irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2020
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $428KBIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL FOUNDATION HAS DEVELOPED A ROBUST ELECTRONIC MARKETPLACE (SMARTPHONE APP) TO CONNECT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL ALUMNI IN THE UNITED STATES WITH THE VAST ARRAY OF ORGANIZATIONS, PROJECTS, AND RESOURCES THAT CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH THE OPPORTUNITIES TO FURTHER EXPLORE THEIR CONNECTION TO ISRAEL AND THEIR JEWISH IDENTITY ONCE THEY RETURN HOME FROM ISRAEL.
named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
Alumni Engagement
Programs that connect Birthright Israel alumni with ongoing Jewish experiences, including fellowships, business internships, and opportunities to further explore Jewish identity and connection to Israel.
Birthright Israel Trips
Free 10-day educational trips to Israel for Jewish young adults, offered in themed formats including Active, Professional, Culinary, Spiritual, Arts and Culture, LGBTQ+, and No Limits (for participants with disabilities).
activities · 3 groups
What they do
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Support for Israeli Educational Institutions 2 activities
- Funding free educational trips to Israel for Jewish young adultsProvides funding for 10-day educational trips to Israel for tens of thousands of Jewish young adults annually, supporting participation regardless of financial means. Since 1999, this program has enabled over 900,000 participants from 70 countries to take part in Birthright Israel trips.
- Operating endowment and planned giving programs to support Birthright IsraelManages a national endowment program and offers planned giving opportunities including bequests, charitable gift annuities, and endowment funds that support Birthright Israel in perpetuity. Donors can establish term or designated endowments to fund individual seats or entire buses for future trips.
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Israel and Jewish Heritage Educational Travel 2 activities
- Organizing and delivering immersive educational trips to IsraelDirectly organizes and operates 10-day immersive educational trips to Israel for Jewish young adults, including structured experiences such as Shabbat celebrations, visits to the Western Wall, mountain hikes, B'nai Mitzvah ceremonies, and geopolitical education modules. The program includes trained educational staff and peer engagement components like Mifgash dialogue sessions with Israeli peers.
- Supporting alum ambassadors through stipends and engagement activitiesProvides a $1,500 stipend and covers travel expenses for selected Birthright Israel alumni ambassadors, requiring them to speak at a minimum of three events annually and attend an annual gathering in New York City to promote ongoing engagement with Jewish identity and Israel.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Conducting research on long-term impacts of Birthright Israel tripsPartners with Brandeis University's Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies to conduct research on the long-term effects of participation in Birthright Israel trips, including impacts on Jewish identity, continuity, and community engagement.
- Developing digital tools to connect Birthright Israel alumniDeveloped a smartphone app to connect tens of thousands of Birthright Israel alumni in the United States with organizations, projects, and resources to deepen their connection to Israel and Jewish identity.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$74.28M
Contributions & grants$71.78M97%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$2.50M3%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$65.20M
Program expenses70%
Admin / overhead9%
Fundraising21%
Salaries & benefits$11.75M
Grants paid out$45.82M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$70.53M
Cash$38.46M
Investments$10.51M
Liabilities$14.57M
Net assets$55.96M
Liquid reserves9.0 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -13.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 13
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELIAS SARATOVSKY | PRESIDENT/CEO | 40 | $717K |
| S DAVID SHAPIRO | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | 40 | $543K |
| MARGOT ETTLINGER | NATIONAL CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR | 40 | $426K |
| ZHE YANG | CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER | 40 | $423K |
| JESSICA FELDAN THRU 042024 | CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER | 40 | $387K |
| DEBORAH DOLGIN | VICE PRESIDENT, WESTERN REGION | 40 | $370K |
| PAMELA FERTEL-WEINSTEIN | CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER | 40 | $367K |
| CAROLE-ANN LEVINE | VICE PRESIDENT, SOUTHEAST | 40 | $356K |
| ALLYSON GREENBAUM | VICE PRESIDENT, CENTRAL REGION | 40 | $355K |
| JACLYN SOLEIMANI | VP OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT | 40 | $316K |
| RUVYM GILMAN | GENERAL COUNSEL | 40 | $305K |
| DANIEL KRAUS | VP OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS | 40 | $299K |
| NANCY POWERS | VICE PRESIDENT , NORTHEAST REGION | 40 | $273K |
board members · 12
- AVERY ROSIN — DIRECTOR
- BARRY SWIDLER — NATIONAL CABINET VICE CHAIR
- DAN SCHWAB — DIRECTOR (AS OF 01/2024)
- DAVID BARSE — DIRECTOR
- DAVID S SHAPIRA — DIRECTOR
- DOUGLAS M ROSS — CABINET CHAIR
- HARRY KRAKOWSKI — DIRECTOR
- JOEL GREENBERG — DIRECTOR (THRU 12/2024)
- JOHN HOOVER — DIRECTOR
- JUDY GOODMAN — DIRECTOR
- LAWRENCE J COHEN — TREASURER
- LINDA SOLOMON — DIRECTOR (AS OF 01/2024)
relationships · 21
Who they work with
- Anti-Defamation League Government — Cited as a source for data on anti-Semitism and Jewish stereotypes in America.
