Non-profit

National Jewish Advocacy Center (NJAC)

Website:

jewishadvocacycenter.org/

Location:

Atlanta, GA

Tax ID:

84-5075213

Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2021):

Revenue: $150,470
Expenses: $142,458
Assets: $64,764

Type:

Legal and Public Policy Advocacy

Formation:

2020 6

CEO and Director:

Mark Goldfeder

Budget (2022):

Revenues: $11,590

Expenses: $48,976

Assets: $27,378 6

Contact InfluenceWatch with suggested edits or tips for additional profiles.

The National Jewish Advocacy Center (NJAC) offers legal and policy support to Jewish people in the United States and abroad with federal and state lawmakers and through litigation. 1 Mark Goldfeder, an attorney, founded the organization. 2

After the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023, the NJAC sued several American organizations that it alleges aided Hamas on behalf of victims of the attack, including the Associated Press, AJP Educational Foundation, National Students for Justice in Palestine, and UNRWA USA. 3 4 5

Background

The National Jewish Advocacy Center is a legal and public policy group representing Jewish people in the United States and abroad. 6 The organization uses the legal system to fight back against antisemitism. The organization also engages lawmakers at the local, state, and federal levels. 1

The center says “to end the history of persecution, and the need for formal defense, we must ensure that the Jewish narrative shifts from defensive to inspirational.” 1

The organization works with state legislatures to pass what it calls “challenge-proof bills that align with the First Amendment to fight anti-Semitism” on college campuses and elsewhere. The organization uses the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism. 7

The center provides courses for lawyers around the country on how to fight antisemitism. The content includes learning the international law and the law of war with relation to Israel’s self-defense. 7 It also collaborates with Christian church groups to educate clergy about antisemitism within faith communities. 6

Leadership

Mark Goldfeder is the CEO and director of the National Jewish Advocacy Center. Goldfeder holds two rabbinic ordinations and is a lawyer. He is a senior partner with Goldfeder & Terry. He is the founding editor of the Cambridge University Press’s Series on Law and Judaism. He has been a trustee of the Center for Israel Education and was an adviser to the Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations. He has taught law at Emory University School of Law, Georgia State University School of Law, Florida Southern College, University of Padua in Italy, Scuola Galileana in Italy, IDC’s Radzyner Law School in Israel, and Bar Ilan Law School in Israel. He is a special counsel for international affairs at the American Center for Law and Justice. He was a private counsel to former President Donald Trump. 2

Miles L Terry is the vice president of the National Jewish Advocacy Center. 6 Terry is a lawyer who focuses on corporate law, business formation, estate planning and nonprofit law. 8

October 7 Attack Lawsuits

The National Jewish Advocacy Center joined the law firm of Greenberg Traurig, the Schoen Law Firm, and the law firm of Holtzman Vogel to represent a group of victims of the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023, in lawsuits against AJP Educational Foundation, also known as American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), and National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP). The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The lawsuit alleges that AMP and NSJP work in the United States as collaborators and propagandists for Hamas. 9 The plaintiffs are nine American and Israeli victims of the attack who included survivors, family members of those killed, and civilians under fire or displaced by the Hamas attack. 5

The NJAC sued the Associated Press, claiming the global news outlet gave “material support for terrorism” by claiming it bought photos from a journalist affiliated with Hamas. The center filed the federal lawsuit in the Southern District of New York. The AP denied the allegations. 3

The group sued UNRWA USA , a charity that is the U.S. fundraising arm of UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Workers Agency for Palestinian Refugees), in U.S. District Court in Delaware. 4 The lawsuit was filed on behalf of 10 American and Israeli dual nationals who were survivors of the October 7 attack. 10 Before the lawsuit, the center asked the Internal Revenue Service to revoke the tax-exempt status of UNRWA USA. 11

Public Policy Advocacy

The National Jewish Advocacy Center and the International Legal Forum asked the Internal Revenue Service to revoke the tax-exempt status of the City University of New York after a May 2023 speech from activist Fatima Mousa Mohammed, which the groups said was part of CUNY’s “long-standing promotion of antisemitism.” 12

In January 2024, the National Jewish Advocacy Center joined the Zachor Legal Institute asking the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to issue guidance on addressing the issue of antisemitism “in a manner that protects Jewish students on campus.” 13

Mark Goldfeder, CEO of the group, was among advocates to join South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) in March 2024 when she signed a bill that defines antisemitism and makes it easier to prove when discriminatory conduct is motivated by antisemitism. 14 The NJAC circulated talking points on Capitol Hill among members of Congress and policy advocates of a bipartisan Countering Antisemitism Act in April 2024 that would reform federal policy to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism. 15

In May 2024, Goldfeder testified to the House Judiciary Committee about antisemitism on college campuses. 16 17

