Central Fund of Israel (CFI)

The Central Fund of Israel (CFI) is an American nonprofit organization that intends to advance the people of Israel in their ancestral land. CFI provides monetary aid to more than 500 charities in Israel. 1

Read More

At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3)
Issue Areas: Foreign Policy
Website: www.centralfundofisrael.org
Formation:

1979

President:

Jay Marcus

President’s Salary (2020):

$95,000 2

Location: Cedarhurst, NY View on map
Tax ID: 13-2992985
Most Recent Filing: 2025
Budget (2025): Assets: $47,279,306 Revenue: $96,947,478 Expenses: $88,572,708

Contents

    Activities

    The Central Fund of Israel was founded in 1979 by Hadassah and Arthur Marcus to support the people and land of Israel. CFI claims that 100% of its donations are given to its recipients. 1

    CFI currently supports more than 500 charities in Israel that provide humanitarian aid, community projects, education, religious institutions, medical support, and security. CFI claims to support all the people of Israel through the programs and organizations it funds, including Jewish, Christian, and Muslim populations. 3

    Controversy

    CFI has been criticized by left-leaning organizations, like the Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU), which claims that CFI funds far-right and extremist groups in Israel and the Palestinian territories. In a December 2021 article, IMEU claimed that CFI-funded organizations like Ateret Cohanim, the Israel Land Fund, Palestinian Media Watch, and the Od Yosef Chai Yeshiva are anti-Palestinian. 4

    Funding

    The Central Fund of Israel is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses. While CFI does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from the Cherna Moskowitz Foundation ($3 million in 2018), 5 the Jewish Communal Fund ($1.63 million in 2020), 6 and the Irving I. Moskowitz Foundation ($1.04 million in 2019). 7

    Board of Directors

    Members of the board of CFI include Jay Marcus, president; Jeff Most, treasurer; Linda Kalish Marcus, secretary; Mitchell Eichen; Michael Fischberger; Yehuda Marcus; and Jacob Weichholz. 2

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2025 $47,279,306 $96,947,478 $88,572,708 View
    2024 $39,023,950 $109,179,379 $96,119,535 View
    2023 $26,145,976 $74,247,260 $73,817,799 View
    2022 $25,861,859 $55,454,981 $55,173,972 View
    2021 $25,580,850 $48,947,790 $44,850,305 View

    Prior year filings: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012

    Revenue Detail

    Expenses Detail

    Employee Compensation

    Highest Earning Employees

    EmployeeTitleTotal Compensation
    Jay MarcusPresident$120,000

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $244,179,017
    • Number of Grants: 2,657
    • Number of Funders: 845

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

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $19,510,2962022 Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFor grant recipient's exempt purposes
    $16,765,4322023 Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFor grant recipient's exempt purposes
    $14,442,6932020 Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFor grant recipient's exempt purposes
    $10,000,0002021 Silver Valley Research Foundation C/o Sterling Foundation Management LLCGENERAL SUPPORT
    $5,184,0812021 Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift FundFor grant recipient's exempt purposes
    $3,897,1592024 Jewish Communal FundIN FURTHERANCE OF GRANTEE'S TAX-EXEMPT PURPOSE
    $3,447,0002024 Cherna Moskowitz FoundationPROMOTING CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES IN ISRAEL.
    $3,427,3702023 Jewish Communal FundIN FURTHERANCE OF GRANTEE'S TAX-EXEMPT PURPOSE
    $3,353,6012024 Vanguard CharitableFOR RECIPIENT'S EXEMPT PURPOSE
    $2,210,9222022 Jewish Communal FundGENERAL SUPPORT
    $2,026,9192020 Jewish Communal FundGeneral support
    $1,968,1242024 Donor Advised Charitable Giving, Inc.INTERNATIONAL, FOREIGN AFFAIRS
    $1,633,2402021 Jewish Communal FundGeneral support
    $1,579,0002023 Cherna Moskowitz FoundationPROMOTING CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES IN ISRAEL.
    $1,565,0012023 Conduit FoundationGENERAL PURPOSES
    $1,524,5822022 Vanguard CharitableFor recipient's exempt purpose
    $1,501,2002023 Vanguard CharitableFOR RECIPIENT'S EXEMPT PURPOSE
    $1,373,8502024 National Philanthropic TrustEDUCATION
    $1,361,0002022 Cherna Moskowitz FoundationPROMOTING CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES IN ISRAEL.
    $1,187,1202022 Donor Advised Charitable Giving, Inc.INTERNATIONAL, FOREIGN AFFAIRS
    $1,175,0002021 Conduit FoundationGENERAL PURPOSES
    $1,170,9002022 National Philanthropic TrustINTERNATIONAL
    $1,128,0002024 The Chicago Community TrustGeneral support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes
    $1,005,0002023 The Underground Family FoundationTO SUPPORT VARIOUS PROGRAMS
    $1,000,0002023 Ganz Family FoundationFURTHER JEWISH EDUCATION

    All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $337,103,336
    • Number of Grants: 1,896
    • Number of Recipients: 17

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

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $83,630,6912025 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA RecipientsSee Attached Listin
    $9,000,0002023 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Recipientspub awarenss prgm
    $6,950,0002022 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Recipientspub awareness prgrm
    $6,520,0002021 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA RecipientsPUB AWARENESS
    $5,858,7502023 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Recipientshumanitarian aid
    $3,350,0002022 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Recipientsaid for the needy
    $2,646,1622023 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Recipientshumanitarian aid
    $2,450,0002021 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA RecipientsCOMMUNITY
    $2,411,0002024 Flora and Morris Mizel Foundation I
    $2,200,0002020 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA RecipientsCommunity
    $2,130,0002022 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Recipientseducational program
    $1,995,5152021 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA RecipientsEDUCATIONAL
    $1,963,8922020 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA RecipientsCommunity
    $1,760,0272023 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Recipientspub awareness prgrm
    $1,700,0002021 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA RecipientsCOMMUNITY
    $1,700,0002021 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA RecipientsCOMMUNITY
    $1,688,8002023 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Recipientscommunity projects
    $1,645,8202022 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Recipientscommunity projects
    $1,549,1602023 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Recipientspub awareness prgm
    $1,500,0002023 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Recipientspub awareness prgrm
    $1,500,0002021 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA RecipientsPUB AWARENESS
    $1,400,0002020 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA RecipientsEducational
    $1,371,8952022 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Recipientscommunity projects
    $1,371,4902023 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Recipientscommunity prgrms
    $1,312,0002022 Multiple MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA Recipientseducational program

    Contact InfluenceWatch to report errors, suggest edits, or provide tips for additional profiles.

    Contact Us

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

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. “About Us.” Central Fund of Israel, 2022. Accessed January 10, 2023. https://www.centralfundofisrael.org/about-us.
    2. Central Fund of Israel, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2020, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a.
    3. “FAQ.” Central Fund of Israel, 2022. Accessed January 10, 2023. https://www.centralfundofisrael.org/faq.
    4. “Fact Sheet: The Central Fund of Israel.” The Institute for Middle East Understanding, December 17, 2021. Accessed January 10, 2023. https://imeu.org/article/fact-sheet-the-central-fund-of-israel.
    5. Cherna Moskowitz Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2018, Part XV, Line 3.
    6. [1] Jewish Communal Fund, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2020, Schedule I, Part II.
    7.  The Irving I. Moskowitz Foundation, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019, Schedule I, Part II.