Friends of Arava the Institute Ltd
Friends of Arava the Institute Ltd is a public charity based in Newton Centre, Massachusetts. Formed in 1999, it supports the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies through public awareness, student recruitment, and fundraising, and works to advance environmental cooperation across borders amid political conflict.
Friends of Arava the Institute Ltd at a glance
In short: Friends of Arava the Institute Ltd reported $2.2M in grants paid in 2025 (a total; its filing lists no individual grants). Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Grants paid (2025)
- $2,178,958 — reported as a total on the IRS filing, without an itemized list
- +5004.7% vs 2024
- Total assets
- $6,773,136
- +3.9% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $3,841,432
- -12.2% vs 2024
- Net investment income (2025)
- $263,803
- +24.2% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $3,521,294
- -2.7% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Friends of Arava the Institute Ltd
- Contact
Mailing address: 1320 Centre Street 206, Newton Centre, MA 02459
Phone: (617) 266-7100
Website: https://friendsofarava.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Friends of Arava the Institute Ltd funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
7 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 4 grants of 7 (57%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization’s stated work focuses on environmental cooperation between Israel and neighboring countries. Its filing describes supported programs as domestic and international.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $43K (2024) to $2.2M (2025). In 2025 it reported $2.2M in grants paid, as a total without an itemized list.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Jewish National Fund (JNF) New York, NY | To Support Arava Institute for Environmental Studies (Aies) | $42,685 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $6,773,136 | $3,841,432 | $3,521,294 | $2,178,958 | Total only | $263,803 |
| 2024 | $6,517,301 | $4,374,130 | $3,618,990 | $42,685 | 1 | $212,404 |
| 2023 | $5,856,932 | $4,073,730 | $4,296,056 | $221,263 | 2 | $63,928 |
| 2022 | $6,011,323 | $7,335,717 | $4,529,713 | $43,485 | 2 | $15,583 |
| 2020 | $2,367,160 | $2,209,397 | $2,170,133 | $127,740 | 2 | $18,949 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization states that its mission is to support the critical work of the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies through public awareness, student recruitment, and fundraising campaigns, and to advance cross-border environmental cooperation in the face of political conflict.
Its program description says it supported domestic and international programs fostering environmental cooperation between Israel and neighboring countries through those activities.
Grantmaking
The organization reported one grant totaling $42,685 in 2024 and two grants totaling $221,263 in 2023. The 2025 filing reported no grants. In 2023, Hazon Inc. received $81,828. Hazon describes its own mission as weaving sustainability into Jewish life to help create a healthier, more sustainable, and more equitable world.
The organization says it monitors the use of grant proceeds by the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies through board and committee participation, written project reports and photos, regular communication, and visits. For designated funds used to purchase or develop tangible objects, its representatives can observe whether funds were used as stipulated by donors.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Aaron Frank, Adam Goldstein, Alexa Broida, Amy Goldman, Anat Moskowitz, Andrea Platt, Brenda Jaffe, Brett Cohen, Cerri Friedman, and Chet Stein as board members. Alexa Broida is listed through June 2025, and Chet Stein through September 2024.
Friends of Arava the Institute Ltd is led by Rachel Kalikow, Chief Executive Officer since 2024 (on filings since 2022); 2 of 52 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Rachel Kalikow
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Development Officer → Chief Executive Officer, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$112K (2022) → $183K (2025)
Karen Schapiro
Chairman
Board Member → Chairman, 2023
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carolyn Flammey
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2022
30 hrs/week
$99K (2022) → $96K (2025)
Aaron Frank
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Adam Goldstein
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amy Goldman
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anat Moskowitz
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brenda Jaffe
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cerri Friedman
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chet Stein
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Craig Margolis
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Arfin
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Camp
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Jaffe
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Debra Aaron
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eric Berzon
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Frank Chudnow
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gary Korus
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Hershel Richman
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Hillel Salomon
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Howie Rodenstein
Board Member
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jack Platt
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Janine Biskind
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jon Harris-Shapiro
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joseph Eppstein
Board Member
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2022
Vice Chair → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mandy Patinkin
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marcee Samberg
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Marcus
Board Member
Chairman → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mindy Radler Glickman
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Miriam Newman
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Goldman
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shai Robkin
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sheldon Kahn
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven Sanderson
Vice Chair
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Vivian Fuhrman
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Zachary Korenstein
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alexa Broida
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brett Cohen
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ethan Grossman
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Irene Schwieger White
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter Wexler
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Samuel Hendler
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tareq Abu Hamed
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daniel Caine
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eilon Adar
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gwen Borowsky
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Neal Epstein
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Saul Pilchen
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Yaffe
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eman Ansari
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nancy Reichman
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrea Platt
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (16)
- Former: David Eisenberg (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Miriam May (2020–2024) — Chief Executive Officer Emerita
- Former: Ann Stehney (2022–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Bernard Friedman (2022–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Dan Caine (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Daniel Kayne (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: David Lehrer (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Elion Adar (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Jonathan Fishman (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Melvin Simon (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Yaron Marcus (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Barbara Gural Steinmetz (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Bruce Stanger (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Mohammed Atwa (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Peter Wakjer (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Sam Hendler (2020) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $183K, to Rachel Kalikow (Chief Executive Officer). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Friends of Arava the Institute Ltd
How much does Friends of Arava the Institute Ltd give each year?
Friends of Arava the Institute Ltd reported $2.2M in grants paid in 2025 on its 2025 IRS Form 990, as a total without an itemized list of grants. In 2024 it gave $43K across 1 grant.
How large is Friends of Arava the Institute Ltd?
Friends of Arava the Institute Ltd reported $6.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.8M.
What does Friends of Arava the Institute Ltd fund?
The organization states that its mission is to support the critical work of the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies through public awareness, student recruitment, and fundraising campaigns, and to advance cross-border environmental cooperation in the face of political conflict. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Friends of Arava the Institute Ltd?
Friends of Arava the Institute Ltd has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check friendsofarava.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
Where does Friends of Arava the Institute Ltd make grants?
The organization’s stated work focuses on environmental cooperation between Israel and neighboring countries. Its filing describes supported programs as domestic and international.
What is Friends of Arava the Institute Ltd's EIN?
Friends of Arava the Institute Ltd's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 11-3485736. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 18, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 19, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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