements to encourage immigration to Israel. The organization was also instrumental in bringing over 1 million Jews from the former Soviet Union to Israel.Though the emphasis of the Jewish Agency's work has been on aliyah, or immigration to Israel, in the past decade the Jewish Agency has made a significant impact in two other strategic areas: Jewish-Zionist Education and Partnerships in Israel.

The Jewish Agency has a continuum of programming to bring Israel to local worldwide Jewish communities. To some degree this is done through shlichim, or emissaries. Shlichim are Israeli educators who choose to spend an extended period of time abroad to bring Israel to the community. You can also find shlichim on US college campuses in organizations like Hillel or active in youth organizations. Other programs that are instrumental in instilling Israel in youth is Birthright Israel, a short-term Israel experience. The Jewish Agency is the largest organizational partners in this initiative. Most recently, Masa Israel Journey was created as a follow up program to Taglit-Birthright Israel. Masa Israel is in partnership with the Israeli government and provides stipends to young people between the ages of 18–30 who would like to go on a long-term Israel experience. This project was envisioned by former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Israel department programs focus on strengthening Israel's periphery, namely the Galilee region in the north and the Negev in the South. The emergence of the high tech industry in Israel has created a significant socio-economic disparity between the center of country and the outer regions. Thus, the Jewish Agency has programs to lessen the gap. For instance, Youth Futures, is a holistic approach to dealing with at-risk youth in Israel. A child is connected to a trustee who is responsible for connecting the child to resources and community services. Another flagship program is Net@, a program that is supported by Cisco Systems. Program participants are high performers who are given the opportunity to rise above their families' socio-economic background by getting the Cisco International Certification. The program is in addition to the participants' high school course load and increases their English comprehension skills.

At the February 2010 Board of Governors meeting, Natan Sharansky announced that a shift in the priorities of the Jewish Agency from aliyah to strengthening Jewish identity for young adults around the world.

The Jewish Agency for Israel's headquarters is located in Jerusalem, but there are also satellite sites worldwide. The Jewish Agency for Israel North America, which is currently headed by Misha Galperin, is the organization's main fundraising arm in North America, and is a registered 501(c)(3).

Awards and recognition

On May 8, 2008, at the 60th Independence Day celebration, the Jewish Agency for Israel was awarded the Israel Prize for lifetime achievement & special contribution to society and the State of Israel.

Leadership

Pre-state leadership

• Bianchini – 1921
• M. D. Eder – 1922
• Lt. Col. F.H. Kisch – 1922–31
• Chaim Arlosoroff – 1931–33
• Moshe Shertok – 1933–48
• Arthur Ruppin – 1933–35
• David Ben-Gurion – 1935–48

Leadership after 1948

• Berl Locker – 1948–56
• Zalman Shazar – 1956–61
• Moshe Sharet – 1961–65
• Arie Lous Pincus – 1965–73
• Pinhas Sapir – 1974–75
• Yosef Almogi 1974–75
• Aryeh Dolchin – 1978–87
• Simha Dinitz – 1987–94
• Avraham Burg – 1995–99
• Sallai Meridor – 1999–05
• Ze'ev Bielski – 2005–09
• Natan Sharansky – 2009–

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Natan Sharansky and Richard Pearlstone, Jewish Agency Board of Governors meeting, 2009

Natan Sharansky was elected chairman on June 25, 2009. The position was previously held by Zeev Bielski who left to become a member of Knesset with the Kadima party following the 2009 Israeli election. Before that Sallai Meridor, former Israeli ambassador to the United States, held the position.

Since June 2007, Richard Pearlstone has been the Chair of the Jewish Agency BOG, following Carole Solomon's leadership Moshe Vigdor serves in the capacity of the organization's director general. Moshe Vigdor announced his resignation in December 2009. On March 1, 2010 Alan Hoffman, Director General of the Jewish Agency Education Department, was named as Moshe Vigdor's replacement. Alan Hoffman is the first immigrant to hold that position at the Jewish Agency.

Alan Hoffman, Jewish Agency Director General

The Board of Governors determines the policy of the Jewish Agency for Israel and manages, supervises, controls and directs its operations and activities. All bodies (other than the Assembly), officers and officials of the Jewish Agency act within the policies set by the Assembly and Board of Governors and are accountable to the Board of Governors. Between meetings of the Assembly, the Board of Governors has full power to act for the Agency and may fix policy, provided that its acts and decisions are not inconsistent with previous decisions or instructions of the Assembly.

The Board of Governors has up to 120 members divided as follows:50% World Zionist Organization, 30% United Israel Appeal, Inc., (UIA) and Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), formerly UJC, 20% Keren Hayesod.

The Board of Governors meets three times a year at the Jewish Agency headquarters located in Jerusalem.

Funding sources

The Jewish Agency is supported by the Government of Israel; founding constituent partners: Keren Hayesod, Jewish Federations of North America, and Jewish federations throughout the world; Primary funders: Keren Hayesod, United Jewish Communities and major Jewish federations in North America, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. The Jewish Agency is also supported by donor contributions from throughout the world including Israel, where a growing number of philanthropists have joined through the Spirit of Israel Campaign to support the organizations projects and sit on the Board of Governors.

Due to the volatile U.S. dollar, the global economic crisis and the Madoff scandal, the Jewish Agency for Israel has been forced to make significant cuts to its budget. The Board of Governors voted to cut $45 million in November 2008 and an additional $26 million at the February 2009 meeting.

Responding in crisis

As a response during the 2006 Lebanon War. The Jewish Agency (through $302 million from UJC and Federation partners) responded with the following: :

• Moving 50,000 children from the north to 50 residential camps, established in response to the emergency situation
• 12,000 children went to day JAFI-equipped summer camps held in community centers
• 2,100 new immigrants were moved to safety after the Katushas hit a number of absorption centers.
• 2,700 bomb shelter kits were distributed

The Jewish Agency has taken on a significant role in rebuilding the entire northern region. It established the micro-business loan fund to help boost the local economy. In addition, the Israel Discount Bank has partnered with the Jewish Agency by providing matching funds for capital projects there.

Another example, is the Jewish Agency's role in supporting Sderot and the surrounding area, which has been hit hard with Kassam missiles from Gaza. Here are some key examples:

• More than 12,000 children enjoyed respite activities in the center and north of the country
• 300 educators were trained to work with children living through the trauma
• Supplemental educational activities were offered to more than 2,000 students
• The S.O.S. Emergency Fund for Victims of Terror helped more than 200 people whose lives have been directly affected by the Kassam attacks
• 100 bomb shelters are being renovated in the region
• 500 students are studying in the Sapir Regional College (near Sderot) with scholarships to ensure their academic continuity and the college's continued operation

Jewish People Policy Planning Institute

The Jewish People Policy Planning Institute was established in 2002 by the Jewish Agency for Israel as an independent professional policy planning think tank to promote the identity, culture, prosperity, and continuity of the Jewish People. Every year, Jewish leaders participate in JPPPI's conferences and meetings that forecast the Jewish condition. Participants have included Dennis Ross, Shimon Peres, Natan Sharansky, Malcolm Hoenlein, Tzipi Livni. The Institute conducts meetings, publishes reports and position papers, and produces contingency plans that help the development of Jewish communities around the world.

See also

• List of Israel Prize recipients

External links

• Official Jewish Agency Website
• Jewish People Policy Planning Institute Official Website
• Masa Israel Journey Official Website