J Street

J Street is the political home of the pro-Israel, pro-peace movement. J Street gives political voice to mainstream American Jews and other supporters of Israel who believe that a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is essential to Israel's survival as the national home of the Jewish people and as a vibrant democracy. We believe ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is in the best interests of Israel, the United States, the Palestinians, and the region as a whole.

J Street's mission is two-fold: first, to advocate for urgent American diplomatic leadership to achieve a two-state solution and a broader regional, comprehensive peace and, second, to broaden and open up debate and discussion on Israel and the Middle East in national politics and the American Jewish community.

J Street advocates forcefully in the policy process, in Congress, in the media, and in the Jewish community to make sure public officials and community leaders clearly see the depth and breadth of support for our views on Middle East policy among voters and supporters in their states and districts. We seek to complement the work of existing organizations and individuals that share our agenda. In our lobbying and advocacy efforts, we enlist individual supporters of other efforts as partners.

There are two legally independent entities that make up the J Street family of organizations. The first is J Street, which is a 501(c)(4) non-profit responsible for lobbying and advocacy and has its own connected federal political action committee called JStreetPAC which endorses and raises money for federal candidates who support active American leadership to bring peace and security to Israel and the Middle East. The second is the J Street Education Fund – a legally independent 501(c)(3) that aims to educate communities about the need for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and promote open, dynamic and spirited conversation about how to best advance the interests and future of Israel as a democracy and as the national home of the Jewish people. J Street Local, J Street's national field program and J Street U, J Street's campus movement are programs of the J Street Education Fund.

J Street was launched in 2008 with four staff and a limited budget. In just three years it has grown into a highly-visible and important force in the Jewish communal and political debate over relations with and policy toward Israel. Combined, J Street and J Street Education Fund will raise over $6.5 million in 2011, and the two organizations now employ 50 people in 8 cities.