Zionist movement Mexico
The organised Zionist movement in Mexico: its federation, national institutions, communal bodies, youth movements and schools, and links to "Israel"
The Zionist movement in Mexico is organised through the Consejo Sionista de México (Zionist Council of Mexico), which describes itself as the representation of the Jewish community of Mexico before the World Zionist Organization (WZO) and as "the federation that brings together the Zionist institutions of the Jewish community of Mexico to coordinate local Zionist activity".[1][2] Mexico had seven mandates at the 39th World Zionist Congress in 2025, the same as in 2020,[3][4] and the WZO's delegates page lists 11 people under Mexico.[5] The community's representative body is the Comité Central de la Comunidad Judía de México (Central Committee of the Jewish Community of Mexico), founded in 1938, whose arm Tribuna Israelita was set up six years later "to counteract Antisemitism".[6] Sergio DellaPergola put Mexico's core Jewish population at 40,000 at the start of 2023, the thirteenth largest in the world.[7] For other countries see Zionist movement by country. For the wider political, business and diplomatic links between Mexico and "Israel" see Jewish, Zionist and Israeli connections to Mexico.
History
Judit Bokser de Liwerant's study of the formation of Mexican Zionism between 1920 and 1947 describes the Zionist leadership's drive for the "conquest of the community", that is, control of the communal institutions. The Zionist groups and parties were unified only in 1950, in the Federación Sionista de México; she argues that the Federación then lost ground as a go-between because the State of "Israel" built direct channels to organised sectors of the community.[8] The Consejo Sionista de México says it adheres to the principles of the WZO's Jerusalem Program.[1] Moisés Mitrani Behar was its president for four years, re-elected for a second term, until February 2025, when he handed over to Alberto Lobatón Kassin. In his farewell message Mitrani described the council as a "bridge between the Diaspora and the State of Israel" and mentioned a book project, 100 años de Sionismo en México (100 years of Zionism in Mexico), on the history of the organised movement.[9][10]
After the Hamas attack of 7 October 2023 the community held an inter-communal act "of solidarity with the people of Israel" at the Centro Deportivo Israelita (CDI) on 15 October 2023, led by Jacobo Romano, president of Tribuna Israelita. The then Comité Central president Elías Achar told it: "our unconditional support for the State of Israel. Israel, our ancestral homeland", and asked the Israeli ambassador Einat Kranz Neiger to pass the community's solidarity to "the People and the Government of Israel".[11][12] In April 2024 the community condemned Iran's attack on "Israel" in a statement.[13] On 29 January 2026 Alberto Romano succeeded Achar as Comité Central president for 2026–2028. Achar's report listed among his work support for "the legitimate right of the State of Israel to exist and defend itself" and "a very special relationship with Israel and its diplomatic representation in Mexico"; Romano undertook to go on "serving as a bridge for Israel's relations with our country".[14]
2025 World Zionist Congress election
The Mexican election for the 39th Congress was delayed by about two weeks after the WZO's Central Elections Committee, chaired by Judge Oded Mudrik, upheld the annulment of the "Shas Tzionit México" list over accusations of "bribery, vote buying and irregular payments of the Shekel Tzioni". The Comité Electoral Territorial México, whose letter was signed by its president Moisés Salinas Fleitman and vice-president Alberto Lobatón Kassin, then opened online voting on 28 May 2025, to close on 29 May.[15] Mexico kept its seven mandates.[3] The WZO lists these people under Mexico:[5]
| Name | World union or faction (WZO listing) |
|---|---|
| Daniel Michelle Buchsbaum Munos | World Union of Meretz |
| Lucia Dryjansky (Guss Elterman) | Na'amat |
| Silvia Kleinberg De Engelmayer | World Likud |
| Chirit Tov Krawchik | World Mizrachi |
| Ariela Liberman | B'nai B'rith |
| Alfonso Salmon Masri | World Sephardi Federation |
| Gaston Maya | World Sephardi Federation |
| Michelle Estefania Mitrani Rubinstein | Kol Israel (including the Confederation) |
