2025-09-29 3:11 PM <br/> Tags: #people #AmericanJewry #EarlyZionism #Lobby ![[image-132.png|303x457]] # Israel Goldstein (1896-1986) - Israel Goldstein was a prominent early Zionist American leader. - Goldstein founded and/or led a number of Jewish organizations. - Goldstein was a key Jewish lobbyist in the 1930s and 40s. - Goldstein was most active in the 30s, 40s and 50s. ---- - Israel Goldstein was ordained as a rabbi in 1918. - Goldstein led the congregation of B'nai Jeshurun in Manhattan from 1918-1960. - In 1928 Goldstein co-founded the National Conference of Christians and Jews. - [[Nathan Straus Jr.]] was among the other co-founders. - The NCCJ was later renamed to the [[National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ)]]. - Today's NCCJ is a self branded "DEI anchor institute" which offers "DEI consulting programs" that explore "ability, age, body size, class, gender, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation." #### Goldstein and Organized Jewry - Goldstein was president of the [[Jewish National Fund]] from 1934-1943. - Goldstein's tenure at the JNF created a strong connection between American Jewish donors and the land being acquired in Palestine by the JNF. - Goldstein was president of the [[Zionist Organization of America (ZOA)]] from 1943-1946. - Goldstein led the ZOA during crucial wartime and immediate post war years. This period saw aggressive Jewish lobbing of the FDR and Truman administrations. - As president of the ZOA, Goldstein was deeply involved with the American Zionist Emergency Council (AZEC). - The AZEC can be considered the first dedicated Jewish lobbying organization. - The AZEC became the [[American Zionist Council (AZC)]] in 1949. Goldstein was a recurring speaker at AZC events. - The AZC had a dedicated lobbying wing called the American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs (AZCPA). - In 1959 the AZCPA renamed itself the American Israel Public Affairs Committee - [[AIPAC]]. - In 1962, under pressure of federal investigation, the AZC transferred all its activities to AIPAC and shut down its operation. - *The takeaway is that Goldstein is among the very first catalysts to today's massive Israel lobby.* - Goldstein chaired the [[United Israel Appeal]] from 1935-1939. - Goldstein co-chaired the [[United Jewish Appeal (UJA)]] with [[Jonah Wise]] from 1939-1945. - Goldstein was among the founders of [[Brandeis University]] in 1946. - Goldstein also served on the board of the Israeli [[Weizmann Institute]]. - During the [[1948 Arab Israeli War]] Goldstein flew to Israel to convene with the [[Jewish Agency]]/[[World Zionist Organization]]. - Goldstein was president of the [[American Jewish Congress]] from 1952-1959. - Goldstein made Aliyah (immigration to Israel) in 1960 with his family. - At this point Goldstein began working for the [[Jewish Agency]] on financial and international relations matters. - Goldstein led [[Keren Hayesod]] from 1961-1971. - Goldstein headed the [[Jewish Restitution Successor Organization (JRSO)]] from 1952-1960. - The JRSO was formed in 1947 to extort West Germany for holocaust reparations. - While at the JRSO, Goldstein worked closely with its director in Germany, [[Benjamin B. Ferencz]]. - Goldstein was vice chairman of the [[Claims Conference]] from 1953-1970. - The claims conference, founded in 1951 has spent the last 75 years extorting money out of Germany for the holocaust. ![[image-133.png]] *L-R: Claims Conference vice-president [[Adolph Held]], Israeli US Ambassador [[Abba Eban]], and Israel Goldstein vice chairman of the Claims Conference - NYC 1952.