named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Communities of Practice
Brings together rabbis and cantors in affinity groups around shared concerns such as racial justice, immigration, and rethinking Zionism(s)
Emor, the Institute for Bold Jewish Thought
Convenes diverse Jews to study texts and engage in courageous conversations on pressing moral and political issues
Movement Chaplains and Election Defenders
Trains clergy to serve as spiritual first responders and protect democratic processes during elections
Student Training Programs
Trains rabbinical and cantorial students to become human rights leaders through immersive experiences, including trips to Hebron
activities · 11 groups
What they do
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Israel and Jewish Heritage Educational Travel 2 activities
- Communities of Practice for rabbis and cantorsFacilitates Communities of Practice that bring together rabbis and cantors for ongoing learning, relationship-building, and shared action on issues including antisemitism, racism, Israel/Palestine, and working in politically conservative areas.
- Year-in-Israel Program for rabbinical and cantorial studentsEngages approximately 80% of rabbinical and cantorial students annually in a human rights-based Year-in-Israel Program that includes on-the-ground learning experiences, study of Jewish texts related to human rights, and relationship-building across denominational lines to develop moral leadership on issues in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.
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Jewish Leadership Development 2 activities
- Train and mobilize rabbis and cantors as human rights advocatesOrganizes, trains, and supports a network of over 2,300 rabbis and cantors across 47 U.S. states and 5 Canadian provinces to advance human rights in North America, Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territories through advocacy, education, and relationship-building.
- Training for Movement Chaplains and Election DefendersTrained over 200 Jewish clergy as Movement Chaplains and Election Defenders, including poll watchers, to support free and fair elections and provide spiritual and moral support during civic engagement efforts, particularly ahead of the 2020 election.
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Criminal Justice Policy Advocacy 1 activity
- Advance criminal justice and public safety reformEngages in local organizing and coalition-building in New York City, Westchester, and Massachusetts to advocate for criminal justice reform, equitable housing, and an end to long-term solitary confinement, contributing to legislative victories in New Jersey and New York.
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Immigrant Rights Advocacy & Policy Reform 1 activity
- Advocate for immigrant and refugee rightsLeads advocacy campaigns to protect immigrants and refugees, including mobilizing rabbis to oppose family separation policies, condemning increased ICE funding, supporting detained individuals’ demands for due process, and affirming birthright citizenship and dignified immigration policies.
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Jewish Holiday and Shabbat Community Events 1 activity
- Host Human Rights Shabbat and related programmingOrganizes annual Human Rights Shabbat events that engage approximately 500 congregations in learning and action around human rights themes, integrating Jewish tradition with contemporary justice issues.
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Industry and Community Recognition Awards 1 activity
- Host annual Celebration of Human Rights galaOrganizes an annual gala event that honors Jewish human rights leaders, features panel discussions and speakers, and brings together approximately 250 attendees for dinner and community building.
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Annual Financial and Activity Reporting 1 activity
- Internal organizational accountability and transparencyProduces an annual report, files Form 990 for public disclosure, and conducts internal audits to maintain transparency and accountability, including efforts to become an antiracist organization and publish organizational values on racial justice.
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Human Rights Advocacy & Accountability 1 activity
- Organize clergy delegations to witness human rights conditionsOrganizes and leads delegations of rabbis and cantors to locations including the U.S.-Mexico border, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers in Florida to observe human rights conditions firsthand and mobilize communities in advocacy and solidarity.
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Jewish Textual and Educational Publishing 1 activity
- Produce and distribute human rights educational resourcesDevelops and disseminates educational materials including a human rights haggadah used in over 2,500 seders, a weekly (M)oral Torah series reaching over 4,000 people, and a guide on antisemitism used by over 5,000 clergy, lawmakers, and students.
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Recognition and Awards Programs 1 activity
- Recognize leadership in human rights through awardsPresents annual awards including the Raphael Lemkin Human Rights Award, Rabbinic Human Rights Hero Award, and Action Under Fire Award to honor Jewish leaders who demonstrate courage and commitment to human rights grounded in Jewish values.
