Israel Lobby Organizations & Individuals: The List

The pro-Israel special interest group is the most powerful interest group on behalf of a foreign country in the United States. In fact, it may be the the most significant and pervasive special interest group in the country.

It consists of numerous institutions and individuals that work to influence Congress, the president, academia, the media, religious institutions, and American public opinion on behalf of Israel. It has been active in the U.S. for many decades.

These groups drive legislation to expend $20 million per day on behalf of Israel despite Israel's violations of international law and U.S. law, and Israel's long documented human rights abuses (see this).

The lobby works to propagandize people of all faiths, races, and political backgrounds. It tries to claim that those who disseminate facts they dislike are "antisemitic" – even the many Jewish and Israeli individuals and organizations who work for peace.

The lobby has caused great tragedy in the Middle East and harm to the U.S. While media and Israel partisans claim that Israel is an ally, this is untrue.

Below is a partial list, in no particular order, of groups and individuals that promote Israel. Some do this full-time; others as one portion of a diverse array of activities. While they span the political spectrum and range from hardcore supporters of the Israeli right to liberal critics of some Israeli policies, all support Israel. [UPDATES IN PROGRESS]

Table of Contents

For additional articles on the Israel Lobby, go here and here.

Organizations

Pro-Israel Organizations

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) AIPAC is the most prominent governmental lobbying organization on behalf of Israel. Fortune Magazine has rated it as the second most powerful lobby in the U.S. AIPAC frequently writes legislation for members of Congress, which extraordinarily large majorities of both parties typically endorse. It has a $100 million endowment and annual revenue of about $60 million. AIPAC’s annual conventions are typically a who’s who of high government office from both parties pledging their loyalty to Israel. Some years ago an AIPAC official announced that they planned to take over student governments:

Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (CoP) This group of 51 organizations also advocates on behalf of Israel, including a focus on Iran. It had revenues of over $2.2 million in 2011. All members of the CoP sit on AIPAC’s executive committee. The Conference of Presidents focuses on lobbying the Executive branch while AIPAC concentrates on Congress.

The American Israel Education Foundation (AIEF) AIEF is a subsidiary of AIPAC that takes Congressional Representatives on all-expense-paid trips to Israel. In August 2011, 81 members of Congress from both parties took trips to Israel with the AIEF. Its annual budget is over $26 million, and its executive director, Richard Fishman, is officially “not compensated,” but he receives $395,000 annually from affiliates. Roll Call reports that in 2012 “The American Israel Education Foundation spent more than $650,000 last year — more than any other group — to send more than 60 lawmakers and staffers to Israel for tours of Jerusalem, seminars on Israeli politics and discussions of asymmetric warfare, according to congressional travel filings.”

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP) WINEP is a highly influential think tank that pushes Israel-centric Middle East policies. It was founded by a former AIPAC employee, and while it claims to promote a “balanced and realistic” understanding of the Middle East, it is “funded by individuals deeply committed to advancing Israel’s agenda.” It is frequently called upon by both the government and the media to provide “expert” analysis on Middle East issues. Its 2010 revenues were $9.4 million, and its net assets total $23.5 million. Former AIPAC member MJ Rosenberg stated: “I was working at AIPAC and it was Steve Rosen who cleverly came up with the idea for an AIPAC controlled think-tank that would put forth the AIPAC line but in a way that would disguise its connections.” More information is here.

Anti-Defamation League (ADL) The ADL bills itself as a civil rights institution devoted to stamping out anti-Semitism. But in practice, it regularly works to promote Israeli interests and attacks virtually any prominent person who criticized Israel and labels them “anti-Semitic.” It has also been involved in a large spying operation against American citizens who opposed the policies of Israel and the Apartheid regime in South Africa. It is an architect of “hate crimes legislation” that may effectively criminalize criticism of Israeli policies. The ADL is a member of the CoP with revenues of around $68 million and as of 2008 had net assets of over $185 million. Abe Foxman, its former national director, made $688,280 per year. When he retired he took a position at an Israeli think tank. The current director is Jonathan Greenblatt.

The icons below the photo are of the groups that paid for this anti-Iran advertisement. The full names of these groups are listed on the left.

International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ – aka Stand for Israel) Founded in 1983 by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein “to promote understanding between Jews and Christians and build broad support for Israel,” it promotes advocacy for Israel among mostly right-wing Christians. It has annual revenues of nearly $100 million. Ha'aretz reports: "since it was founded in 1983, the IFCJ (better known in Israel as Hakeren Leyedidut) has been pretty much a one-man show. And now that man is gone. Yechiel Eckstein, the charismatic rabbi who built this philanthropic empire from scratch, died suddenly of a heart attack on February 6 at age 67. Among the first to identify the potential for translating Christian evangelical support for Israel into charity dollars, he was the voice and face of the organization since its inception.

Central Fund of Israel, based in Manhattan,  says it funds “over 250 charitable causes in Israel.” A Ha’aretz investigation found it funneled much of its money to settlements; it has sent money to an extremist Israeli organization in which the “rabbis heading the yeshiva published a book that discussed the circumstances in which non-Jews can be killed.” It has received “tens of millions of dollars” in donations. In 2015 its revenue was $20 million.

It also sponsors Reservists on Duty, established in 2015 by Israeli soldiers to travel to US college campuses to advocate for Israel and to train American Jewish students to speak on behalf of Israel.

The Gideon Project was created by Reservists On Duty “to give students fluent in English a chance to represent and defend Israel internationally after their service.” Soldiers speak on campuses throughout the U.S. Video here.

NCSY: Originally named "National Conference of Synagogue Youth," this is an Orthodox Jewish youth group under the auspices of the Orthodox Union that inculcates young people with pro-Israel propaganda and trains them to advocate for Israel. In 2019, for example, over 2,500 Jewish teens and staff from 29 states, Canada, Israel, Argentina and the United Kingdom participated in summer programs in Israel.

Christians United for Israel (CUFI) CUFI is a right-wing Evangelical Christian organization that was long run by David Brog, a Jewish American attorney who previously practiced corporate law in Tel Aviv, Israel. He’s the author of Reclaiming Israel’s History and executive director of the Maccabee Task Force, funded by American billionaire Sheldon Adelson, who once said he regretted serving in the US Army instead of the Israeli military. In 2007, the Forward newspaper listed Brog in its “Forward 50” most influential Jews in America. According to Charisma News, “Brog is the powerhouse behind the Christian organization, yet he’s also a conservative (non-Messianic) Jew.” The article reports: “Brog, who was chief of staff to liberal Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania for seven years, is said to run CUFI like a political campaign. He has talking points, stays focused and rallies his constituency.” Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak is Brog’s cousin.”

The current Co-Executive Director is Shari Dollinger, also Jewish, who was listed in the Jerusalem Post's "50 Most Influential Jews." The titular founder of CUFI is John Hagee. CUFI, which distorts Biblical teachings, has high-level contacts with the Israeli government. It has a lobbying arm, called CUFI Action Fund, first reported in The Washington Post, run by Gary Bauer, one of the signers of the Statement of Principles of Project for the New American Century (PNAC) on June 3, 1997. Bauer also serves on the board of the Emergency Committee for Israel. In 2010 he received the Defender of Israel Award from the Zionist Organization of America.

CUFI Action Fund’s Communications Director is Ari Morgenstern, an Israeli citizen who previously served at the Israeli Embassy in Washington. The fund, Bauer said, will have a multimillion-dollar budget and a dozen staffers who will focus on pro-Israel lobbying among members of Congress and presidential candidates. In 2017 it began a scorecard of legislators’ every vote and comment about Israel. Another funder is Bernard Marcus, founder and director of the Republican Jewish Coalition. Despite a budget of $7 million, CUFI may be losing ground as more evangelicals learn the facts about Israel.

Simon Wiesenthal Center According to its website: “The Simon Wiesenthal Center is a global Jewish human rights organization that confronts anti-Semitism, hate and terrorism, promotes human rights and dignity, stands with Israel, defends the safety of Jews worldwide, and teaches the lessons of the Holocaust for future generations.” It has “a constituency of over 400,000 households” in the US. It is headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in New York, Toronto, Miami, Chicago, Paris, Buenos Aires, and Jerusalem.” It gave its “Humanitarian Award” to Harvey Weinstein in 2015 despite the open secret of Weinstein’s assaults on women. It has raised over a billion dollars, and in 2011, had an annual budget of $24 millionand net assets of $67 million. More information here.

The Israel Project Founded in 2003, the Israel Project specializes in pro-Israel propaganda targeting the press and the American public. In 2009, a secret handbook commissioned by The Israel Project and written by Republican pollster and strategist Frank Luntz, “The Global Language Dictionary,” was exposed by two Newsweek reporters. The handbook crafts language and talking points for Israel advocates in simplistic, diversionary, and dishonest ways. The organization has 70 employees and an $11 million annual budget. In 2011 it opened additional bureaus in India and China and launched a website in Arabic.

Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces (FIDF) This American organization supports the Israeli armed forces. It hosts lavish fundraisers and has fourteen regional offices in the U.S. and one in Latin America. FIDF also brings hundreds of Israeli soldiers to the U.S. every year to lecture at synagogues, universities, and schools in order to increase American support for Israeli policies. It has annual revenues of around $60 million and net assets of $80 million.

Hadassah (Women’s Zionist Organization of America) Founded in 1912, Hadassah is “a volunteer organization that inspires a passion for and commitment to its partnership with the land and people of Israel.” It has chapters across the U.S. and “more than 330,000… Members, Associates and supporters.” It regularly advocates on behalf of Israel and is currently pushing anti-Iran legislation. It has annual revenues of nearly $100 million and $400 million in net assets.

America’s Voices in Israel (AVI) A project of the Conference of Presidents, AVI works to “strengthen American understanding of and support for Israel by inviting U.S.-based radio talk show hosts to see Israel and broadcast their programs live from Jerusalem.” It also brings celebrities and other “opinion makers” on guided tours of Israel.

Passages Passages is a program that takes Christian college students to Israel to make them a “voice for Israel.” Students never visit the West Bank and Gaza. The program, which promotes Christian Zionism, was suggested by Israeli government officials. A major backer is hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer. It is a project of two nonprofit organizations: Museum of the Bible and the Philos Project.

The Jewish Agency for Israel The name is often shortened to just “The Jewish Agency.” According to its website, founded in 1929, this links “Jews around the world with Israel as the focal point… ” Major activities include Jewish Zionist education and building a global Jewish community. “In addition to extensive programs in Israel, it operates in close to 80 countries on five continents through a network of over 450 emissaries, including hundreds of formal and informal educators. The world Jewish community participates in the Jewish Agency’s decision-making process through the Assembly, its supreme governing body, and its Board of Governors, which is responsible for policy making and oversight.” The Jewish Federations of North American are a fundraising partner, with individual Jewish Federations from numerous American cities listed. (Below is a list of Jewish Federations that work for Israel.)

Dennis Prager and PragerU Dennis Prager, a Jewish talk show host raised in Brooklyn who now lives in southern California, is a fanatic Israel advocate. Despite calling itself “Prager University,” his PragerU is not a college or university. It is a $22 million nonprofit organization that produces 5-minute videos distributed nationally to “indoctrinate and motivate conservatives.” The CEO of PragerU served in the Israeli military’s notorious cyber espionage unit 8200. Prager, a thrice-married self-proclaimed conservative, has a net worth of $10 million.

Young Judaea According to its website, the organization was founded in 1909 and is “the oldest Zionist youth movement in the United States.” It brings young people to Israel and also has numerous summer camps in the US that serve to “instill a lifelong love” of Israel. It’s annual budget is approximately $200,000.

