Mizrachi of America was founded in 1911 with groups in New York and St. Louis. Rabbi D. B. Abramowitz was the first president. The organization did not become effective until 1913, when Rabbi Meir Berlin settled in New York and became the leader of the movement. Following a tour of the country by Rabbi Berlin, Mizrachi held its first annual convention in Cincinnati in 1914. The Mizrachi Palestine Fund was established in 1928, and in 1936 became part of the United Palestine Appeal. Its youth movement, Benei Akiva, was established in 1934. In 1951 Mizrachi merged with Ha-Po'el ha-Mizrachi, which had been established early in the 1920s. The combined organization and its women's affiliates claimed a membership of 60,000–70,000 and in 1969 had a budget of $220,000. It has a youth group and is the parent organization of Va'ad Hachinuch Hacharedi, which promotes Hebrew day schools.