Birthright Israel Foundation

Birthright Israel Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that aims to provide funding for thousands of Jewish young adults to visit Israel each year as part of a program called “Birthright Israel.” The Birthright Foundation conducts fundraising efforts in the United States to support the educational trips. 1

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3)
Formation:

2001

President and CEO:

Elias Saratovsky

President & CEO Salary (2023):

$226,297 2

Location: New York, NY View on map
Tax ID: 13-4092050
Most Recent Filing: 2024
Budget (2024): Assets: $70,527,712 Revenue: $74,279,931 Expenses: $65,202,682

Contents

    Activities

    Birthright Israel Foundation was founded in 2004 to conduct fundraising in the U.S. for Birthright Israel. Birthright Israel provides free educational trips to Israel for Jewish young adults to encourage a stronger connection to their Jewish heritage. 1

    Birthright Israel Foundation claims that Birthright Israel trips increase Israel awareness by making travel to Israel easy and accessible to Jewish young adults, teaching participants facts countering anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiments on college campuses, connecting Jewish young adults to their religious homeland, and sparking interest in Jewish life. 3

    Since Birthright Israel’s founding in 1999, more than 900,000 young people have participated in Birthright Israel trips. 4

    Grantmaking

    In 2023, Birthright Israel Foundation received over $84.7 million in contributions and grants. Birthright Israel Foundation granted over $74.3 million to activities conducted outside of the U.S., in the Middle East and North Africa, including Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, and Egypt. 5

    Funding

    Birthright Israel Foundation is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, the government of Israel, the Jewish Agency for Israel, and Jewish federations across the U.S. 6

    Birthright Israel Foundation’s largest donations come from private grantmaking foundations like the Adelson Family Foundation ($9 million in 2023), 7 the Jim Joseph Foundation ($3.984 million in 2023), 8 and the Marcus Foundation ($2.035 million in 2023). 9 BIF has also received substantial donations from nonprofit organizations like the Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston ($3.04 million in 2022), 10 the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh ($2.346 million in 2022), 11 and the Jewish Communal Fund ($2.139 million in 2022). 12

    Leadership

    Elias Saratovsky is the president and CEO of Birthright Israel Foundation. Saratovsky formerly worked as a national director of regional affairs at the pro-Israel lobby group AIPAC. 13

    David Shapiro is the CFO of Birthright Israel Foundation. Shapiro formerly worked as an executive director of the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway and a controller at the Jewish Theological Seminary. 14

    Israel Tapoohi retired as the president and CEO of Birthright Israel Foundation in December 2023. Tapoohi is a former executive chair of Israel’s telecommunications provider Bezeq and a former president and CEO of Israel Bonds. 15

    The board of the Birthright Israel Foundation includes Philip de Toledo, chair; Lori Komisar, vice chair; Douglas M. Ross, vice chair; Lawrence J. Cohen, treasurer; Michael Rashes, executive committee member; Sara Aronson; David Barse; Steven J. Fishman; Martin J. Geller; Judy Goodman; John Hoover; Scott Jaffee; Roberta Menzin; Russ Robinson; Avery Rosin; Mindy Schneider; Dan Schwab; David Shapira; Linda Solomon; Barry Swidler; and Laura Zebersky. 16

    Honorary members of the board of the Birthright Israel Foundation include Miriam Adelson; Laurie Blitzer; Charles R. Bronfman, cofounder of Birthright Israel; Laurie Blitzer; Shawn Evenhaim; Susie Gelman, chair emeritus and president of the Morningstar Foundation; Michael A. Leven; Joshua Nash, chair emeritus; Daniel S. Och, chair emeritus; Lynn Schusterman, billionaire philanthropist and founder the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation; Jane F. Sherman; Michael H. Steinhardt, cofounder of Birthright Israel; and Thomas D. Stern, chair emeritus. 16

    Madlyn Abramson, Sheldon G. Adelson, and Edgar M. Bronfman are honorary members of the board who have passed away. 16

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2024 $70,527,712 $74,279,931 $65,202,682 View
    2023 $64,280,666 $85,539,550 $92,850,953 View
    2022 $69,380,864 $72,026,353 $110,696,563 View
    2021 $97,221,190 $44,527,782 $33,798,127 View
    2020 $86,786,716 $62,541,873 $37,473,516 View

    Prior year filings: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

    Revenue Detail

    Expenses Detail

    Employee Compensation

    • Number of Employees: 63

    Highest Earning Employees

    EmployeeTitleTotal Compensation
    Elias SaratovskyPRESIDENT/CEO$717,417
    S David ShapiroCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER$543,235
    Margot EttlingerNATIONAL CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR$426,427
    Zhe YangCHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER$422,820
    Jessica Feldan Thru 042024CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER$386,735
    Deborah DolginVICE PRESIDENT, WESTERN REGION$370,060
    Pamela Fertel-WeinsteinCHIEF MARKETING OFFICER$366,906
    Carole-ann LevineVICE PRESIDENT, SOUTHEAST$355,792
    Allyson GreenbaumVICE PRESIDENT, CENTRAL REGION$354,590
    Jaclyn SoleimaniVP OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT$315,697
    Ruvym GilmanGENERAL COUNSEL$304,721
    Daniel KrausVP OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS$298,792
    Nancy PowersVICE PRESIDENT , NORTHEAST REGION$273,341

