Zionist Organization of America
The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), founded in 1897, was one of the first official Zionist organizations in the United States, and, especially early in the 20th century, the primary representative of the Jews of the United States to the World Zionist Organization, espousing primarily Political Zionism. Along with its sister organization is Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, and the Labor Zionist Po'ale Zion parties, and the Religious Zionist Mizrachi, the ZOA served as one of the key voices in early American Zionism, especially as American Jews were not initially strong supporters of the Zionist movement.
Past presidents have included Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis and Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver. The ZOA was instrumental in mobilizing the support of the U.S. government, Congress, and the American public for the creation of Israel in 1948.
Today, the ZOA continues to exist as a prominent pro-Israel group in the U.S, and as part of the umbrella group, the American Zionist Movement. Despite its continuing influence, its 50,000 current members is dwarfed by its offshoot, the women's group Hadassah, with over 350,000 members.