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Jewish National Fund

Foundation · Grantmaker New York, NY EIN: 13-1659627 Website

Jewish National Fund-USA (also known as Keren Kayemeth Leisrael) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and United Nations NGO headquartered in New York, NY. Founded in 1901, the organization works to build a prosperous future for the land and people of Israel through strategic initiatives in community development, environmental stewardship, and Zionist education.

Key facts about Jewish National Fund

EIN
13-1659627
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$16,051,132
Grants made (2024)
169
Average grant
$94,977
Median grant
$20,000
New grantees (estimate)
38% first-time grantees (63 of 167, 2024)
Total assets
$633,219,242
Primary geography
New York (64% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Who Jewish National Fund funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Jewish National Fund's 169 itemized 2024 grants were New York (64%), California (12%) and District of Columbia (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (32 grants), Los Angeles, CA (13 grants), Brooklyn, NY (13 grants) and Washington, DC (7 grants).

Is Jewish National Fund open to new grantees?

38%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 63 of 167 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $40K; repeat grants $130K. How we count

Medians: $15K first-time, $20K repeat.

  • 49% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 143% from 2021 to 2024. Method

Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

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Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$633.2M

+25.4% YoY

Annual Giving

$16.1M

+28.6% YoY

Grant Count

169

+15.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$95K

+11.9% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Jewish National Fund-USA's mission is to give all generations of Jews a unique voice in building a prosperous future for the land of Israel and its people. The organization's strategic vision centers on ensuring a strong, secure, and prosperous future for Israel through:

  • Afforestation and environmental conservation ("greening" the desert with millions of trees)
  • Building and maintaining thousands of parks across Israel
  • Creating new communities and cities in Israel's north and south
  • Water supply development and river rehabilitation
  • Infrastructure development and heritage preservation
  • Population growth initiatives in northern and southern Israel
  • Zionist education and youth engagement programs
  • Support for the Alexander Muss High School in Israel
  • Tourism and Aliyah (immigration to Israel) support
  • Medical and trauma center funding
  • Agricultural and culinary research
  • Accessibility improvements for people with special needs

Grantmaking

Jewish National Fund-USA maintains a donor-advised fund through which donors can direct the distribution or investment of funds. The organization has announced significant grant initiatives, including over $5 million in grants to promote greater collaboration between Zionist organizations. The organization also raised $10 million in three weeks during an emergency response period to address urgent Israeli needs.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Jewish National Fund-USA focuses exclusively on Israel, with particular emphasis on population growth and development in Israel's northern and southern regions.

Grant Distribution by State

28states

Share of all 169 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

Cities

New YorkBrooklynLos AngelesWashingtonAtlantaBoca RatonSan DiegoChicagoCincinnatiLakewoodWilmingtonPhiladelphiaScottsdaleSkokieTeaneckBerkeleyBostonBryn MawrColorado SpringsGreat Neck

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Most Recent Data (Fiscal Year 2024):

  • Total Revenue: $224 million
  • Total Expenses: $162 million
  • Total Assets: $633 million
  • Total Liabilities: $61.8 million

Prior Year Data (Fiscal Year 2023):

  • Total Revenues: $105,380,420
  • Total Expenses: $111,941,392
  • Total Assets: $505,063,345

Staffing:

  • Approximately 297 employees (as of 2023)
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$62M$123M$185M$247M20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$633,219,242$505,063,345$481,559,079
Revenue$224,296,704$105,380,420$113,075,602
Expenses$162,179,627$111,941,392$105,804,577
Qualifying Distributions———
Net Investment Income$31,129,542$13,571,508$-1,753,061
Distributable Amount———

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$4M$8M$12M$16M63 grants202084 grants2021144 grants2022147 grants2023169 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Alexander Muss Institute for Israel Edu: $7.5MAlexander Muss Institute forIsrael Edu$7.5MIsrael Campus Coalition: $1.1MIsrael Campus Coalition$1.1MChabad of Hollywood: $576KChabad of Hollywood$576KHeroes to Heroes Foundation: $328KHeroes to Heroes Foundation$328KCentral Fund of Israel: $261KCentral Fund of Israel$261KAmerica Friends of Soroka Medical Center: $250KAmerica Friends of SorokaMedical Center$250KOrthodox Union's Ou- Jlic Yahneh: $250KOrthodox Union's Ou- JlicYahneh$250KUniversity of Arizona Foundation: $250KUniversity of ArizonaFoundation$250KSinai Temple: $200KSinai Temple$200KFriends of the Israel Defense Forces: $190KFriends of the Israel DefenseForces$190K

Grant Size Distribution

607 grants across all recorded years

436<$50K70$50–100K68$100–250K17$250–500K9$500K–1M6$1–5M1$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Alexander Muss Institute for Israel Edu ($7,458,740), Israel Campus Coalition ($1,050,000), Chabad of Hollywood ($576,406).

