I.L. (Sy) Kenen

I.L. Kenen (born 7 March 1905, Canada) was a journalist before he founded AIPAC. He was born in Canada. Before founding AIPAC, he worked as a press secretary and spin doctor for Israel's ambassador to the UN Abba Eban. During WWII, he was registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) as the information director for American Zionist Emergency Council. After AZEC was renamed the American Zionist Council and registered as a tax-exempt, non-profit, Kenen became its executive director (no longer registered under FARA).

History

Kenen was born to an American Zionist family who had moved to Canada. His Ukrainian-born father established the first B'nai Zion club in Toronto in 1911. His sisters organized a Hadassah chapter in Toronto.

Bibliography

• Edward Tivnan, The Lobby: Jewish Political Power and American Foreign Policy (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1987)
• Grant F. Smith, America's Defense Line: The Justice Department's battle to register the Israel Lobby as agents of a foreign government (Washington, DC: IRMEP, 2007)
• Isaiah L. Kenen, Israel's defense line: her friends and foes in Washington (Prometheus Books, 1981)