COMMON MAPS
Map version new-york activity top-down
Main site Contact
Menu
↑ parent activity group ·
research dossier

AMERICA-ISRAEL FRIENDSHIP LEAGUE INC

NEW YORK, NY · EIN 237252135 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE Q230 · International Affairs · Small ($100K-$1M) · aifl.org
revenue
$648K
expenses
$473K
net assets
$185K
employees
3
volunteers
36
program ratio
31%
mission · from form 990

PIONEERING AN EVERLASTING BOND BETWEEN THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL.

profile · synthesized from sources

Nonprofit organization founded in 1971 to strengthen ties between Americans and Israelis through people-to-people exchanges, educational programs, and cultural initiatives. Organizes leadership delegations to Israel for legislators, business leaders, and educators, and runs the Youth Ambassador Student Exchange (YASE) program. Offers virtual events, webinars, and parlor meetings to connect Americans with Israeli culture, innovation, and society.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $13K
    PUBLIC INFORMATION / EDUCATION - THE AIFL WEBINAR SERIES GREW IN TOTAL UNIQUE VIEWERSHIP TO EXCEED 2 MILLION VIEWERS, WITH AN EXPOSURE OF THE ACTIVITIES AND THE ORGANIZATION VIA ONLINE PROMOTION TO NEARLY 12 MILLION VIEWS, AND HAS INCREASED THE VIEWERSHIP FROM SEVERAL HUNDRED PARTICIPANTS AT THE OUTSET, IN EARLY 2020, TO AN AVERAGE EXCEEDING 10,000 UNIQUE VIEWERS PER SESSION ON A CONSISTENT BASIS. THIS IS UNHEARD OF, AS MOST ORGANIZATIONS THAT ENGAGED IN WEBINARS DURING THE COVID YEARS HAVE SEEN THEIR NUMBERS DWINDLE AS LIFE IS RESORTING BACK TO NORMAL, AND HAVE THEREFORE BEEN FORCED TO DISCONTINUE THE WEBINAR ACTIVITY ON A REGULAR BASIS.
named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Friends-in-Deeds
COVID-19 response initiative providing weekly donations of Israeli food and virtual wellness programs to communities across the U.S.
Leadership Delegations to Israel
Organizes trips to Israel for U.S. state legislators, business leaders, pastors, and educators to promote professional and cultural exchange
Parlor Meetings
Local and virtual gatherings centered on shared interests such as food, art, and faith to connect Americans with Israeli culture
Pastor-Educator Seminar: "Why Israel?"
Educational program for Christian pastors and educators to deepen understanding of Israel’s history, culture, and society
Youth Ambassador Student Exchange (YASE)
Bilateral exchange program for American and Israeli youth emphasizing citizenship, leadership, and mutual understanding
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Israel and Jewish Heritage Educational Travel 4 activities
    • Advocate for Israel through public diplomacy and legislative engagement
      Counters anti-Israel campaigns, such as by arranging delegations for Presbyterian Church clergy to Israel to prevent divestment, and reports on major Israeli legislative developments and large-scale public demonstrations to inform and shape public opinion.
    • Host educational parlor meetings (live and virtual)
      Conducts live and virtual parlor meetings that connect U.S. communities with Israel through shared interests such as art, current events, faith, food, literature, and educational tours of kibbutzim and Jerusalem. These include Zoom-streamed events and feature professional tour guides and themed discussions, such as on water conservation technologies.
    • Host signature public events celebrating U.S.-Israel ties
      Organizes high-profile annual events such as Israel Day at the New York Stock Exchange and ceremonial market openings at NASDAQ to strengthen commercial and cultural ties between the U.S. and Israel.
    • Organize annual leadership delegations to Israel
      Conducts annual leadership delegations for U.S. business leaders, government officials, and professionals to promote professional development, educational exchange, and cultural understanding between Americans and Israelis. These delegations are carried out in cooperation with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and include participation by U.S. Attorneys General and other government leaders.
  • Interfaith Dialogue & Peacebuilding 1 activity
    • Engage faith leaders through targeted education programs
      Runs the “Why Israel?” Pastor-Educator Seminar program to educate Christian pastors and educators as grassroots opinion-makers, fostering deeper understanding of Israel within faith communities.
  • Recognition and Awards Programs 1 activity
    • Recognize democracy advocates through awards program
      Administers the Partners for Democracy Award, established in 1991, to honor champions and activists who promote democratic values and strengthen civic engagement.
  • Cultural Exchange and Mutual Understanding Programs 1 activity
    • Support campus and youth exchange programs
      Runs youth and student-focused exchange programs, including sending New York City high school students to Israel, facilitating exchanges for American and Israeli journalists, and supporting sports and educational exchanges between young athletes, coaches, and referees from diverse backgrounds.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Provide crisis support with Israeli goods and virtual programming
      Launched a March 2020 initiative to distribute Israeli snack foods and goods to U.S. communities during the COVID-19 crisis, including weekly $500 donations to charities and food banks, alongside virtual webinars on health, wellness, and economic topics to maintain engagement with Israel.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$648K
Contributions & grants$646K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$3K
expenses
Total expenses$473K
Program expenses31%
Admin / overhead46%
Fundraising23%
Salaries & benefits$277K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$194K
Cash$173K
Investments$0
Liabilities$9K
Net assets$185K
Liquid reserves4.4 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -31.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 25
  • ALLEN SESSOMS — DIRECTOR
  • ARTHUR SCHNEIER — DIRECTOR
  • CAROL KARSCH — DIRECTOR
  • CATHERINE CARLTON — DIRECTOR
  • DAN GILLERMAN — DIRECTOR
  • DAVID MILCH — DIRECTOR
  • ELSA BEN SHIMON — DIRECTOR
  • ERIC GERTLER — CHAIRMAN
  • GARY GLADSTEIN — DIRECTOR
  • GEORGE ARZT — DIRECTOR
  • GOL KALEV — DIRECTOR
  • J DAVIS — DIRECTOR
  • JACOB FRENKEL — DIRECTOR
  • JAMES GERTLER — DIRECTOR
  • JONATHAN BARSADE — PRESIDENT
  • JOSEPH POTASNIK — DIRECTOR
  • JUNE DEMPSEY — VICE PRESIDENT
  • LEN BLAVATNIK — DIRECTOR
  • LISA BIALKIN — DIRECTOR
  • MALCOLM HOENLEIN — DIRECTOR
  • MORTIMER ZUCKERMAN — HONORARY PRESIDENT
  • RICHARD BRODY — TREASURER
  • ROBERT ABRAMS — SECRETARY
  • RONALD BARON — DIRECTOR
  • RONALD LAUDER — DIRECTOR
relationships · 17