| Jacobo Raijman Broder | Mercaz Olami |
| Galia Treistman Klenburg | Hanoar Hatzioni |
| Nicolas Matias Trepman | Brit Etz |
National institutions
| National institution | Mexican affiliate or presence |
|---|---|
| World Zionist Organization | Consejo Sionista de México, tel. +52 55 5245 8621[2][1] |
| Keren Hayesod | Keren Hayesod México. On 29 January 2025 Lina Mussali de Kably handed the presidency to Marcos Achar Tawil for 2025–2027, who pledged to "continue the work of solidarity with Israel"; the director is Yakir Keren.[16] Keren Hayesod lists Mexico among the Latin American countries where it opens annual campaigns.[17] |
| Jewish National Fund | KKL México (Keren Kayemet México). New offices were opened in April 2025 during a visit by the KKL-JNF world chair Ifat Ovadia; Nathan Shteremberg is honorary life president.[18] In October 2026 KKL-JNF honoured KKL México for 100 years of "uninterrupted dedication to the Zionist cause and to the development of the State of Israel"; the award was received by its president, Ricardo Mischne.[19] |
| Women's International Zionist Organization | WIZO México, which calls itself an "organisation of Jewish-Mexican Zionist women". It received the Premio Juárez on 21 March 2026 for 75 years of work in education.[20] WIZO's world body says the federation has operated in Mexico for 83 years.[21] |
| Maccabi World Union | Macabi at the CDI, which describes itself as part of the educational arm of the Maccabi World Union and lists "knowledge, affection and commitment to Israel" among its aims.[22] |
Major Zionist and Jewish communal organisations
- Comité Central de la Comunidad Judía de México: the community's representative body since 1938.[6] Its operating arms are Tribuna Israelita, the Comité de Seguridad Comunitaria (community security), the Comité de Acción Social and the Comité de Análisis Estratégico; the Consejo de Presidentes is made up of the presidents of the communities and of the CDI. President: Alberto Romano (2026–2028); predecessor Elías Achar (2023–2026).[14] For its public statements on "Israel" see History.
- Consejo Sionista de México: the WZO federation (see above). It has hosted a congress of Latin American Zionist federations.[1]
- Centro Deportivo Israelita (CDI): the community sports and social centre, which houses Macabi and Hanoar Hatzioni and hosted the October 2023 solidarity act.[11][22]
- Kehilá Ashkenazí de México: on 7 October 2026, with Keren Hayesod México, it held an inter-communal commemoration at its Ramat Shalom centre that expressed "solidarity with Israel". The speakers included the president of the Comunidad Ashkenazí, Raquel Feldman, the Israeli ambassador, Marcos Achar of Keren Hayesod México and Jacobo Cohen, president of the Federación Mexicana de Jóvenes Judíos (FeMeJJ). Two young members of the community, Moisés Goldner and Salomón Bucay, spoke for Mishpoje, an association that gives "accompaniment, assistance and support" to those serving in the Israeli army.[23]
- Federación Mexicana de Jóvenes Judíos (FeMeJJ): brings together and represents Jewish student organisations, working with Tribuna Israelita on campus.[6][23]
- B'nai B'rith: one of the factions on the WZO's Mexican delegate list.[5]
Youth movements, education and aliyah
In 2015 Enlace Judío described the Moetzet Tnuot Noar (council of youth movements) as grouping seven Zionist youth movements: Habonim Dror, Hashomer Hatzair, Hanoar Hatzioni, Hejalutz Lamerjav, Macabi Hatzair, Dor Jadash and Bnei Akiva.[24] The World Jewish Congress notes "many branches of international Zionist youth" movements in Mexico.[25]
- Hanoar Hatzioni de México, based at the CDI, teaches that "Medinat Israel" is "the only national home for all the Jews of the world".[26]
- Habonim Dror México, writing in 2025 on the tnuot (youth movements), described Hashomer Hatzair and Dror as among the first youth organisations to promote Zionism, "with the goal of aliyah (to migrate to British Palestine to found Israel, the first and only Jewish state)"; it says both have a "Jewish-Zionist" focus.[27]
- Macabi Hatzair is the youth wing of Macabi at the CDI.[22]
Israel.com's compilation of aliyah data gives 169 immigrants from Mexico in 2025.[28] Longer-run figures from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics are on Jewish, Zionist and Israeli connections to Mexico.
