COMMON MAPS
Map version new-york activity top-down
Main site Contact
Menu
↑ parent activity group ·
research dossier

FRIENDS OF ISRAEL SCOUTS INC
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 133843506 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE Q230 · International Affairs · Large ($10M-$50M) · israelscouts.org
revenue
$12.3M
expenses
$11.6M
net assets
$4.6M
employees
61
volunteers
100
program ratio
93%
mission · from form 990

OFFER CHILDREN AGE 7 - 17 THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ISRAEL SCOUT MOVEMENT, TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN COMMUNAL, CIVIC AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES AND FOSTER THE SPIRIT OF SCOUTING THRU SEASONAL CAMPS, WEEKENDS AND SPECIAL EVENTS

profile · synthesized from sources

Friends of Israel Scouts Inc (Tzofim North America) provides youth development programs for Jewish children and teens in grades 1-12, focusing on Israeli culture, leadership, and identity. The organization operates immersive programs in North America and Israel, including gap year service, summer camps, and chapter-based activities. It supports participants through travel, education, and community-building initiatives rooted in the Israeli scouting movement.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $1.25M
    SHACHBAG CAMP: HIGH SCHOOL AGE SCOUT CAMP IN ISRAEL
  2. #2 $562K
    GARIN TZABAR: EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS WHO WISH TO TRAVEL TO ISRAEL TO DO COMMUNITY SERVICE
named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Kol Ami
Six-month leadership program run by the Jewish Agency for Israelis and Jews worldwide, focusing on Jewish peoplehood, diversity, and leadership through classes, volunteering, and communal living
Shnat Sherut
Year-long volunteer program in Israel where participants live in communes and work in communities on the social periphery or in schools, strengthening Jewish-Israeli identity and leadership skills
Tzofim Friendship Caravan and Summer Delegation
Summer programs involving travel and cultural exchange, including performances and educational outreach by youth delegations
Tzofim Tzabar Chapters
Local chapter activities in North America for youth in grades 1-12, offering ongoing communal, civic, and social programming
Tzofim Yachad Gap Year
Gap year program within Israeli mechina (pre-army leadership academies), offering immersive study, volunteering, and community living for Jewish high school graduates from abroad
activities · 9 groups

What they do

  • Israel and Jewish Heritage Educational Travel 3 activities
    • Administer gap year immersion program in Israel
      Provides a gap year program in Israel that includes living, studying, and volunteering in mechina programs alongside Israeli peers, fostering deep cultural and educational engagement.
    • Run Garin Tzabar education and aliyah preparation program
      Operates Garin Tzabar, an education program that prepares North American and international young adults to travel to Israel, make aliyah, and participate in community service and military service; includes pre-departure training and ongoing support.
    • Run Israel Summer Program for student travel and programming
      Organizes and facilitates travel to Israel for students to participate in summer programming, including cultural immersion, study, and community engagement activities.
  • Jewish Leadership Development 2 activities
    • Deliver six-month leadership development program
      Runs a six-month leadership program for Israelis and Jews from around the world focused on Jewish peoplehood, community building, and leadership skills.
    • Place Israeli youth as counselors in U.S. summer camps
      Deploys delegation members as counselors, scouting specialists, and representatives of Israel in over 20 summer camps across the U.S. annually, where they teach Jewish American children about Israeli culture and history through direct engagement.
  • Event and Production Volunteer Coordination 1 activity
    • Coordinate travel logistics for domestic and international programs
      Manages travel logistics for out-of-state and Israel-based programs, including passport processing, flight arrangements, and lodging coordination.
  • Student-Led Community Service Programs 1 activity
    • Coordinate year-long community service program for alumni
      Organizes a year-long community service program for approximately 450 high school alumni annually, engaging them in structured service initiatives.
  • Alumni Community Building 1 activity
    • Maintain alumni engagement and relations
      Connects hundreds of alumni globally through social events, online sessions, news updates, job and volunteer opportunities, and donation solicitations.
  • Youth Cultural and Educational Travel Programs 1 activity
    • Operate Tzofim Friendship Caravan cultural performance tour
      Sends groups of Israeli teens on an annual summer tour to perform music and dance in over 100 Jewish communities across North America, sharing Israeli culture; provides its own sound and video equipment requiring only an indoor space with electricity.
  • Regional Chapter Network Support 1 activity
    • Operate youth scouting chapters in North America
      Runs 27–28 chapters across the United States and Canada, serving over 5,500 Jewish youth annually in grades 1–12 through weekly programming, leadership seminars, and camps focused on Jewish identity and connection to Israel.
  • Jewish Youth Summer Camps 1 activity
    • Provide immersive summer camp programs in Israel
      Offers a 14-day overnight summer camp experience in Israel for children ages 8 to 13, featuring Hebrew-language activities, exploration of Israeli culture, and camp-wide electives; also operates Shachbag Camp, a high school-age scout camp in Israel.
  • Youth Leadership Development Programs 1 activity
    • Register and support youth program participants
      Registers and enrolls youth in programs including Tzofim Tzabar chapters, Gap Year, Summer Programs, Summer Delegation, and Friendship Caravan; collects health and medical information to support medical, dietary, and emergency needs during programming.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$12.33M
Contributions & grants$1.51M12%
Program service revenue$10.70M87%
Investment income$118K1%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$11.61M
Program expenses93%
Admin / overhead7%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$759K
Grants paid out$238
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$7.69M
Cash$6.25M
Investments$0
Liabilities$3.11M
Net assets$4.58M
Liquid reserves6.5 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +1.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 10
  • DANIEL AMIRA — DIRECTOR
  • DORON ARMONY — DIRECTOR
  • DORON KRAKOW — DIRECTOR
  • ELAD SANDEROVICH — DIRECTOR
  • ISAAC BLACHOR — SECRETARY
  • RAZ PEARL — DIRECTOR
  • RONNY URMAN — PRESIDENT
  • SIGAL URMAN — DIRECTOR
  • TALI FOX — DIRECTOR
  • ZEV HERMAN — DIRECTOR
relationships · 19