American Friends of Likud According to its website, AFL “has developed unparalleled relationships with the Likud [a right-wing Israeli political party] Ministers and Members of Knesset as well as other Israeli dignitaries and policy and opinion makers. Our programs feature these individuals as guest speakers, lecturers and educators. Our special relationships with Israel’s leaders, dignitaries, journalists, etc. have been developed over the years and are based on a mutual belief in a right-leaning Likud philosophy.” Based in New York City, it is a has an annual budget of approximately $300,000. AFLis reported to be “one of hundreds of ‘Friends of’ Israel organizations in the US – all 501c3 tax-exempt charities raising funds to send to their parent organizations in Israel.”

American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise (AICE) [Jewish Virtual Library] This nonprofit organization was established in 1993, according to its website, in order to “strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship.” Its principal publication is Myths & Facts: A Guide to the Arab-Israeli Conflict. It also works to fight “the delegitimization of Israel,” producing materials to oppose the BCS campaign and publishing the StopBDS.com website. There seem to be a number of AICE branches. The one in Chevy Chase assets of almost $11 million as of 2013. Its leader is Mitchell Bard. The organization sometimes funds professors on US campuses.

The Israel Allies Foundation Its website states: “Pioneered by MK Rabbi Binyamin Elon, the Israel Allies Foundation (IAF) works with Congress and parliaments around the world to mobilize political support for Israel based on Judeo-Christian values.” Officially titled International Israel Allies Caucus Foundation, it coordinates similar caucuses in 35 countries and has approximately $2 million in resources. 

Americans United with Israel The American branch of the international organization United with Israel, which states that it is "a global community comprised of individuals who are deeply committed to the success and prosperity of Israel. Our primary mission is to build a massive network of pro-Israel activists and to educate and promote unity with the People, Country and Land of Israel." It is a tax-exempt organization. 2014 revenue was $590,000. It's head is Kaylene Ladinsky, associate publisher of the Atlanta Jewish Times.

The Jewish Policy Center Its website says it provides timely perspectives and analysis of foreign and domestic policies by leading scholars, academics, and commentators” and “passionately supports … U.S.-Israel security cooperation, and missile defense. We support Israel in its quest for legitimacy and security.” The JPC also says: “We also support U.S. efforts to spread democracy in the Middle East. We believe it is critical to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil. We support Washington’s efforts to deter dangerous states from acquiring nuclear weapons. Finally, we lend our full support to Israel in its long war for security in the Middle East.”

Israel21c A nonprofit organization founded in 2001 to promote Israel. According to the website, "The organization’s founders – Israeli-American technology executives – understood the great power of the Internet and developed a first-of-its kind online product with global appeal and reach." It says: "Every week we reach millions of people through our website, social media channels, and e-newsletter." Its president is Amy Friedkin and its annual budget is approximately half a million dollars. It states it is "spreading the word about Israel to millions of people in virtually every country around the globe."

Students from across the US taking part in the second ISRAEL21c Ambassadors Retreat in Chicago. (From website)

Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) The Jewish Council for Public Affairs acts as an umbrella for many smaller organizations. One of its three goals, as announced in its mission statement, is to work for “the safety and security of the State of Israel.”  Its annual funding is $3,128,795 and comes primarily from private individuals. 

Jewish National Fund (JNF) The Jewish National Fund is an international organization founded at Basel Switzerland by Theodore Herzl in 1901. The fund was originally created with for the purpose of purchasing land in Palestine for a future Jewish state. Today the main focus for the JNF is land “reclamation” and forestry. However, the group also serves to fund IDF military installations. The organization is well funded by donors with total assets of $1.15 billion dollars.

Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) The Zionist Organization of America was established in 1887, making it the oldest pro-Israel organization in the US. Their goal is to spread the Zionist message wherever in all aspects of American life. Their objectives include spreading Zionism on American campuses, work to advance the interests Israel and Jewish people within the American legal system. They also engage in pro-Israel lobbying, with expenditures totaling $299,900 in 2009. Their finances include over $8 Million in assets and $2.5 million from donors.

World Jewish Congress The World Jewish Congress is an international organization representing Jews in 100 countries. Supporting Israel is one of the key components of its mission. Although its global finances are unknown, its US offices have an annual revenue of $5,521,674. It holds galas in which massive power is displayed, billionaire oligarchs, etc.

The Haym Salomon Center According to its website, The Haym Salomon Center is a news and public policy group that produces content that often appears in mainstream and new media outlets. Its articles have been published in USA Today, the New York Daily News, Fox News, The Hill, the Washington Times, the Wall Street Journal, etc. Many of its articles focus on Israel, the dangers of “political Islam,” and”antisemitism,” which frequently means opposition to Israeli human rights violations. It operates under Over the Horizon nonprofit organization, which in 2014 had approximately a quarter of a million dollars.

The Foundation for Jewish Camp This nonprofit foundation states on its website that in in Jewish camps “Israeli culture is celebrated through song, food, art, and dance,” and reports, “The magic of Jewish camp is rooted in its 24/7 atmosphere” and says that “connection to Israel” is “entwined with basketball, arts and crafts and swimming.” It notes that some camps are particularly “focused on Zionism and the role of Israel in Jewish life.” It reports that in one of these, CAMP INC., “Israel education will be embedded in the program as campers learn about Israel through the lens of their entrepreneurial sector. Campers will learn from high-level mentors, teachers, and business pioneers. Camp Inc., under the direction of Josh Pierce, will be operated by the Boulder JCC.” Another, URJ 6 POINTS SCIENCE ACADEMY “will immerse them in a vibrant Jewish community filled with Jewish music, Shabbat experiences, and living connections to Israel.” It states that the Academy, the 14th in the Union for Reform Judaism’s camp system, will be located in the Boston, MA area. Funding comes from a grant of $8.6 million jointly funded by The Jim Joseph Foundation and the AVI CHAI Foundation.

Photo from Foundation for Jewish Camp website.

The Jim Joseph Foundation This is a DBA of the Shimon Ben Joseph Foundation, which faqs.org reports has assets of $837,220,914. Its website reports that among the activities its sponsors is “Israel Education,” which includes “twinning day schools with schools in Israel; integrating Israel education with learning taking place in general studies courses; and showcasing Israel’s arts and culture so students and teachers are in direct contact with what is happening in Israel today.”

The Avi Chai Foundation According to its 2010 form 990 report it had total assets of $614,997,808. One of its primary North American focuses, according to its website, is “Promoting Jewish Peoplehood and Israel.” It states: “Israel studies and Israel advocacy have become centerpieces of AVI CHAI’s peoplehood efforts in North America. All of the day schools receiving support from AVI CHAI have agreed to include in their materials, as an expression of their own philosophy, the following statement: “The creation of the State of Israel is one of the seminal events in Jewish history. Recognizing the significance of the State and its national institutions, we seek to instill in our students an attachment to the State of Israel and its people as well as a sense of responsibility for their welfare.”

JTA reports: "The Avi Chai Foundation, one of the leading supporters of Jewish day schools, includes on its website a section on Israel Education and Advocacy. It requires all schools receiving its support to abide by a statement saying that they 'seek to instill in our students an attachment to the State of Israel and its people as well as a sense of responsibility for their welfare.' It provides books on defending against anti-Israel campaigning on college campuses."

Stand with Us Stand with Us has headquarters in Los Angeles and chapters in Israel, Europe, Britain, Australia, and South Africa. Its annual budget is at least $4 million, though this may only cover the U.S. section. It has a number of divisions, including StandWithUsCampus, StandWithUs International, United4Freedom, Stand4Facts, LearnIsrael, Librarians for Fairness, and Emerson Fellows. Student leaders are trained to advocate for Israel on campuses around the country. The organization has erected numerous pro-Israel, anti-Palestinian billboards around the U.S. “Israelis invested $57 billion in U.S. Companies” is one of them. For a deconstruction of this billboard go here.

Creative Community for Peace This group lobbies artists to perform in Israel, claiming to be an entertainment industry organization advocating for artistic freedom and building bridges. It hides that it is a front group for Stand With Us (see above). Registration and tax documents show that StandWithUs and Creative Community for Peace are alternate names for a single IRS-registered non-profit, “Israel Emergency Alliance.” More information here.

Israel on Campus Coalition Its website states: "Our role in this effort is to unite the many pro-Israel organizations that operate on campuses across the United States by coordinating strategies, providing educational resources, sharing in-depth research, and increasing collaboration." It is a tax exempt 501(c)3 organization. In 2018 it spent $9 million.

Emergency Committee for Israel (ECI) The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports:

Washington observers may feel there is no obvious shortage of pro-Israel lobbyists in the city—but a group of leading American conservatives thinks otherwise and has set up a new campaign group to attack President Obama over his ‘anti-Israel’ stance. The Emergency Committee for Israel presents a potent combination of Republican Party neoconservatives and Evangelical Christians. The new group’s board includes Weekly Standard Editor William Kristol and Gary Bauer, a former Republican presidential candidate who leads the group American Values, as well as Rachel Abrams, a conservative writer and activist.

Its website says: "The Committee for Israel is committed to mounting an active defense of the US-Israel relationship by educating the public about the positions of political candidates on this important issue, and by keeping the public informed of the latest developments in both countries. Join us to help support Israel and her many friends here in the United States." The group makes his videos,  Its board is here.

The Committee produced an advertisement against Ron Paul that ran in South Carolina because of Paul’s opposition to U.S. aid to Israel and other countries, and another one against Rush Holt, who was defeated by Cory Booker, whose largest donor was a pro-Israel PAC. ECI funded tens of thousands of dollars worth of anti-Obama advertising.

Leona M. and Harry B Helmsley Charitable Trust The trust fund is valued at between $4 billion and $8 billion. Among the main areas its grants support are programs focused on “the security and development of Israel.” According to Jewish Week:

“[Leona Helmsley] left instructions for her charitable trust fund… to benefit dogs. But the courts ruled that the Leona and Harry Helmsley Trust Fund she had established after her husband’s death was not legally bound to fund animals only, and that its grants should be directed solely at the discretion of the trustees she had appointed. Fortunately for the State of Israel, Mrs. Helmsley chose Sandor (Sandy) Frankel, 69, a local Jewish attorney who worked closely with her the last 18 years of her life, to be one of the four trustees who now oversee that major trust. Frankel, who is married to an Israeli and has visited Israel frequently since he was a teenager, is proud to say that he has a passion for the Jewish state.

Among the projects receiving its multi-million grants was a new press center in Israel. At its opening Frankel announced: “Our hope is that with the opening of the club’s doors, the press will flock here, and will accurately report” on the country and its people.

AMIT According to its website: “Founded in 1925, AMIT is the world’s leading supporter of religious Zionist education and social services for Israel’s children and youth, nurturing and educating Israeli children to become productive, contributing members of society.” It has numerous chapters throughout the U.S. It sponsors lectures about Israel, holds screenings of Israeli films, participates in pro-Israel parades, etc. In 2011 its annual expenses were over $8 million and its net assets were $11,705,151. Its executive vice president was paid $120,292.

Aaron and Marie Blackman Foundation, Inc Net assets of about $7 million (see also here and here). Distributes grants to various Israeli organizations and other organizations with relationships with Israel. It announces: "The State of Israel has great importance in our grant making process."

Jewish Day Schools Many of these schools work to “instill in our students an attachment to the state of Israel.” (they sometimes use this version: "we seek to instill in our students an attachment to the State of Israel and its people as well as a sense of responsibility for their welfare." They frequently have school trips to Israel (e.g. the Jewish Day school in Seattle), and include it in curricula, e.g. in Sacramento: "sixth-graders pursue a curriculum centered on Israel." Their mission statements note that they teach “the centrality of the State of Israel” (see Contra Costa Jewish Day School). These are usually tax exempt institutions, which means they are subsidized by U.S. taxpayers. JTA reports: "In April 2002, day schools throughout the country — Block Yeshiva High School in St. Louis, the Ramaz School in New York and the Ida Crown Jewish Academy in Chicago, to name a few — sent students by bus or plane to a pro-Israel rally in Washington, D.C.  “'They drove us to every single rally,” said Shira Galston, a 2004 graduate of Ramaz. “There was no question [of] do you want to go to the rally. We’re going to the rally. Whenever there was something that happened, there was never a question of what side the school was on.'” The Frisch school (Jared Kushner is an alum) hosts training sessions for a project in which teens carry out social media missions assigned from Israel. The Avi Chai Foundation, one of the leading supporters of Jewish day schools, includes on its website a section on Israel Education and Advocacy. It requires all schools receiving its support to abide by a statement saying that they “seek to instill in our students an attachment to the State of Israel and its people as well as a sense of responsibility for their welfare.” It provides books on defending against anti-Israel campaigning on college campuses. See this statement by Avi Chai. (It is important to note that such support for Israel came only after years of pro-Israel efforts to obtain this. The American Jewish population did not originally support Zionism, and there are many groups and individuals today who oppose this ideology, both in the U.S. and in Israel itself.)