* ---- - Goldstein's leadership positions within organized American Jewry made him a close associate of many prominent Jews of the time: - [[David Ben-Gurion]] - [[Jonah Wise]] - [[Abba Hillel Silver]] - [[Louis Lipsky]] - [[Stephen S. Wise]] - [[Chaim Weizmann]] - [[Nahum Goldmann]] - In 1950 the Anti-Zionist Jewish group American Council for Judaism charged Goldstein with dual loyalty. - The charge emanated from Goldstein's urging of [[Young Judaea]] members to "identify themselves more closely with the pioneer movement in Israel." - *Note: the "anti-Zionist" ACJ was not worried that Goldstein's dual loyalty would hurt the United States. Instead they believed his dual loyalty would fuel antisemitism and thus hurt the Jews. This is a useful reality. Left wing Jews, right wing Jews, Zionist Jews, and anti-Zionist Jews all feel they are true representatives of the Jewish collective. This project is built in opposition to the whole thing.* #### References - **Jewish Telegraphic Agency.** “Dr. Israel Goldstein Dead at 89.” _Jewish Telegraphic Agency_, April 14, 1986. [https://www.jta.org/archive/dr-israel-goldstein-dead-at-89](https://www.jta.org/archive/dr-israel-goldstein-dead-at-89). - **Jewish Telegraphic Agency.** “Rabi and Mrs Israel Goldstein to Settle Permanently in Israel.” _Jewish Telegraphic Agency_, November 23, 1960. [https://www.jta.org/archive/rabi-and-mrs-israel-goldstein-to-settle-permanently-in-israel](https://www.jta.org/archive/rabi-and-mrs-israel-goldstein-to-settle-permanently-in-israel). - **Jewish Telegraphic Agency.** “Agreement on Renewal of 1950 U.J.A. Drive Reached. Ir. Goldstein Reports in Jerusalem.” _Jewish Telegraphic Agency_, July 14, 1949. https://www.jta.org/archive/agreement-on-renewal-of-1950-u-j-a-drive-reached-ir-goldstein-predicts-20-less-than-1949-campaign. - **Jewish Telegraphic Agency.** “Dr. Israel Goldstein Named Rabbi for Life of Congregation B’nai Jeshurun in N.Y.” _Jewish Telegraphic Agency_, January 10, 1950. https://www.jta.org/archive/dr-israel-goldstein-named-rabbi-for-life-of-congregation-bnai-jeshurun. - **B’nai Jeshurun.** “Jan. 1, 1901: Five Rabbis Across 20 Years.” _B’nai Jeshurun_ (website), February 6, 2025. https://bj.org/history/jan-1-1901-five-rabbis-across-20-years/. - **Time Magazine.** “Israel: After Zionism, What?” _Time_, January 27, 1961. https://time.com/archive/6622932/israel-after-zionism-what/. - **American Council for Judaism.** _The Relationship of “Jewish” Nationalist Propaganda and Programs to Anti‑Semitic Literature_. Report, 1950. https://www.bjpa.org/content/upload/bjpa/the_/THE%20RELATIONSHIP%20OF%20JEWISH%20NATIONALIST%20PROPOGANDA%20AND%20PROGRAMS%20TO%20ANTI-SETIC%20LITERATURE%20AMERICAN%20COUNCIL%20FOR%20JUDAISM.pdf. - Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. _Claims Conference Chronology 1951–2021 (70th Anniversary Web Copy)_. New York: Claims Conference, 2022. [https://he.claimscon.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/70th-anniversary-web-copy.pdf](https://he.claimscon.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/70th-anniversary-web-copy.pdf) - Encyclopedia Judaica. “Goldstein, Israel.” In _Encyclopedia.com_. https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/philosophy-and-religion/judaism-biographies/israel-goldstein - Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “J.R.S.O. Discusses Settlement of Its Claims Against Germany.” _Jewish Telegraphic Agency_, December 7, 1955. https://www.jta.org/archive/j-r-s-o-discusses-settlement-of-its-claims-against-germany - Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “Parley of Fraternal Societies Maps Drive for United Jewish Appeal.” _Jewish Telegraphic Agency_, March 27, 1939. [https://www.jta.org/archive/parley-of-fraternal-societies-maps-drive-for-united-jewish-appeal](https://www.jta.org/archive/parley-of-fraternal-societies-maps-drive-for-united-jewish-appeal) -