Antisemitism organisations
- Tribuna Israelita: founded in 1944 to counter antisemitism; it is the Comité Central's arm for relations with the media, religious, academic and political groups, and runs an online form for reporting antisemitic incidents.[6][29] Its president in 2023 was Jacobo Romano.[11]
- Comité de Seguridad Comunitaria: the Comité Central's community security arm.[14]
- Comité Central de la Comunidad Judía de México: Achar's 2026 report described his term as marked by "growing antisemitism and antizionism in the world" and set measures to fight antisemitism in Mexico alongside support for "Israel".[14]
Israeli state presence
- Embassy of Israel in Mexico City. Einat Kranz Neiger was ambassador at the time of the October 2023 solidarity act.[11] Her successor, Yoed Magen, was welcomed by the embassy in September 2026.[30] On 7 October 2026, before presenting his credentials to President Claudia Sheinbaum, he spoke at a commemoration at the Bet El synagogue in Polanco and sought international backing against Hamas.[31] He also addressed the Kehilá Ashkenazí commemoration.[23]
- The Comité Central describes a "very special relationship" with the embassy, and its new president committed to serve as a "bridge" for "Israel"'s relations with Mexico.[14]
Religious Zionism and Chabad
World Mizrachi holds one Mexican delegate in the WZO listing.[5] Bnei Akiva is one of the seven movements of the Moetzet Tnuot Noar.[24] The Yavne school describes itself as "Orthodox, Zionist and modern" and since 2015 has worked with Tora MiTzion, which sends two bachurim a year from "the Zionist yeshivot of Israel" "to strengthen Jewish identity and religious Zionist values".[32][33]
Chabad Lubavitch of Mexico
- Main article: Chabad Lubavitch of Mexico
Synagogue movements and schools
The World Jewish Congress counts 16 Jewish day schools in Mexico, varying "in religiosity, Zionist, and secularism".[25] The Comité Central's education network is coordinated by the Vaad Hajinuj.[14]
- Masorti (Conservative): Comunidad Bet El, which absorbed the English-speaking Beth Israel Community in 2024.[6] At its October 2024 day of community solidarity "the Jewish Community of Mexico declared its commitment to Israel", said that "the fight for the right of the State of Israel to exist continues", completed a Torah scroll "in honour of the fallen jayalim" (soldiers) and sang Hatikvá.[34] Bet El's synagogue in Polanco hosted the 2026 commemoration with the Israeli ambassador.[31] Mercaz Olami has one Mexican delegate.[5]
- Colegio Hebreo Tarbut (founded 1942): a "Jewish-Mexican, Zionist educational institution" with a "commitment to Mexico, to the State of Israel"; it says "Zionism is fundamental" and that it prepares pupils "to be informed and committed defenders of Israel".[35][36]
- Colegio Olamí ORT: its principles include "recognition of the centrality of the State of Israel" and of "the State of Israel as a central factor for all the Jews of the Tfutzot" (diaspora).[37]
- Escuela Yavne: "Orthodox, Zionist and modern" Judaism and "love for the Torah, Medinat Israel and Am Israel" (see Religious Zionism).[32]
Leaders
| Name | Position | Source date |
|---|---|---|
| Alberto Lobatón Kassin | President, Consejo Sionista de México[10] | February 2025 |
| Moisés Mitrani Behar | President, Consejo Sionista de México, 2021–2025[9] | February 2025 |
| Moisés Salinas Fleitman | President, Comité Electoral Territorial México (2025 Zionist election)[15] | May 2025 |
| Alberto Romano | President, Comité Central de la Comunidad Judía de México, 2026–2028[14] | January 2026 |
| Elías Achar | President, Comité Central, 2023–2026[14] | January 2026 |
| Jacobo Romano | President, Tribuna Israelita[11] | October 2023 |
| Marcos Achar Tawil | President, Keren Hayesod México, 2025–2027[16] | January 2025 |
| Yakir Keren | Director, Keren Hayesod México[16] | January 2025 |
| Ricardo Mischne | President, KKL México[19] | October 2026 |
| Nathan Shteremberg | Honorary life president, KKL México[18] | April 2025 |
| Raquel Feldman | President, Comunidad Ashkenazí de México[23] | October 2026 |
| Jacobo Cohen | President, Federación Mexicana de Jóvenes Judíos[23] | October 2026 |
| Yoed Magen | Israeli ambassador to Mexico[30][31] | October 2026 |
See also
- Jewish, Zionist and Israeli connections to Mexico
- Chabad Lubavitch of Mexico
- Zionist Movement Argentina
- Zionist movement US
- Zionist movement Canada
- Zionist movement by country
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Consejo Sionista de México, home page (in Spanish), archived at the Wayback Machine (2025 copy), accessed 10 November 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 World Zionist Organization, "Zionist Federations", accessed 10 November 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 World Zionist Organization, summary of election results and agreements for the 39th Congress (Hebrew), as submitted to the Zionist Court on 9 October 2025, accessed 10 November 2026.
- ↑ World Zionist Organization, summary of election results and agreements for the 38th Congress, 2020 (Hebrew), accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 World Zionist Organization, "Delegates", 39th Zionist Congress, accessed 10 November 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Tribuna Israelita, "The Jewish Community of Mexico", accessed 10 November 2026.