Photo from Mirowitz Jewish Community School (Missouri) website photo gallery of "happenings."

Fuel For Truth This program trains people to advocate for Israel. A program of the ZOA, the organization runs "boot camps" that are "specifically designed for young professionals in their 20s and 30s" where they are trained in Israeli talking points. Each boot camp is "an intensive, multi-week program which equips participants with the facts, skills and confidence to stand up for Israel while providing a fun, social space to be part of a community and something bigger than yourself." They're held in New York City, Washington, DC, Miami, Boston and Chicago, and are planning to expand to Los Angeles in 2019. Its non-profit tax ID is 30-0129917 – it is a 501(c)(3) organization with an income in 2017 of $144,000.

American Jewish Committee (AJC) The American Jewish Committee, founded in 1906, is based is San Francisco. In its mission statement, the AJC espouses support for leftist values, such as “shared democratic values” and “energy independence of the US,” while also advocating the right of Israel to exist as an exclusionary Jewish state. Its annual income is about $49,525,000 and comes largely from private individuals, with its assets totaling $132,310,000. It played a major role in creating the new Israel-centric definition of antisemitism that is being embedded around the world.

Friends of Aish Hatorah Aish Hatora, Hebrew for “fire of the Torah,” is an Orthodox Jewish organization founded in 1974 and headquartered in Jerusalem. The group is known for a number of pro-Israel programs, including The Theodore Herzl Mission, which brings heads of state to Israel for one week each year. They also have a program called the Hasbara Fellowship, where people can come from around the world to learn how to effectively engage in pro-Israel propaganda. The group has also been linked to the distribution of an anti-Islamic propaganda film during the 2008 American presidential campaign. Because Aish Hatora is based in Jerusalem with various global branches, the details of their funding are unknown.

Chabad Chabad-Lubavitch, based on an 18^th century Hasidic movement, is one of the the largest Jewish organizations in the world. It is a fervent supporter of Israel. One Chabad Rabbi has encouraged Jewish people to kill “Arab men, women, and children.” Chabad sometimes openly teaches that “the soul of the Jew is different than the soul of the non-Jew.” The group has a reported net worth of $1 billion dollars.

Republican Jewish Coalition The Republican Jewish Coalition Jewish is a lobbying group whose mission statement includes the “embrace of pro-Israel foreign policy.” The RJC maintains close links to the Likud party of Israel. They also control a Super Pac, which has upward of 2 million dollars in their war chest. Their Annual revenue is $10,067,507. The vast majority of their funding comes from various organizations.

National Jewish Democratic Council The National Jewish Democratic Council is a group dedicated to maximising Jewish support for the Democrat party, increasing support for “Jewish domestic and foreign policy priorities,” and “secur[ing] a democratic Jewish state in Israel.” NJDC supports Likud policies and pushes for a hawkish stance against Iran, urging the President of the United States to “stand with Israel.” Its annual income is $1,161,195 and is funded by private individuals.

Foundation for Defense of Democracies The Foundation for Defense of Democracies is an international organization whose claimed goal is “fighting terrorism and promoting freedom” and “defend[ing] free nations from their enemies.” It developed from the educational initiative Emet, which was created to “win American sympathy for Israel’s response to the Palestinian intifada.” While its mission may appear neutral, the organization is dedicated to promoting the security of Israel. Among its other projects is the Iran Project, which revolves around “supporting energy sanctions.” It is funded largely by private individuals’ donations. Its annual income is $7,267,839. It is sometimes used as a front for Israeli initiatives (see this).

JINSA:  JINSA is a non-profit organization whose mandate includes promoting a “a strong U.S. military, a robust national security policy, and a strong U.S. security relationship with Israel…” Their total revenue is $3,332,140 from contributions and program services.

Saban Center at Brookings The Saban Center for Middle East Policy is part of the Brookings Institute. Its mission statement includes a two-state solution for Israel/ Palestine. “Ardent Zionist” Haim Saban, a former AIPAC official, funds the institute.

Center for Security Policy Founded and led by neoconservative Frank Gaffney, a longtime Israel partisan, CSP works to promote a close US-Israelrelationship and to position Israel’s enemies as allegedly US adversaries. It’s annual budget is approximately $4 million and Gaffney himself earns over $288,000 yearly. The Institute for Policy Studies states: “…(CSP) is a prominent member of the neoconservative advocacy community that has promoted extravagant weapons programs, an Israel-centric view of Middle East peace, and a broad “war on terror” against ‘Islamofascists.’……A primary target of CSP’s work is Iran.”

MEMRI The Middle East Media Research Institute is an organization founded in the US in 1998. It’s stated objective is to “inform the debate over US foreign policy in the Middle East.” However, MEMRI is a shadowy organization that does not disclose names of staff members nor office locations. Analysts have commented that MEMRI appears to function as a propaganda organization that circulates biased translations in order to portray Arabs in the most negative possible light. One of the organization’s founders worked as an Israeli military intelligence officer. MEMRI has full non-profit status in the US and receives donations and grants amounting to $4,872,208 annually.

Hillel Hillel is a Jewish international student organization. According to its web page, Hillel “fosters an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel.” Its president has stated: “We are a pro-Israel organization. It is part of our mission to encourage students to build an enduring commitment to Israel as a Jewish and democratic homeland.” Hillel sponsors and promotes free “birthright” trips to Israel. These trips position Israel as the “homeland” for European and American Jews. Hillel collects annual revenue of $25,920,017, primarily from gifts, grants, and contributions. Hillel has had a program to try to expand its reach by  “paying students to attract other students” to Hillel.

In 2014 some students launched an Open Hillel to challenge the Hillel establishment and work to allow campus groups “to adopt policies that are more open and inclusive than Hillel International’s, and that allow for free discourse on all subjects within the Hillel community” and that represent “a Jewish community where the full diversity of Jewish views on Israel-Palestine is accepted and celebrated.”

Birthright Israel Birthright Israel is an organization that provides free ten-day holidays to Israel for young Jewish adults, age 18 to 26. Their objective is to, “strengthen Jewish identities, Jewish community, and solidarity with Israel…” Their web page strongly emphasizes support for Israel.Philanthropists, along with 14,000 individual donors, fund Birthright Israel. Their total revenue is $101,960,863.

David Project The David Project is a non-profit educational program for the dissemination of pro-Israel propaganda in schools. Their primary goal is justification for Israeli actions, which is often referred to in the Hebrew term, “hasbara” (explaining). Their objective is, “work[ing] directly with students and Israel groups to help them reach out to their peers and talk about Israel.” The David Project has annual income of $2,824,763. However, the source of this income is unclear.

Amcha Initiative The Amcha Initiative is a group whose stated objective is to protect Jewish students from anti-Semitism. Their definition of anti-Semitism is broad and encompasses virtually any criticism of Israel, including criticism of Israel’s human rights abuses. The group also lists the Boycott Divest and Sanction movement as an example anti-Semitism. Their annual income is $199,155. The source of this income is unclear.

Young Israel The National Council of Young Israel is a group of  146 Orthodox Jewish congregations. Starting in 1912, Young Israel’s web page claims that the group has always been “fiercely Zionist” and even boasts the acquisition of arms for the Jewish terror group Haganah. Young Israel currently offers material support to the Israeli Defense Force as it engages in attacks on Palestinians in Gaza. Because Young Israel is an umbrella for over 100 individual non-profit organizations, it is difficult to ascertain the amount and sources of the group’s income.

Ateret Cohanim American Friends of Ateret Cohanim is a non-profit organization based in Jerusalem. The purpose of the organization is the urban renewal of Jerusalem through Jewish gentrification. Their web site boasts of a new Jewish presence in the Christian and Muslim quarters of the Old City, and proclaims Jerusalem to be a city belonging to every single Jew, in spite of the fact that Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem is still not recognized under international law. The group maintains an office in New York with annual revenue of $1,054,618.

Elad The Ir David foundation (Amutat EL-AD) is a non-profit organization established in 1986 by David Be’eri, a former elite military commander of the IDF. According to their web page, the group “is dedicated to the preservation and development of the Biblical City of David and its environs.” However, the Ir David foundation is best known for its policy of “Judaization of east Jerusalem” through forced evictions and housing purchases. In recent years, their activity in East Jerusalem has been linked to violent clashes between Palestinians and the new Jewish residents. Ir David has a US auxiliary in New York called Friends of Ir David with total annual revenue of $5,884,950.

BBYO (formerly B'nai B'rith Youth Organization) Its website says: “BBYO is the leading pluralistic teen movement aspiring to involve more Jewish teens in more meaningful Jewish experiences. For 90 years, BBYO has provided identity enrichment and leadership development experiences for hundreds of thousands of Jewish teens.” It prides itself on its “unwavering commitment to the State of Israel.” The site says: “BBYO’s history is closely tied to that of the State of Israel. As the future leaders of the global Jewish community, it is our responsibility to learn about, appreciate and advocate for Israel.” Its 2015 annual budget was $27 million.

Israeli-American Council According to the Jewish Daily Forward, the Israeli American Council (IAC) aims to establish the Israeli expatriate community living in the U.S. community “as a ‘strategic asset’ for Israel in the U.S.” The goal is to be a “a potent political force in the future.”  IAC was established in Los Angeles in 2007, but expanded dramatically in 2013 when  casino mogul Sheldon Adelson’s began to serve as its main funder. About 700 expatriate Israelis participated in the “first-ever national political conference exclusively devoted to the expat Israeli community” in Nov. 2014. It has an annual budget of $17.5 million.

According to a 2013 report, “Current IAC programs include: Tzav 8 (recruiting thousands for pro-Israel rallies); Financing the Israeli “Shlichim” at all major campuses in Southern California; Organizing and funding the Los Angeles Independence Day Festival – the largest Jewish festival in North America, as well as dozens of ceremonies, holidays and mass events for the community; Sifriyat Pijama B’America, through which 10,000 families nationwide enjoy Hebrew bedtime books sent to their kids by mail, free of charge on a monthly basis; IAC-BINA club, consisting of approximately 1,500 Israeli and American Jewish young adults who convene discussions and activities relating to Jewish identity and support for Israel; establishing and funding the IAC-Care project in which thousands of the community members volunteer and organize large scale drives; and Mishelanu (the leadership program for Israeli-Americans students). More information is available on its website.

America-Israel Chamber of Commerce Chicago An American 501(c)6 tax-exempt organization founded in 1958 that facilitates trade and investment between the US and Israel, promotes Israeli goods and services, trade delegations and business match-making events, and works closely with the Government of Israel to advance bilateral trade. It is a sponsor of the website BuyIsraelGoods.org. The organization, which is tax deductible in the U.S., urges people to buy goods from a foreign country.

This is just one of a dozen such tax-exempt America-Israel Chambers of Commerce in the U.S. listed by the The Association of America-Israel Chambers of Commerce.

The Washington Free Beacon states it is committed to “a strong Israel”. The chair and co-founder is Israel partisan Michael L. Goldfarb and its financial backer is billionaire Israel partisan Paul Singer. The other co-founder is Matthew Continetti, married to William Kristol’s daughter, (converted to Judaism prior to his marriage to Kristol.

