Since its inception in 1929, the Jewish Agency has played an integral role in renewing the historical homeland of the Jewish people in the State of Israel, strengthening Jewish identity and ensuring the centrality of Israel in future Jewish life. Through dynamic collective action on behalf of its partners, the World Zionist Organization, United Jewish Communities and Keren Hayesod, the Jewish Agency has been pivotal to Israel’s remarkable story of immigration, renewal and growth. It has also been crucial in assisting Jews around the world in times of political trouble and crisis. As the major non-governmental link between the State of Israel and Jewish communities abroad, the Jewish Agency has established itself as a leading advocate of Jewish and Zionist issues. 

During the twentieth century, the Jewish Agency helped found the State of Israel and was instrumental in re-establishing the Jewish historical homeland by building the country’s human and physical infrastructure. The Jewish Agency brought more than 3 million Jews to Israel and helped them integrate into society, giving special attention to poor and vulnerable immigrants.  It also brought hundreds of thousands of youngsters to Israel for a quality educational experience. In addition, the Jewish Agency has helped found some 900 rural communities, kibbutzim and moshavim.  It has also built some 1500 capital projects through the Israel Education Fund including community centers, nursery schools, culture and sport facilities and institutions of higher learning.

For the past eighty years the Jewish Agency has been a central meeting ground for world Jewry and a forum for collective discussion and decision-making on global priorities. The Jewish Agency has also been the organization that has affected millions of lives by ensuring that those priorities come to fruition. As we enter the twenty first century, the Jewish Agency’s work is not yet over as the needs of the Jewish people and Israel remain vast. The challenges we face are enormous and existential. By working together as global Jewish partners we can build on the past and ensure a strong future.