Morton A. Klein has been overwhelmingly reelected to an unprecedented 12th term as President of the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) during the organization's triennial elections held last night.
The ZOA extended its congratulations to Mr. Klein, who has led the organization for years as one of the most prominent Jewish activists in America. In addition to Klein, ZOA also congratulated its newly elected officers, including Chair Rubin Margules, Board Co-Vice Chairs Michael Orbach and Daniel Katz, Esq., Secretary Taffy Gould, Treasurer Bob Guzzardi, Esq., Associate Treasurer Bart Blatstein, and Executive Committee member Tyler Korn, Esq., along with the Vice Presidents and Board members. The slate, led by Klein and recommended by ZOA's nomination committee, received approximately 90% of the vote. This new leadership team is expected to provide strong guidance as the organization moves forward.
Klein's tenure as president of ZOA, the oldest pro-Israel organization in the U.S., is historic. Previous presidents have included influential figures such as Justice Louis D. Brandeis, and Rabbis Stephen Wise and Abba Hillel Silver. Under Klein's leadership, ZOA has taken bold stances, often ahead of its time. These include advocating for Jewish students' civil rights protections, and opposing the Oslo Accords, the Gaza withdrawal, and the 2022 agreement that ceded Israeli maritime territory to Hezbollah-controlled Lebanon. Klein also established key initiatives within the organization, such as the ZOA Center for Law and Justice, the ZOA Center for Campus Activities, and the ZOA Center for Government Relations in Washington, D.C.
Throughout his career, Klein has received numerous honors. Recently, he was recognized with the 2022 World Zionist Organization award in Basel, Switzerland, and in 2024, the WZO and Jewish People's Challenges and Zionist General Council jointly named him an Honorary Fellow of the Zionist Movement for his long-standing contributions. He also received the prestigious Theodor Herzl Award.
Klein's influence has been acknowledged widely. He was named one of America's top five most influential Jewish leaders by The Forward, and The Wall Street Journal called ZOA "the most credible Jewish organization in America." The New York Times, in a detailed profile of Klein, described him as a "prolific speechmaker and Congressional lobbyist," highlighting his early opposition to the Oslo Accords and the Gaza withdrawal.
In addition to his work with ZOA, Klein has published over 400 articles in major publications such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and Jerusalem Post. He also contributed scientific articles to the Journal of Epidemiology and the Journal of Preventative Medicine, drawing on his earlier career working for Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling. Klein has delivered over 500 lectures at leading universities and institutions, including Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, and has appeared on major television networks such as CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News.
Founded in 1897, ZOA attended the first World Zionist Congress and played a significant role in securing international legal recognition of the Jewish people's rights to a homeland. Today, under Klein's leadership, ZOA continues to advocate for the rights and security of the Jewish people, particularly on U.S. campuses, while defending Israel's right to the land and ensuring the safety of Jews worldwide.
