irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2023
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $132KEDUCATOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM - MORROCCO TRIP:MARKED BY A SUMMER 10 DAY HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM IN MOROCCO
named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Arabic Language and Culture
Language program introducing students to Arabic language and culture to promote understanding of Israel's regional neighbors and support future peacebuilding.
Civilization and Society - Homelands in Exile
Academic course exploring Jewish diaspora experiences across more than 50 countries, emphasizing integration, cultural exchange, and creative tension with host societies.
Kivunim Gap Year
Year-long program for high school graduates combining academic study in Jerusalem with international travel to countries including Morocco, India, Greece, and Bulgaria to foster cross-cultural understanding and global awareness.
Land, People, Ideas: The Challenges of the Middle East
Interdisciplinary course examining the formation of contemporary Israel and Palestinian nationalism through understudied historical episodes and broader regional context.
Morocco Summer Experience for Teachers
Fellowship program for high school teachers focusing on inter-religious and cross-cultural coexistence through an intensive study mission to Morocco, including visits to Jewish, Muslim, and Christian sites.
Visual Learning, the Art of Seeing
Photography course taught by artist-in-residence Tobi Kahn that trains students to observe critically and interpret visual culture through composition, structure, and expression.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Israel and Jewish Heritage Educational Travel 3 activities
- Educational travel programs focused on Jewish life, global cultures, and interfaith engagementConducts international travel programs that deepen participants' understanding of Jewish life, history, and global cultures, including annual journeys to Dharamsala, India, and other non-tourist destinations, with encounters featuring prominent figures such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
- Gap year program in Jerusalem with international travel and academic creditOperates a gap year program based in Jerusalem that includes international educational travel to up to 12 countries, integrated academic coursework, and opportunities to earn up to 30 transferable college credits through Hebrew College upon successful completion.
- Summer programs in Israel and Europe for teensOffers summer programs for teens that include educational, cultural, and service activities in Israel and Europe, with learning facilitated by local experts.
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Educator Training in Equity and Inclusion 1 activity
- Capacity-building for educators in bridge-building through differenceEmpowers educators to create classrooms that leverage difference and otherness as opportunities for bridge-building, promoting inclusive and constructive dialogue.
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Jewish Dual-Curriculum Education 1 activity
- Curriculum integrating Hebrew and Arabic language study and Jewish-Arab coexistenceRequires all students to study both Hebrew and Arabic and incorporates education on Arab-Jewish coexistence and contemporary social issues as part of its core curriculum.
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Volunteer Mobilization for Community Improvement 1 activity
- Service projects and social responsibility initiatives in Israel and host communitiesOrganizes weekly and project-based volunteer service activities in Israel and other visited communities, including work in education, farming, and environmental sectors, as part of its Social Responsibility program.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Professional development fellowship for high school teachers in MoroccoOrganizes an annual intensive study mission to Morocco for high school teachers focused on race and religion, funded by a $4,500 fellowship covering airfare, accommodations, meals, transportation, and educational programming, led by Kivunim faculty and alumni.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$2.62M
Contributions & grants$512K20%
Program service revenue$2.07M79%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$38K
expenses
Total expenses$2.95M
Program expenses89%
Admin / overhead7%
Fundraising4%
Salaries & benefits$579K
Grants paid out$720K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$269K
Cash$166K
Investments$0
Liabilities$1.50M
Net assets$-1.23M
Liquid reserves0.7 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue -8.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PETER GEFFEN | PRESIDENT & FOUNDER | 70 | $332K |
| ELIANA R LAUTER | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 70 | $143K |
board members · 11
- ABBY DOFT — TRUSTEE
- BILL YOTIVE — TRUSTEE
- HARRIS TILEVITZ ESQ — TRUSTEE
- JILL GOLUB — TRUSTEE
- KIMBERLY BERGER — TRUSTEE
- MARNIE BERK ESQ — TRUSTEE
- MARNIE RICE — TRUSTEE
- RABBI BENJAMIN PERLSTEIN — TRUSTEE
- RABBI EDWARD SCHECTER — TRUSTEE
- RABBI JONATHAN LIPNICK — TRUSTEE
- STEFAN MALTER — BOARD CHAIR
relationships · 8
Who they work with
- Association Mimouna—Morocco Partner — Presenting partner for the Kivunim Fellowship for High School Teachers.
- Hebrew College Network — Partner institution providing official transcripts and college credit for Kivunim students.
- Hebrew College Network — Provides academic accreditation, supervision, and official transcripts for Kivunim's academic program.
- His Holiness the Dalai Lama Partner — Hosted Kivunim gap year students for a private audience and facilitated interactions during their visit to Dharamsala.
- Institute of Buddhist Dialectics Partner — Collaborated through the visit of Geshe Tenzin Damchoe, a professor at the institute, to teach a unit on Buddhism for Kivunim students.
- Peter Geffen Partner — Founder of Kivunim Institute who began bringing teenage groups to Israel in 1969.
- Riane Gruss Charitable Foundation Funder — Financial supporter of the Kivunim Fellowship for High School Teachers.
- the Gottesman Fund Funder — Financial supporter of the Kivunim Fellowship for High School Teachers.
strategies · 4
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.
- Integrated Study and Service for Moral Development 30 orgsmethodology: service_as_character_developmentBy combining academic learning with active service, particularly around social justice issues like food insecurity, we cultivate morally and socially conscious individuals, because service grounded in study transforms responsibility into action and deepens ethical commitment.shared approach: Integrated Learning and Service →
- Dialogue-Centered Pedagogy for Bridging Differencesmethodology: intergroup-dialogue-through-humanitiesBy using humanities-based curricula, intergroup dialogue, and language study to examine complex historical and national narratives, we foster mutual understanding across cultural, religious, and ethnic divides, because structured dialogue reduces fear and builds intercultural competence.
- Experiential Learning as Identity and Understanding Catalystmethodology: experiential_educationBy integrating international travel, sustained field experiences, and real-world engagement with academic study, we deepen Jewish identity and foster nuanced cross-cultural understanding, because direct experience transforms abstract concepts into personal meaning and reciprocal learning.
- Global Tikkun Olam as Expansive Jewish Purposemethodology: global_tikkun_olamBy redefining Zionist and Jewish national purpose to include global justice, human rights, and mutual respect, we expand students’ sense of responsibility beyond the local or national, because a justice-oriented framework makes Jewish identity relevant to universal ethical challenges.