Fuente Latina is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that intends to reduce language barriers by providing support to Spanish-speaking media outlets, especially regarding Israel and the Middle East. Fuente Latina aims to empower both journalists and influencers with the ability to provide accurate, real-time coverage of current events, political situations, and security issues in the Middle East. ¹

Activities

Fuente Latina was founded by Leah Soibel in 2012 in response to a growing demand for information about Israel from Spanish-language journalists. Fuente Latina aims to provide media services along with facts and culturally relevant content to journalists through its programs, which include media fellowships to Israel, interviews with experts, breaking news coverage, and content production. ²

Fuente Latina states that it has provided Spanish-speaking media with more than 5,000 interviews, resulting in over 33,000 stories, conducted 100 helicopter tours, provided media fellowships to 300 journalists, and authored more than 100 opinion pieces. Fuente Latina’s Israel-based production team provides support to traveling correspondents and photographers while also producing content for journalists and news outlets that are unable to travel to Israel. ³

Funding

Fuente Latina is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses. While FL does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from the Jewish Community Foundation of the Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles ($219,000 in 2020), ⁴ the Marcus Foundation ($150,000 in 2021), ⁵ and the Jewish Communal Fund ($140,000 in 2021). ⁶

Board of Directors

Leah Soibel is the founder and CEO of Fuente Latina. Soibel formerly worked at The Israel Project in Jerusalem. Soibel is a National Security Education Program Fellow of the American University of Cairo’s Arabic Language Institute. ⁷

Ilene Adler is the interim chair of the board of Fuente Latina and a partner and founder of Claritize Consulting. ⁸ Adler is a member of the Illinois Leadership Board of the Jewish National Fund. ⁹

Andrew F. Mars is the treasurer of the board of Fuente Latina and the CEO of the Mars Media Family. ¹⁰

Fuente Latina board member Fred Siegman sits on the boards of the Spanish Public Media Foundation and the Private Directors Association. ¹¹

Other members of the board include Claudia Dornbusch (past chair), Evelyn Drezner-Faigenblat (secretary), Lois R. Fishman (immediate past chair), Stephanie Pier de Romana, Pepe Sigal, and Martin Craig. ¹²

1. “Mission.” Fuente Latina. Accessed January 12, 2024. https://fuentelatina.org/mission/.
2. “Mission.” Fuente Latina. Accessed January 12, 2024. https://fuentelatina.org/mission/.
3. “Services.” Fuente Latina. Accessed January 12, 2024. https://fuentelatina.org/services/.
4. Jewish Community Foundation of the Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2020, Schedule I, Part II.
5.  The Marcus Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2021, Part XV, Line 3.
6. Jewish Communal Fund, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2021, Schedule I, Part II.
7. “Our Team.” Fuente Latina. Accessed January 12, 2024. https://fuentelatina.org/team/.
8. “Ilene Adler.” LinkedIn. Accessed January 12, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ileneadler/.
9. “Illinois Leadership.” Jewish National Fund. Accessed January 12, 2024. https://www.jnf.org/jnf-in-your-area/board-of-directors/illinois-leaders.
10. “Executive Board Members.” Fuente Latina. Accessed January 12, 2024. https://fuentelatina.org/leadership/
11. “Fred Siegman.” LinkedIn. Accessed January 12, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredsiegman/.
12. “Executive Board Members.” Fuente Latina. Accessed January 12, 2024. https://fuentelatina.org/leadership/.