New Israel Fund

New Israel Fund
Name	New Israel Fund
Founded	1979
Headquarters	Jerusalem; New York City
Founder	Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson?
Type	Nonprofit; non-governmental organization
Focus	Civil rights; social justice; religious pluralism

New Israel Fund The New Israel Fund is a nonprofit organization that supports civil rights, social justice, and legal advocacy in Israel. It funds and partners with Israeli and international organizations working on issues such as minority rights, legal reform, and civic pluralism. The fund has been involved with prominent Israeli institutions, international advocacy groups, and global philanthropic networks.

History

The organization emerged in the late 20th century amid debates involving Yitzhak Rabin, Menachem Begin, Golda Meir, Anwar Sadat, Ariel Sharon, and other leaders shaping Israeli policy after the Six-Day War, Yom Kippur War, and the Camp David Accords. Early interactions included relationships with figures like Shimon Peres, David Ben-Gurion-era institutions, and American Jewish leaders who had ties to United Jewish Appeal and United States Agency for International Development. Over time the organization intersected with Israeli legal institutions such as the Supreme Court of Israel, advocacy groups like B’Tselem, and political parties including Labor Party (Israel), Likud, and Meretz. Its history also reflects engagement with diaspora organizations such as American Jewish Committee, Anti-Defamation League, Jewish Agency for Israel, and international philanthropies including the Ford Foundation and the Open Society Foundations.

Mission and Activities

The fund’s stated mission emphasizes support for NGOs that advance civil liberties, minority rights, and equality, connecting to networks like Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Association for Civil Rights in Israel, and legal centers such as Israel Democracy Institute. Activities include grantmaking to groups litigating in the High Court of Justice, campaigns alongside cultural institutions like the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and educational partnerships with universities such as Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv University. It also engages with media outlets including Haaretz, The Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, and international broadcasters like BBC and CNN on public-interest initiatives.

Funding and Financial Structure

Funding sources have included individual donors in United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, foundations such as John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and Carnegie Corporation, and collaborations with philanthropic consortia linked to Rockefeller Foundation models. Financial oversight has involved accounting firms and nonprofit regulators comparable to Internal Revenue Service filings for 501(c)(3) entities, governance by boards including figures from organizations like American Jewish Committee and Jewish Federations of North America, and audit processes similar to practices at Grantmakers for Effective Organizations. The fund’s structure aligns with grantmaking practices used by entities like Open Society Foundations and major endowments such as the Gates Foundation.

Programs and Grants

Grant programs have supported legal aid groups, civil-society initiatives, cultural projects, and community organizations linked to minority communities including ties to Israeli Arab institutions, Druze communities, and Bedouin advocacy groups. Specific partnerships include collaboration patterns seen with Adalah, Breaking the Silence, Keshet, Tag Meir, Sikkuy, and academic programs at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Grants also supported media training modeled after programs at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and advocacy training similar to initiatives by ACLU and Center for Constitutional Rights.

Controversies and Criticism

The organization has faced criticism from political figures and advocacy groups across Israel and the diaspora, including critics aligned with Likud, Im Tirtzu, Settler Movement, and certain religious leaders within Chief Rabbinate of Israel. Debates have referenced cases involving the High Court of Justice, protests connected to the Evacuation of settlements, and disagreements over NGOs’ roles in reporting to international bodies like the United Nations Human Rights Council and the International Criminal Court. Campaigns against the fund involved media outlets such as Israel Hayom and legal challenges invoking laws similar to transparency requirements in United States nonprofit law. Supporters contrasted these campaigns with endorsements from civil-society networks including European Union human-rights programs and advocacy coalitions like Global Fund for Women.

Impact and Influence

The fund’s influence is visible through litigation outcomes at the Supreme Court of Israel, policy shifts debated in the Knesset, public discourse in newspapers such as Haaretz and The New York Times, and collaborations with international human-rights organizations including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Its grantees have shaped debates on minority-language rights in institutions like Education Ministry (Israel), municipal policies in cities such as Jerusalem, Tel Aviv-Yafo, and Haifa, and social programs influenced by partnerships with local NGOs, universities like Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, and think tanks including Institute for National Security Studies (Israel). The fund’s role in transnational philanthropy connects it to global networks exemplified by Philanthropy Australia and European Foundation Centre.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in Israel