Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston

Background

The Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, or Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP), is the oldest federated Jewish philanthropy in the United States. ² It granted money to 963 groups in fiscal year 2023 ³ and some of its initiatives include the Center for Combating Antisemitism, the Anti-Poverty Initiative, the CJP Communal Security Initiative, the Israel Emergency Fund, and Social Justice. ¹

CJP calls its Center for Combating Antisemitism Greater Boston’s “central hub for communal efforts” for responses to antisemitism. ⁴ In particular, the Center for Combating Antisemitism focuses on civic leadership and communal security and community mobilization in addition to K-12 education and responses to incidents of antisemitism in schools. ⁴

The Anti-Poverty Initiative established a “warmline” that individuals experiencing financial hardship can call for emergency financial assistance, career counseling, and assistance navigating public benefits. ⁵

CJP’s Communal Security Initiative offers services to partners in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont and provides security support to 250 Jewish organizations in the Boston metro area. ⁶

CJP’s Social Justice activities include “welcoming the stranger” and preventing homelessness. The former entails assisting refugees and the group focuses on “addressing systemic gaps” after arriving in the United States. Additionally, CJP launched the Fund for Detained Children which provides children detained at the U.S. border with backpacks full of necessities for their release as well as “dedicated Child Advocates.” ⁷ Donations to the Fund for Detained Children support the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights and the Interfaith Welcome Coalition. Preventing homelessness entails “addressing the root causes of homelessness,” in part by partnering with United Way and the Bank of America Foundation to help individuals avoid evictions.  ⁸

Financials

Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston reported a revenue of $231,139,551 and expenses of $208,677,956 in the fiscal year ending in June 2023. ⁹

Combined Jewish Philanthropies granted money to 963 Jewish and secular groups in the fiscal year ending in June 2023, and many of the secular groups are left-of-center. CJP made grants of $17,850 to the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation and $63,580 to the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Massachusetts. ³ It also gave $37,320 to the J Street Education Fund, $76,400 to the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice, $273,879 to the New Israel Fund and $200,150 to the New Venture Fund, the largest of the nonprofits managed by Arabella Advisors that constitute its “dark money” network. ¹⁰ Additionally, it gave $2.5 million to States United Democracy Center. ³

Leadership

Marc Baker is president and CEO of Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, Laurene Sperling is the chair of the Board of Directors, Sarah Abramson is the executive vice president, and Tom O’Reilly is the chief administrative and financial officer. ¹¹

Before running CJP, Baker was head of school at Gann Academy, a Jewish day school in Waltham, Massachusetts. Baker came under fire in 2021 after some of his current and former employees from both Gann and CJP accused him of fostering a toxic work environment. ²