2025-07-20 00:35 <br/> Tags: #Organization #KeyOrganizations #WorldJewry #Israel #EarlyZionism #Yishuv ![[image-177.png|730x186]] # Keren Hayesod - Keren Hayesod (pronounced care-in high-eh-sode) is an Israeli government fundraising institution. - Karen Hayesod (KH) is one of Israel's "national institutions," the others being: - [[Jewish Agency]] - [[World Zionist Organization]] - [[Jewish National Fund]] - Keren Hayesod controls 20% of the seats on the [[Jewish Agency]] board of governors. - Today, Keren Hayesod runs fundraising campaigns in 45 countries, and close to 100 cities. *This is all outside of the United States. More under the Keren Hayesod in the United States header.* #### Founding and Early History (Pre-1948) - Keren Hayesod (KH) was founded at the [[World Zionist Organization]] Zionist Conference in London, 1920. - KH was founded as the central financial organ of the [[Yishuv]], taking over responsibility from the [[Jewish National Fund]]. - KH was founded to solicit and manage funds for the Zionist enterprise in Palestine. Funding for immigration (aliyah), settlement, development, social services, etc., were the domain of KH. - KH was founded as a British company in 1921. In 1926, after five years of operation, KH moved its head office to Jerusalem. - The [[World Zionist Organization]] appointed the membership and leadership of KH. - [[Chaim Weizmann]], leader of the WZO, was the primary founder of KH. - [[Ze'ev Jabotinsky]], at the behest of Weizmann, was a founding member/leader of KH. *Jabotinsky and Weizmann were political opponents.* - Jabotinsky was in charge of propaganda for KH. - From 1929-1956, KH was organized under the [[Jewish Agency]]. - KH funding from 1920-1948 was the bedrock of much of Israel's most vital infrastructure and corporations. - El Al - The Israeli national airline - Solel Boneh - The [[Histadrut]] construction company - Mekorot - The primary Israeli water company - [[Bank Hapoalim]] - The second largest bank in Israel - Palestine Potash Works (now Dead Sea Works) - An Israeli mining company - Israel Electric Corporation - The primary supplier of electricity to Israel and the occupied territories - During the 1930s and 40s KH was involved in illegal smuggling of Jewish immigrants into Palestine. This is called "Aliyah Bet." - In 1943, [[Moshe Sharett]], the second Prime Minister of Israel (1954-1955), described Keren Hayesod as "perhaps the most important manifestation of Jewish national will." #RedPill *Keren Hayesod raised funds from everywhere outside of Israel. The clear implication of Sharret's comments is that the "Jewish nation" supersedes the natural boundaries of countries; the "Jewish nation" is a global one, regardless of ordinary nationality, Jews belong to a separate nation, the Jewish nation. Sharett's statement also implies that the source of power for the state of Israel is this global Jewish nation, which feels a common "will" to aid Israel.* #### Activity in Israel (1948-Present) - Keren Hayesod launched massive "emergency" fundraising campaigns during times of war in Israel: - The [[1948 Arab Israeli War]] - [[1967 Six Day War]] - $150 million raised - 12x increase year over year - [[1973 Yom Kippur War]] - $300 million raised - [[First Intifada]] - Late 1980s - early 1990s - [[First Gulf War]] - [[Second Intifada]] - Early 2000s - [[Operation Protective Edge (2014 Gaza War)]] - [[October 7th]] and the [[Gaza War]] - Within a year KH had raised $153 million - In Israel, KH funds are used by the [[Jewish Agency]] for settling immigrants, developing infrastructure, agriculture, education, housing, etc. - KH partners with the Israeli government to build affordable housing, job training, social projects, etc. - Outside of Israel, KH backs the [[Jewish Agency]]'s *Shlichim* program. - The *Shlichim* program sends Israeli emissaries abroad (largely to the U.S.) to spread Israeli [[Hasbara]] in colleges and public