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $773,338,056
    • Number of Grants: 5,902
    • Number of Funders: 1,816

    Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $19,000,0002020 Adelson Family FoundationGENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
    $9,000,0002024 Adelson Family FoundationGENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
    $9,000,0002023 Adelson Family FoundationGENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
    $9,000,0002022 Adelson Family FoundationGENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
    $9,000,0002021 Adelson Family FoundationGENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES
    $4,030,0002022 The Marcus FoundationTO SUPPORT THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE RECIPIENT ORGANIZATION
    $4,000,0002024 The Shimon Ben Joseph Foundation DBA Jim Joseph FoundationGENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
    $3,500,0002022 The Shimon Ben Joseph Foundation DBA Jim Joseph FoundationGeneral Operating Support
    $2,942,2522025 Jewish Federation of Greater PittsburghPROGRAM SUPPORT
    $2,903,0002023 Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater BostonYoung Adult Services
    $2,812,6612024 Jewish Federation of Greater PittsburghPROGRAM SUPPORT
    $2,451,1842020 Jewish Communal FundGeneral support
    $2,450,0002025 United Jewish Appeal – Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York dba UJA-Federation of NYJEWISH LIFE
    $2,372,0002025 Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater BostonYoung Adult Services
    $2,346,2652023 Jewish Federation of Greater PittsburghPROGRAM SUPPORT
    $2,320,0652023 Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFor grant recipient's exempt purposes
    $2,139,4122023 Jewish Communal FundIN FURTHERANCE OF GRANTEE'S TAX-EXEMPT PURPOSE
    $2,088,2502025 Jewish Communal FundIN FURTHERANCE OF GRANTEE'S TAX-EXEMPT PURPOSE
    $2,087,5002024 The Marcus FoundationTO SUPPORT THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE RECIPIENT ORGANIZATION
    $2,050,0002024 Arie and Ida Crown MemorialGENERAL OPERATING;PROGRAM
    $2,036,9132024 Jewish Communal FundIN FURTHERANCE OF GRANTEE'S TAX-EXEMPT PURPOSE
    $2,035,0002023 The Marcus FoundationTO SUPPORT THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE RECIPIENT ORGANIZATION
    $2,000,0002023 The Shimon Ben Joseph Foundation DBA Jim Joseph FoundationGENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
    $2,000,0002023 The Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund
    $2,000,0002022 The Koum Family FoundationGENERAL CHARITY

    All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $255,559,743
    • Number of Grants: 64
    • Number of Recipients: 43

    Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $94,048,4932022 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA – ALGERIA, BAHRAIN, DJIBOUTI, EGYPT, RecipientsEDUCATION
    $74,337,2792023 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA – ALGERIA, BAHRAIN, DJIBOUTI, EGYPT, RecipientsEDUCATION
    $45,822,7592024 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA – ALGERIA, BAHRAIN, DJIBOUTI, EGYPT, RecipientsEDUCATION
    $22,766,3652020 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA RecipientsEDUCATION
    $15,656,1252021 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA – ALGERIA, BAHRAIN, DJIBOUTI, EGYPT, RecipientsEDUCATION

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    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. “Mission.” Birthright Israel Foundation. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://birthrightisrael.foundation/mission/.
    2. Birthright Israel Foundation, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2023, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a.
    3. “How Birthright Israel Has Been Preserving Jewish Heritage for Decades.” Birthright Israel Foundation, July 10, 2020. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://birthrightisrael.foundation/blog/how-birthright-israel-has-been-preserving-jewish-heritage-for-decades/.
    4. “Success.” Birthright Israel Foundation. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://birthrightisrael.foundation/success/.
    5.  Birthright Israel Foundation, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2023, Schedule F, Part I, Line 3.
    6.  “Our Supporters.” Birthright Israel Foundation. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://birthrightisrael.foundation/our-supporters/.
    7. Adelson Family Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2023, Part XV, Line 3.
    8. Shimon Ben Joseph Foundation DBA Jim Joseph Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2023, Part XV, Line 3.
    9.  Marcus Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2023, Part XV, Line 3.
    10. Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2022, Schedule I, Part II.
    11. Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2022, Schedule I, Part II.
    12. Jewish Communal Fund, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2022, Schedule I, Part II.
    13. “Elias Saratovsky.” LinkedIn. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/elias-saratovsky/.
    14. “S. David Shapiro.” LinkedIn. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/s-david-shapiro-97654814/.
    15. “Izzy Tapoohi to Retire as President & CEO of Birthright Israel Foundation.” Birthright Israel Foundation, February 6, 2023. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://birthrightisrael.foundation/blog/izzy-tapoohi-to-retire-as-president-ceo-of-birthright-israel-foundation/.
    16. “Who We Are.” Birthright Israel Foundation. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://birthrightisrael.foundation/who-we-are/.