Isaiah L. Kenen

Isaiah L. Kenen
Born	March 7, 1905 Canada
Died	1988
Occupation	Journalist, lawyer, philanthropist
Spouse(s)	Beatrice Bain () Bernice Taube Kenen ()
Children	Peter Kenen
Parent(s)	Mendel Kenen Rebecca Freedberg
Relatives	Lloyd Bochner (nephew) Hart Bochner (great-nephew)

Isaiah Leo "Si" Kenen (1905–1988) was a Canadian-born American journalist, lawyer and philanthropist. He was the founder of the American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs (AZCPA), the forerunner of the modern American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

Kenen was born on March 7, 1905 in Canada, the son of Rebecca (Freedberg) and Mendel Kenen. His father, born in Kiev, was an insurance agent. His family was active in the Zionist movement and his father established the first Bnei Zion club in Toronto and attended the first meetings of the World Zionist Congress. Kenen studied at the University of Toronto and majored in philosophy.

Kenen started working as a journalist at the Toronto Star and moved to Cleveland, Ohio in 1926. He studied law and was admitted to the Ohio Bar Association in 1933. He became active in the Zionist movement and in 1941 became president of the Cleveland Zionist District. In the 1940s, he served as the information director of the Jewish Agency and following the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, he served on the Israeli delegation to the United Nations. Regarding this period, he wrote in his book Israel's Defense Line:

"Our Jewish community faced a challenge in 1942. Numbed and helpless bystanders as Adolf Hitler waged his demoniacal war against the Jewish people, embittered by our failure to rouse the democracies to deter Hitler, to rescue and open doors to those who might be saved, American Jews assumed their responsibility during World War II. Despite the opposition of the Department of State, they made a commitment to establish an independent Jewish state where Jews could live in freedom and security."

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