JINSA was founded in 1976 as a non-profit, non-partisan organization to advocate on behalf of a strong U.S. military, a robust national security policy, and a strong U.S. security relationship with Israel and other like-minded democracies. JINSA's mandate is to: Provide leadership and affect policy on crucial issues of national security and foreign policy; Promote American security cooperation with like-minded democratic countries including, but not limited to, Israel; Engage the American defense community about the role Israel can and does play in securing Western, democratic interests in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions; and Improve awareness in the general public, as well as in the Jewish community of the importance of a strong American defense capability.