Israel Goldstein (June 18, 1896 – 1986) was an American-born Israeli rabbi, author and Zionist leader. He was one of the leading founders of Brandeis University.
Goldstein, born in Philadelphia, was a noteworthy graduate of South Philadelphia High School (SPHS) in 1911. At that time the school program was manual training, but his record showed to school administrators that there was more promise for academics servicing the immigrant population of South Philadelphia. He graduated the school at age 14 and then graduated the University of Pennsylvania three years later at the age of 17.
From 1918 until his immigration to Israel in 1960, Israel Goldstein served as the rabbi of Congregation B'nai Jeshurun in New York, the second oldest synagogue in the city. He was head of the New York Board of Rabbis (1928–30), the Jewish National Fund of America (1934-1943), the Zionist Organization of America (1943-1946), and American Jewish Congress (1952-1959), and helped found the National Conference of Christians and Jews.
In 1945, he was a consultant to the U.S. delegation at the Founding Conference of the United Nations in San Francisco.
In 1961-1971, Goldstein was World Chairman of Keren Hayesod-United Israel Appeal. He led Keren Hayesod during a period of expansion and growth, particularly after the Six-Day War.