Established by the World Zionist Organization (WZO) in 1929 in accordance with the League of Nations Mandate for
Palestine (1922) that called for "a Jewish agency" to assist in the "establishment of the Jewish National Home . . . in Palestine." Prior to the establishment of
Israel in 1948, the Jewish Agency facilitated the settlement of Jews in Palestine and focused on building strong economic, social and military foundations for the Jewish population. Once Israel became a state, the Agency has been the primary organization encouraging Aliyah to Israel and offering absorption programs. Today, the organization operates in close to 80 countries, and is the main link between Jewish communities in those countries and Israel. Through programs such as Taglit-Birthright Israel, the Jewish Agency fosters a Zionist narrative, which privileges and supports a Jewish connection to Israel, while marginalizing or ignoring
Palestinian connection to and existence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. See the Jewish Agency's
website.