venues. - In 1956 the "Keren Hayesod Law" was passed by the Israeli Knesset. - The law recognized Keren Hayesod as the official fundraising organization for the state of Israel. - Keren Hayesod is governed by a series of statutory committees. - The statutory committees are comprised of 50% "global campaign representatives" and 50% representatives of the [[World Zionist Organization]]. - KH also has two non-statutory committees, which assist the statutory committees. They are the Campaign Executive and the Advisory Board Committee. - Keren Hayesod works in tandem with many Jewish organizations including: - [[Women's International Zionist Organization (WIZO)]] - [[World Zionist Organization]] - The WZO appoints KH committee members. - [[Jewish Agency]] - KH holds seats on the governing board of the Jewish Agency. KH raises the money and funnels it to the Jewish Agency to be used. - [[Jewish National Fund]] - JNF and KH have worked together since the 1920s; KH would finance the Kibbutzim (communal faming villages) and land that the JNF would manage and develop. - [[Hadassah]] - Medical-related funding for Hadassah. - [[Youth Aliyah]] - KH claims to have "educated 300,000" young disadvantaged Jews through Youth Aliyah. - [[Masa Israel Journey]] and [[Birthright Israel]] - KH backs both programs, which bring non-Israeli Jewish youth to Israel on free trips. - Keren Hayesod and its American counterpart [[United Jewish Appeal (UJA)]] helped to fund [[Mossad]] operations Moses (1984) and Solomon (1991). - These operations covertly airlifted thousands of Ethiopian Jews from Sudan and Ethiopia respectively. - KH raised ~$500 million during its "Exodus" fundraising campaign to absorb Soviet-Jewish emigres in the 1990s. - By 2000, KH had funded the creation of ~800 Israeli settlements. ---- - [[Eliezer Zandberg]], Keren Hayesod world chairman from 2010-2018, was caught in an arms-procurement bribery scandal in 2017. - The scandal, called "Case 3000 submarine affair," revealed Zandberg to have used his position as KH chairman to liaise with Miki Ganor, an agent of the German shipbuilding conglomerate ThyssenKrupp, and Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]]'s chief of staff. - Zandberg accepted bribes totaling ~$29,000 from Miki Ganor from 2012-2016. - In return for the money, Zandberg provided useful information gathered from Israeli state sources, to Ganor, to advance the deal. - The "deal" was an Israeli purchase of 3 Dolphin-2 submarines and 4 Sa'ar 6 Corvette warships from Germany for ~$3.4 billion. - In 2022, Zandberg accepted a plea deal and was convicted of "breach of trust." *Zandberg was [initially charged](https://www.timesofisrael.com/ex-minister-who-was-onetime-keren-hayesod-chair-convicted-in-submarine-affair/#:~:text=He%20was%20originally%20charged%20with%20accepting%20a%20bribe%2C%20money%20laundering%2C%20fraud%2C%20breach%20of%20trust%2C%20and%20tax%20offenses.%20However%2C%20the%20indictment%20was%20later%20amended%20in%20line%20with%20the%20plea%20bargain%20and%20he%20was%20only%20convicted%20for%20the%20lesser%20crime%20of%20breach%20of%20trust.) with money laundering, accepting a bribe, fraud, breach of trust, and tax related offenses. These were refined to just a light "breach of trust" charge as part of his deal.* --- - Keren Hayesod has been caught funneling money to Israeli settler projects in the West Bank. - One case is the [[Ir David Foundation (Elad)]], which received ~3.5 million Israeli new shekels (~$1 million) from Keren Hayesod between 2010 and 2013. - An [investigation](https://www.justpeaceadvocates.ca/united-israel-appeal-uia-what-we-know-about-who-funds-and-where-the-money-goes/#:~:text=Included%20in%20these%20funds%20are%3A) into Keren Hayesod-United Israel Appeal in Canada revealed funding of numerous Israeli West Bank settlement organizations, IDF-support organizations, and many Israeli municipalities directly. *In Canada, it is illegal for funds designated as "charity" to directly fund other foreign governments.