Reductions to the Jewish Agency Budget

The Jewish Agency for Israel, like most organizations, is going through challenging times. Today they released a new report, Budget Shortfalls and the Impact on Our Work, to highlight areas of concern.

from the report:

As all our donors cope with fiscal instability and Jewish communities worldwide face growing needs, stark choices face us all. The Jewish Agency has been dealing with these challenges over the past few years, and continues to do so. With the full involvement of our governing bodies, we have made difficult and sometimes painful decisions – thoughtful evaluation of strategic priorities; restructuring of administrative functions to enhance efficiency and responsiveness, coupled with ongoing and drastic cuts to overhead costs; and where necessary, reduction or elimination of programs.

Today, the Jewish Agency is again embarked on a review of its strategic directions. But this much is already clear – the future of the world Jewish community depends on strengthening the bonds between the Diaspora and Israel, especially among the young. Without a commitment to Jewish peoplehood, the concept of “Kol Yisrael Areivim Zeh LaZeh” – the mutual responsibility of every Jew for every other – will inevitably shrivel over time. Dealing urgently with this challenge, and with the accompanying need of enhancing the social fabric of Israel as a global Jewish goal, has motivated the Jewish Agency and its funding partners over eight decades. It cannot be put on the back burner.

The Jewish Agency will continue to operate with transparency and financial prudence. It will set its priorities in the interests of world Jewry. But it cannot spend what it does not have. As has been shown below, budget reductions have real consequences for real people and for our collective Jewish future. This is why our worldwide partners have shown their longstanding commitment to the Jewish Agency. The urgency is certainly no less today.

JAFI budget shortfall document