Mercaz USA

The mission of Mercaz USA is to further the principles of the Jerusalem program to affirm the goals of Zionism and provide a vehicle through which Conservative Jews can express their commitment to Zionism. ==Program services==

Mercaz USA publishes educational programs about Hebrew and Zionism for use with high school students and adults. Mercaz USA advocates for religious pluralism, funding for Conservative Judaism, and Israel's right to security and peace. ==History==

Mercaz USA was founded in 1978 and incorporated in Washington, D.C., on June 4, 1979. In 1998, the Israel Policy Forum asked American Jewish groups to sign a letter encouraging President Bill Clinton to continue his current policy toward the State of Israel and the Palestinian National Authority. Mercaz USA chose not to endorse the letter, saying, "It is not a reflection of the contents of the letter one way or another. In a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mercaz USA wrote that the legislature was a "deliberate slap in the face of the majority of world Jewry who are not affiliated with Orthodoxy. ... We are deeply concerned that Israel's image as a democratic country may be undermined by this bill." ==References==