* #### Keren Hayesod in the United States - United Israel Appeal - From 1940, Keren Hayesod has not been involved in American fundraising for Israel. - The [[United Jewish Appeal (UJA)]] took the place of KH, routing funds for Israel through the [[United Israel Appeal]]. - "Keren Hayesod - United Israel Appeal" is the name for the global Keren Hayesod, which is the subject of this page. - "[[United Israel Appeal]]" is the conduit organization for [[United Jewish Appeal (UJA)]] funds for Israel. - The American United Israel Appeal and the United Jewish Appeal, accounted for ~70% of diaspora funding for Israel in the pre-statehood period. Keren Hayesod, which took in funds from all other countries, accounted for ~30%. *It is important to remember that the United States has always been the financial backbone of Israel. Before there was government and military aid, there were wealthy American Jews bankrolling everything from military equipment, to housing, to water, to electricity, to the secret nuclear program of the 1950s-60s. Israel cannot exist on its own, and never could. * --- - In the early 2000s, Keren Hayesod began a partnership with the [[International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ)]], and its leader [[Yechiel Eckstein]]. - The IFCJ was founded out of the [[ADL]] in 1983. - The KH-IFCJ partnership produced a division called "Friends of Israel," which aims to garner Christian and non-Jewish support for Israel. #### Funding and Major Donors - Keren Hayesod is largely funded by a large amount of small donations, collected globally via local chapters. - KH has had a number of large benefactors including: - [[Israel Sieff]] - [[Felix Warburg]] - [[Sami Rohr]] - [[Frank Lowy]] - [[International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ)]] - ~$1.5 million/month in the early 2010s - 10s of millions total. *The IFCJ is an American based organization, meaning Keren Hayesod, which is supposed to operate everywhere except the United States, has gotten large funding from the United States.* - *KH funds the [[Jewish Agency]] from non-U.S. donors. To see more U.S. donors look at these: [[United Israel Appeal|UIA]], [[United Jewish Appeal (UJA)|UJA]], [[Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA)| JFNA]]*. #### Notable Figures - [[Chaim Weizmann]] - Founder - [[Ze'ev Jabotinsky]] - Founding propaganda director - [[Eliezer Kaplan]] - Key figure 1940s - [[Arthur Menachem Hantke]] - Founding member and director from 1933-55, - [[Eliyahu Dobkin]] - World chairman 1951-1961 - [[Israel Goldstein]] - World chairman - 1961-1971 - [[Faye Schenk]] - World chair - 1977-1978 - [[Avraham Avi-hai]] - World chairman - 1978-1988 - [[Shlomo Hillel]] - World chairman - 1988-1998 - [[Mark Leibler]] - Board of trustees chair - 2005-2009 - [[Avi Pazner]] - World chairman - 1998-2010 - [[Eliezer Zandberg]] - World chairman - 2010-2018 - Steven Lowy - Board of trustees chair - 2019-2024 *(Steven is the son of [[Frank Lowy]])* Steven is a recipient of the [[Ze'ev Jabotinsky]] award. - [[Sam Grundwerg]] - Current Keren Hayesod world chairman, appointed in 2018 by [[Benjamin Netanyahu]]. #### References - “Keren Hayesod.” _Wikipedia._ [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keren_Hayesod](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keren_Hayesod). - World Zionist Organization. “The National Institutions.” https://www.wzo.org.il/page/partners/the-national-institutions/en#:~:text=The%20Zionist%20Conference%20that%20convened%20in%20July%201920%20founded%20the%20%22Keren%20Hayesod%22. - “Keren Hayesod.” _Encyclopedia Judaica_ via Encyclopedia.com. [https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/keren-hayesod](https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/keren-hayesod). - “Keren Hayesod – United Israel Appeal. “Our History: A