Two Jewish organizations began lobbying the federal government for the first time this year, though overall lobbying expenditures by major Jewish groups declined during the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, according to Senate disclosures reviewed by JNS.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee remained the largest spender among Jewish groups but reduced its lobbying costs by approximately 6%, from $1.8 million in the first six months of 2025 to $1.7 million from January through June 2026.

The Anti-Defamation League spent $720,000 on lobbying in the first half of 2026, down roughly 19% from $890,000 in the same 2025 period. The Jewish Federations of North America cut spending by about 19%, from $386,622 to $312,109 over the same timeframes.

The Republican Jewish Coalition and Zionist Organization of America maintained their spending levels at $200,000 and $100,000 respectively. The Orthodox Union ended its relationship with lobbyist Brian Ballard at the beginning of the year, after initially engaging him in 2025.

The American Jewish Medical Association, which formed after October 7, hired its first lobbyists and reported $20,000 in spending from April to June. Its CEO, Eveline Shekhman, stated the group aims to address antisemitism in healthcare, noting concerns about hospital staff actions and union endorsements following October 7 that "could lead to hostile environments at healthcare facilities and affect patient care."

Democratic Majority for Israel also entered the lobbying arena this year on U.S.-Israel relations and Middle East policy, hiring two former congressional staff members and spending $100,000 to date.

Ross Baker, distinguished professor emeritus of political science at Rutgers, suggested that new groups may have felt compelled to expand their advocacy voice as AIPAC faces increased criticism, particularly in Democratic circles. "Other groups have been encouraged to take some of the heat off of AIPAC and to kind of spread the support of Israel to related groups that are less easily attacked," Baker said.