- ↑ Sergio DellaPergola, "World Jewish Population, 2023", American Jewish Year Book 2023, Berman Jewish DataBank, accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ Judit Bokser de Liwerant, "La formación del sionismo en México (1920–1947)" (in Spanish), copy hosted by Diario Judío México, accessed 21 October 2026.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Moisés Mitrani Behar, "Reflexiones tras 4 años como presidente del Consejo Sionista de México" (Reflections after four years as president of the Zionist Council of Mexico), Enlace Judío, 10 February 2025.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Felicidades a Alberto Lobatón Kassin por su nombramiento" (Congratulations to Alberto Lobatón Kassin on his appointment), Diario Judío México, 12 February 2025.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Centro Deportivo Israelita, "Acto intercomunitario de solidaridad con el Pueblo de Israel en el CDI" (Inter-communal act of solidarity with the people of Israel at the CDI), 21 October 2023.
- ↑ "Videos, fotos y el comunicado de Prensa del Comité Central sobre el acto de la Comunidad Judía de México en solidaridad con el pueblo de Israel", Diario Judío México, 16 October 2023.
- ↑ "Comunidad judía de México condena ataque de Irán contra Israel" (Jewish community of Mexico condemns Iran's attack on Israel), Enlace Judío, 13 April 2024.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 14.7 Tribuna Israelita, "Alberto Romano asume la Presidencia del Comité Central de la Comunidad Judía de México" (Alberto Romano takes up the presidency of the Central Committee of the Jewish Community of Mexico), 2026, accessed 10 November 2026.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Termina la polémica, empiezan las elecciones: ¿Y tú, ya decidiste quién hablará por México?" (The controversy ends, the elections begin), Diario Judío México, 28 May 2025.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 "Cambio de presidencia en Keren Hayesod México" (Change of presidency at Keren Hayesod México), Diario Judío México, 31 January 2025.
- ↑ Keren Hayesod – United Israel Appeal, "Apertura de campañas" (Campaign openings), accessed 23 October 2026.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Inauguran oficinas de KKL México y reciben a Ifat Ovadia, Presidenta Mundial" (KKL México offices opened), Enlace Judío, 3 April 2025.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 "Keren Kayemet México recibe un histórico reconocimiento por sus 100 años durante el Congreso Mundial de Líderes de KKL", Diario Judío México, 24 October 2026.
- ↑ WIZO México, "WIZO México", accessed 10 November 2026.
- ↑ Women's International Zionist Organization, "Mexico", accessed 10 November 2026.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Centro Deportivo Israelita, "Macabi", 9 December 2025, accessed 10 November 2026.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 "Memoria, solidaridad y esperanza: una comunidad unida ante la herida del 7 de octubre" (Memory, solidarity and hope), La Kehile (Kehilá Ashkenazí), 8 October 2026.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Moetzet-Tnuot Noar", Enlace Judío, 5 March 2015.
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 World Jewish Congress, "Community in Mexico", accessed 21 October 2026.
- ↑ Centro Deportivo Israelita, "Hanoar Hatzioni de México", 26 February 2016.
- ↑ Habonim Dror, "Las tnuot: el lugar mágico dónde la identidad judía persevera" (The tnuot: the magic place where Jewish identity endures), Diario Judío México, 1 December 2025.
- ↑ Israel.com, "Aliyah Statistics 2025: Who Moves to Israel, and Where They Settle", accessed 25 October 2026.
- ↑ Tribuna Israelita, "Antisemitismo", accessed 10 November 2026.
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 "Conoce al nuevo Embajador de Israel en México" (Meet the new Israeli ambassador in Mexico), Enlace Judío, 18 September 2026.
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 Alberto Zamora, "Busca embajador de Israel en México respaldo internacional contra Hamás" (Israeli ambassador in Mexico seeks international backing against Hamas), Diario Judío México, 9 October 2026.
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 Escuela Yavne, "Misión", accessed 10 November 2026.
- ↑ Escuela Yavne, "Tora MiTzion", accessed 10 November 2026.
- ↑ Comunidad Bet El, "Día de Solidaridad Comunitaria – Unidos Somos Más Fuertes" (Day of community solidarity), 10 October 2024.
- ↑ Colegio Hebreo Tarbut, "Nosotros" (About us), accessed 10 November 2026.
- ↑ Colegio Hebreo Tarbut, "Identidad" (Identity), accessed 10 November 2026.
- ↑ Colegio Olamí ORT, "Nuestra Escuela" (Our school), accessed 10 November 2026.