Russian Jewish group joins American Zionists 

A US-based Russian Jewish group has joined the American Zionist Movement (AZM). "Russian American Jews for Israel" will be the only group representing the Russian American Jewish community in the AZM, which is made up of American Zionist groups across the political spectrum. Membership on the AZM allows a group to be elected to the 750-seat World Zionist Congress. The Congress convenes every four to five years to negotiate the policy of the World Zionist Organization, which makes up half the decision-making power of the Jewish Agency for Israel. That means influence over the agency’s US$ 350 million budget, which focuses on immigration and absorption, as well as world-wide religious, political and educational programs.