Shared History of the Jewish People and Israel.” [https://www.kh-uia.org.il/about-us/our-history/#:~:text=Jewish%20national%20will](https://www.kh-uia.org.il/about-us/our-history/#:~:text=Jewish%20national%20will). *Source of Moshe Sharret's "Jewish national will" quote. * - Keren Hayesod – United Israel Appeal. “About Us.” [https://www.kh-uia.org.il/about-us-2](https://www.kh-uia.org.il/about-us-2). - Keren Hayesod – United Israel Appeal. “Our History.” [https://www.kh-uia.org.il/about-us/our-history/#:~:text=Keren%20Hayesod%20Law%20in%201956](https://www.kh-uia.org.il/about-us/our-history/#:~:text=Keren%20Hayesod%20Law%20in%201956). - Keren Hayesod – United Israel Appeal. “Governors.” [https://www.kh-uia.org.il/about-us/governors/#listBox5:~:text=of%20fundraising%20activities.-,Statutory%20Committees,-Keren%20Hayesod%20is](https://www.kh-uia.org.il/about-us/governors/#listBox5:~:text=of%20fundraising%20activities.-,Statutory%20Committees,-Keren%20Hayesod%20is). - _The Times of Israel._ “Former minister convicted in plea deal over submarine affair.” [https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/former-minister-convicted-in-plea-deal-over-submarine-affair/](https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/former-minister-convicted-in-plea-deal-over-submarine-affair/). *Covers KH chairman Eliezer Zandberg.* - Corruption Tracker. “Case 3000: The ‘Submarine Affair’.” [https://corruption-tracker.org/case/german-submarine-sales-to-israel#contents](https://corruption-tracker.org/case/german-submarine-sales-to-israel#contents). - Blau, Uri. “Right-Wing Israeli Group Elad Received Millions from Shadowy Private Donors.” _Pulitzer Center._ March 7, 2016. [https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/right-wing-israeli-group-elad-received-millions-shadowy-private-donors](https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/right-wing-israeli-group-elad-received-millions-shadowy-private-donors). - Just Peace Advocates. “United Israel Appeal (UIA): What We Know about Who Funds and Where the Money Goes.” [https://www.justpeaceadvocates.ca/united-israel-appeal-uia-what-we-know-about-who-funds-and-where-the-money-goes/#:~:text=Included%20in%20these%20funds%20are%3A](https://www.justpeaceadvocates.ca/united-israel-appeal-uia-what-we-know-about-who-funds-and-where-the-money-goes/#:~:text=Included%20in%20these%20funds%20are%3A). - Keren Hayesod – United Israel Appeal; Hadassah International. “Keren HaYesod and Monte Sinai Community from Mexico Dedicate the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Hadassah Ein Kerem in Jerusalem.” [https://hadassahinternational.org/keren-hayesod-and-monte-sinai-community-from-mexico-dedicate-the-pediatric-intensive-care-unit-at-hadassah-ein-kerem-in-jerusalem/](https://hadassahinternational.org/keren-hayesod-and-monte-sinai-community-from-mexico-dedicate-the-pediatric-intensive-care-unit-at-hadassah-ein-kerem-in-jerusalem/). - Keren Hayesod – United Israel Appeal. “Our History.” [https://www.kh-uia.org.il/about-us/our-history/#:~:text=Keren%20Hayesod%20supported-,Operation%20Moses,-%2C%20which%20brought%205%2C000](https://www.kh-uia.org.il/about-us/our-history/#:~:text=Keren%20Hayesod%20supported-,Operation%20Moses,-%2C%20which%20brought%205%2C000). - “Steven Lowy.” _Wikipedia._ [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Lowy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Lowy). - _The Times of Israel._ “Huge post-October 7 giving boom from overseas brings hope to battered frontlines.” December 7, 2024. [https://www.timesofisrael.com/huge-post-october-7-giving-boom-from-overseas-brings-hope-to-battered-frontlines/#:~:text=Since%20October%207%2C%20Keren%20Hayesod%20has%20raised%20%24153%20million](https://www.timesofisrael.com/huge-post-october-7-giving-boom-from-overseas-brings-hope-to-battered-frontlines/#:~:text=Since%20October%207%2C%20Keren%20Hayesod%20has%20raised%20%24153%20million).