Wharton Israel Club “We are fortunate to have a community of 400+ strong Israeli leaders, who take part in the vast Wharton global network…. bridges between The Wharton School, its global network, and the Israeli business community…. We intend to leverage the Wharton network to benefit Israel’s economy and its society….”

Onward Israel USA Inc $6 million revenue - nonprofit “The ultimate purpose of this initiative is to increase exponentially the number of Birthright and teen program alumni who return to Israel for an identity-building second visit, eventually reaching a stage where half of all first time visitors partake in a longer more immersive second experience. The intended long-term outcome is a long-lasting connection with Israel and a strong commitment to Jewish life and community at the heart of the next generations.”

Ayn Rand Institute The institute, a US nonprofit organization (revenues of $18 million) is headed by Israeli Chairman of the board Yaron Brook, who served in Israeli military intelligence, and President and CEO Tal Tsfanim, also an Israeli citizen. Elan Journo, also an Israeli citizen, is a Senior Fellow and Vice President, and stars in Institute videos that often repeat Israeli talking points. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports that “the Objectivist movement espouses a position to the right of the most hawkish members of the Zionist camp”, and notes “Ayn Rand, née Alisa Rosenbaum, was born in 1905 to a bourgeois Jewish family in St. Petersburg”. Rand said that America should “Give all the help possible to Israel.

Anti-BDS Groups The following groups signed a letter opposing BDS. (Some of these groups may already be listed above.)

• Academic Council for Israel
• Academic Engagement Network
• Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity (AEPi)
• Alums for Campus Fairness - National
• Alums for Campus Fairness - UC Davis
• Alums for Campus Fairness - UC Riverside
• Alums for Campus Fairness - UCLA
• AMCHA Initiative
• America Israel Cooperative Enterprise
• American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists
• American Council of Trustees and Alumni
• American Institute for Jewish Research
• American Truth Project
• Americans Fighting Antisemitism
• Americans for Peace and Tolerance
• B'nai B'rith International
• Bobcats for Israel at Ohio University
• Boston Israel Action Committee
• Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law
• Bulldogs for Israel (Brooklyn College)
• California Association of Scholars
• Campus Anti-Semitism Task Force of the North Shore
• Center for Combating Antisemitism
• Christians and Jews United for Israel
• Club Z
• Coalition for Jewish Values
• Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA)
• CUFI on Campus
• Davis Faculty for Israel
• Eagles Wings
• Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET)
• Facts and Logic About the Middle East (FLAME)
• Grandchildren of Holocaust Survivors
• Hasbara Fellowships
• Herut North America, U.S. Division
• Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel
• Iranian American Jewish Federation
• Iranian Jewish Women’s Organization
• Israel in NYC
• Israel Matters
• Israel on Campus Coalition
• Israel Peace Initiative (IPI)
• Israeli-American Civic Action Network
• Israeli-American Civic Education Institute
• JAM
• Jewish American Affairs Committee of Indiana
• Jewish War Veterans of the USA
• Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa (JIMENA)
• Middle East Forum
• Middle East Political and Information Network (MEPIN)
• National Christian Leadership Conference for Israel
• National Conference on Jewish Affairs
• National Council of Young Israel
• NCSY
• NH4Israel
• North Carolina Coalition for Israel
• Proclaiming Justice to the Nations
• Rabbinical Alliance of America
• Rhode Island Coalition for Israel
• Russian Jewish Community Foundation
• Scholars for Peace in the Middle East
• Simon Wiesenthal Center
• Slugs for Israel (University of California Santa Cruz)
• StandWithUs
• StandWithUs Saidoff Legal Department
• Stop Anti-Semitism Now
• Stop BDS on Campus
• Students and Parents Against Campus Anti-Semitism
• Students Supporting Israel at Columbia
• Students Supporting Israel at Drake University
• Students Supporting Israel at San Jose State University
• Students Supporting Israel at UCLA
• Students Supporting Israel National
• Swarthmore Alumni Against Antisemitism on Campus
• The Israel Christian Nexus
• Tufts Friends of Israel
• WoMen Fight Antisemitism
• Young Jewish Conservatives
• Zionist Organization of America
• ZOA’s Fuel for Truth

[more to come]

Political Actions Committees

PACs Usually a PAC can only donate $5,000 for a primary and $5,000 for general elections. But with thirty “unaffiliated” PACs marching in lockstep behind AIPAC, this can balloon up to $300,000 for any given candidate. The extent of this influence remains hidden from view. They also use “bundling,” which means taking various individual donations and handing them over en masse to a candidate, so that on the books it shows up as several individual donations, but everyone except the FEC understands who’s really controlling the money.

A 1996 book called Stealth PACs reports that “in 1988, Israel’s lobby had 78 PACs spending more than $5.5 million to bribe Congress to vote more aid for Israel. That was more than total contributions together of the two next largest special interests in the United States—the real estate lobby and the teamsters.”

During the 2010 elections, Israel-affiliated contributions were the third highest of any special interest at nearly $3 million (with almost equal amounts given to Democrats and Republicans). But because that number was broken into pieces and hidden behind unrelated names, pro-Israel contributions didn’t “officially” make the top twenty.

One example is Washington Pac, founded by Morris Amitay, former head of AIPAC. Its website states: “…over three million dollars has been carefully distributed on a bipartisan basis to Senators, Representatives, and candidates… Its Capitol Hill location enables the PAC to meet with Representatives and Senators on an almost daily basis. The Advisory Board holds regular luncheons with U.S. Senate candidates, and the PAC’s newsletter has earned an esteemed reputation for its analysis of the U.S. Senate races.”

Pro-Israel Political Action Committees (PACs) AIPAC does not give campaign contributions itself but instead uses a campaign finance network consisting of around thirty Pro-Israel Political Action Committees (PACs), which AIPAC is constantly signaling. Only four of these PACs have names that indicate their true agenda, such as ‘Allies for Israel’ or ‘World Alliance for Israel.’ The rest have innocuous names like ‘National Action Committee’ or ‘Heartland PAC.’ Constituents usually don’t realize their candidates are receiving money from PACs that advance the interests of a foreign government. (More info below)

Teva Not all PACs with connections to Israel are included in the pro-Israel list. For example, the parents company of the Teva PAC Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, is Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, an Israeli company, the world’s largest generic drug maker. It has achieved its astronomical sales by at times infringing on patents (although Judge Sidney Stein rejected a similar claim – Stein also rejected a freedom of speech law suit related to the Palestinian issue ). Teva’s website states, “Teva Government & Public Affairs seeks to provide legislators and policy makers with both policy and political assistance on issues of importance to patients, the company, its customers, and the pharmaceutical industry as a whole.

The Washington Report on Middle East Affairs reports on PACs frequently. For example, see their list of pro-Israel PAC contributions to candidates in 2010.. 

[more to come]

Notes:

There’s no card to carry that says one is part of the Israel lobby. But taken as a whole, this sampling of powerful pro-Israel organizations demonstrates how information is systematically skewed before it reaches the American public. Politicians and journalists are systematically harassed, often losing jobs, if they step out of line.

There is no comparable pressure from the Arab-American side, much less from stateless Palestinians, who have no army, navy or air force; little money; and very little cultural influence or PR savvy. For example, in 2010 pro-Israel PACs gave $3 million to candidates while the two Arab-American PACs—Arab American Leadership Council PAC and Arab American Political Action Committee—gave a total of $36,500.

Many members of the Israel lobby have promoted policies against Iran and Iraq.

Below is an example of their actions.

A 2010 full-page ad in the New York Times suggested, falsely, that Iran has a nuclear program and endangers the U.S. The ad was designed to create fear and hatred of a country that has done the U.S. no harm but that Israel dislikes. The logos of the groups that placed the ad were at the bottom of the ad – we have listed them below:

Contributor		Amount
American Israel Public Affairs Committee		$23,209,852
J Street		$6,067,441
Pro-Israel America		$2,671,313
Republican Jewish Coalition		$2,136,546
NorPAC		$1,376,515
Democratic Majority For Israel		$866,500
Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs		$376,650
US Israel PAC		$216,250
American Principles		$152,550
Maryland Association for Concerned Citizens		$151,500
To Protect Our Heritage PAC		$142,753
Citizens Organized PAC		$140,500
Desert Caucus		$140,000
SunPAC		$84,500
Louisianans for American Security		$74,400
American Pro-Israel PAC		$73,900
City PAC		$52,500
Heartland PAC		$52,500
Americans United in Support of Democracy		$49,000
Grand Canyon State Caucus		$47,950

Contributions to:
Democrats Liberal Groups
Republicans Conservative Groups
Nonpartisan

Influential Pro-Israel Individuals

Billionaires for Israel

Michael Bloomberg (net worth: $96.3B) is a fervent Israel advocate. In 2014, as Mayor of New York, he flew to Israel to support Israel’s ruthless assault on Gaza that killed hundreds of children – & defied the FAA’s flight ban to do it. See this and this and this.

Miriam Adelson (net worth: $35B) and Sheldon Adelson (deceased, net worth: $29.8B) Miriam is an Israeli citizen who served in the IDF; husband Sheldon had said he wished he’d served in the Israeli military rather than the U.S. Army. He’s buried in Israel. Sheldon was a businessman and casino magnate, He owned a number of resorts as well as the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom, the most widely circulated paper in Israel. One of the couple’s final joint political acts, before Sheldon Adelson’s death on January 11, 2021, was to fly Jonathan Pollard — a former U.S. Navy analyst who spent 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to spying for Israel — to Israel on one the family’s private 737s. "Foreign policy has been the key-defining issue-area of the Adelsons’ political giving. The Adelsons helped to support the ultra-hawkish pro-Likud, anti-Iran echo chamber, including, among other groups, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, the Israeli American Council, United Against Nuclear Iran, and the Zionist Organization of America — all of which the couple financially supported over the last two decades. They also provided tens of millions of dollars to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee over the years..." Sheldon set a new record in political donations by giving $70 million (to Republicans) in the 2012 elections, nearly triple the previous highest amount. He also funded pro-Israel organizations such as Birthright Israel, which takes thousands of young Jewish Americans on recruiting visits to Israel. Miriam Adelson is continuing these activities.

Haim Saban (net worth: $3B) Israeli multimedia mogul with interests in financial services, entertainment, and media; major activist donor to Democrats, gave $1 million to a superpac; said, “I’m a one-issue guy and my issue is Israel.” In 2010, he told New Yorker magazine that his greatest concern is to protect Israel by strengthening the United States-Israel relationship. Saban has bluntly outlined his formula for gaining influence in American politics: make donations to political parties, establish think tanks, and control media outlets. He tried to buy Time and Newsweek magazines, and has made repeated bids for the Los Angeles Times because he considers the paper to be pro-Palestinian. He donated $9 million to Democrats in the 2002 election cycle alone. A secretive summit with Sheldon Adelson raised millions of dollars to oppose Palestinian rights advocacy... Also see this video.

Haim Saben (Image: The Intercept)

Len (net worth: $30.4B) and Emily Blavatnik Len Blavatnik is an Israeli-Russian billionaire (his wife is American) who funds scholarships for Israeli military veterans; is a member of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s “billionaires club” (a list that also includes Sheldon Adelson, Charles Kushner, and Donald Trump); may be part of an alleged corruption scandal involving Netanyahu and Israeli Hollywood producer and Mossad asset Arnon Milchan. More

Ronald Lauder (net worth: $4.7B) is fervently pro-Israel. He is head of the World Jewish Congress and Chairman Emeritus of the Jewish National Fund, which advocate for Israel. More

Aerin Lauder (net worth: $2.1B) eldest daughter of billionaire Ronald Lauder, serves as style and image director at beauty company Est?e Lauder. Lauder has worked for Est?e Lauder, founded by her grandmother, since 1992. She served as a board member from 2004 to 2016. In 2012, she founded luxury lifestyle brand AERIN, sold in 40 countries. Co-sponsor of ADL’s open letter against Palestinian literature festival at University of Pennsylvania.

