Non-profit

Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA)

Website:

jinsa.org

Location:

Washington, DC

Tax ID:

52-1233683

Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2020):

Revenue: $5,513,850
Expenses: $4,807,516
Assets: $6,781,376

Type:

Foreign Policy Think Tank

Formation:

1977

CEO:

Michael Makovsky

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) is pro-Israel think tank focused on U.S. defense and national security issues, especially as they relate to the Middle East. JINSA advocates for a strong security relationship between the United States and Israel. 1

Activities

Jewish Institute for National Security of America’s U.S.-Israel Security Policy Project seeks to strengthen the security relationship between the U.S. and Israel. In 2021, JINSA published policy papers detailing the benefits of building a strong security cooperation with Israel. JINSA stated that the U.S. must play a primary role in shaping events in the Middle East and recommended military aid that includes upgrading stockpiled Israeli weapons, providing additional U.S. weapons to Israel, and strengthening intelligence and technology-sharing between the U.S. and Israel. 2

JINSA has several programs to educate U.S. military leaders about the security challenges faced by Israel and the importance of a strong security relationship between the U.S. and Israel. The programs focus on retired U.S. generals and admirals, high-level U.S. military officers, and military leaders from allied Middle Eastern countries. JINSA’s Homeland Security Program brings American law enforcement officials to Israel to study counterterrorism techniques. 3

JINSA publishes the Journal of International Security Affairs, which discusses the relationship between the U.S. and Israel, especially as it relates to security requirements. The Journal advocates strengthening the strategic cooperation relationship between these countries and a judicious U.S. national security policy. 4

Funding

Jewish Institute for National Security of America is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses. While JINSA does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from DonorsTrust ($272,000 in 2019), 5 the Helen Diller Family Foundation ($100,000 in 2019), 6 and the Irving I. Moskowitz Foundation ($70,000 in 2018). 7

People

Michael Makovsky is the president and CEO of Jewish Institute for National Security of America. Makovsky formerly worked as foreign policy director for the Bipartisan Policy Center and as special assistant in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. 8

Yaacov Ayish is the senior vice president for Israeli affairs at JINSA. Ayish is a former major general in the Israel Defense Forces. 9

John Hannah is the Randi and Charles Wax senior fellow at the Gemunder Center for Defense and Strategy at JINSA. Hannah formerly worked in senior foreign policy positions for both Democratic and Republican administrations, as senior counselor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and as a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. 10

Matthew Kenney is vice president for government affairs at JINSA. Kenney formerly worked in the office of the Secretary of Defense and for U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). 11

Blaise Misztal is the vice president for policy at JINSA. Misztal is a former fellow at the Hudson Institute, former executive director of the Task Force on Extremism in Fragile States, and former director of the National Security Program at the Bipartisan Policy Center. 12

Jonathan Ruhe is the director of foreign policy at JINSA and formerly worked as a senior policy analyst the Bipartisan Policy Center. 13

Morgan Lorraine Vina is the vice president for government affairs at JINSA and a visiting fellow at the National Security Institute. Lorraine Vina formerly worked as chief of staff for international security affairs at the Department of Defense and is a former adjunct fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. 14

Ilan Berman is the editor of the Journal of International Security Affairs, the vice president of the American Foreign Policy Council, and a member of the Committee on the Present Danger. 15

Members of the JINSA board of directors include David Steinmann, advisory executive for the William Rosenwald Family Organization and former assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York; 16 Joel F. Gemunder, vice president and member of the executive committee of JINSA; 17 Jonathan Kislak, former chair of the board of JINSA and former deputy under secretary at the Department of Agriculture; 18 Michael J. Leffell, chair of Commentary magazine; 19 and Joel Zinberg, a senior fellow with the Competitive Enterprise Institute, former visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, and former general counsel and a senior economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers during the Trump administration. 20

