In the spring of 1978, Kadima (meaning "forward" in Hebrew), founded as the Jewish Liberation Alliance, is created to educate Jews and non-Jews about Jewish and Israeli history and to promote peace in the Middle East between Palestinians and Israelis. In January 1979, the group changes its name to Kadima: A Progressive Jewish Organization.
Kadima's political activities included protesting for a two-state solution in the Middle East and against Neo-Nazism and apartheid. In 1987, Kadima founded the Kadima Community School, an independent supplemental school, which teaches Jewish culture, history, ritual, language, and ethics within a context of progressive values. Kadima provides children with a high-quality Jewish education in an atmosphere of tolerance and diversity. It provides adult members an opportunity to be part of a progressive Jewish community. In 1994, the organization and school merged to form one identity.
In 2000, Kadima welcomed its first rabbi, Rabbi Drorah O'Donnell Setel.