Seth Klarman (net worth: $1.3B) is a major funder of The Israel Project (TIP), a hawkish advocacy organization [now defunct]. A member of TIP’s board of directors, he gave the group nearly $4 million between 2008 and 2011. Klarman has funded other Israel advocacy groups, including the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (a spinoff of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee), the neocon Foundation for Defense of Democracies, the Middle East Media Research Institute, and Daniel Pipes’ Middle East Forum. Mondoweiss reports that Klarman has given over $1.5 million to CAMERA, the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America – an American, non-profit, pro-Israel media-monitoring organization. More

David Geffen (net worth: $8B) established the David Geffen Foundation – one of its five major areas of giving is “issues of concern to the Jewish community” – such as a grant to “Friends of the Israel Defense Forces” (for information see this), and Israel advocacy organizations such as the American Jewish Committee and Jewish Federation Council. More

Pritzker Family (net worth: $32.5B) is one of the wealthiest families in the U.S. It is known for being pro-Israel. The Chicago Tribune reported in 1985: “The Pritzker family buys $500,000 worth of Israel bonds each year and, besides their other philanthropies, also makes donations to universities and institutions in Israel.

(The New York Times reports: "AN affectionate Jewish family of financiers like the Pritzkers with far-flung interests and a unified method of operating calls to mind a certain family of bankers that emanated from Frankfurt, Germany, in the 18th century practicing a philosphy of all for one and one for all. 'That's who I copied, the Rothschilds,' said A. N. Pritzker, the jolly white-haired patriarch.")

The family consists of:

William Ackman (net worth: $3.7B) AND NERI OXMAN founded the Pershing Square Foundation – which in 2018 gave more grants to Israel than to any other country outside the US, and has given grants to the Birthright Israel Foundation and The Israel Project. Neri Oxman is an Israeli citizen who enlisted in the Israeli military. (More 1, 2, 3)

Marc (net worth: $21.B) and Cathy Lasry “He has been to Israel many times both for business reasons and because he is “involved in a number of charities” there, though he would not say which because ‘we’re doing it kind of anonymously.’” His son Alex worked for AIPAC, and his son-in-law is an Israeli from a family that funds extremist groups in Israel. More

Eric Schmidt (net worth: $20.1B) former chairman of tech giants Google and Alphabet, had nothing but praise for Israel when he visited in 2012: “There are no disadvantages to investing in Israel – just advantages. Israel has the most important high-tech center in the world after the US.” Algemeiner pointed out that “Glowing reviews and endorsements…from leaders such as Schmidt go a long way in inspiring global investor confidence in Israeli markets.” More

Barry Diller (net worth: $4B) The Jewish Standard has reported that the website of his family foundation (with wife Diane Von Furstenberg) listed a “number of Jewish organizations among its grantees [most of which are openly pro-Israel]: Temple Sholom in New Milford, Conn., The Henry Street Settlement on the Lower East Side of New York, American Friends of the College of Judea, the Anti-Defamation League, and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum” More

Amy Goldman Fowler (net worth: $2B) Fowler led a Jewish philanthropists roundtable in 2012 that stated among its goals “support for Israel.” A Goldman family foundation gave $500,000 to “Friends of the Israeli Defense Forces.” Israel Defense Forces (IDF) More

Tisch Family Billionaires – Steven, Jonathan, and Laurie Tisch are siblings. Their cousin, James Tisch, was elected chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel in 2011, and is currently an honorary member. More

Steven Roth (net worth: $1.1B) Inside Philanthropy reports that the Roths' foundation supports: “Jewish Causes: Grantees include UJA Federation, Anti-Defamation League, Jewish Center of the Hamptons, and Chabad Center for Jewish Discovery.” All advocate for Israel. (Information about Chabad is here.) Steven Roth is a trustee of The Jewish Seminary of America, a strongly pro-Israel institution. More

Mimi Haas (net worth: $1.4B) Haas is the widow of Peter E. Haas, great-grandnephew of Levi Strauss, founder of Levi Strauss & Co. In July 2004, Haas became a director of Levi Strauss & Co. She has been president of the Miriam and Peter Haas Fund since August 1981. The fund, with assets of more than $200 million, supports many Jewish causes in Israel and the United States. She was previously married to Rabbi Brian Lurie, whom she had met in Israel when on an American Friends of the Hebrew University program. Her son is president of the progressive, pro-Israel New Israel Fund, whose motto is “Taking a stand for a better Israel.” More

Paul Singer (net worth: $6.1B) is the founder and CEO of the hedge fund Elliott Management Corporation and an important backer of rightwing “pro-Israel” advocacy in the United States. "Singer is deeply involved in a network of right-wing, “pro-Israel” organizations. He serves on the boards of Commentary magazine,[2]the Republican Jewish Coalition,[3]and the Manhattan Institute, where he chairs the board of trustees.[4]He is a former board member of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs,[5]has funded neoconservative research groups like the Middle East Media Research Instituteand the Center for Security Policy, and—along with Home Depot founder Bernard Marcusand casino magnate Sheldon Adelson—is among the largest funders of the neoconservative Foundation for Defense of Democracies.[6]He was also connected to the pro-Iraq War advocacy group Freedom’s Watch.[7]" A major  backer of "Passages" - a program that takes Christian college students to Israel to make them a “voice for Israel.” Students never visit the West Bank and Gaza. The program, which promotes Christian Zionism, was suggested by Israeli government officials.

Jules Polenetsky (Image: New York Post)

Bernard Marcus (net worth: $8.5B) Founder of Home Depot and Trump’s second biggest donor after Sheldon Adelson. Helped push Trump to withdraw from Iran agreement. Funds many pro-Israel groups.

Bernard Marcus (Image: Celebrity Marcus New Worth)

Norman Braman (net worth: $3.2B) donated to Ariel, an Israeli West Bank settlement. Supports Birthright trips to Israel... Also see this and this

Michael Steinhardt (net worth: $1.3B) is a “mega-philanthropist” best known as the founder of Birthright Israel, a free, ten-day trip to Israel that is enjoyed by a large percentage of Jewish young adults. He also facilitates programming after the Birthright experience in order to maintain participants’ loyalty to Israel and Jewish culture... "He has a history of donating to cultural institutions such as the Israel Museum and another that bears his name — the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History in Tel Aviv..."

Robert Kraft (net worth: $11.1B) Sleazy Patriots owner, received Israel’s Genesis Prize at a lavish ceremony in Israel, where he pledged $20 million to combating anti-Semitism and the Palestinian-led boycott movement against Israel over its human rights violations.

Oren Zeev (net worth: $2.2B) Israeli american tech investor. (see here and here)

Ira Rennert (net worth: $3.6B) “Rennert and his wife Ingeborg helped to fund the restoration of the Western Heritage Wall in Jerusalem (the visitor's center is called The Ingeborg and Ira Leon Rennert Hall of Light). The Rennerts are known to have donated to Rav Aharon Bina's new yeshiva in Israel, Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh, and are additionally honored with a plaque as well as their family upon entrance into the building. They also donated about 160 Torah scrolls to communities in Israel.” (Known as a “junk bond billionaire,” Rennert was found guilty of corruption in 2015; placed a mill in Baltimore’s outer harbor into bankruptcy, causing more than 2,000 workers to lose their jobs; owes Baltimore $8 million in unpaid city water bills; allegedly used money he looted from his business to build a 29-room mansion & compound – a garage holds 100 cars.)

Ben Ashkenazy (net worth: $4B) Israeli American real estate tycoon, a benefactor of the 2015 AIPAC Real Estate Luncheon at New York’s Grand Hyatt Hotel)

Shari Arison (net worth: $4.3B) Dual citizen born in New York; served in the Israeli navy; heads the Arison Group, which “has been operating for the benefit of Israeli society for more than three decades”; heads the Arison foundation – Open Secrets reports that it has expended $2,290,000 on lobbying in the US from 2003-2023.

Josh Harris (net worth: $7B) UPenn alum cofounded alternative investment firm Apollo Global Management, Managing Partner of the Philadelphia 76ers, has stakes in NHL's New Jersey Devils, NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, owner Washington Commanders - Co-sponsor of ADL’s open letter against Palestinian literature festival at University of Pennsylvania.

Marc Rowan (net worth: $5.8B) CEO and a cofounder of Apollo Global Management, one of the biggest U.S. private equity firms, with over $500 billion in assets; “philanthropist who is highly influential in both Israel and the US. As the chair of Wharton’s Board of Overseers, Marc brings insights on both the private sector's role in Israel's economy, as well as the 400+ Wharton alumni network and its potential.” Co-sponsor of ADL’s open letter against Palestinian literature festival at University of Pennsylvania.

Sam Bankman-Fried FTX crypto “king/scammer” with a (previous net worth: $26B) was “one of the biggest personal donors in American electoral politics”; contributed $250,000 to the Democratic Majority For Israel; “Many of the candidates Bankman-Fried supported were also backed by pro-Israel groups such as Democratic Majority for Israel and United Democracy Project, a super PAC affiliated with AIPAC;” his parents, Stanford professors Barbara Fried & Joseph Bankman, (reported to have been involved in their son's actions; in 2021 “Bankman took leave from Stanford to work full time at FTX providing legal, philanthropic, and tax advice”) were signatories on a letter opposing Stanford student senate vote on divestment from Israel.

Journalists & Media

Judith Miller is close to the neocon network. Her New York Time’s articles contained misinformation from sources like Richard Perle, Paul Wolfowitz, Douglas Feith, and Scooter Libby that played a significant role in selling the war. Miller is connected to WINEP. After leaving the NY Times in disrace after the paper determined that stories she had written about Iraq were inaccurate, she resurfaced at Fox News. Miller spent 85 days in jail for temporarily refusing to reveal that her source in revealing the identity of a CIA agent was Scooter Libby. More info here and here.

Judith Miller (Image: Blossome Eye)

Charles Krauthammer was a fervently pro-Israel neocon columnist closely allied with other neocons. Even Bush considered Kristol and Krauthammer so eager for war that he mockingly referred to them as as “the bomber boys.” (See Kagan-Krauthammer video here.) Neocon - more info here.

Charles Krauthammer (Image: Ha'aretz)

Bari Weiss Weiss’s career has often focused on “a defense of the Israeli government and a corresponding smear campaign against its critics.” Weiss became involved in journalism through her pro-Israel activism during college; her later decision to move from the Wall Street Journal to the New York Times was to expand her reach on Israel. Weiss made her debut in journalism on an Israeli newspaper following her graduation from Columbia. She was living in Israel on a Dorot Fellowship, an extraordinary program whose goal is to train young Jewish Americans in Israel to bring societal change in the U.S. This is to be accomplished, according to its website, by “seeding the community with a cadre of outstanding young lay leaders.”

Bari Weiss at Jewish community center in NY on December 5, 2019. Screenshot.)

Jake Tapper CNN anchor, was taught in school to recognize the "essential importance" of Israel - has a history of anti-Palestinian comments and of extolling Israelis - see also this and these.
JTA’s report on the moderators states: “They’ve both infused their Jewish identity into their reporting.”
“(CNN co-host Dana) Bash and Tapper are congregants at the same Washington synagogue: Temple Micah, a Reform congregation known for its progressive advocacy and for attracting members from the city’s political, government and media elite.”
“Temple Micah has a deep, rich, and committed relationship with Israel.”

Wolf Blitzer CNN anchor since 1990. He began his journalistic career in Israel and was employed by Israeli publications for almost 20 years. 

(Photo from 1985 talk on his book "Between Washington & Jerusalem.")

