Am Yisrael Foundation
Nonprofit Organization | |
Purpose | Observant Zionism |
---|---|
Headquarters | Tel Aviv, Israel |
Region served | Worldwide |
Method | Social Entrepreneurship |
Membership | Jewish Young Adults |
Official language | English & Hebrew |
President & Founder | Jay M. Shultz |
Website | AmYisrael.com |
Remarks | Named for the Jewish People |
Am Yisrael Foundation (
The Am Yisrael Foundation describes itself as “a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that launches, supports, and funds initiatives that empower modern Zionist pioneering amongst Jewish young adults."[1] The Foundation serves as an incubator for social entrepreneurial activities that foster Jewish identity, community development, leadership, volunteerism, a culture of Tzedakah, grassroots civic engagement, Zionist action, and fundamental Jewish values.
History
The Am Yisrael Foundation's activities were launched in 2007 by Jay M. Shultz, a Fair Lawn, New Jersey-born entrepreneur.[2] Shultz moved to Israel from New York City in 2006, and settled in Tel Aviv.[3] Concerned about mounting assimilation among young Jews, he was convinced that Aliyah offered part of the solution.[4] Yet he found Tel Aviv lacking in social and cultural frameworks for young English-speaking adults who took this step.[5] To address this lacuna and further his idea of modern-day Zionist pioneering in Israel, he launched a series of social entrepreneurial initiatives focusing on the Tel Aviv area.[6] The Am Yisrael Foundation as the umbrella organization under which these programs operate was formally established in 2013 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.[7] One of the objectives of the organization is to leverage the backgrounds of Western immigrants in partnership with their native Israeli peers to cultivate a culture of pro-active “Observant Zionism” with the ultimate goal of developing networks critical for the vibrant survival of the Jewish People and Israel's civil and economic positive development.[8]
Vision and ideology
The work of the Am Yisrael Foundation is rooted in an ideology of “Observant Zionism,” which sees every Jew as responsible for building up the Jewish homeland and contributing to “Am Yisrael,” the Jewish People.[9]
Observant Zionism
Observant Zionism is not a specifically religious or secular ideology, yet it is based on traditional Jewish thought and practice, and the belief that “God helps those who help themselves.” Acting on the idea that man was put on this earth to elevate the physical into the spiritual, "Observant Zionism" advocates a proactive “roll-up your sleeves” philosophy combined with continued respect for the traditions of old. The Am Yisrael Foundation believes that this form of pioneering Zionism can be translated into community work, educational initiatives, civil action, Aliyah, serving in the IDF and business entrepreneurship.[10]
Emblem
The Am Yisrael Foundation logo shows twelve stalks of wheat. Wheat is a symbol of sustenance in Jewish tradition and one of the
Affiliated organizations
The organizations that operate under Am Yisrael Foundation auspices include:
TLV Internationals
TLV Internationals,.
White City Shabbat
White City Shabbat
Tel Aviv International Salon
Tel Aviv International Salon
In the Great Debate Series, opposing experts are brought in to debate controversial issues. In the Business Leader Series, Israeli businessmen discuss Israeli financial and economic issues. The Ambassador Series is hosted at the private residences of foreign ambassadors in Israel, offering an inside look on international issues and Israeli relations.[18]
Shomer Israel Fellowship
Shomer Israel Fellowship hosts monthly lectures for Jewish young adults on Zionism and organizes monthly night trips to the Negev and Galilee to help farmers and ranchers living on a Kibbutz or Moshav in outlying areas guard their property.[19]
Tel Aviv Arts Council
Tel Aviv Arts Council
Adopt-A-Safta
Adopt-A-Safta (“Adopt-A-Grandmother”)
ProjecT.A.
ProjecT.A. organizes civic action drives such as substantive engagement with various departments of the Tel Aviv-Yafo municipality, volunteering to become trained emergency response medics, and a call to sign up as volunteer police officers with the
Tel Aviv Center of Jewish Life
Tel Aviv Center of Jewish Life, has revitalized Judaism in the White City and holds Shabbat and Jewish holiday event that attract large numbers of young Olim and native-born Israelis under the leadership of Rabbi Shlomo Chayen.
