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February 11, 2020 - NEW YORK, NY – The Hadassah Foundation, a nonprofit organization that awards grants to social change programs that empower women and girls in Israel and the United States, is pleased to announce $330,000 in new grants. The recipients are six organizations in Israel that increase opportunities for women and girls of all backgrounds to obtain and advance in decision-making positions.
Co-Chair of The Hadassah Foundation Israel Grants Committee Diane Sigel exclaims: “The expertise and ingenuity reflected in this year’s Israel grant recipients is remarkable. They are combatting complex, systemic issues. Because of organizations like these and the programs The Hadassah Foundation is funding, there is significant promise that there will be greater gender equality in Israel’s future.”
The two-year grants range from $40,000 to $70,000. The supported initiatives enable women and girls to: advance in positions of leadership, break glass ceilings, increase their political involvement, and eliminate religious barriers that create unequal playing fields.
“This year, the grantee organizations include a few shared-society models that reach diverse groups of women,” says Tracey Spiegelman, Co-Chair of The Hadassah Foundation Israel Grants Committee. “The fact that some of these organizations represent and work with both Jewish and Arab women is not only a component of their work, it is what the organization leaders and The Hadassah Foundation Board know will create impact and societal change for all citizens of Israel.”
The 2020 Israel Grant Recipients:
- AJEEC-NISPED is a team of Jews and Arabs working together to promote socio-economic development and peace-building among communities in transition. Funds support the Taliyah Gap Year Program for young Arab women in the Negev Bedouin community. The Taliyah Program provides participants with the skills and support to break glass ceilings as some of the first women in their community to hold advanced degrees and professional careers outside their homes.
- Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel (ARCCI) is the national umbrella organization for Israel’s network of rape crisis centers that advocates on behalf of policies and practices that promote women’s safety. Funds underwrite the pilot initiative to combat sexual harassment in academia, which often prevents women from advancing tin the field. ARCCI will conduct research and implement university-wide policies to prevent and regulate instances of sexual harassment in academic settings.
- Jasmine promotes the growth and professional development of Israel’s Jewish and Arab women business owners and leaders. Funds support the Izun (Balance) Project that helps women business owners obtain positions as board members in public companies and government agencies, an important step in bringing women business leaders to the decision-making tables. The Izun Program was piloted in 2016 with The Hadassah Foundation’s support.
- Nivcharot is the first and only organization in Israel focusing on Haredi women and their integration into public, social, and political life. Funds help Nivcharot raise awareness of the unique needs of Haredi women and girls and support the HaNivcheret (The League) Program, which provides a group of select Haredi women with the tools, knowledge, and self-perception necessary to lead in Israeli secular society, business, and government.
- The Ruth and Emanuel Rackman Center, operating at Bar-Ilan University, provides legal representation, related academic expertise, and reform recommendations to increase gender equality in Israel’s laws and policies. Funds support initiatives to increase women’s rights in Israel’s family court system that significantly limits women’s access to justice and negatively impact their children.
- WePower advances women’s leadership to the highest levels of decision-making and elected positions. Funding supports The Incubator for Council Members and Women Mayors, offering women in their first term of office with training, support, and a network of women in government throughout Israel. The goal of the incubator is to increase the number of women who continue in their government positions for a second term.
These organizations join the 2019 Israel grant recipients that will continue to receive funding throughout 2020: The Adva Center, Center for Women’s Justice, Israel Women’s Network, Itach Maaki: Women Lawyers for Social Justice, and SHIN: The Israeli Movement for Equal Representation of Women.
The Hadassah Foundation invests in social change programs that promote the advancement of women and girls in Israel and the United States. As one of the largest Jewish women’s funds in the United States, the Hadassah Foundation has awarded over $9 million in grants to nearly 115 non-profit organizations. Past grants are listed on the organization’s website: www.hadassahfoundation.org.
The Hadassah Foundation is currently requesting grant proposals from US-based organizations. To learn more, read the 2020 Request for Grant Proposals for US-Based Organizations. The deadline for submitting a grant proposal is February 27, 2020.