 Blitzer was a correspondent for AIPAC'S Near East Report in the 1970s. Journalist Robert I. Friedman reported in 1989: "Currently, he travels the American TV talk show circuit as the 'voice of Israel.' Territory of Lies [Blitzer's book on Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard] is a slick piece of damage control that would make his former employers at AIPAC (not to mention Israel’s Defense Ministry) proud." Below is one of Blitzer's 1989 appearances, representing Israel in a debate with Norman Finkelstein and others:

Eric Weider is an Israel partisan who is the publisher of “HistoryNet LLC, the world’s largest publisher of history magazines” - American History, America’s Civil War, Aviation History, Civil War Times, Military History, Military History Quarterly, Vietnam, Wild West, World War II - “HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines.” In the past he has also published Armchair General, MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History, British Heritage - The Weider History Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of Weider Health and Fitness, Inc., which in turn is part of a larger Weider empire valued at a billion dollars. (Weider merchandise has been the subject of a number of federal investigations, and Weider companies have been found guilty of fraud on several occasions.) It was the Weiders who discovered future movie star/California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and brought him to America. A survey of the publications’ website, HistoryNet, shows most articles and commentaries regarding Israel-Palestine to be Israel-centric. They often extol the Israeli military. Has also produced films.

Orly Allon helped fund RocaNews Instagram newsapp "Ride The News". Allon is an Israeli businessman who grew up in Israel, served in the IDF, lives in Israel now, and donates to Israeli institutions. Allon was a co-founder of Compass, Inc. a major residential real estate brokerage in the U.S., was formerly a Director of Engineering at Twitter (called “one of the partners in its success”), and previously founded companies acquired by Twitter and Google. His Orion search engine “is now an integral part of how Google's search works.” Forbes Israel reports: he was able to take the product he had developed and embed it “in Google’s systems, where it exists to this day.”

Shane Burley A prominent Jewish anarchist/antifa writer/activist and newcomer to Palestine solidarity, leads a social media mob to try to ‘cancel’ such prominent organizers / intellectuals as Norman Finkelstein, Alison Weir, Medea Benjamin, Jodie Evans, Vijay Prashad, Max Blumenthal. They also target progressive media like CounterPunch, Mintpress News, Dissident Voice. Their version of “antifascism” involves viciously attacking longtime critics of Israeli apartheid through lies and innuendo, and editing their Wikipedia pages.

Howard Friedman has served on boards for many foundations, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (which advocates for Israel and brought “tens of thousands” of its members and “hundreds of rabbis” to lobby Congress against the Iran deal). He was twice named by Washington Life Magazine as one of the 100 most powerful people in Washington DC. Formerly he was President of JTA – The Global News Service of the Jewish People Friedman is currently Director of the Sinclair Broadcast Group, the nation’s largest owner of local TV stations. His role involves overseeing the strategic direction of the company.

Dana Bash (born Dana Ruth Schwartz) is a political journalist, co-host of CNN's State of the Union with Jake Tapper, and ex-wife of former CIA & Department of Defense Chief of Staff Jeremy Bash. A staunch Isreal supporter, Bash publically criticized UCLA students involved in a pro-Palestinian demonstration, comparing them to "Nazis".
JTA’s report on the moderators states: “They’ve both infused their Jewish identity into their reporting.”
“Bash and Tapper are congregants at the same Washington synagogue: Temple Micah, a Reform congregation known for its progressive advocacy and for attracting members from the city’s political, government and media elite.”
“Temple Micah has a deep, rich, and committed relationship with Israel.” Bash recently anchored a program in which she featured false claims about Hamas.
Bash has a history of anti-Palestinian, pro-Israel propaganda.

Others

NYT’s Ethan Bronner’s son was in the Israeli army; more info on NY Times)

Columnist David brooks' son similarly was in the Israeli army.

New York Times magazine staff writer Ronen Bergman lavished praise on AIPAC for ‘having Israel’s back’…

New York Times columnists Roger Cohen, Bret Stephens and David Brooks are proudly Zionist;

Pundits like Jeffrey Goldberg Kenneth Pollack, Daniel Pipes, Bill Kristol, Irving Moskowitz (more)

The Islamophobia Industry: Institutions and individuals who promote Islamophobia, including Aubrey and Joyce Chernick, Frank Gaffney, Pamela Geller, David Horowitz, Stephen Emerson, David Yerushalmi, and others. (more)

Eric Weider, publisher of American History, Civil War Times, Military History, and eight other history magazines.

Hollywood tycoon Arnon Milchan, who produced Pretty Woman, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Fight Club, worked for the Mossad.

More information here

[more to come]

Entertainment

For years, pro-Israel, anti-Palestinian sentiment has pervaded Hollywood. A documentary and detailed book have documented anti-Arab messaging in numerous films. There are fundraising events for Israeli soldiers.

^**Documents published by Wikileaks reveal that for years, Hollywood bigwigs have been using their outsized influence to keep the facts about Israel’s violent occupation hidden behind a veneer of victimhood, at times secretly liaising with Israeli military and government officials to coordinate their message, attempting to cancel those who spoke out against the injustice, and putt financial and social pressure on institutions who hosted artists criticizing the apartheid government’s actions. Below are some of those who took part in this:

Harvey Weinstein, movie mogul, “I am Israeli in my heart and mind” - He hired an Israeli firm to try to halt the publication of sexual-misconduct allegations against Weinstein.**

Arnon Milchan, Hollywood movie producer, was born in Israel but moved to the United States and eventually wound up as the founder-owner of New Regency Films. In a 2013 interview on Israeli television Milchan admitted that he had spent his many years in Hollywood as an agent for Israeli intelligence, helping obtain embargoed technologies and materials that enabled Israel to develop a nuclear weapon. He worked for Israel’s Bureau of Science and Liaison acquisition division of Mossad, referred to as the LAKAM spy agency.**

Gal Gadot, who played Wonder Woman, was an active soldier in the military when Israel invaded and carpet-bombed Southern Lebanon in 2006. In 2014 she sent a message of support for Israeli soldiers as they were slaughtering more than 2,100 human beings imprisoned in a seaside enclave with no place to hide or escape.**

Lyor Cohen Music mogul (net worth :$150 million), global head of music at Youtube; has Israeli citizenship; both parents were Israeli, has family members in Israel (father had been in Zionist military, his grandfather was reportedly an Israeli Army General); lived in Israel as a child; says Israel has a “right to defend itself” (ignoring this and this); reportedly described by legendary rapper Mos Def as a "tall Israeli” that runs rap.

Israel Film Festival “The mission of the Israel Film Festival is to brand Israel as the lively and innovative nation that it is; as well as shining a spotlight on Israel’s thriving film and television industry and enriching the American experience of Israel’s social and cultural diversity.” Arnon Milchan is Honorary Chairman.

Glen D. Feig, Hollywood lawyer and producer^**

Ron Rotholz, producer**

Jason Binn, publishing oligarch**

Amy Pascal, the Co-Chairperson of Sony Pictures Entertainment**

Mark Canton, producer**

Ryan Kavanaugh, CEO of Relativity Media**

Ben Silverman, producer, former co-chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal**

Cassian Elwes, British film producer**

George Perez, producer**

[more to come]

Politicians & Government

Charles "Chuck" Schumer, top Democraatic leder in the Senate

[more to come]

Daniel Shapiro, past US Ambassador to Israel, gave a speech in which he detailed his extremely close, life-long ties to Israel, concluding: “[A]s a committed Jewish American, with deep roots in the American Jewish community and warm bonds of affection with Israel, I will have an opportunity to draw on those associations to help make the U.S.-Israel relationship, strong as it is, even stronger in the years ahead.” He stated that “ensuring Israel’s future” drives all US policies. See “US Ambassador: Support for Israel drives all US policies”

Daniel Shapiro (Image: University of Wisconsin - Madison)

According to Wikipedia: Shapiro served as a professional staff member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, he was a legislative assistant and senior foreign policy adviser to Senator Dianne Feinstein, he sat on the National Security Council under President Bill Clinton, he was deputy chief of staff (primarily on foreign policy issues) for U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, he was vice president of the Washington, D.C., lobbying firm Timmons & Company, served as an advisor to then-U.S. Sen. Barack Obama on Middle East and Jewish community also assisting as strategist and fundraiser, accompanied Obama on his July 2008 trip to Israel; In January 2009, Shapiro was appointed senior director for the Middle East and North Africa of the U.S. National Security Council. Focusing on Israel, he attended every Israel-related meeting, and met with every senior Israeli diplomat and military officer who visited Washington, D.C. Shapiro often accompanied U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace George J. Mitchell on his trips to the region, and played a central role in talks regarding the Middle East Peace Process and the strengthening of military cooperation between the U.S. and Israel. He maintained close relations with Benyamin Netanyahu, in spite of tensions between the Israeli prime minister and President Obama.^[14] Shapiro took leave of the President of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, on January 17, 2017 before holding his final meeting with Netanyahu two days later, which one newspaper described as a "terse farewell."After concluding his service as ambassador to Israel, Shapiro became a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies (Israel) at Tel Aviv University.

Ronn D. Torossian, public relations mogul who is a “friend of nearly everyone who’s anyone in Washington.” Israel is his “first love.”

Ronn D. Torossian (Image: Politico)

Howard Berman, Democratic Congressman from California, acknowledged in a 2008 interview with the Forward, “Even before I was a Democrat, I was a Zionist.” He went on to explain that “an interest in the Jewish state” was one of the main reasons he first sought a seat on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, where he is the top Democrat. Berman, who is known as “the Congressman from Hollywood,” also told the Forward, “He is particularly keen on getting the House more involved in Iran-related issues.”

Howard L. Berman (Image: Covington)

Martin Indyk, former U.S. Ambassador to Israel (he was naturalized as an American citizen before being nominated for this position); currently Special Envoy for Israeli Palestinian Negotiations. At one point he had his security clearance revoked, the only time this has happened to a U.S. ambassador. See video.

Martin Indyk (Image: Brookings)

Rahm Emanuel, powerful Democratic politician, was a Congressman, chair of the House Democratic caucus, mayor of Chicago (despite allegations that he had not been a Chicago resident), in Bill Clinton’s administration (had been Clinton’s main fundraiser), White House Chief of Staff under President Obama, etc. Volunteered with the Israeli military during the first Gulf War (his father had served in the pre-Israel terrorist group the Irgun), was Israeli citizen until age of 18. Jeffrey Goldberg says Emanuel "is deeply and emotionally committed to Israel and its safety. We've talked about the issue a dozen times; it's something he thinks about constantly." See video.

Rahm Emanuel (Image: Salon)

David Satterfield, U.S. diplomat who holds the rank of "Career Minister" who has worked on Middle East issues for over 40 years.. Among his positions have been second-highest diplomat at the US Embassy in Baghdad. In 2002 Satterfield discussed secret national security matters in two meetings with Steven J. Rosen, a top AIPAC official.

David Satterfield (Image: Daily Sabah)

Richard N. Perle -  He led a 1996 study group for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that produced a report entitled “A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm,” which called for damaging and destabilizing Israel’s surrounding countries. A 1970 FBI report stated that Perle had discussed classified information with Israeli officials; the information had been supplied to him by someone on the National Security Council staff; he has never been prosecuted for this. Commentator in an Israeli newspaper observed that Perle, Feith, and their fellow strategists were “walking a fine line between their loyalty to American governments and Israeli interests.” Perle spoke about why military action was “necessary” in Iraq. Official US positions: member of the Defense Policy Board, advisor to the Pentagon, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Global Strategic Affairs. Neocon: One of the Israel loyalists embedded in U.S. government who pushed the U.S. into the Iraq War.

Richard Perle (Image: FP)

Paul Wolfowitz Protege of Richard Perle who then mentored Scooter Libby; described as “over-the-top crazy when it comes to Israel.” Official positions: Deputy Secretary of Defense, 2001–05; Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, 1989–93; Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Regional Programs, 1977–80. Neocon: One of the Israel loyalists embedded in U.S. government who pushed the U.S. into the Iraq War.

