Jewish Agency for Israel

The Jewish Agency for Israel
הסוכנות היהודית לארץ ישראל‎
Founded1929; 95 years ago (1929)
23-7254561
Legal status501(c)(3)
PurposeTo ensure that every Jewish person feels an unbreakable bond to one another and to Israel no matter where they are in the world, so that they can continue to play their critical role in the ongoing Jewish story, by: 1. Connecting young Jews to Israel and their Jewish identity 2. Connecting young Israelis to the Jewish people and their Jewish identity 3. Aliyah and absorption 4. Supporting vulnerable populations in Israel.[1]
HeadquartersJerusalem
Coordinates31°46′37″N 35°12′58″E / 31.777°N 35.216°E / 31.777; 35.216
Chairman of the Executive
Doron Almog
Chairman of the Board of Governors
Mark Wilf
Director-General
Amira Ahronoviz[2]
Deputy Chair of the Executive
Yaron Shavit[3]
Revenue (2016)
$381,438,000[4]
Expenses (2016)$333,228,000[4]
Endowment$1,345,000 (2016)[4]
Employees1,140[4] (in 2016)
Volunteers (2016)
25,000[4]
Websitewww.jewishagency.org
Jewish Agency headquarters, Jerusalem

The Jewish Agency for Israel (Hebrew: הסוכנות היהודית לארץ ישראל, romanized: HaSochnut HaYehudit L'Eretz Yisra'el), formerly known as the Jewish Agency for Palestine,[5] is the largest Jewish non-profit organization in the world. It was established in 1929 as the operative branch of the World Zionist Organization (WZO).[6]

As an organization, it encourages immigration of Jews in diaspora to the Land of Israel, and oversees their integration with the State of Israel.[7] Since 1948, the Jewish Agency claims to have brought 3 million immigrants to Israel,[8] where it offers them transitional housing in "absorption centers" throughout the country.[9] David Ben-Gurion served as its chairman of the executive committee from 1935, and in this capacity on 14 May 1948, he proclaimed Israel's independence,[10] following which he served as the first Israeli prime minister. In the years preceding the founding of Israel, the Jewish Agency oversaw the establishment of about 1,000 towns and villages in the British Mandate of Palestine. The organization serves as the main link between Israel and Jewish communities around the world.[11][12]

By law, the Jewish Agency is a parastatal organization, but does not receive core funding from the Israeli government.[13] The Jewish Agency is funded by the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), Keren Hayesod, major Jewish communities and federations, and foundations and donors from Israel and around the world.[14][15] In 2008, the Jewish Agency won the Israel Prize for its historical contribution to Israel and to the Jewish community worldwide.[16]

  1. ^ "Jewish Agency for Israel Mission". Guidestar.
  2. ^ "Jewish Agency Leadership". The Jewish Agency for Israel.
  3. ^ "Board of Governors Archived June 22, 2018, at the Wayback Machine". Jewish Agency for Israel. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax". Jewish Agency for Israel. Guidestar. December 31, 2017.
  5. ^ "Jewish Agency for Palestine | Encyclopedia.com". encyclopedia.com. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  6. ^ "2018 Jewish Agency Performance Report". The Jewish Agency for Israel. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  7. ^ "Jewish Agency – Aliyah". Jewish Agency. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
  8. ^ "Jewish Agency – Aliyah Statistics". The Jewish Agency for Israel. Archived from the original on November 20, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
  9. ^ "Jewish Agency – Aliyah of Rescue". Jewish Agency. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
  10. ^ "David Ben Gurion (1886–1973)". The Jewish Agency for Israel. May 2, 2005. Archived from the original on February 26, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  11. ^ "Jewish Agency: About Us". Archived from the original on February 6, 2015. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
  12. ^ "תולדות הסוכנות". cms.education.gov.il. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  13. ^ Schwartz, Yaakov (August 23, 2018). "Ugandan Jews to Israel, part-funded by government that rejects them". South African Jewish Report. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
  14. ^ "Jewish Agency Annual Report 2014". Jewish Agency. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference :17 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ "Prize Organizations". Jerusalem Post. May 5, 2008. Retrieved August 12, 2013.