Who they work with

  • Concrete Jungle Partner — Recipient of a Friends-in-Deeds donation on April 9, 2020.
  • Cornell University Cooperative Extension Partner — Collaborated on the “Strength Through Diversity” initiative launched in 2010.
  • Evanston Hospital Partner — Recipient of a Friends-in-Deeds donation on April 16, 2020.
  • Government of the State of Israel Partner — Cooperated with the America-Israel Friendship League to organize the 2020 Attorneys General delegation.
  • House of Israel Partner — Co-hosts parlor meetings with AIFL
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the State of Israel Partner — Cooperated on the 2019 Influential Women in Leadership Delegation
  • NASDAQ Partner — Hosts AIFL's annual Israel Day events, including conferences and ceremonial market opening.
  • National Conference of State Legislatures Partner — Collaborates on organizing delegations of state legislators to Israel.
  • New York Stock Exchange Partner — Hosted Israel Day in partnership with AIFL.
  • Pacific Southwest Consulate Partner — Co-hosts parlor meetings with AIFL
  • Presbyterian Church Partner — Engaged senior clergy through a delegation to Israel, leading to the abolition of divestment resolutions.
  • Project Interchange Partner — AIFL supported and launched Project Interchange, which arranges 10-day seminars in Israel for Americans engaged in public life.
  • Rivulis Irrigation, N.A. Partner — Provides speakers for AIFL parlor meetings on water conservation technologies
  • Simon Wiesenthal NY Tolerance Center Partner — Collaborated on the “Strength Through Diversity” initiative launched in 2010.
  • The Campaign Against Hunger Partner — Recipient of a Friends-in-Deeds donation on April 1, 2020.
  • The Oscar Litwak Foundation Partner — Recipient of a Friends-in-Deeds donation on April 20, 2020.
  • USIA Funder — Funded the AIFL Young Journalist Exchange Program through the President’s International Youth Exchange Initiative.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Cultural Solidarity Activated During Crisis
    methodology: cultural-solidarity-through-crisis-response
    By delivering Israeli goods and virtual cultural programming during times of crisis, we deepen U.S.-Israel ties because shared cultural experiences in moments of vulnerability strengthen emotional solidarity and mutual support.
  • Framing Narrative Change to Broaden Understanding of Israel
    methodology: framing and narrative change
    By highlighting Israeli innovation in entrepreneurship, culture, medicine, and environmental science, we shift public perception beyond conflict narratives because exposure to diverse, positive narratives increases empathy and sustained engagement.
  • People-to-People Diplomacy Through Exchange
    methodology: people-to-people diplomacy
    By facilitating reciprocal leadership delegations, youth exchanges, and alumni engagement, we strengthen U.S.-Israel relationships because direct personal connections build enduring mutual understanding across cultures and backgrounds.