irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $1.10MLEADERSHIP AND CLERGY COHORT PROGRAMS: OUR IMMERSIVE, COHORT-BASED PROGRAMS PROVIDE INTENSIVE SPIRITUAL TRAINING OVER 10 TO 18 MONTHS FOR CLERGY, LAY LEADERS, AND DEDICATED PRACTITIONERS SEEKING TO INTEGRATE JEWISH MINDFULNESS AND LEADERSHIP INTO THEIR PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL LIVES. IJS PROVIDES SEVERAL SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS: CLERGY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR RABBIS AND CANTORS TO LEARN THE SKILLS OF JEWISH SPIRITUALITY; KIVVUN: MINDFUL JEWISH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR LAY LEADERS; YESOD PROGRAM FOR ASPIRING MINDFULNESS TEACHERS; AND KOL DODI SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR TRAINING. THESE PROGRAMS CULTIVATE A NETWORK OF SPIRITUALLY-GROUNDED LEADERS WHO ARE EQUIPPED TO TRANSFORM JEWISH COMMUNAL LIFE.
- #2 $333KRETREATS: OUR IN-PERSON RETREATS PROVIDE INTENSIVE, MULTI-DAY IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES DESIGNED TO DEEPEN JEWISH MINDFULNESS PRACTICE AND FOSTER SPIRITUAL GROWTH WITHIN A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNAL ENVIRONMENT. BY OFFERING A DEDICATED SPACE FOR REFLECTION AND PRACTICE AWAY FROM DAILY LIFE, THESE RETREATS EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS TO RETURN TO THEIR COMMUNITIES WITH A MORE GROUNDED, SPIRITUALLY-INFORMED APPROACH TO JEWISH LIVING AND LEADERSHIP.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Awareness in Action: Cultivating Character through Mindfulness and Middot
Year-long online program integrating Jewish mindfulness with character development (tikkun middot)
Clergy Leadership Program
Training program for rabbis and cantors in Jewish mindfulness and spiritual practices, with ongoing alumni engagement through Hevraya
Daily Sit
Online daily mindfulness meditation sessions hosted by faculty
Shevet Jewish Mindfulness Community
Online and virtual community for Jewish young adults in their twenties and thirties to explore mindfulness and spirituality
The Gift of Awareness
Online course teaching the fundamentals of Jewish mindfulness meditation
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Spiritual Development & Meditation Programs 5 activities
- Contemplative Jewish Practices and EducationTeaches Jewish mindfulness meditation, contemplative text study, prayer, tikkun middot (character development), yoga, movement, chanting, and niggunim through structured programs and free resources for personal spiritual growth.
- Jewish Mindfulness Meditation RetreatsHosts annual in-person retreats, including a five-day Jewish mindfulness meditation retreat at the Garrison Institute in NY and a silent retreat for individuals under 40 in West Cornwall, CT, focused on mindfulness, Jewish teachings, and self-reconnection.
- Live Virtual Sessions with Guest TeachersHosts live Zoom sessions featuring guest teachers of Jewish spirituality and mindfulness, including teachings, 15-minute Q&A, and sharing components to foster community and learning.
- Public Events and Thought LeadershipHosts book talks, public conversations, and guided meditations featuring authors and spiritual leaders on topics including burnout, mindful democracy, Jewish anxiety, and peace, including a guided meditation on shalom led by Rabbi Sheila Peltz Weinberg.
- Weekly and Daily Mindfulness ProgrammingOffers live daily guided meditation sessions in Jewish mindfulness, weekly 30-minute mindfulness sessions for young adults, ongoing weekly programming for individuals in their 20s and 30s, and monthly mindfulness and ritual gatherings led by Jews of Color and for LGBTQ+ individuals.
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Jewish Leadership Development 1 activity
- Community and Leadership Development InitiativesExpanded course offerings and Shevet community for young adults, launched a mindfulness-based program to respond to antisemitism, trained hundreds of Jewish leaders and spiritual teachers, and launched a new presence in Atlanta with a month-long High Holidays program.
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Podcast and Radio Production 1 activity
- Podcast and Digital Content ProductionProduces multiple weekly podcasts including teachings on the Torah portion, Jewish holidays, and mindfulness practices; co-produces series with Rabbi Josh Feigelson and hosts 'Jewish Meditation for Everyone' with Rabbi Marc Margolius, featuring expert-led meditations and Jewish wisdom.
