Central Zionist Archives CZA World Zionist Organization

Overview

The Central Zionist Archives (CZA; Hebrew: הארכיון הציוני המרכזי) is the official archive of the Zionist Movement and its principal institutions: the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish Agency for Israel, the Jewish National Fund (Keren Kayemet), Keren Hayesod/United Israel Appeal, and the World Jewish Congress. Located in West Jerusalem adjacent to Binyanei HaUma (the International Convention Center), it is one of the two largest archives in Israel, holding an estimated 80 million documents. The CZA is an institution of the World Zionist Organization.

History and Founding

The CZA was founded in 1919 in Berlin by historian George Herlitz, who was appointed archivist of the Zionist Executive by Arthur Hantke. Initial holdings comprised the files of the Central Zionist Offices in Vienna and Cologne, thereafter expanded with records from the Jewish National Fund and the London Zionist Office, along with books, periodicals, and photographs. With the rise of the Nazi regime in 1933, Herlitz secured permission from German authorities to transfer the archives to Palestine. Materials were packed and shipped to Jerusalem, where they were housed in the basement of the National Institutions building. In 1956, the 24th Zionist Congress formally defined the CZA's status as the historic archive of the Zionist Movement and obligated all WZO and Jewish Agency offices to transfer non-current files to the CZA. A new purpose-built building, designed by architect Moshe Zarhi and featuring two above-ground floors and four underground storage floors, was constructed and inaugurated in November 1987. Computerization of the database began in the 1990s, and the first CZA website launched in 2004.

Collections and Holdings

The CZA's collections include: hundreds of thousands of correspondence files and institutional records of the World Zionist Organization and Jewish Agency; personal papers of over 1,500 leaders and activists of the Zionist Movement, including Theodor Herzl, Nahum Sokolow, David Wolffsohn, Henrietta Szold, Eliezer Ben Yehuda, and Haim Arlosoroff; records of international Zionist organizations from around the world (including Hadassah and the Zionist Organization of America); a Maps and Plans Collection; a Photograph Collection of approximately one million prints and negatives documenting life in Palestine and Zionist activity in the diaspora from the late 19th century; a Posters and Handbills Collection; a Newspapers and Periodicals Collection of over 13,000 titles in various languages; a Books Collection; a Microfilm Collection; and an Audio Collection of approximately 3,500 items including congress recordings, interviews with Zionist leaders, and ceremonies.

Notable Materials for Journalism and Media Research

The CZA's newspaper and periodicals collection — over 13,000 titles spanning the 19th century to the present — includes Zionist and Jewish press from Palestine and the diaspora in multiple languages. The personal papers of major Zionist figures frequently include correspondence with and about the Jewish press. The archive's photographic collections document the full sweep of Zionist settlement and diaspora media culture.

Access and Usage

The CZA is open Sunday through Thursday, 8:00 am–3:30 pm, closed on Jewish and Israeli national holidays. The archive has a spacious reading room, reference materials, card catalogues, and printed finding aids. Approximately 80% of catalogue entries are available on the archive's website. Digitized materials are increasingly accessible online. Genealogical inquiry services are also offered. The CZA is accessible via Jerusalem public transit. More information at zionistarchives.org.il.