Poster in Mea Shearim, Jerusalem

Introduction
American Jewish Committee (AJC)
Reform Judaism
American Council for Judaism (ACJ)
Religious Anti-Zionists
Ultra-Orthodox Jews
The Religious Zionist Response
Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP)
IfNotNow (INN)
International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN)

Introduction

In the late 19th and early 20th century, not all Jews supported the idea of creating a Jewish state, and some were outspoken opponents of Zionism. Naomi Wiener Cohen explained:

The Zionist movement, which can properly be regarded as an outgrowth of the traditional Jewish aspiration for a return to Palestine, meant, nevertheless, the secularization of this ideal with emphasis placed primarily on the national rather than the religious character of Judaism. It was this secular and areligious bent of the Zionists at the inception of their movement that aroused the opposition of various Orthodox and Conservative segments in American Jewry.

American Jewish Committee (AJC)

The American Jewish Committee (AJC) has supported Zionism and Israel since before the establishment of the state in 1948, though its stance evolved. Initially, the AJC was hesitant to fully endorse Zionism, as some early leaders feared it might undermine Jewish integration in the U.S.

The oldest American Jewish organization was initially conflicted as some of its members from the Reform movement objected to Zionism. The leaders of the AJC, however, still maintained the belief in the restoration of Palestine, which was an inherently traditional Jewish religious belief, and endorsed the Balfour Declaration. They rejected the broader notion of Jewish nationalism, which they saw as a threat to American Jewry.

Morris Waldman wrote in a 1940 internal memo: “A very sharp distinction must be drawn between Zionism, defined as a movement to secure in Palestine the right for Jews to settle and establish a Jewish commonwealth or perhaps eventually even a state, and on the other hand, Jewish nationalism, which is the view that all Jews, wherever they may be, belong to the Jewish nation and have a right to establish the counterpart of a national government with branches in the various countries in which Jews live.”

A decade later, AJC leader Jacob Blaustein amplified the theme, “The ‘Zion’ in Zionism we have always favored, always striven to aid; it is the special ‘ism’ in Zionism that we do not accept. That ‘ism’ has no faith in Emancipation; it preaches the inevitability of a murderous anti-Semitism, almost as much a fact of nature as the law of gravity. This we reject totally.”

However, by the 1940s, the organization had shifted its position, advocating for Jewish refugee resettlement in the British Palestine Mandate and ultimately supporting the creation of Israel.

Historian James Loeffler noted, “What they truly dreaded was the underlying message of Jewish nationalism: that all Jews belonged to a global ethnic nation. Eventually, precisely this distinction would form the basis for the American Jewish Committee’s quick rapprochement with Zionism after 1948.”

By the 1950s and 1960s, AJC had fully embraced a pro-Israel stance, engaging in diplomatic advocacy, defending Israel on the world stage, and strengthening U.S.-Israel relations. Today, AJC is recognized as one of the leading American Jewish organizations advocating for Israel’s security, combating anti-Semitism, and promoting Jewish global affairs.

Reform Judaism

Before the inception of Herzl’s Political Zionism, the Reform movement opposed Zionism on theological grounds. Wiener Cohen explains:

According to Reform theology, Judaism was a religion with a universal message. The mission of the Jews, the bearers of this message, was to propagate the universal religion of the prophets throughout the world. Dispersion was, therefore, a vital condition in Reform thinking, and even the Messianic era, which was envisioned as the realization of the prophetic ethics as taught by the Jews, precluded the traditional belief of a mass return to Palestine.

In 1845, the Frankfurt Conference eliminated references to a return to Palestine and a Jewish state from prayers. American Reform Jews adopted the European attitudes; hence, the movement’s Central Conference of American Rabbis, organized in 1889 and led by Isaac M. Wise, opposed Zionism. At its 1885 conference in Pittsburgh, the organization declared, “We consider ourselves no longer a nation, but a religious community, and therefore expect neither a return to Palestine, nor a sacrificial worship under the sons of Aaron, nor the restoration of any of the laws concerning the Jewish state.”

In 1917, after Political Zionism had taken root, the Conference issued a resolution saying, “We look with disfavor upon the new doctrine of political Jewish nationalism, which finds the criterion of Jewish loyalty in anything other than loyalty to Israel’s God and Israel’s religious mission.”

Sounding much like the American Council for Judaism today, early Reform leaders worried that “Zionism would endanger their position as loyal Americans,” according to Wiener Cohen.