RecipientPurposeAmount
ALEXANDER MUSS INSTITUTE FOR ISRAEL EDU New York, NY—$7,458,740
ISRAEL CAMPUS COALITION Washington, DC—$1,050,000
CHABAD OF HOLLYWOOD Los Angeles, CA—$576,406
HEROES TO HEROES FOUNDATION For Lee, NJ—$327,500
CENTRAL FUND OF ISRAEL New York, NY—$260,600
AMERICA FRIENDS OF SOROKA MEDICAL CENTER Scarsdale, NY—$250,000
ORTHODOX UNION'S OU- JLIC YAHNEH New York, NY—$250,000
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA FOUNDATION Tucson, AZ—$249,933
SINAI TEMPLE Los Angeles, CA—$200,000
FRIENDS OF THE ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES New York, NY—$189,700

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Russell Robinson — CEO: $836KRussell RobinsonCEO$836KMitchel Rosenzweig — CFO: $384KMitchel RosenzweigCFO$384KMatthew Bernstein — Chief Planned Giving Officer: $346KMatthew BernsteinChief Planned Giving Officer$346KStephen Bach — Chief Administrative Officer: $335KStephen BachChief Administrative Officer$335KRichard Krosnick — Chief Development Officer: $326KRichard KrosnickChief Development Officer$326KSharon Joy — National Campaign Director: $266KSharon JoyNational Campaign Director$266KDiane Scar — National Campaign Director: $265KDiane ScarNational Campaign Director$265KDebbie Freedman — Chief HR Officer: $249KDebbie FreedmanChief HR Officer$249KYael Septee Kane — Chief Israel Advocacy and Lead: $244KYael Septee KaneChief Israel Advocacy and Lead$244KMichael Feinman — Executive Director: $223KMichael FeinmanExecutive Director$223K

From 2024 IRS filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
Russell RobinsonCEO40$835,511
Mitchel RosenzweigCFO40$383,761
Matthew BernsteinChief Planned Giving Officer40$345,783
Stephen BachChief Administrative Officer40$335,342
Richard KrosnickChief Development Officer40$326,297
Diane ScarNational Campaign Director40$265,090
Sharon JoyNational Campaign Director40$265,756
Yael Septee KaneChief Israel Advocacy and Lead40$243,866
Debbie FreedmanChief HR Officer40$249,282
Michael FeinmanExecutive Director40$222,884
Ronald S LauderChairperson Emeritus3—
Dr Sol LizerbramPresident5—
Jeffrey E LevineChairperson of the Board3—
Michael BlankTreasurer3—
Myra Chack-FleischerSecretary3—
Ira BartfieldBoard Member3—
Edward BlankBoard Member3—
Sheryl BuchholtzBoard Member3—
Barbara BurryBoard Member3—
Steven CrystalBoard Member3—
Toni DusikBoard Member3—
Baruch Fellner EsqBoard Member3—
Scott H GendellBoard Member3—
Samuel GoldbergBoard Member3—
David GreenbaumBoard Member3—
Vivian GrossmanBoard Member3—
Benjamin GutmannBoard Member3—
Harold L KaplanBoard Member3—
Michael KesslerBoard Member3—
Joseph KornBoard Member3—
Kim KotzinBoard Member (As of 10/16/23)3—
Gary KushnerBoard Member3—
Lynne MerriamBoard Member3—
Nina PaulBoard Member3—
Penny RosenBoard Member3—
Ian SachsBoard Member (As of 10/16/23)3—
Scott N Schreiber EsqBoard Member3—
Carol Ann SchwartzBoard Member (As of 01/01/24)3—
Jeffrey SchwartzBoard Member3—
Kenneth SegelBoard Member3—
Rhoda SmolowBoard Member (Thru 12/31/23)3—
Ronald WernerBoard Member3—
Robert M Wigoda EsqBoard Member3—
Joseph WolfsonBoard Member3—
Alan WolkBoard Member3—
Ann ZinmanBoard Member3—

Contact Information

National Headquarters: 42 E 69th Street New York, NY 10021 USA

Mailing Address: 78 Randall Avenue Rockville Centre, NY 11570

Phone: 800.JNF.0099 (800.563.0099)

Donor Relations & Donations: donorrelations@jnf.org

General Inquiries: jewishnationalfund@jnf.org

Planned Giving: plannedgiving@jnf.org

Travel & Tours: travel@jnf.org or 877.JNF.TOUR (877.563.8687)

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Jewish National Fund fund?

Jewish National Fund-USA's mission is to give all generations of Jews a unique voice in building a prosperous future for the land of Israel and its people. The organization's strategic vision centers on ensuring a strong, secure, and prosperous future for Israel through: • Afforestation and environmental conservation ("greening" the desert with millions of trees) • Building and maintaining thousands of parks across Israel • Creating new communities and cities in Israel's north and south • Water…

How do I apply for a grant from Jewish National Fund?

Jewish National Fund-USA maintains a donor-advised fund through which donors can direct the distribution or investment of funds. The organization has announced significant grant initiatives, including over $5 million in grants to promote greater collaboration between Zionist organizations. The organization also raised $10 million in three weeks during an emergency response period to address urgent Israeli needs.

Where does Jewish National Fund make grants?

Jewish National Fund-USA focuses exclusively on Israel, with particular emphasis on population growth and development in Israel's northern and southern regions.

What size grants does Jewish National Fund award?

In 2024, Jewish National Fund awarded 169 grants totaling $16.1M — an average of about $95K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

What is Jewish National Fund's EIN?

Jewish National Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-1659627. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.

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