Nearly 900,000 Jews Are Members of the Zionist Movement in America

Nearly 900,000 Jews are members of the Zionist movement in the United States, it was announced today by Mrs. Faye Schenk, president of the American Zionist Federation. The present membership figure was reported by the 15 national Zionist organizations comprising the AZF at a meeting of the AZF’s Area Elections Committee at the conclusion of the campaign last week to submit registered membership lists in preparation for the election of delegates to the World Zionist Congress.

Mrs. Schenk noted that the nearly 900,000 membership figure reflects an increase of more than 200,000 since 1971, at the time of the last World Zionist Congress. “The upsurge of enrollment in Zionist organizations demonstrates the deep commitment of American Jewry to the land and people of Israel, “she said. ” This affirmation comes as a direct response to anti-Zionist propaganda of recent years.”

The election of delegates to the World Zionist Congress will take place next month. All registered Zionists are eligible to vote. According to a preliminary count of the membership lists submitted, the 15 constituent organizations of the AZF which are organized into seven slates of delegates to the Congress have the following memberships:

Hadassah (376,830) – Bnai Zion (31,180) – American Jewish League for Israel (11,910); Labor Zionist Movement (100,000); Zionist Organization of America (129,000); Progressive Zionist List (12,500); Religious Zionist Movement (124,300); United Zionist Revisionists (92,420); and ARZA, the Reform Movement’s Zionist Organization (10,000).

Moshe Kagan, chairman of the Area Elections Committee, remarked: “This historic occasion demonstrates once again the strength and vitality of the Zionist movement, and its growing role in American Jewish life.”