Jewish Funders Network

10/29/2026

In our newest episode, JFN President and CEO Andrés Spokoiny speaks with Ahmed Fuoad Alkhatib, a Gaza native, author of Hamas and Its Two Million Hostages, and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council where he leads the Realign for Palestine project.

Take a listen: https://www.jfunders.org/news/737687/Ahmed-Fouad-Alkhatib---Confronting-Extremism-with-Radical-Pragmatism.htm

Ahmed is one of the most outspoken Palestinian critics of Hamas and remains committed to Palestinian statehood. He and Andrés discuss what it means to be pro-Palestinian and why he believes most Gazans are themselves hostages to Hamas rule. He also makes a case for what he calls radical pragmatism: confronting extremism without becoming an extremist.

10/27/2026

Israelis headed to the polls today, and many funders are watching closely.

In an interview with eJewish Philanthropy, Sigal Yaniv Feller, Executive Director, JFN Israel, shares what she is seeing on the ground as funders weigh the timing of larger commitments. She also explains why she sees reason for optimism, including the broadest level of philanthropic collaboration she has seen in her 25 years in the field.

Read the full interview: https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/philanthropy-closely-monitoring-israeli-election-waiting-to-see-next-coalition-and-its-priorities/

10/26/2026

We’ve all been into counting steps for a while now. If you don’t have an Oura ring, you check the step counter on your phone. These pedometers are great, but they can only tell if you are moving, not if you are advancing.  Philanthropy, and Jewish philanthropy in particular, is usually very goo...

10/19/2026

Nominations are open for the J.J. Greenberg Memorial Award. This award honors outstanding foundation professionals, age 40 and under, who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in Jewish philanthropy.

Nominations close in two weeks on Tuesday, November 3 at 5:00 pm ET. Nominate a worthy young professional today!
https://www.jfunders.org/page/jj_nominations

Created in memory of J.J. Greenberg, who passed away tragically in 2002 at age 36, this award celebrates individuals who embody Jewish values and the relentless pursuit of excellence, just as J.J. did. This year’s award winner will be presented at the 2027 JFN International Conference and receive a $10,000 prize to be used for professional development or tzedakah.

10/15/2026

In this episode of What Gives?, JFN President and CEO Andrés Spokoiny speaks with Jamie Simon, CEO of the Foundation for Jewish Camp, which supports a network of 340 nonprofit Jewish camps across North America.

Take a listen: https://www.jfunders.org/news/736927/Jamie-Simon---Jewish-Identity-Takes-Root-at-Camp.htm

Research shows that a strong sense of belonging at camp helps kids make Jewish practice and community their own, and FJC's 2011 Camp Works study found that campers who felt that belonging are significantly more likely to become engaged Jewish adults.

Jamie and Andrés discuss what makes camp such a powerful setting for that identity and how camps are navigating conversations about Israel and Zionism with staff and teens, along with the affordability and bed capacity challenges standing between FJC and its goal of doubling camp attendance.

10/14/2026

The 2027 JFN International Conference in Tel Aviv is taking shape, and the newly launched conference website is the best place to get up-to-date information.

Visit the site: https://jfnconference.cventevents.com/

You'll find an early look at the schedule, with more details on the way, and an FAQ page for all your questions about the conference.

We’re excited to announce that member registration opens on November 11, 2026! We can't wait to welcome you back to Tel Aviv, so check back often as we add new information, and watch your inbox for registration details.

10/06/2026

Nominations are now open for the J.J. Greenberg Memorial Award. This award honors outstanding foundation professionals, age 40 and under, who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in Jewish philanthropy.

Nominate a worthy young professional today!
https://www.jfunders.org/page/jj_nominations

Created in memory of J.J. Greenberg, who passed away tragically in 2002 at age 36, this award celebrates individuals who embody Jewish values and the relentless pursuit of excellence, just as J.J. did. This year’s award winner will be presented at the 2027 JFN International Conference and receive a $10,000 prize to be used for professional development or tzedakah.

Click here to learn more: https://www.jfunders.org/page/jj

09/23/2026

A remarkable act of generosity, matched by a remarkable response. When Gal Gadot won this year's Genesis Prize, often called the "Jewish Nobel," she chose to direct the $1 million award toward Israel's long-term psychological recovery from the past three years of war and loss.

JFN was proud to help lead the matching effort that followed. Working with the Genesis Prize Foundation, the initiative generated an additional $2 million in private and corporate giving, turning Gadot's gift into a $3 million initiative now reaching two dozen Israeli nonprofits on the front lines of trauma care.

Read the full story below.

Click here to see the full list of grantees: https://www.genesisprize.org/laureate-initiatives/helping-the-helpers/

Israeli actress donates her $1 million Genesis Prize, prompting another $2 million in matching donations for two dozen nonprofits treating trauma and supporting frontline mental health professionals

09/15/2026

Jewish communities have absorbed massive technological shifts before, but AI may move faster and cut deeper than any of them.

Join us TOMORROW for Aspire to hear from Rabbi Zvika Krieger, Spiritual Leader, Chochmat HaLev in Berkeley, who also advises AI companies including Anthropic, Sara Tillinger Wolkenfeld, Chief Learning Officer at Sefaria, Dr. David Zvi Kalman of the Shalom Hartman Institute, and JFN President and CEO Andrés Spokoiny.

Click here to register: https://www.jfunders.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2061864&group=

Our panel will explore what Jewish history teaches us about surviving disruption, and a question being raised more and more: unlike the Vatican, which just issued a major encyclical on AI, whose job is it in the Jewish world to work through what this technology means for meaning, work, and community?

This program is open to JFN members and non-members.

09/14/2026

Nominations for the 2027 Ilia Salita Excellence in Research Award (ERA) will close this Thursday, September 17, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET, and applications will close next week on Thursday, September 24, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET. Don't miss your chance to nominate a worthy research project.

Click here to nominate a worthy research project: https://jfunders.jotform.com/form/262173595907164

Since its founding, the ERA has elevated research that impacts how funders and nonprofits approach their work. Previous recipients have done important research on educator engagement with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, how Jewish organizations think about talent and leadership, and how antisemitism is expressed along the ideological spectrum. See updated eligibility criteria for this year's award here. The winner will be announced at the JFN 2027 International Conference, which takes place March 14-17, 2027 in Israel.