Since 1920, Keren Hayesod – United Israel Appeal (the Foundation Fund) has been at the forefront of Israel's growth and progress. Founded as the fundraising arm of the Zionist movement, its history has been inextricably intertwined with that of the State of Israel.
In its early years, with the help of donations raised throughout the Jewish world, KH brought tens of thousands of Jews fleeing Europe to Eretz Yisrael, helped absorb them, established over 900 urban and rural settlements while providing the newcomers with homes and jobs, and developed the economic, educational, and cultural framework for the state-on-the-way, along with industrial enterprises.
After the establishment of the State, Keren Hayesod – UIA became one of the country’s “National Institutions”; the 1956 "Keren Hayesod Law" recognized the organization’s unique status as the official fundraising arm of the State of Israel the world over (apart from the US).
Today, in partnership with the global Jewish community, and in close coordination with the Office of the Prime Minister of Israel and the Jewish Agency, Keren Hayesod, a non-profit corporation, continues to work to further the national priorities of the State of Israel and world Jewry.
After more than ninety years, Keren Hayesod has turned vision into a flourishing reality. With the help of outstanding lay leaders, Keren Hayesod continues to be a unique network that connects Jewish communities on five continents, serving as a bridge between them and their ancestral homeland.