Contents
EMET educates policymakers on issues including the threat of radical Islamism to the Western world, especially to the national security of the United States and Israel. It does so through a newsletter, articles published in journals and periodicals, and frequent seminars on Capitol Hill. 2
Background
Sarah Stern founded the Endowment for Middle East Truth in 2005. The Endowment’s acronym, EMET, is the same as the Hebrew word for truth, which the organization says conveys its goal to combat “falsehoods and misrepresentations” related to Israel. 3
The Endowment for Middle East Truth began in response to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s anti-Israel regime and incidents such as the 2005 Gaza withdrawal, in which Israel withdrew from settlements in the Palestinian-claimed Gaza Strip due to Hamas terrorist attacks against Israeli settlers. 4
While most of its partners and sponsors are Republicans, EMET works closely with members of both parties, such as former Senator Robert Portman (R-OH), Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ). 5 6 7 Annually, the Endowment conducts over 250 briefings on Capitol Hill for both Democratic and Republican offices. 3
Initiatives and Policy Advocacy
Endowment for Middle East Truth conducts research, writes articles, and produces policy reports that provide pro-Israel advice to lawmakers regarding the United States’ relationship with the state of Israel. EMET also publishes a newsletter with over 11,000 subscribers and hosts webinars to update policymakers and their staff on Middle East policy issues. 1 3
EMET claims credit for advancing the relocation of the American embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem through the Jerusalem Embassy Relocation Act. Although the law was passed in 1995, it took until 2017 for then-President Donald Trump to move the embassy. 6
Another bill supported by EMET was the Israel Relations Normalization Act of 2021, which attempts to strengthen and expand the Abraham Accords, encouraging economic ties between Israel and its Sunni Arab neighbors. The bill was drafted with bipartisan support. 6
In 2023, EMET endorsed the Antisemitism Awareness Act introduced by Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) and U.S. Representative Mike Lawler (R-NY), which directs the United States Department of Education to apply the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism when investigating antisemitic activity on college campuses. Other Jewish organizations that endorsed the bill include the Republican Jewish Coalition, the Jewish Federations of North America, the Orthodox Union, the Zionist Organization of America, American Jewish Committee, Israeli-American Council, Christians United for Israel, Hadassah, and the Council of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. 8
Leadership
Sarah Stern is the founder and president of the Endowment for Middle East Truth. Before beginning EMET, Stern was director of the Office of Legislative and Governmental Affairs of the American Jewish Congress from 2004 to 2006. She also worked for the Zionist Organization of America from 1998-2004 as the national policy coordinator. 9
Stern and the Endowment for Middle East Truth played significant roles in the drafting and passage of several pieces of legislation, including the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Act of 2003, the Koby Mandell Act of 2005, the US-Israel Alternative Energy Cooperation Act, and the amendments to Title VI of the Higher Education Act in 2008 that sought a more balanced teaching of Middle East Studies on college campuses. 9
Stern has testified before Congress on various issues related to the Middle East, including the treatment of religious minorities by the Palestinian Authority and anti-Semitism on college campuses. 2
In a 2024 opinion piece for Newsweek, Stern argued that the United States’ abstention from voting on a Hamas ceasefire proposal in the 2023-2024 Israel-Hamas conflict at the United Nations Security Council indicates a softening of American opinion toward Hamas and a hardening of American opinion toward Israel. Stern claimed that the United States should have vetoed the resolution to show support for Israel. 10
Finances
In 2022, the Endowment for Middle East Truth reported $536,994 in revenue, $451,573 in expenses, and $864,677 in net assets. 11
Financial Statistics
Total Assets
Total Revenue
Total Expenses
| Year | Total Assets | Total Revenue | Total Expenses | Filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $765,187 | $605,996 | $651,136 | View |
| 2023 | $884,348 | $473,288 | $574,002 | View |
| 2022 | $880,224 | $536,994 | $451,573 | View |
| 2021 | $797,839 | $734,586 | $506,585 | View |
| 2020 | $642,720 | $460,340 | $433,177 | View |
Prior year filings: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011
Revenue Detail
Expenses Detail
Employee Compensation
- Number of Employees: 7
Highest Earning Employees
| Employee | Title | Total Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Sarah Stern | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | $155,000 |
| Joseph Epstein | HIGHEST COMPENSATED EMPLOYEE | $114,077 |
Grant Activity
All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:
- Total Grant Value: $1,690,865
- Number of Grants: 133
- Number of Funders: 47
Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:
All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:
- Total Grant Value: $94,788
- Number of Grants: 1
- Number of Recipients: 1
Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:
| Amount | Year | Funder | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| $94,788 | 2021 | 2048 the Second Century | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT AND ORGANIZATIONAL COSTS |