- Barry Shrage Partner — Honored for decades of leadership and commitment to the Jewish community and Birthright Israel.
- Birthright Israel Network — Birthright Israel Foundation supports the Birthright Israel program, which provides free trips to Israel for Jewish young adults.
- Birthright Israel Network — Primary program partner delivering the educational trips to Israel.
- Birthright Israel Partner — Primary program partner delivering the educational trips to Israel that the Foundation funds.
- Brandeis University Maurice & Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies Partner — Research partner conducting longitudinal studies on Birthright Israel participants.
- Cooperman family Partner — Announced a $10 million gift to support Birthright Israel programs.
- Excel Partner — Includes alumni from the Excel program in the Alum Ambassador cohort.
- Fund for the Jewish Future Partner — Collaborates on financial and philanthropic strategies to support long-term impact.
- Government of Israel Government — Provides financial and logistical support for Birthright Israel in partnership with Birthright Israel Foundation.
- Government of Israel Government — Provides support for Birthright Israel trips
- Government of Israel Government — Receives partial funding from the Government of Israel.
- Jewish Agency for Israel Government — Receives partial funding from the Jewish Agency for Israel.
- Jewish Federations Partner — Provides support for Birthright Israel trips
- Jewish Federations Partner — Provides support for Birthright Israel trips in partnership with Birthright Israel Foundation.
- Jewish Federations of North America Funder — Receives a small percentage of funding from Jewish Federations of North America.
- Livnot U'Lehibanot Partner — Collaborates with Livnot U'Lehibanot at the Tzfat Tourist Information Center for meditation sessions and educational activities.
- Onward Israel Partner — Collaborates with Onward Israel to include its alumni in the Alum Ambassador program.
- Steven and Jodie Fishman Partner — Dedicated philanthropists and community leaders; Steven serves as Chair of the Los Angeles Birthright Israel Foundation Leadership Council.
- The Jewish Agency for Israel Partner — Collaborates in supporting and facilitating Birthright Israel trips
- The Jewish Agency for Israel Partner — Collaborates with Birthright Israel Foundation to support Birthright Israel trips.
strategies · 5
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.
- Education as Counter-Narrative to Antisemitism and Anti-Israel Sentimentmethodology: immersive-counter-narrativeBy immersing participants in the historical and contemporary realities of Israel, the organization builds resilience against antisemitism and anti-Israel narratives, because direct experience and knowledge equip individuals to advocate with authenticity and confidence.
- Gift Model as a Vehicle for Mutual Responsibility and Identity Continuitymethodology: gift-modelBy offering no-strings-attached trips as a "gift," the organization strengthens Jewish identity and intergenerational responsibility, because receiving a gift from the Jewish community fosters a sense of belonging and motivates participants to "pay it forward," sustaining collective unity and continuity.
- Immersive Experiential Education for Jewish Identity Formationmethodology: experiential-educationBy providing free, immersive educational trips to Israel, the organization strengthens Jewish identity and fosters lasting connection to the Jewish people and Israel, because transformative personal experiences in a shared cultural and historical context produce deeper engagement than abstract learning.
- Peer and Alumni Engagement as a Dual Strategy for Identity Reinforcement and Program Sustainabilitymethodology: peer_educationBy leveraging peer interactions during trips and alumni advocacy afterward, the organization reinforces Jewish identity through relational learning and sustains funding, because shared experiences build authentic community and inspire participants to become donors and ambassadors.
- Post-Trip Digital Engagement to Sustain Identity Connectionmethodology: digital_alumni_engagementBy maintaining engagement through digital platforms after the trip, the organization deepens and sustains Jewish identity and connection to Israel, because ongoing access to resources and communities reinforces the initial transformative experience.