Who they work with

  • Authorize Partner — Payment processor for program fees and donations.
  • DonorPerfect Partner — Donor management and email/SMS platform provider.
  • Garin Tzabar Partner — Alumni of Garin Tzabar are included in the Friends of Israel Scouts Alumni Network.
  • Hanhagat Tzabar Partner — Alumni of Hanhagat Tzabar are included in the Friends of Israel Scouts Alumni Network.
  • Israel Scouts Partner — Collaborates with Israel Scouts to send selected teen delegates to U.S. summer camps as cultural and scouting representatives.
  • Israeli Scouts Movement (Tzofim) Network — FRIENDS OF ISRAEL SCOUTS INC is the official North American branch of the Israeli Scouts Movement.
  • Israeli Tzofim (Scouts) Youth Movement Network — Global youth movement of which Hanhagat Tzabar is a branch
  • Jewish Agency for Israel Government — Partner in MASA initiative and operator of Kol Ami leadership program in collaboration with the organization.
  • Jewish National Fund (JNF-USA) Partner — Provides support for the Tzofim Friendship Caravan program.
  • Joint Mechinot Council Partner — Co-implements the Tzofim Yachad Gap Year program within Israeli pre-army leadership academies.
  • NJY Camps Partner — Partner organization co-hosting the overnight summer camp program for children.
  • New York Jewish Week Partner — Collaborates with or is featured in the New York Jewish Week, including contributions from its members.
  • PayPal Partner — Payment processor for program fees and donations.
  • Safe Save Partner — Payment processor for program fees and donations.
  • Stripe Partner — Payment processor for program fees and donations.
  • Tzofim Olami Partner — Partner organization in Israel for coordinating Israel-based programs.
  • Tzofim Olami Organization Network — Part of the global Tzofim Olami Organization network.
  • UJA Federation of New York Partner — Joint project partner in the Tzofim Yachad Gap Year program.
  • Wix Partner — Website hosting provider.
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.

  • Cultural Ambassadorship Through Shared Experiences
    methodology: cultural_ambassadorship
    By deploying trained Israeli teens as cultural ambassadors in North American camps and communities, the organization fosters unity between Israeli and diaspora Jews because personal relationships built through performance, hospitality, and dialogue transform abstract identity into lived connection.
  • Cultural and Linguistic Immersion for Identity Formation
    methodology: language-and-culture-immersion
    By immersing youth in Hebrew language, Israeli culture, and shared living experiences with Israeli peers, the organization deepens connection to Israel and Jewish peoplehood because sustained, experiential exposure builds authentic identity and belonging.
  • Peer-Led Identity and Leadership Development
    methodology: peer_led_youth_leadership
    By empowering teen leaders to run local chapters and lead programming, the organization strengthens Jewish, Zionist, and Israeli identity among youth because peer-led models increase engagement, foster ownership, and model aspirational behavior through relatable role models.