In response to the San Remo Declaration reaffirming the Balfour Declaration, Hebrew Union College, the American Reform movement’s rabbinical seminary, issued a statement that said:

We declare that no one land, Palestine or any other, can be called “the national home for the Jews,” as has been done by the Supreme Council. Each land, whereof Jews are loyal citizens, is the national home for those Jews. Palestine is not our national home, since we are not now and never expect to be citizens of that land.

A minority of Reform Jews, including several influential ones, were early advocates of Zionism. Gradually, they became the majority, and in 1935, they succeeded in reversing the movement’s opposition to Zionism. Some disaffected members would not abandon their position and created the American Council for Judaism.

American Council for Judaism (ACJ)

The ACJ, founded in 1942, was the first American Jewish organization created to fight Zionism and the establishment of a Jewish state. From the outset, it was a marginal group. ACJ still exists but has little visibility. It continues to assert that Judaism is a “universal religious faith rather than an ethnic or nationalist identity.” The group now accepts Israel’s significance “as a refuge for many Jews who have suffered persecution and oppression in other places” but clarifies “that relationship is a spiritual, historical, and humanitarian one – it is not a political tie.” Apparently fearing the anti-Semitic charge that Jews have dual loyalties, ACJ insists “that although Israel is the birthplace of our faith, it is not the place of our national affiliation” and emphasizes that their “nationality is American.”

Religious Anti-Zionists

Jews who criticize or oppose Zionism are usually from fringe Orthodox sects and maintain that Israel can only be regained miraculously. They view the present state as a blasphemous human attempt to usurp God’s role and a minority advocate dismantling the secular State of Israel. However, unlike many non-Jewish anti-Zionists, Jewish anti-Zionists usually believe in the Jewish right to the Land of Israel, but only at the time of redemption in the future.

Two common religious grounds are typically given for anti-Zionism. One is that Zionism is a secular movement packed with non-Jewish influences and lacking key features like Mashiach and the rebuilt Temple. Adherents to this position are more on the non-Zionist rather than anti-Zionist side.

A second explanation, given by some religious anti-Zionists, is derived from the Talmud (Meseches Kesuvos, 111a), which states that when Israel went into the second exile, there were three vows between Heaven and Earth:

Israel would not “go up like a wall” [conquer Eretz Yisrael by massive force].
God made Israel swear that they would not rebel against the nations of the world [would obey the governments in exile].
God made the non-Jews swear not to oppress Israel “too much” [translation of phrase yoter midai].

These oaths are only mentioned as a side point in one place in a discussion in the Gemara and as the viewpoint of an individual. Many Jews feel that they do not apply to the issue of Jewish statehood.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews

The best-known of the Jewish religious anti-Zionists is the Neturei Karta. This group is so extreme its members have met with enemies of Israel, such as the leaders of Iran and Hezbollah.

Another group is the Satmar, an ultra-conservative anti-Zionist Hasidic sect of Judaism. It was founded by Yoel Teitelbaum in 1928 in Szatmár, Hungary. He survived the Holocaust by escaping from Bergen-Belsen on a Zionist-planned rescue train to Switzerland in 1944. After spending two and a half years in Palestine, he arrived in the United States in 1947 and reestablished the Satmar Hasidic Court in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn, New York. Teitelbaum was appointed president of Jerusalem’s ultra-Orthodox community, the Edah Ḥaredit 1953, a group primarily influenced by Neturei Karta. Over his 32-year leadership in the United States, Yoel garnered a sizable following from a diverse range of ultra-Orthodox Jewry.

Today, Satmar is the largest Hasidic sect globally, boasting approximately 100,000 followers. Its central community remains in Williamsburg, and it has established significant branches in Kiryas Yo’el, Los Angeles, Montreal, Antwerp, London, Buenos Aires, and Jerusalem.

Satmar advocates using Yiddish in everyday affairs rather than English or Hebrew, surpassing other Haredim in their dedication to the language. As a result, they are responsible for most Haredi Yiddish-language publications circulated in and around New York City.

The Satmar are anti-Zionist and do not recognize the state of Israel. They believe that Jews are required to wait for the Messiah before they return to the Holy Land. Satmar Hasidism views Zionism and the formation of the State of Israel as a blasphemous act against messianic prophecy. They reject the legitimacy of a political return to the Holy Land and Jewish sovereignty.