References

  1. “About.” Jewish Institute for National Security of America. Accessed January 2, 2023. https://jinsa.org/about/.
  2. [1] “Bolstering U.S.-Israel Defense of Shared Interests: An Agenda for the Biden Administration.” Jewish Institute for National Security of America. January 25, 2021. Accessed January 2, 2023. https://jinsa.org/jinsa_report/bolstering-u-s-israel-defense-of-shared-interests-an-agenda-for-the-biden-administration/.
  3. “JINSA Programs.” Jewish Institute for National Security of America. Accessed January 2, 2023. https://jinsa.org/programs/.
  4. [1] “About.” Journal of International Security Affairs. Accessed December 31, 2022. https://security-affairs.com/about/.
  5. DonorsTrust. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). 2019. Schedule I, Part II.
  6. The Helen Diller Family Foundation. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). 2019. Schedule I, Part II.
  7. The Irving I. Moskowitz Foundation. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). 2018. Schedule I, Part II.
  8. “Michael Makovsky, PhD.” Jewish Institute for National Security of America. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://jinsa.org/person/dr-michael-makovsky/.
  9. [1] “IDF MG (ret.) Yaacov Ayish.” Jewish Institute for National Security of America. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://jinsa.org/person/idf-mg-ret-yaacov-ayish/.
  10. “John Hannah.” Jewish Institute for National Security of America. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://jinsa.org/person/john-hannah/.
  11. “Matthew Kenney.” Jewish Institute for National Security of America. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://jinsa.org/person/matthew-kenney/.
  12. “Blaise Misztal.” Jewish Institute for National Security of America. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://jinsa.org/person/blaise-misztal/.
  13. “Jonathan Ruhe.” Jewish Institute for National Security of America. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://jinsa.org/person/jonathan-ruhe/
  14. “Morgan Lorraine Viña.” Jewish Institute for National Security of America. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://jinsa.org/person/morgan-lorraine-vina/.
  15. “About.” The Journal of International Security Affairs. Accessed December 31, 2022. https://security-affairs.com/about/.
  16. “David P. Steinmann.” Jewish Institute for National Security of America. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://jinsa.org/person/david-p-steinmann/.
  17.  “Joel Gemunder.” Jewish Institute for National Security of America. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://jinsa.org/person/joel-gemunder/.
  18. “Jonathan Kislak.” Jewish Institute for National Security of America. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://jinsa.org/person/jonathan-kislak/.
  19. “Michael J. Leffell.” Jewish Institute for National Security of America. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://jinsa.org/person/michael-leffell/.
  20. “Joel Zinberg.” Competitive Enterprise Institute, 2022. Accessed December 31, 2022. https://cei.org/experts/joel-zinberg/.
  See an error? Let us know!

Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: May 1, 1977

  • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2020 Dec Form 990 $5,513,850 $4,807,516 $6,781,376 $798,265 N $5,436,039 $18,805 $59,006 $657,513
    2019 Dec Form 990 $5,604,471 $5,554,967 $5,826,555 $765,876 N $5,370,666 $100,450 $61,858 $612,513 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $5,180,445 $4,620,321 $5,364,742 $644,254 N $4,921,528 $118,500 $65,407 $755,935 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $5,085,008 $3,816,014 $4,774,828 $489,171 N $4,929,755 $42,661 $35,723 $561,342
    2016 Dec Form 990 $4,181,489 $3,540,900 $3,507,034 $499,573 N $4,149,633 $18,682 $2,910 $474,268 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $3,985,193 $3,944,444 $2,598,084 $247,744 N $3,929,571 $48,303 $51 $409,964 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $3,491,593 $3,496,342 $2,486,839 $176,037 N $3,403,433 $79,780 $50 $328,504 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $3,079,435 $3,316,332 $2,415,014 $134,032 N $2,991,194 $84,196 $233 $201,032 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $3,783,167 $3,473,800 $2,652,942 $132,071 N $3,516,783 $258,547 $3,723 $271,813 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $3,331,889 $3,466,165 $2,301,074 $98,445 N $2,433,555 $824,406 $5,488 $297,867 PDF
    2010 Dec Form 990 $3,332,140 $3,173,661 $2,365,983 $28,169 N $2,377,408 $897,218 $27,069 $501,364 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA)

    1101 14TH ST NW STE 1030
    Washington, DC 20005-5635