named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Gesher Leadership Institute
Develops civil leadership in Israel by bringing together diverse societal sectors—government, religion, military, media—to address social divisions and build unity.
Gesher L’Tfutzot
Intensive educational course for Israeli leaders that includes study tours to Jewish communities in the U.S., focusing on dialogue, cultural understanding, and strengthening ties between Israel and world Jewry.
Haredi Initiative
Runs cultural awareness seminars to bridge gaps between Haredi Jews and broader Israeli society in key areas including military service, higher education, employment, and community integration.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Israel and Jewish Heritage Educational Travel 2 activities
- Diaspora engagement and global Jewish unity programsConducts educational courses and organized delegations that facilitate in-depth encounters between Israeli leaders and Jewish communities in the diaspora, including Shabbat home experiences and visits to Jewish communities in cities like Washington DC, New York, and London. Also supports global solidarity efforts, such as with Colleyville, Texas, and Ukrainian Jewish refugees.
- Global Jewish Unity DayEstablished and promotes Global Jewish Unity Day as an annual observance to strengthen unity across global Jewish communities.
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Jewish Leadership Development 2 activities
- Gesher Leadership InstituteEstablished in 2014, the Gesher Leadership Institute trains influential Israeli leaders—including political, media, and educational figures—from diverse sectors as change agents for Jewish unity. The program includes training in Israel and a one-week delegation to a diaspora Jewish community, with post-program engagement to support application of insights in participants’ organizations.
- IDF and military leadership training programsProvides intensive weeklong seminars for over 6,000 IDF soldiers annually, particularly in officer training, focused on leading diverse teams across ideological differences. Also implements educational programming within the IDF to promote mutual respect and cultural understanding, including preparation for Haredi integration and training for non-Haredi commanders.
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Jewish Community Poverty Relief 1 activity
- Emergency response and crisis supportManages emergency response efforts including housing evacuees from southern Israel in a Jerusalem hotel, supporting medical centers in mobilizing emergency systems, and deploying board members and fellows to assist in national crises such as hostage situations.
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Human Rights & Peace Education Curriculum 1 activity
- Youth dialogue and relationship-building seminars in IsraelConducts seminars and school-based programs for Israeli youth aged 15–25, including teens from secular, religious, and Haredi backgrounds, to facilitate inter-sectoral dialogue, dispel stereotypes, and build authentic relationships. In 2024, these seminars reached 25,000 youth across Israel.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Haredi integration and cultural sensitivity initiativesOperates programs to support Haredi integration into broader Israeli society, including cultural sensitivity training for employers to improve Haredi hiring and retention, preparation for national or military service, and support for Haredi students transitioning to higher education.
- National Alliance (AM”I) and systemic education reformLaunched AM”I, the National Alliance, in December 2020 to strengthen Israelis’ knowledge of world Jewry. Partners with Israel’s Ministry of Education to recruit senior educational leaders and implement changes in how students learn about the global Jewish people.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.60M
Contributions & grants$1.56M97%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$43K3%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.38M
Program expenses85%
Admin / overhead4%
Fundraising11%
Salaries & benefits$33K
Grants paid out$1.10M
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$1.68M
Cash$800K
Investments$870K
Liabilities$20K
Net assets$1.66M
Liquid reserves14.5 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -2.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 14
- ALAN J EISENMAN — BOARD MEMBER
- CARA LEBEWOHL — BOARD MEMBER
- DAVID CHEIFETZ — BOARD MEMBER
- DR DANIEL TROPPER — FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT MEMBER
- HEATHER GOLDMAN — BOARD MEMBER
- JERRY KESTENBAUM — BOARD MEMBER
- JONATHAN TULKOFF — BOAR MEMBER & CHAIRMAN
- MATT GREENWOOD — BOARD MEMBER
- MATTHEW J MARYLES — BOARD MEMBER & TREASURER
- MICHAEL KANN — BOARD MEMBER
- RABBI CHARLIE SAVENOR — BOARD MEMBER
- RICHARD M JOEL — BOARD MEMBER
- SETH DAMSKI — BOARD MEMBER
- SHALOM BRONSTEIN — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 21
Who they work with
- British Friends of Gesher Network — UK-based affiliate supporting Gesher's mission.