In 2017, the head of the Satmar Hasidic sect, Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, urged his followers to uphold the group’s staunch anti-Zionist stance. “We have no part in Zionism. We have no part in their wars. We have no part in the State of Israel,” he said. “We’ll continue to fight God’s war against Zionism and all its aspects.”

The Religious Zionist Response

Other Orthodox Jews counter that secular Zionism is a preliminary stage of religious Zionism and that the vows expressed in the Talmud no longer apply since non-Jews violated their obligations (by such actions as Roman persecutions, the Spanish Inquisition, and the Nazi Holocaust). The Balfour Declaration and the United Nations partition vote of 1947 are also regarded as having authorized the Jews to reestablish the state. Once this permission was granted, it could not be revoked.

Some Religious Zionist Jews see Israel’s creation as miraculous. They believe the formation of the secular state accelerates the process of redemption, and that they are playing a significant role in doing God’s will by serving the state.

Two religious Zionist parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism, serve in the Knesset. In 2021, the Religious Zionism Party was created to focus on “uniting religious Zionism” and serve as its ideological right-wing voice in the Knesset.

Some “non-Zionist” Jews are pleased that Israel exists from a practical standpoint as a haven for oppressed Jews and as a land imbued with holiness well suited for Torah study. However, they do not generally assign religious significance to the formation of the modern state and often decry aspects of its secular culture.

In addition to anti-Zionist and non-Zionist Jews, there are also “post-Zionists” who question Israel’s legitimacy and are primarily academics.

Today, the most prominent non-religious Jewish anti-Zionist groups are Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), IfNotNow (INN), and the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN).

Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP)

JVP is one of the largest and most influential Jewish anti-Zionist groups in the United States. JVP was established in 1996 in the San Francisco Bay Area by three undergraduate students from the University of California, Berkeley. In 2002, its members decided to expand into a larger movement to influence U.S. Middle East policy.

JVP operates as a grassroots membership organization, with dues-paying members electing a national board responsible for the organization’s overall stewardship. The organization claims to be funded by thousands of donors supporting its vision (2022 contributions totaled $3.9 million).

Jewish Voice for Peace opposes Zionism because they claim that it counters the ideals of “justice, equality, and freedom for all people.” They argue that Zionism is a “settler-colonial movement” and believe it has established an “apartheid state” in which Jews have more rights than others. They claim that the Zionist ideology is to blame for Palestinian occupation, displacement, and massacre.

The organization also claims that Zionism harms the Jewish people by encouraging them to be suspicious of their non-Jewish peers and neighbors. Further, they insist that Zionism erases the existence of Jewish people of color, because it creates a “racist hierarchy with European Jews at the top.”

One of JVP’s core values involves building and maintaining relationships with Palestinian leadership and organizations. JVP sponsors anti-Israel demonstrations in response to Israeli military actions and to commemorate key events in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. These occasions are typically overtly anti-Israel and sometimes anti-Semitic. Some have featured support for terrorist groups and anti-Semitic depictions of Israel’s supporters.

There are around 12 active JVP chapters on college campuses. These chapters frequently work with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) to promote anti-Israel initiatives, messages, and events. JVP supports the BDS movement and is involved in anti-Israel conferences held on college campuses nationwide. As proponents of intersectionality, JVP has conflated the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with domestic American issues such as racial injustice. JVP sponsors a “Deadly Exchange” campaign to end U.S. law enforcement Israel. “It compares U.S. police actions against Black Americas with the Israel Defense Force’s treatment of Palestinians” and claim the programs “promote and extend discriminatory and repressive policing practices that already exist in both countries.”

In June 2024, the Anti-Defamation League filed a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission, accusing JVP’s political fundraising arm of multiple violations of the Federal Election Campaign Act and FEC regulations. The complaint highlights financial irregularities in the political action committee’s income and expense reports, accusing it of illegally accepting prohibited corporate contributions and donations exceeding federal limits.

In July 2025, facing limited policy impact from its protests during the Israel-Hamas war, JVP restructured to focus on influencing U.S. elections. The group, which saw a surge in membership and donations after October 7, is shifting resources from demonstrations to lobbying and campaigning, aiming to sway policy by supporting or opposing candidates. This strategic pivot, enabled by transferring members to a new non-tax-deductible entity, reflects growing frustration with grassroots efforts and a belief that electoral influence is necessary to challenge U.S. support for Israel.