Paul Wolfowitz (Image: Mother Jones)

Lewis “Scooter” Libby Libby, Wolfowitz student who went on to serve in the State and Defense Departments, became an assistant to Vice President Cheney and to President Bush. He has strong ties to the Israeli government and was personally thanked by Sharon. Libby was one of the few neocons who was charged and convicted of a crime and served prison time. Libby was Cheney’s closest adviser and a key advocate for war. Author Bob Woodward wrote of Libby’s influence: “Libby had done so much of the preparation for the vice president’s meetings and events, and so much of the hard work. He had been almost part of Cheney’s brain.” Libby was Marc Rich’s lawyer for many years while Rich made $billions moving Iranian crude oil through a secret pipeline through Israel. Like a number of others, he was part of the Project for a New American Century (PNAC).

Neocon - more info here.

Lewis "Scooter" Libby (Image: ABC)

Dov S. Zakheim Connected with PNAC and other Israel advocacy groups; Deputy Undersecretary of Defense, PNAC member who held numerous governmental positions, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Planning and Resources in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy) – played an active role in the Department’s strategic planning processes; employed by the National Security and International Affairs Division of the Congressional Budget Office; Task Force on Defense Reform ; Defense Science Board task force on “The Impact of DoD Acquisition Policies on the Health of the Defense Industry”; a senior foreign policy advisor to then-Governor Bush. Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and Chief Financial Officer for the Department of Defense; member of the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan; retired as a Senior Vice President of Booz Allen Hamilton. Featured as pundit on news programs, connected with AIPAC spinoff Washington Institute for Mid East Policy. (Son Reuven, aka Roger, was married in Israel – see below.) More info here.

Dov Zakheim (Image: DOD)

Peter Rodman Assistant secretary of defense, member of PNAC who was mentored by Henry Kissinger, served in five presidential administrations, closely connected to AIPAC spinoff Washington Institute, was a director of the State Department’s policy planning staff; senior editor at National Review, director of national security programs at the Nixon Center, senior fellow in foreign policy at the Brookings Institution. More info here.

Peter Rodman (Image: Militarist Monitor)

John Bolton U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Jan. 6, 2019; an American Enterprise Institute hawk and Israeli proponent who is said to have been forced on a reluctant Colin Powell as undersecretary for arms control; member of Jewish Institute of National Security Affairs (JINSA); Billionaire Sheldon Adelson (who once said he regretted he had served in the U.S. army instead of the Israeli military) reportedly recommended him for the national security adviser position; worked with Netanyahu to sabotage a potential Trump meeting with Iran’s foreign minister. More info here.

John Bolton (Image: JTA)

David Wurmser Special assistant to Dick Cheney, part of the “Clean Break” group, was Senior Analyst for the Center for Security Policy, Director for Research and Studies Program in the U.S. Institute of Peace, Research Fellow for the American Enterprise Institute, JINSA contributor; husband of Meyrav Wurmser. Neocon - more info here.

David Wurmser (Image: Intercept)

John Hannah Speaks at AIPAC spin-off Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP) event on Lebanon and Syria, March 13, 2009; long-standing neoconservative activist, Hannah has advocated U.S. military intervention in numerous Middle East countries, including most notoriously in Iraq; ran the vice president’s Office for National Security Affairs, serving as chief foreign policy advisor to the vice president until the end of the Bush administration. During the Clinton era, was a senior advisor and speechwriter to Secretary of State Warren Christopher, playing an important role in the secretary’s extensive engagement in Middle East diplomacy. As a senior member of the State Department’s Policy Planning Staff during the presidency of George H. W. Bush, made major contributions in developing U.S. policy toward the Middle East — including the first Gulf War; first joined WINEP in 1986 as a researcher focusing on Soviet policy in the Middle East. Served as deputy director from 1989-1991 and again in 1994. Neocon - more info here.

John Hannah (Image: C-SPAN)

Elliott Abrams Elliott Abrams pled guilty to withholding information from Congress during the Iran-contra scandal, son-in-law of Norman Podhoretz, one of the original neo-cons and a long-time strident supporter of right-wing Israeli causes as editor of Commentary magazine; served as foreign policy adviser for Presidents Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump. Abrams is a lifelong pro-Israel ideologue who has said that all Jews must ‘stand apart’ from the country they live in except Israel. As part of the George W. Bush administration, enthusiastically supported the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. Positions: Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela at the Department of State, deputy assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor in the administration of President George W. Bush, where he supervised U.S. policy in the Middle East for the White House, etc. Neocon - more info here.

Elliot Abrams (Image: TOI C-SPAN)

James Woolsey Former CIA Director James Woolsey has been a member of Israel advocacy organization the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP), Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JNSA), NGO Monitor, Project for a New American Century (PNAC), and chairman of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, an Israel-advocacy organization. More info here.

James Woolsey (Image: ABC)

Eugene Rostow speaks at WINEP event, Nov. 23, 1992. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs under President Lyndon B. Johnson, dean of Yale Law School, fervently pro-Israel – supported Israeli settlements; younger brother, Walt Rostow, served as national security adviser to Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. He told Johnson, inaccurately, that the Israelis had not attacked first in 1967, and then helped broker UN resolution 242. Neocon - more info here.

Eugene Rostow (Image: C-SPAN)

Michael Ledeen Termed by the CIA ‘an agent of influence of a foreign government: Israel.’ In 1983, on the recommendation of Richard Perle, Ledeen was hired at the Department of Defense as a consultant on terrorism; once wrote that he hoped the U.S. would “turn the region into a caldron,” and authored a book calling for a multi-generational war. U.S. colleagues often worried that he was a security risk. Ledeen has held positions (often simultaneously) in media, government, academia, and think tanks since the late 1960s and has been connected to a number of neocon thinktanks;leading theorist, historian, scholar and writer of the neocon pantheon; wife Barbara Ledeen and daughter Simone Ledeen (see below) are also active. Neocon - more info here.

Michael Ledeen (Image: Wikipedia)

Stephen Bryen Deputy Undersecretary for Defense, speaks at American Enterprise Institute panel composed of Stephen Bryen Douglas Feith, Hillel Fradkin, Charles Krauthammer, Michael Ledeen, Richard Perle, and David Wurmser, Nov.6, 2000. Bryen had offered classified documents to an official of the Israeli Embassy in the presence of the director of AIPAC, but the investigation was shut down by Philip Heymann, Chief of Justice’s Criminal Division. Bryen then served as Executive Director of JINSA; provided consulting services to AIPAC. Perle nominated him to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy, where he worked to obtain weaponry for Israel. Additional info here. Neocon - more info here.

Stephen Bryen (Image: C-SPAN)

Philip Heymann Speaks at U.S. Institute of Peace, July 6, 2010. Heymann, Chief of Justice’s Criminal Division, shut down the investigation into Bryen’s attempt to give classified info to Israel. Heymann later advocated on behalf of another Israeli spy, Jonathan Pollard; also co-authored a book with member of the IDF; signed a letter in support of friend Alan Dershowitz, fervent Israel advocate who defended billionaire Jeffrey E. Epstein and was himself accused of having sexual relations with a minor allegedly trafficked by Epstein. More info here.

Philip Heymann (Image: USIP)

Nathan Lewin speaking at Agudath Israel in 2019. Attorney for Bryen and another official accused of espionage for Israel. Served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, as Deputy Administrator of the Bureau of Security and Consular Affairs (the rank of Deputy Assistant Secretary of State), and Assistant to the Solicitor General in the Department of Justice. Advocated for a number of cases for Israel and against Palestinians. Called for executing family members of suicide bombers, writing that Judaism endorses this: “The Torah commanded the total eradication – including women and children – of certain nations (Amalek being a singular illustration) because of the continuing threat its members presented to the survival of Israel.” His daughter Alyza Doba works with him, his other daughter Na’ama Batya is a photographer and professor who promotes Israel; his son-in-law Jules Polonetsky has held several governmental positions. More info here.

Nathan Lewin (Image: Vimeo)

Roger Zakheim son of neocon Dov Zakheim, has served as deputy assistant secretary of Defense, General Counsel and Deputy Staff Director of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, where he managed the passage of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), affiliated with JINSA. He was married in Israel to the daughter of Jack Bendheim, an AIPAC official & head of Israel Policy Forum. Neocon - more info here.

Roger Zakheim (Image: The Hill)

David Feith son of neocon Douglas Feith (who had been part of the “Clean Break” group for Netanyahu). David Feith has been U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, a member of the Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff, an editorial writer for the Wall Street Journal, an assistant editor at Foreign Affairs magazine, has consulted for the U.S. Air Force, and published a book entitled Teaching America: The Case for Civic Education. While his specialty is China, he also writes about Israel and issues pertaining to it. More info here.

David Feith (Image: CNAS)

Simone Ledeen daughter of neocon leader Michaael Ledeen, has served in a multitude of official positions… Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for Middle East Policy until January 2021, Principal Director to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Combating Terrorism, Senior US Treasury Representative to NATO’s International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan; began her government career in 2003 as an Advisor to the Iraqi Ministry of Finance in Baghdad, where she served as part of the Coalition Provisional Authority (from MEI) A video of her talk at the Jewish Policy Center is here. More info here.

Simone Ledeen (Image: American Conservative)

Nicholas Rostow speaks on a WINEP panel about the Six Day War, June 1, 2017, that also included Robert Satloff, Dennis Ross, and Michael Mandelbaum. Rostow, son of Gene Rostow, has been special assistant to Presidents Reagan and George H.W. Bush for National Security Affairs, legal adviser to the National Security Council under Colin Powell and Brent Scowcroft, legal advisor to the U.S. mission at the United Nations, a Senior Research Scholar at the Yale Law School, and Staff Director, Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. In 2010, he was a visiting professor at Technion Israel Institute of Technology. More info here. More info here.

Nicholas Rostow (Image: C-SPAN)

Jules Polenetsky son-in-law of Nathan Lewin, speaks at Tel Aviv University on July 3, 2017. Co-founder of the U.S.-Israel Tech Policy Institute, CEO of the Future of Privacy Forum, served in the New York State Assembly, was an aide to Congressmen Charles Schumer and Steve Solarz, Chief Privacy Officer at AOL, and Consumer Affairs Commissioner for New York City. More info here.

Jules Polenetsky (Image: YouTube)

Stephen Breyer (former Supreme Court Justice) authored a decision that AIPAC declared a “victory.” The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported that the Court’s ruling “made it highly unlikely that the pro-Israel lobby would have to disclose information about its membership and expenditures.” Breyer serves on the International Advisory Council of an Israeli organization called the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI).

Jay Clayton UPenn Adjunct Professor of Law, served as the Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission 2017 - 2020. Lecturer at Stanford. Member of the advisory board of Fireblocks, an Israeli-based Bitcoin and Ethereum custodian. Co-sponsor of ADL’s open letter against Palestinian literature festival at University of Pennsylvania.

Dov Hikind “New York state assemblyman from Brooklyn [for 30 years] and a right-wing Israel advocate” - in 2023 switched to Republican party over Israel.

Daniel Pipes president of the Middle East Forum, organizer of “The Israel Victory Project", which “steers U.S. and Israeli policy toward backing an Israel victory over the Palestinians”, through calling for the Palestinians to give up their resistance to Israeli occupation and confiscation of their land. He “served in five U.S. administrations, received two presidential appointments, and testified before many congressional committees. He is the author of sixteen books on the Middle East, Islam, and other topics” - considered a key promoter of Islamophobia.

Richard Pipes anti-Russian historian hawk at the center of the US academic Establishment; father of Daniel Pipes; advisor to Washington Senator Henry M. Jackson; on the National Security Council under Reagan; chairman of “Team B,” a group of intelligence analysts founded by Albert Wohlstetter (one of its young weapons analysts was Paul Wolfowitz); Pipes termed the PLO a terrorist group in ”a typical statement, emanating from a counterterrorism conference in which Netanyahu was a central player;” Pipes was speaking at a conference in Israel in 1979 - his paper was then included in a book by Netanyahu. In 2018 Netanyahu wrote a letter of condolence to Daniel Pipes upon Richard’s death saying: “I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet your father. I will always remember the great impression he made on me. It was obvious how proud he was to have you as a son. May you be comforted among the mourners of Zion and derive strength from your loving memories of your father.”

