What is the New Israel Fund trying to accomplish?
New Israel Fund believes that ensuring Israel’s peaceful and democratic future means building a more just society. The programmes it creates and supports are safeguarding civil and human rights, bridging social and economic gaps, and fostering tolerance and religious pluralism.


Why is there a need for New Israel Fund?
There are several longstanding challenges to democracy in Israel: persistent security concerns, a struggle between religion and the state, and the absorption of a culturally diverse population that comes from more than 140 nations. The New Israel Fund believes that a vibrant public interest sector plays a critical role in finding solutions, and it works to build and support the organisations that make up this sector.


How does New Israel Fund work to accomplish its goals?
New Israel Fund provides Israelis with the tools they need to improve their lives and communities – it makes grants to grassroots advocacy organisations, provides training and technical assistance to the still-developing non-profit community.


How is New Israel Fund different from other Jewish philanthropies?
New Israel Fund is a unique partnership of Israelis, North Americans and Europeans. It is the only philanthropic organisation whose sole mission is to promote equality and justice for all Israeli citizens. In addition to making grants, the New Israel Fund is also an advocate, building coalitions and developing its own programmes.


What has it accomplished?
The New Israel Fund’s grantees have won important legal and legislative victories that have improved the lives of tens of thousands of Israelis, such as banning torture by Israeli security forces, and opening the doors of decision-making bodies to women, non-Orthodox Jews and Arabs. It has placed previously neglected issues on the public agenda, including human rights violations, violence against women, disability rights and gay rights. A recent article in Haaretz said, “There is hardly any significant socially oriented organisation today in Israel that does not owe its existence to the New Israel Fund.”