In May 2024, Goldfeder argued that President Joe Biden committed an impeachable offense after he withheld military assistance from Israel, a possible violation of the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, which states an administration must spend money appropriated by Congress. 18

References

  1.  “National Jewish Advocacy Center.” LinkedIn. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/company/njacofficial/
  2. “Our Leadership.” National Jewish Advocacy Center. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://jewishadvocacycenter.org/leadership/
  3. Sun Staff. “National Jewish Advocacy Center Sues Associated Press for Its ‘Material Support for Terrorism.’” New York Sun. February 22, 2024. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.nysun.com/article/national-jewish-advocacy-centers-sues-associated-press-for-its-material-support-for-terrorism
  4. Lefkovits, Etgar. “Survivors File Lawsuit Against UNRWA in US for Supporting Hamas Terror.” JNS via United With Israel. March 10, 2024. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://unitedwithisrael.org/survivors-file-lawsuit-against-unrwa-usa-for-supporting-hamas-terrorism/
  5. Blankley, Bethany. “Jewish groups sue Palestinian groups, Hamas supporters.” Center Square. May 6, 2024. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_fea4e7a2-0bfd-11ef-b369-5bde95246c82.html
  6. “National Jewish Advocacy Center.” Cause IQ. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/national-jewish-advocacy-center,845075213/
  7.  “Work.” National Jewish Advocacy Center. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://jewishadvocacycenter.org/work/
  8. “Our Team.” The Terry Firm. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.theterryfirm.com/partners
  9. Press Release. “Greenberg Traurig, National Jewish Advocacy Center, Schoen Law Firm, and Holtzman Vogel Represent American and Israeli Victims of Hamas Oct. 7 Terrorist Attack.” MarketWatch. May 1, 2024. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/greenberg-traurig-national-jewish-advocacy-center-schoen-law-firm-and-holtzman-vogel-represent-american-and-israeli-victims-of-hamas-oct-7-terrorist-attack-54489a18
  10. Rampstack, Tom. “Jewish Group Sues UN Relief Agency Saying It Supports Hamas Terrorism.” The Well News. March 14, 2024. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.thewellnews.com/litigation/jewish-group-sues-un-relief-agency-saying-it-supports-hamas-terrorism/
  11. Staff. “IRS urged to suspend UNRWA tax status amid October 7 investigation.” Jerusalem Post. February 4, 2024. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-785096
  12. Pennock, Lewis. “IRS urged to REVOKE CUNY’s tax exempt status by Jewish advocacy center and legal forum after ‘hateful’” Daily Mail. June 2, 2023. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12153695/IRS-urged-REVOKE-CUNYs-tax-exempt-status-hateful-speech-law-graduate.html
  13. Julian, Hana Levi. “Jewish Advocacy Groups Ask US Office of Civil Rights to Guide Universities on Dealing with Campus Antisemitism.” Jewish Press. January 31, 2024. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.jewishpress.com/news/us-news/jewish-advocacy-groups-ask-us-office-of-civil-rights-to-guide-universities-on-dealing-with-campus-antisemitism/2024/01/31/
  14.  Press Release. “Governor Noem Signs Historic Bill to Combat Antisemitism into Law.” March 6, 2024. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.sd.gov/bit?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0041854&sys_kb_id=57868a958778c210ec0053dd3fbb355c&spa=1
  15. Kampeas, Ron. “A bill to create a national coordinator to fight antisemitism is drawing rare bipartisan support in Congress.” Jewish Telegraphic Agency. April 15, 2024. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.jta.org/2024/04/15/politics/a-bill-to-create-a-national-antisemitism-coordinator-is-drawing-rare-bipartisan-support-in-congress
  16. “Antisemitism on College Campuses.” House Judiciary Committee. May 15, 2024. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://judiciary.house.gov/committee-activity/hearings/antisemitism-college-campuses-0
  17. Hill Staff. “House Judiciary Committee holds hearing on antisemitism on college campuses: Watch live.” The Hill. May 15, 2024. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://thehill.com/video-clips/4665510-house-judiciary-committee-holds-hearing-on-antisemitism-on-college-campuses-watch-live/
  18. Goldfeder, Mark. “Biden Withholding Aid From Israel Sure Looks Impeachable.” Newsweek. May 9, 2024. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.newsweek.com/biden-withholding-aid-israel-sure-looks-impeachable-opinion-1898978
  See an error? Let us know!

Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: August 1, 2020

  • 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
    2021 Dec Form 990 $150,470 $142,458 $64,764 $0 N $150,470 $0 $0 $112,500
    2020 Dec Form 990 $150,000 $93,248 $56,752 $0 N $150,000 $0 $0 $0

    National Jewish Advocacy Center (NJAC)

    1323 Breezy Lane, NE
    Atlanta, GA 30329