IfNotNow (INN)

INN is a movement of American Jews that advocates ending U.S. support for Israel and equality for all Palestinians and Israelis. The movement began during Operation Protective Edge in 2014, when young Jews, angered by the response of American Jewish institutions, organized Mourner’s Kaddish recitations to honor the loss of both Israeli and Palestinian life. They demanded an end to the war on Gaza and freedom and dignity for all without acknowledging the terror threat to Israel. INN subsequently developed a long-term strategy to demand that American Jews stop supporting Israel and to change the Jewish political status quo.

INN claims to be a nonviolent movement that calls for the opposition of any policies that lead to the privilege of one group over another, specifically in Israel/Palestine. Their activism includes demonstrations against politicians, U.S. policies, and institutions perceived as supporting the “Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.” Members engage in civil disobedience, sit-ins, and other forms of nonviolent resistance to raise awareness about the situation in Israel and Palestinian territories. They also often confront politicians, institutions, and organizations that support policies they deem harmful. INN engages in lobbying and advocacy to influence U.S. policy toward Israel by calling for conditioning military aid to Israel on adherence to human rights standards.

INN critiques establishment Jewish institutions for “using Jewish fear” to justify policies that they claim maintain power over Palestinians. The organization calls for a future where Israelis and Palestinians are both safe and have equal rights and opportunities.

Unlike other anti-Israel Jewish groups, the movement engages in internal debates about Zionism, anti-Zionism, and the future of Israel. Some members believe in a one-state solution, while others support a two-state solution.

INN, alongside several other Jewish organizations, played a role in organizing anti-Israel demonstrations in the aftermath of the October 7, 2024, Hamas massacre of Israelis. In contrast to certain groups endorsing violent Palestinian resistance, IfNotNow has primarily focused on highlighting human rights violations they believe Israel is committing in Gaza and campaigning for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. They were among the organizers of the October 18 protest against Israel in Washington, D.C., during which hundreds of demonstrators were arrested.

International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN)

IJAN is a group of Jews who are committed to opposing Zionism and the State of Israel. They view Zionism as a “racist movement” and Israel as an “apartheid state,” and promote the liberation of the Palestinian people and their land as well as the right of return for Palestinian refugees. IJAN has organized events, conferences, and protests in various countries all over the world, including the United States, Argentina, the UK, Spain, Canada, and France, challenging Israel’s policies and promoting Palestinian rights.

The network emphasizes the parallels between the Zionist “conquest” in Palestine and historical imperial conquests in other parts of the world. IJAN is an integral part of the international movement against Zionism, organizing events, conferences, and protests worldwide to challenge Israel’s policies and promote Palestinian rights. IJAN supports Palestinian self-determination and the right to “resist occupation.” The network, which has 10,000 Facebook followers, looks to Palestinian-led organizations and grassroots movements as primary reference points in this effort.

Sources: Naomi Wiener Cohen, “The Reaction Of Reform Judaism In America To Political Zionism (1897-1922), Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society 40, no. 4 (1951), pp. 361–94.
James Loeffler, “Nationalism without a Nation?” Jewish Quarterly Review, Vol. 105, No. 3, (Summer 2015).
“The American Council For Judaism Principles,” American Council For Judaism.
“Our Principles,” IfNotNow.
“Who are the Primary Groups Behind the U.S. Anti-Israel Rallies?” Anti-Defamation League, (October 8, 2023).
Dr. Aviezer Ravitzky, “Ultra-Orthodox & Anti-Zionist,” My Jewish Learning.
“About,” Jewish Voice for Peace.
“FAQ,” Jewish Voice for Peace.
“Profile: Jewish Voice for Peace,” Anti-Defamation League, (2014).
“Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP): What You Need to Know, ” Anti-Defamation League, (October 25, 2023).
“ADL Files FEC Complaint Against JVP’s Political Action Committee Alleging Numerous & Repeated Violations of Federal Campaign Finance Laws,” Anti-Defamation League (June 3, 2024).
“Who We Are,” International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network.
“Charter,” International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network.
Ilana Schachter, “Understanding ‘Unorthodox,’ Part 1 Satmar History and Rituals,” Sefaria.
“Head of Satmar Hasidic sect castigates followers for admiring Israel, IDF,” Times of Israel, (June 9, 2018).
“Who Are We,” AJC.
Andrew Lapin, Asaf Elia-Shalev, “Its protests yielding limited results, Jewish Voice for Peace retools to focus on swaying elections,” JTA, (July 17, 2025).

Photo: Mitchell Bard.

Anti-Zionism Among Jews