New Israel Fund

Filing Period

Jan 1, 2011 to Dec 31, 2011

Signed

Oct 18, 2012

Return Version

2011v1.2

Gross Receipts

$30,026,436

Mission

Major Activities

Activity 2

Religious pluralism and tolerance: nif's long term goal is to achieve freedom of and from religion in israel, and to promote diverse approaches to jewish practice and jewish identity in israel. Nif works with civil society organizations to achieve the following objectives: - foster diverse expressions of jewish identity and practice;- promote legislation that mitigates the control of the rabbinate;- advocate for equal allocation of resources to non-orthodox jewish services and education; and- strengthen liberal elements within orthodoxy to achieve these objects, nif conducted the following activities in 2011:- nif provided grants in the amount of $1,607,139 to 51 organizations. - technical assistance was provided to organizations at a cost of $385,165.- programs were conducted at a cost of $230,232 including a research project on religious pluralism in the russian immigrant community. Among the many achievements of grantees funded in this program:in a new program emphasizing religious pluralism, nif initiated torah study sessions in honor of the shavuot holiday throughout israel in june. The sessions, many of them sponsored by groups not previously associated with nif, reflected the complex composition of israeli society and the daunting range of moral issues confronting the country. The sessions ranged from one in which a rabbi, imam and priest speaking about interfaith dialogue to a study session led by novelist a.b. Yehoshua and mk shelly yacimovitch, to a program in a reform synagogue on jewish discourse and human rights. In addition to the financial support underwriting the events, nif provided study materials written by leading secular, reform, orthodox and conservative leaders.in a precedent-setting ruling, the tel aviv district court awarded nearly $200,000 compensation to a woman whose husband refused to grant her a divorce. The woman was represented by nif grantee center for women's justice. In israel, there is no civil marriage or divorce. According to jewish, and thus israeli, law, a woman who does not receive a religious divorce from her husband is known as an agunah, or "chained woman" and cannot remarry.

Activity 3

Social and economic justice: our long-term goal is to reduce social and economic gaps and to help address the needs of and empower israel's most disadvantaged citizens. Nif works with civil society organizations to achieve the following objectives:- foster a broad culture of citizen action; - promote workable policies and programs addressing poverty, homelessness, unemployment, and urban decay in low-income communities. This includes increased investments in, and creating broader opportunities for, those living in the geographic and social peripheries.- improve educational and economic opportunities for disadvantaged citizens;- develop grassroots leadership skills among women and minorities and other disenfranchised populations.- strengthen organizational capacity of organizations working toward social justice for women, minorities, those in the periphery and generally disenfranchised groups. - establish effective coalitions to advance policies and raise awareness.to achieve these objectives, nif conducted the following activities in 2011:- nif provided grants in the amount of $7,363,913 to 119 organizations.- technical assistance was provided to organizations at a cost of $898,712. - nif conducted its own programs that promote social justice at a cost of $1,917,307 that included a social entrepreneurship program. Among the many achievements of grantees funded in this program:in september, 450,000 israelis marched in tel aviv, jerusalem and across the country demanding social justice. Originating as a protest for affordable housing, the movement grew to encompass the high cost of living, growing social and economic gaps, and accountability and fairness in government, and has already changed government policy and budget priorities. Nif-us was the only organization outside israel to support the movement. The nif family continues to play an integral role strengthening the movement and championing legislation and policies in support of socio-economic equality. Nif's kick racism out of israeli soccer campaign contributed to an impressive 39% decrease in racist chanting during the 2010/2011 soccer season. Counter-racist actions, including booing and silencing fans who act in a racist manner, have increased by 18% due to nif activities, which have resulted in increased media attention and educational awareness, and helped outlaw racist behavior in sports stadiums. In a major victory for social justice, the sheshinski committee's recommendations to raise the royalties on israel's newly-found natural gas fields from 33 to 55-65% were approved. Prime minister benjamin netanyahu said that most of the extra billions of dollars collected by the government will be allocated to education. Nif, shatil and israel's social change movement campaigned hard for higher royalty rates to be used towards increased expenditures on education and social welfare. In a verdict that validated israel's democratic institutions and demonstrated that no one - not even israel's leaders - is above the law, former israeli president moshe katsav was convicted for rape and sexual harassment. Following a plea bargain agreement, which would have allowed katsav to plead to lesser charges, kolech/religious women's forum, the association of rape crisis centers and other groups supported by nif appealed to the supreme court to cancel the plea bargain. Nif grantees also used the case to illuminate the wider social problem of sexual harassment in israel, and encourage women to come forward when they are victimized.

Filer

EIN

94-2607722