Canadian Zionist Federation (Hebrew: הפדרציה הציונית של קנדה), or CZF, is a Nonprofit organization that promotes Zionism. It was founded as the Federation of Zionist Societies of Canada (FZSC: 1899-1921) two years after the first World Zionist Congress, which took place in August 1897 in Base, Switzerland and became the first nation-wide Canadian Jewish organization. In 1921 the organization changed its name and was incorporated as the Zionist Organization of Canada (ZOC: 1921-1978), becoming the primary umbrella organization for Zionist groups in Canada. In 1972, FZSC became the Canadian Zionist Federation (CZF).
Its stated purpose was "to organize mass support for, and actively co-operate in, the rebuilding of Palestine as a Jewish Commonwealth, and to foster interest in Jewish renaissance."
About the CZF
The aim of the CZF is to promote the Zionist ideal in Canada and to assist in the strengthening the State of Israel. The CZF seeks to enrich Canadian Jewish life through Jewish education, Israel and Zionist information, promotion of Aliyah, and activities among Canadian Jewish youth. The CZF is a mixed territorial body composed of sixteen constituent organizations operating in six regions and encompasses a membership of 15,000 Zionists in Canada. The CZF is the official representative of the World Zionist Organization in Canada.
History
Organized Zionism has a long tradition in Canada. The first Zionist society was established in 1898. Shortly thereafter other societies were formed in Toronto, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Vancouver and other smaller centres across Canada. In 1899 the societies united together to form the Federation of Zionist Societies of Canada.
The Federation of Zionist Societies of Canada (FZSC) was established in Montreal in 1899 as a merger of several organizations across the country. It held its first general meeting on November 7, 1899, at which Clarence Isaac de Sola was elected the organization's first president, and its first convention on December 23, 1900. By 1907 it had chapters in 42 cities and towns.
In 1921 the Federation was renamed the Zionist Organization of Canada. The Zionist Organization of Canada (ZOC) (1921-1978) acted as the official voice of Zionism in Canada, promoting the aims of Zionism in communities across the country. The ZOC adhered to the principles of the Jerusalem Programme of the World Zionist Movement founded by Theodor Herzl in 1898 during the First Zionist Congress held in Basle Switzerland.
These principles included: 1) the promotion of immigration to Israel 2) raising funds to carry out the aims of Zionism 3) encouraging investment in Israel 4) fostering Jewish consciousness 5) mobilizing public opinion about Israel and the Jewish communities of the Diaspora.
The ZOC was a broad-based organization that embraced an ideology of nationhood which attracted influential national leaders within the Jewish community as well as thousands of members across the country. ZOC provided smaller communities, which had few institutional supports, with vital linkages to the metropolitan centres through their programs that were run out of the regional offices and local Zionist councils. In 1967, ZOC became a constituent member of the Canadian Zionist Federation along with Canadian Hadassah-Wizo, the Labour Zionist Movement of Canada, Mizrachi Hapoel Hamizrachi Organization of Canada, Zionist Revisionist Organization of Canada, Achdut Avoda, and Friends of Pioneering Israel (Mapam).
During the 1970s, ZOC's functions were gradually absorbed by the Canadian Zionist Federation. By 1978, the Zionist Organization of Canada (ZOC) had ceased to function as an organization. While Canadian Zionist Federation (CZF) continued the mission.
CZF as a national federation for Zionist organizations across Canada became the official representative and the voice of Canadian Zionists to the World Zionist Organization. The CZF continued to promote Zionism, support Israel and promote Jewish education and culture, as well as the centrality of Israel in Jewish life through various programs, such as education, cultural activities, and advocacy.
Presidents
Clarence de Sola: 1899–1919
Archibald Jacob Freiman: 1919–1944
Samuel J. Zacks: 1946–1952
Edward E. Gelber: 1952–1956
Michael Garber: 1956–1958
Lawrence Freiman: 1958–1962
Joseph N. Frank: 1962–1964
Daniel Monson: ?–1975 (president of Zionist Organization of Canada) Philip Gerard Givens: 1973-1985 (president of Canadian Zionist Federation) Kurt Rothschild: 1993-2008 Norm Stern: 2008-2015 Les Rothschild: 2015-2022 Rabbi Moshe Ressin: 2022-now