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Jewish Holiday and Shabbat Community Events 1 activity
- Shabbat and Weekly Spiritual ReflectionsShares a weekly reflection every Friday morning to support spiritual preparation for Shabbat, complementing regular mindfulness and study offerings.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$6.47M
Contributions & grants$5.50M85%
Program service revenue$934K14%
Investment income$31K0%
Other revenue$7K
expenses
Total expenses$4.00M
Program expenses69%
Admin / overhead13%
Fundraising17%
Salaries & benefits$1.83M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$4.69M
Cash$1.12M
Investments$0
Liabilities$897K
Net assets$3.79M
Liquid reserves3.4 mo
7 years on record · 2018–2024 · YoY revenue +115.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 7
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALYSE ERMAN | CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | 40 | $188K |
| RABBI SAMUEL FEINSMITH | SENIOR CORE FACULTY | 40 | $178K |
| RABBI MARC MARGOLIUS | SENIOR PROGRAM DIRECTOR | 40 | $178K |
| MAIDELLE GOODMAN BENAMY | CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER | 40 | $176K |
| RABBI JOSHUA FEIGELSON | PRESIDENT & CEO | 40 | $171K |
| JENNIFER REED | DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS | 40 | $133K |
| RABBI REX PERLMETER | SECRETARY | 5 | $5K |
board members · 17
- DR JONATHAN M SILVER — DIRECTOR
- HOWARD SHARFSTEIN — DIRECTOR
- JUDY FISHER — DIRECTOR
- JULIE KOHL — DIRECTOR
- KEITH KRAKAUR — DIRECTOR
- LENA KUSHNIR — DIRECTOR
- MADISON SLOBIN — DIRECTOR
- MARTE V SINGERMAN ESQ — DIRECTOR
- MARVIN ISRAELOW — CHAIR
- MITCHELL SHAMES — DIRECTOR
- MONTE DUBE — DIRECTOR
- RABBI AARON WEININGER — DIRECTOR
- RABBI BENJAMIN ROSS — DIRECTOR
- RABBI ELLEN LIPPMANN — DIRECTOR
- RABBI JENNY SOLOMON — DIRECTOR
- RABBI SHULI PASSOW — DIRECTOR
- ROBERT SCHECHTER — DIRECTOR
relationships · 21
Who they work with
- Ammud: The Jews of Color Torah Academy Partner — Co-sponsors the monthly Jews of Color mindfulness and ritual gathering.
- CNBC Partner — Featured IJS in a segment on the Empowered with Meg Ryan show.
- Cantor Lizzie Shammash Partner — IJS faculty member and yoga teacher leading weekly sessions
- Dr. Jes Golden Partner — Co-leader of the LGBTQ+ Monthly Mindfulness Sit
- Givecloud Partner — Platform used for managing donations and sponsorships for the Daily Meditation Sit.
- Jeremy David Engels Partner — Hosted a conversation with the organization on his book On Mindful Democracy: A Declaration of Interdependence to Mend a Fractured World.
- Jewish Studio Project Partner — Keshira haLev Fife, Core Faculty at IJS, works with Jewish Studio Project among other national Jewish organizations.
- Kirva Partner — Keshira haLev Fife, Core Faculty at IJS, works with Kirva among other national Jewish organizations.
- OpenDor Media Partner — Co-produces the podcast 'Soulful Jewish Living' through its division Unpacked.
- Rabbi Ari Lev Fornari Partner — Guest leader in the LGBTQ+ Monthly Mindfulness Sit
- Rabbi Caryn Aviv Partner — Collaborated on a book talk about her book Unlearning Jewish Anxiety: How to Live with More Joy and Less Suffering.
- Rabbi Dev Noily Partner — Guest leader in the LGBTQ+ Monthly Mindfulness Sit
- Rabbi Ellen Lippmann Partner — Guest leader in the LGBTQ+ Monthly Mindfulness Sit
- Rabbi Jay Michaelson Partner — Guest leader in the LGBTQ+ Monthly Mindfulness Sit
- Rabbi Joy Ladin Partner — Guest leader in the LGBTQ+ Monthly Mindfulness Sit
- Rabbi Myriam Klotz Partner — Guest leader in the LGBTQ+ Monthly Mindfulness Sit
- Rabbi Toba Spitzer Partner — Guest leader in the LGBTQ+ Monthly Mindfulness Sit
- Rebecca Schisler Partner — Hosts weekly Shevet sessions as IJS Core Faculty member.
- Shir Meira Feit Partner — Guest leader in the LGBTQ+ Monthly Mindfulness Sit
- Yiscah Smith Partner — Guest leader in the LGBTQ+ Monthly Mindfulness Sit
- eJewish Philanthropy Partner — Published an opinion column by IJS-affiliated rabbis on building spiritual stamina in the face of antisemitism.
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.
- Communal Contemplative Practice for Resiliencemethodology: community_based_spiritual_practiceBy engaging in shared spiritual practices within identity-affirming communities, individuals develop greater resilience, presence, and spiritual nourishment because collective mindfulness in safe, relational spaces amplifies personal transformation and counters isolation.
- Contemplative Character Development (Tikkun Middot)methodology: tikkun_middotBy intentionally cultivating sacred traits (middot) such as compassion, gratitude, and patience through mindfulness and Jewish practice, individuals unblock innate virtues, leading to ethical and spiritual growth because sustained attention to inner qualities transforms habitual patterns of speech and behavior.
- Mindfulness-Based Spiritual Transformationmethodology: mindfulness_based_spiritual_developmentBy integrating mindfulness with Jewish spiritual practices, the organization helps individuals slow down, access inner wisdom, and transform judgment into curiosity and compassion, fostering personal resilience, meaning, and collective well-being because contemplative engagement enables deeper self-awareness and spiritual reconnection.