Special projects and events
Events sponsored by the Am Yisrael Foundation are attended by young adults, Israeli and international, as well as tourists, embassy staff and members of the foreign press.[2]
In 2015, the Am Yisrael Foundation raised funds for a
Yom HaAliyah
Am Yisrael Foundation's President Jay M. Shultz was the driving force behind the creation of a new national Israeli holiday,
As the tenth of Nisan occurs a few days before the
Awards and recognition
On June 13, 2014, Am Yisrael Foundation's White City Shabbat set the
Am Yisrael Foundation is an official member of the World Zionist Organization's American Zionist Movement, which consists of 39 U.S. national Jewish Zionist organizations and works across a broad ideological, political and religious spectrum linking the American Jewish community together in support of Israel, Zionism and the Jewish People.[43] Am Yisrael Foundation stands by the Jerusalem Program, which is the official platform of the World Zionist Organization and the global Zionist movement, having been most recently amended and adopted in June 2004, as the successor statement to the “Basel Program” of 1897 adopted at the First Zionist Congress convened by Theodor Herzl. The Jerusalem Program states that: Zionism, the national liberation movement of the Jewish people, brought about the establishment of the State of Israel, and views a Jewish, Zionist, democratic and secure State of Israel to be the expression of the common responsibility of the Jewish people for its continuity and future.[44]
See also
References
- ^ "Am Yisrael Foundation, About Am Yisrael Foundation".
- ^ a b c Press, Viva Sarah (April 16, 2013). "The 'mayor of international Tel Aviv'". ISRAEL21c.
- ^ Kamin, Debra. "Anglo life in Tel Aviv, under one umbrella". www.timesofisrael.com.
- ^ "In Response to Pew: Tel Aviv". blogs.timesofisrael.com.
- ^ "The Accomplished Jay M. Shultz – Jewish News and Israel news – Breaking News". jewishnews.com.
- ^ Leichman, Abigail Klein. "From Paterson to Israel". jewishstandard.timesofisrael.com.
- ^ "Jerusalem Post: The New Tel Aviv Zionists" (PDF).
- ^ "Jewish Journal: Am Yisrael Foundation's Observant Zionism".
- ^ "Jay Shultz's philosophic vision of Observant Zionism" (PDF).
- ^ "Observant Zionism".
- ^ "About Am Yisrael Foundation logo".
- ^ "TLV Internationals". TLV Internationals.
- ^ "Wall Street Journal: High tech sector draws diverse expats to Tel Aviv".
- ^ Haartez: Israel Political Parties and Tel Aviv Olim
- ^ "White City Shabbat". White City Shabbat.
- ^ a b "The Tel Aviv Synagogue That Never Grows Old". Tablet Magazine. August 9, 2016.
- ^ "Tel Aviv International Salon". Tel Aviv Intl Salon.
- ^ "No armchair politician". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com.
- ^ "Jewish Journal: Modeling volunteerism in Israel as an Observant Zionist".
- ^ "Tel Aviv Arts Council". Tel Aviv ArtsCouncil.
- ^ ""המשימה שלי להראות שהתרבות הישראלית היא מהטובות בעולם"". June 24, 2013. Archived from the original on October 18, 2013.
- ^ "Tel Aviv – bubble of art and creativity". June 5, 2013.
- ^ "Adopt-A-Safta". Adopt-A-Safta.
- ^ Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Taking care of Israel's Lonely Holocaust Survivors
- ^ NBC News: Giving a ‘lifeline’ to elderly Holocaust survivors
- ^ "Jay Shultz talks to IBA about Adopt A Safta" – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "A Thin, Blue, Oleh line – police volunteer enlistment drive for Olim launched in Tel Aviv". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com.
- ^ "Tel Aviv Rabbi : Shlomo Chayen". TLV Rabbi.
- ^ "International Jewish Community Center of Tel Aviv (JCC of TLV)" – via www.youtube.com.
- ^ "צוק איתן - ההרוגים - ynet". www.ynet.co.il.
- ^ "Building Jewish life for young olim in Tel Aviv". Israel National News. 21 December 2015.
- ^ "Tel Aviv dedicates a Torah to the fallen soldiers". Israel National News. 29 December 2015.
- ^ Atali, Amichai (June 19, 2016). "Government to pass new holiday: 'Aliyah Day'". Ynetnews – via www.ynetnews.com.
- ^ "Jay M. Shultz President of the Am Yisrael Foundation".
- ^ Lave, Yehuda (25 October 2020). "Which Jewish Holiday is Celebrated Twice a Year?".
- ^ "New national holiday in Israel". J-Wire. June 21, 2016.
- ^ "Rank and File: Aliyah Day Becomes Official Holiday". Haaretz.
- ^ "Book of Joshua Chapter 4:19".
- ^ "Knesset Proposes Aliyah Holiday Bill". Israel National News. 24 March 2014.
- ^ Cohen, Justin. "Israel approves holiday to celebrate contribution of immigrants". www.jewishnews.co.uk.
- ^ "nyblueprint.com". www.nyblueprint.com.
- ^ "Largest Shabbat Dinner Ever Hosts 2,226". Israel National News. 16 June 2014.
- ^ "Organizational Members". American Zionist Movement.
- ^ "Am Yisrael Foundation and the Jerusalem Program".