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Refugee and Immigrant Resettlement Services 1 activity
- Support refugee hosting and sanctuary through synagoguesEngaged over 70 synagogues in the Mikdash sanctuary network or refugee hosting initiatives between 2016 and 2020, supporting local communities in providing refuge and hospitality to displaced people.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.85M
Contributions & grants$2.77M97%
Program service revenue$32K1%
Investment income$18K1%
Other revenue$24K
expenses
Total expenses$3.11M
Program expenses60%
Admin / overhead14%
Fundraising26%
Salaries & benefits$2.53M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.61M
Cash$954K
Investments$0
Liabilities$361K
Net assets$1.25M
Liquid reserves3.7 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -18.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 5
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RABBI JILL JACOBS | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | 40 | $227K |
| RONIT SCHLAM | CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER | 40 | $153K |
| DANIEL DRACHSLER | CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | 40 | $147K |
| SHIRA DANAN | CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER | 40 | $131K |
| SARAH NOVICK | CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER | 40 | $125K |
board members · 20
- CLAIRE DAVIDSON BRUDER — MEMBER
- DAVID BEHRMAN — MEMBER
- DR MARC DOLLINGER — MEMBER (LEFT FY25)
- DR SARA LITT — MEMBER
- ERIC SLOAN — TREASURER
- HADAR HARRIS — MEMBER
- RABBI ALIZA SCHWARTZ — MEMBER
- RABBI CLAUDIA KREIMAN — SECRETARY
- RABBI DANIEL ZEMEL — CO-CHAIR
- RABBI ESTHER LEDERMAN — MEMBER
- RABBI HANNAH ELLENSON — MEMBER
- RABBI KELLY WHITEHEAD — MEMBER
- RABBI KENNETH CHASEN — MEMBER
- RABBI LAURA ABRASLEY — MEMBER
- RABBI LAUREN HENDERSON — MEMBER (LEFT FY25)
- RABBI MICHAEL LEZAK — MEMBER
- RABBI NANCY KASTEN — MEMBER
- RABBI SANDRA LAWSON — MEMBER (LEFT FY25)
- RABBI SHARON MARS — MEMBER
- RABBI WILLIAM PLEVAN — CO-CHAIR
relationships · 18
Who they work with
- Board of Directors Coalition — Board of Directors is included in the organization's DEI commitment.
- Breaking the Silence Partner — Rachel Gordon previously worked with Breaking the Silence, collaborating with Israeli and Palestinian partners and global Jewish communities.
- Candid Government — Profile available on Candid (formerly GuideStar), indicating public transparency and data sharing with the nonprofit data platform.
- Coalition of Immokalee Workers Partner — Partnered with T'RUAH to organize visits for Jewish clergy and community leaders and to mobilize support for the Fair Food Program.
- Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) Government — Critically engaged as a federal agency targeted in T’ruah’s advocacy against expanded immigration enforcement funding.
- Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Government — Critically engaged as a federal department receiving increased funding that T’ruah opposes due to its role in immigration enforcement.
- Emor Institute for Bold Jewish Thought Network — Launched Emor Institute for Bold Jewish Thought in 2022 as an initiative to foster courageous conversations on moral and political issues.
- Families for Justice as Healing Coalition — Coalition partner with T'RUAH’s Massachusetts cluster in the #NoNewWomensPrison campaign.
- HIAS Partner — Partnered with T'RUAH on delegations of rabbis and cantors to the U.S. southern border to witness conditions for asylum seekers.
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Government — Critically engaged as a federal agency whose policies and practices T’ruah opposes through public condemnation and advocacy.
- Jews For Racial & Economic Justice (JFREJ) Partner — Co-founded Tirdof: New York Jewish Clergy for Justice with T'RUAH’s NYC cluster.
- Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal Government — Attended T’ruah’s annual gala as a notable public official.
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani Government — Spoke at T’ruah’s annual gala, affirming the importance of the organization’s human rights work.
- NYC Comptroller Mark Levine Government — Attended T’ruah’s annual gala as a notable public official.
- Rabbi Jill Jacobs Partner — CEO of T'ruah, providing public statements and leadership on human rights issues
- Rabbi Shoshana Cohen Partner — T’ruah’s Rabbinic Educator in Israel who leads the Year-in-Israel programming.
- Rabbis for Human Rights Partner — Previously affiliated and raised funds for Rabbis for Human Rights before ending formal ties in 2013.
- The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls Coalition — Coalition partner with T'RUAH’s Massachusetts cluster in the #NoNewWomensPrison campaign.
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.
- Community-Led Partnershipmethodology: community-led partnershipBy partnering with organizations led by communities most affected by human rights issues, we ensure that advocacy is guided by lived expertise because justice efforts are more effective and legitimate when shaped by those most impacted.
- Faith-Based Moral Leadershipmethodology: faith-based moral leadershipBy mobilizing rabbis and cantors as faith-based moral leaders, we advance human rights within Jewish communities and broader society because religious authority lends moral weight to advocacy and inspires communal action grounded in Jewish values.
- Historical Memory as Moral Foundationmethodology: historical-memory-based advocacyBy grounding advocacy in the historical memory of Jewish displacement and refugee experiences, we create moral urgency for current human rights issues because past trauma informs present-day responsibility to act.
- Immersive Learning in Lived Realitymethodology: on-the-ground_learningBy placing rabbinical and cantorial students in direct contact with affected communities, we deepen moral commitment to human rights because experiential learning grounds abstract values in real-world suffering and resilience.
- Integration of Jewish Text and Human Rights Educationmethodology: text-based_human_rights_educationBy combining the study of Jewish texts with contemporary human rights issues, we ground moral advocacy in religious tradition because it creates theologically informed leaders who see human rights as a religious imperative.