Ruth Bader Ginsburg Highly influential former Supreme Court Justice, lifetime member of Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America (the Jewish Forward reports that Ginsburg was an “enthusiastic” Zionist, but noted this is rarely mentioned); helped overturn a ruling that found that AIPAC and 27 pro-Israel political action committees were guilty of violating federal election laws.

Douglas Emhoff is a lawyer and the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris. Speaking at one of Washington’s preeminent synagogues, Adas Israel Congregation, Emhoff said, “How you feel right now is how I feel. And how we all feel is something Kamala hears directly from me.” He credited Adas Israel’s rabbis, Lauren Holtzblatt and Aaron Alexander, with helping bring him closer to his faith.

“While I’m here as the second gentleman of the United States — and the first-ever Jewish White House principal — in this moment I’m here as a congregant, as a mourner, as a Jew who feels connected to all of you and grateful for the guidance of our wonderful rabbis, Aaron and Lauren,” he said. “They have become confidants and advisors. We’ve talked a lot about my own faith journey — something Kamala has encouraged in me. Among the many things they helped me find was my voice.”

Harris’ campaign is aggressively courting a Jewish community that has long voted for the party in substantial majorities.

Other Pro-Israel Individuals

Stuart Weitzman, shoe designer, donated $1 million to Maccabi USA. The Maccabiah is an Olympics-style competition held every four years in Israel.

Stuart Weitzman (Image: Aspen Ideas Festival)

James S. Tisch Chairperson of the Jewish Agency Board of Governors. According to its website, Tisch is President and Chief Executive Officer of Loews Corporation, chairman of the Board of Directors of Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc., a member of the Board of Directors of CNA Financial Corporatio, a director on the board of the General Electric Company, Chairman of the Board of WNET, parent of WNET Channel 13 and WLIW Channel 21, a member of the Board of Directors of The New York Public Library, serves on the Executive Committee of the Partnership for New York City, a Trustee of the Mount Sinai Medical Center, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, President and Chairman Emeritus of Federation Employment and Guidance Service (F.E.G.S.), past Chairman of the Board of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, past Chairman of the Board of United Jewish Communities, past President of UJA-Federation of New York, and a former director on the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

James Tisch (Image: Money Inc)

Irwin Hochberg is an example of how interrelated these various organizations are. A 2017 obituary reported: "Hochberg was a member of the Jewish Agency for Israel’s board of governors; national campaign chair of State of Israel Bonds; chairman of the Anti-Defamation League International Division; vice-chair of the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA); a member of the World Jewish Congress’ executive committee; an executive committee member of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC); a founding trustee of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy; president of the American Friends of the Open University of Israel; chairman of the Middle East Forum’s executive committee; as well as being a member of the boards of directors for the Jewish National Fund, Fuel For Truth, America-Israel Friendship League, American Friends of Beit Hatfutsot (the Museum of the Jewish People), the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA) and the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA).

Irwin Hochberg (Image: The New York Jewish Week)

"As a leader of UJA-Federation, an organization that praised Hochberg’s commitment to philanthropy as “unparalleled,” Hochberg helped guide the landmark 1986 merger of United Jewish Appeal and the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, as well as steering UJA-Federation’s Project Renewal."

Mark Dubowitz – CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (see above)

Mark Dubowitz (Image: The New York Times)

Meyrav Wurmser Part of the “Clean Break” group; director of the Center for Middle East Policy at the neoconservative Hudson Institute; with former Israeli intelligence officers founded the pro-Israel organization MEMRI; in the BBC documentary on the “neo-conservatives, the small and unelected group who critics claim hijacked the White House,” said “most of us are Jewish.” Wife of David Wurmser. Neocon - more info here.

Mayrav Wurmser (Image: BBC)

Thomas Dine Was long-time AIPAC executive director, head of Radio Liberty, senior policy advisor at Israel Policy Forum (IPF), served as chief executive officer of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco. As AIPAC head, he was considered “one of the most powerful lobbyists in Washington and a man whose word can help kill or pass a piece of legislation or a nomination.” Neocon - more info here.

Thomas Dine (Image: C-SPAN)

Irving Kristol Originally a Trotskyist, “godfather” of the neo-conservative movement that largely took over Washington’s foreign policy under George W. Bush….. Kristol’s protégés are seeded through the country’s Republican establishment”; father of Bill Kristol; co-founder of The Public Interest; writer for Commentary; “perhaps the most consequential public intellectual of the latter half of the 20th century”; lifelong supporter of Israel who believed that this required “fighting ‘dirty little wars’ in remote places”. Neocon - more info here.

Irving Kristol (Image: Associated Press)

Gertrude Himmelfarb aka Bea Kristol, wife of Irving Kristol and mother of Bill Kristol, “Her scholarship contributed to the intellectual foundation of the neoconservative movement”; More info here.

Gertrude Himmelfarb (Image: TOI)

Richard Perle and David Frum Co-authored a 2004 book calling for the invasion of Iran, Syria, Libya, and others. ( info on Frum here and here; was the Canadian speechwriter for Bush whose wife claimed he coined the term “axis of evil”, Novak reports that Frum was an “uncompromising supporter of Israel” and “fervent supporter of Ariel Sharon’s policies” during his time in the White House… Frum is more uncompromising in support of Israel than any other issue, raising the inescapable question of whether this was the real reason he entered the White House…” Frum opposed the State Dept and CIA experts who were less supportive of Israel… Claimed, falsely, that CAIR promotes terrorism – forced to retract accusation…continues to be active, appears on media as an alleged expert. Neocon - more info here.

Richard Perle and David Frum (Image: Globetrotter)

Frank Gaffney Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz calls Frank Gaffney “Islamophobe and ‘Great Friend of Israel”; Perle protégé; founder of the Center for Security Policy; has longstanding ties to the defense and security establishment; “architect of Trump’s Muslim ban“; connected to JINSA, opposed to the Iran agreement. Neocon - more info here.

Frank Gaffney (Image: Haaretz)

Richard Perle, Jeane Kirkpatrick, and (far right) Frank Gaffney speak at American Enterprise Institute event, Dec. 12, 1987 (third from left is Christopher DeMuth, AEI president); an analyst wrote: “A visitor from Mars to the UN headquarters in 1985 would have found it difficult to decide, after listening to Ambassadors Jeane Kirkpatrick and Binyamin Netanyahu, which of the two represented the United States and which Israel.” Member of JINSA advisory board, regularly echoed the Israeli/neocon talking points. Signatory of 2001 neocon letter calling on Bush to attack Iraq, Syria, and Iran. Neocon - more info here.

Richard Perle, Jeane Kirkpatrick, and (far right) Frank Gaffney (Image: C-SPAN)

Irving Moskowitz Multimillionaire US businessman Irving Moskowitz listens to settler leaders during a tour of the Gaza Strip settlement of Netzarim, 08 April 2005. Moskowitz and a group of business and religious leaders came to lend support to the settlers. Moskowitz was notorious for supporting extremist Israeli settlers. More info here.

Irving Moskowitz (Image: WIC)

Michael L. Goldfarb is strategist for the Emergency Committee for Israel, was online editor at The Weekly Standard (the premier neocon platform run by William “Bill” Kristol), was part of the allied organization the Project for a New American Century (well known for promoting the war in Iraq), and is a founder and chairman of The Washington Free Beacon, which is committed to “a strong Israel”.

Maichael L. Goldfarb (Image: flickr)

Jeff Miller One of Washington’s most prominent corporate lobbyists. Israel is “a major priority for Miller.” He is involved with (AIPAC) and is also on the board of the Republican Jewish Coalition, which similarly advocates for Israel; organized pro-Israel events.

Frank Luntz Republican pollster and political strategist, one of the “most influential people in the world” and Kevin McCarthy’s roommate in 2021, is a devoted Israel advocate. In 2009 Luntz produced a confidential report on how to manipulate the media and public opinion in favor of Israel. Luntz had also produced a report on the topic in 2003.

Jeff T. Blau Chief Executive Officer of Related Companies,” responsible for directing new developments worth more than $60 billion in virtually every sector of the real estate industry”; serves on the Board of Directors of Equinox Holdings, Inc., the Central Park Conservancy, the New York City Partnership Fund, Robin Hood Foundation, Real Estate Roundtable, The Wharton Graduate School, Trinity School, Lincoln Center, & The Mount Sinai Medical Center; named to Crain’s New York’s New Influentials list of 25 leaders reshaping New York. Supporter of Birthright Israel; Co-sponsor of ADL’s open letter against Palestinian literature festival at University of Pennsylvania.

Yoel Roth one of Twitter’s top censors, has often tweeted about visiting Israel with his family, his sister had her wedding there, his grandmother lives in Israel, and some of his tweets seem to suggest that Roth himself is also an Israeli citizen. He bemoans people “talking shit about Israel on Facebook” and says he has “very limited patience for people who deploy the phrase ‘the Israel lobby.'” (He also occasionally denigrates Christians, commenting that learning a popular rock band was Christian made him feel “dirty.”) – Citations & more info here.

Yaron Brook Chairman of the board of the Ayn Rand Institute. Born and raised in Israel; served in Israeli military intelligence; attended Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Israel. In 1987 moved to the US; became an American citizen in 2003. His opinion-editorials appear in major newspapers. He is frequently interviewed on national TV and radio. lectures on foreign policy at college campuses, community groups and corporations across America and throughout the world.

Gregory Fenves President at Emory University. A life-long Israel partisan, In 2023 Fenves wrote: “Wrapped up a great trip to Israel with an amazing dinner with Emory students. Over the past week, the Emory delegation visited two universities, Hebrew University and Tel Aviv University, renewing our research agreement with TAU. Also had a fabulous 2036 campaign event with alums and students in Tel Aviv. Emory has so many connections in Israel and it was inspiring to see our students thriving here” The first Jewish president of Emory and previously of the University of Texas Austin… Called police to arrest students taking part in a nonviolent protest against Israeli violence, then defended the police violence including violent arrests of two professors who had simply tried to protect students from being beaten.

Jonathan Conricus Senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and former IDF spokesperson, Conricus “confirmed” the false reports that Hamas had beheaded babies, commenting, “It is hard to believe that even Hamas could perform such a barbaric act.”

Former Israeli Military Intelligence Many former Israeli spies have worked in top jobs at Google, Facebook, and Microsoft.

[more to come]

Documentaries About the Lobby

Additional resources

Recommended books:

• They Dare to Speak OutThey Dare to Speak Out: People and Institutions Confront Israel's Lobby, by Paul Findley
• The Lobby: Jewish Political Power and American Foreign Policy, by Edward Tivnan
• Big Israel: How Israel’s Lobby Moves America,  by Grant F. Smith
• The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy, by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt
• Against Our Better Judgment: The Hidden History of How the U.S. Was Used to Create Israel, by Alison Weir
• Alfred Lilienthal's books

The book Big Israel: How Israel’s Lobby Moves America  by Grant F. Smith provides detailed information on "Israel Affinity Organizations: – nonprofit organizations in the U.S. that actively and unconditionally support Israel as a major function; see The Israel Lobby: Israel Affinity Organizations. 

These groups are projected to have a total in 2020 of over $6 billion. Below is the list, containing (L-R) the year of incorporation/ tax exemption, Tax ID number, Number of employees, Number of volunteers, Name, Revenue as of 2012, Projected revenue for 2020:

• 14,076 employees
• 353,337 volunteers
• 2012 revenue $3.7 billion
• Projected 2020 revenue  6.3 billion

Links

• Washington Report on Middle East Affairs
• The Link
• Council for the National Interest
• Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy
• We also recommend subscribing to Israel-Palestine News, where we post new items on this category frequently, as well as on Israel-Palestine in general.
• Israeli human rights violations