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Summary of Israel Activities
In 2003, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation reached a strategic decision to become more involved in funding projects in Israel and concerning Israel, with a focus in the following areas:
- A regional focus on the town of Afula and the surrounding Gilboa region
- Pluralism and tolerance in Israel
- Israel-Diaspora relations through people-to-people contact
- Israel Advocacy
The foundation accepts grant applications for projects in Israel by invitation only. Israel Grants Director Galina Vromen travels to Israel periodically for site visits to potential and current grantees.
Non-profits involved in the projects in HGF’s focus areas can send an initial letter of inquiry to her by email at galina@hgf.org.
Afula/Gilboa
HGF’s Israel funding focuses on the town of Afula and the Gilboa region and is aimed at strengthening and leveraging a long-established relationship which Western Massachusetts, via the Jewish Federation system, already has with Afula/Gilboa. HGF is funding educational programs and projects that encourage entrepreneurship and economic sustainability through work for weak sectors of the population. It has a close relationship with region’s Ha’emek Medical Center and Max Stern College of Emek Yizreel.
Pluralism in Israel
In the belief that critical changes among Israelis must take place to assure a vibrant future for Israel, HGF’s board is committed to fostering pluralistic Jewish education in Israel. It does this by supporting efforts to encourage tolerance and democracy education among the religious sector, and by funding institutions that educate secular Jews about Jewish culture and seek to create relevant Jewish rituals.
Israel-Diaspora – People to People Contact
Convinced of the value to Jews in the Diaspora of contact with Israel, HGF has played a growing role in promoting travel and study to Israel for a variety of age groups. HGF is a major donor to birthright Israel, which provides free trips to Diaspora Jews aged 18-26 who have never been on an organized trip to Israel.
HGF also provides stipends to residents of Western Massachusetts for college study, student trips and summer camp in Israel, as well as adult study trips. For more information on funding for individuals, please click here.
Israel Advocacy
HGF provides support for Israel advocacy. It does this especially to Hillel through the Grinspoon Israel Advocacy Internship program. In addition, it has supported other advocacy organizations such as MEMRI and The Israel Project. However, Israel Advocacy is not a growing focus area of HGF funding.
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