- Gesher Israel Network — Israel-based arm of Gesher.
- Heschel School Partner — Hosted a visit for Gesher participants to learn about American Jewish education.
- IDF Education Corps Partner — Collaborates with Gesher to educate Israeli military leaders on global Jewish life and promote Jewish peoplehood.
- Isaac Herzog Government — President of Israel who has endorsed or highlighted the work of Gesher Fellows in shifting public discourse.
- Israel America Council (IAC) Partner — Board members participated in a session with Gesher delegates on Israeli-American Jewish identity.
- Israel Legacy Partner — Partnership supporting legacy giving initiatives for Israel-related causes.
- Israeli Defense Forces Partner — Collaborates on educational programming to promote dialogue and coexistence.
- Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs Partner — Partnered to launch AM”I, the National Alliance to strengthen Israeli knowledge of world Jewry.
- Israel’s Ministry of Education Partner — Collaborates with Gesher to recruit senior educational leaders and reform how students learn about the global Jewish people.
- JJ Sussman Partner — International Director of Gesher, responsible for forging partnerships and leading delegations of Israeli civic leaders.
- Jewish Agency Partner — Represented at a hosted dinner with Gesher participants; leadership attended the event.
- Lev Echad Partner — Partners with Gesher to manage a hotel in Jerusalem for evacuees from southern Israel.
- Manette & Louis Mayberg Foundation Partner — Hosted a dinner for Gesher participants and engaged in dialogue about Jewish communities.
- Manhattan Jewish Experience (MJE) Partner — Hosted a Shabbat lunch for Gesher participants with young professionals.
- Ministry of Diaspora Affairs Partner — Joint venture with Gesher to activate Israeli youth for social media advocacy on behalf of Israel.
- Ministry of Education Partner — Joint venture with Gesher to activate Israeli youth for social media advocacy on behalf of Israel.
- Ministry of Education Partner — Partnership to implement the “Israeli Dialogue” program in high schools across Israel.
- Not specified Partner — Organization collaborates with unnamed partners to build a cohesive society in Israel.
- Reut Institute Partner — Founder Gidi Grinstein engaged with Gesher participants on Israel-diaspora relations.
- Shamir Medical Center (Assaf Harofeh) Partner — Collaborates with Gesher to mobilize medical equipment and emergency systems for treating casualties.
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.
- Cross-Sectoral Media Dialoguemethodology: cross-sectoral media dialogueBy bringing together journalists from diverse ideological and sectoral backgrounds, we foster respectful public discourse because shared professional norms can bridge societal divides when dialogue is facilitated around common goals.
- Cultural-Awareness Bridging in Key Institutionsmethodology: cultural-awareness bridgingBy conducting cultural-awareness seminars in the IDF, academia, employment, and communities, we reduce intergroup tension between Haredi and non-Haredi Israelis because structured exposure in shared institutional contexts builds mutual respect.
- Empathy-First Cross-Cultural Engagementmethodology: empathy-first engagementBy prioritizing empathetic listening over advocacy in cross-cultural interactions between Israelis and Diaspora Jews, we strengthen mutual responsibility because genuine understanding fosters belonging and shared identity.
- Intergroup Dialogue for Social Cohesionmethodology: intergroup-dialogueBy facilitating in-person dialogue between religious, secular, Haredi, and other sectors of Israeli society, we break down stereotypes and build mutual understanding because shared human experiences reduce prejudice and foster unity.
- Leadership as a Lever for Cascading Unitymethodology: leadership-leverageBy convening influential Israeli leaders and training them as change agents, we promote societal cohesion because their reach and influence amplify dialogue and empathy across sectors and to Diaspora communities.