Serving from 1973 to 1996 as the president of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, Schindler aligned the Reform movement with Zionism. Going back to the mid-19th century, Reform had emphasized Jewish religion over peoplehood. Under Schindler, the movement embraced Zionism and launched the Association of Reform Zionists of America, now one of the largest parties in the World Zionist Congress. He chaired the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in the late 1970s.
Photo: Rabbi Alexander Schindler with Ariel Sharon (Dan Hadani Collection, Pritzker Family National Photography Collection, National Library of Israel)