:Milstein Family Foundation
{{Short description|Nonprofit organization}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation
| abbreviation = MFF
| image =
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| caption =
| logo = Milstein Family Foundation logo.png
| predecessor =
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| formation = {{Start date and age|2000}}
| type = Nonprofit
| tax_id = 95-4824595
| status =
| purpose = Promote Israelian advocacy, Israel education.
| headquarters = Los Angeles, California
| coords =
| membership =
| language =
| founders = Adam and Gila Milstein
| leader_title = President
| leader_name = Adam Milstein
| main_organ =
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| budget =
| website = {{Official URL}}
| remarks =
}}
The Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation (MFF) is a Los Angeles, California-based nonprofit foundation which aims to strengthen the State of Israel and its ties to the United States, as well as to strengthen the Jewish identity of American Jews and their connection to Israel.
Israeli-American real estate investor Adam Milstein and his wife Gila established the foundation in 2000.
Overview
The MFF was founded in 2000 and is based in Los Angeles.{{cite news |title=Milstein Family Foundation |url=http://www.adammilstein.org/the-milstein-foundation/ |work=AdamMilstein.org }} Adam Milstein serves as the president of the foundation.{{cite news |date=September 17, 2015 |title=Israeli-American group names new leaders ahead of national conference |url=https://www.jns.org/news-briefs/2015/9/17/israeli-american-group-names-new-leaders-ahead-of-national-conference#.WsQJQojwZPY= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417033033/https://www.jns.org/news-briefs/2015/9/17/israeli-american-group-names-new-leaders-ahead-of-national-conference#.WsQJQojwZPY= |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 17, 2016 |agency=JNS }}
The foundation aims to educate and train students and young professionals to identify with their Jewish roots and to connect with and advocate for the State of Israel.{{cite web|title=Our Mission|url=http://www.milsteinff.org/our-mission|publisher=Milstein Family Foundation}} The foundation has three main operating principles: "Active Philanthropy", "Life Path Impact", and "Philanthropic Synergy". "Active Philanthropy" means that the foundation remains actively involved, investing time and resources to ensure the impact and success of the organizations, projects, and programs they support.{{cite news|date=November 6, 2015 |title=Adam Milstein: The making of a philanthropist|url=http://www.tribejournal.com/features/2015/11/adam-milstein-the-making-of-a-philanthropist/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160721192912/http://www.tribejournal.com/features/2015/11/adam-milstein-the-making-of-a-philanthropist/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 21, 2016 |work=Tribe}}
The foundation also offers grants to support students on college campuses. The grants are available to help fund cultural events, coalition-building initiatives, campaigns and social media activism led by students.{{cite news|date=March 13, 2015 |title=Grants available for campus pro-Israel campaigns|url= http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/74160/grants-available-for-campus-pro-israel-campaigns/|work=JWeekly}}
Such funding became the center of a controversy at UCLA in 2014, when it was revealed that Milstein had directed funds to be specifically used for political activities on the UCLA campus.{{cite news |last1=Hunt |first1=Chloe |title=Funds to UCLA student political party came from outside sources, leaked emails show |url=https://www.dailycal.org/archives/funds-to-ucla-student-political-party-came-from-outside-sources-leaked-emails-show/article_61186bca-8840-5730-99ac-27395692e53a.html |access-date=16 March 2025 |work=www.dailycal.org |date=4 July 2014 |language=en}} Much of the foundation's funding has directed toward college campuses, including to groups such as the Israel on Campus Coalition, which has been accused of targeting students for political heterodoxy.{{cite news |last1=Nathan-Kazis |first1=Josh |title=Campus Pro-Israel Group ‘Monitored’ Progressive Jewish Students |url=https://forward.com/news/410757/campus-pro-israel-group-monitored-progressive-jewish-students/ |access-date=16 March 2025 |work=The Forward |date=25 September 2018 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Kane |first1=Alex |title=Right-Wing Donor Adam Milstein Has Spent Millions of Dollars to Stifle the BDS Movement and Attack Critics of Israeli Policy |url=https://theintercept.com/2019/03/25/adam-milstein-israel-bds/ |access-date=16 March 2025 |work=The Intercept |date=25 March 2019}}
Initiatives
In partnership with the American-Israel Educational Foundation (AIEF),{{cite news|url=https://theintercept.com/2019/03/25/adam-milstein-israel-bds/|title=RIGHT-WING DONOR ADAM MILSTEIN HAS SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO STIFLE THE BDS MOVEMENT AND ATTACK CRITICS OF ISRAELI POLICY|author=Alex Kane|date=2019-03-26|publisher=The Intercept}} the educational wing of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), MFF created the Campus Allies Mission to Israel and the Campus Allies delegation to AIPAC's annual Policy Conference. The initiatives aim to make African American, Christian, and Latino student leaders advocates for Israel.{{cite news |date=February 16, 2015 |title='Active' philanthropist Adam Milstein a growing connector in the Jewish world |url=http://www.jns.org/latest-articles/2015/2/6/active-philanthropist-adam-milstein-a-growing-connector-in-the-jewish-world/#.WsQIIIjwZPY= |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161202085624/http://www.jns.org/latest-articles/2015/2/6/active-philanthropist-adam-milstein-a-growing-connector-in-the-jewish-world/#.WsQIIIjwZPY= |archive-date=December 2, 2016 |agency=JNS}}{{cite news|date=July 8, 2015 |title=A Campus Allies alumna shares her story|url= http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/a-campus-allies-alumna-shares-her-story/|work=Times of Israel}} The Campus Allies Mission to Israel is for non-Jewish, Zionist student leaders and activists who have not been to Israel and are ineligible for Birthright Israel.{{cite web|title=Milstein Family Foundation Campus Allies Mission to Israel|url=http://www.aipac.org/connect/students/milstein-family-foundation-campus-allies-mission-to-israel|publisher=AIPAC}}
In December 2015, MFF partnered with the Israeli Video Network to launch an "Inspired by Israel" video contest, with the purpose of showcasing how people are inspired by Israel.{{cite news|title=Israel Video Network Launches 'Inspired by Israel' Video Contest|url=http://www.algemeiner.com/2015/12/29/israel-video-network-launches-inspired-by-israel-video-contest-video/|agency=JNS}}
In July 2017, MFF launched its "Milstein Meme Competition" in an effort to find the "funny side of pro-Israel activism."{{cite news |date=July 31, 2017 |title=Memeing for Israel |url=http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Memeing-for-Israel-501274 |work=The Jerusalem Post }}{{cite news |date=December 20, 2017 |title=Milstein Family Foundation Names Winners of 2nd Annual Pro-Israel Meme Contest |url=https://www.algemeiner.com/2017/12/20/milstein-family-foundation-names-winners-of-2nd-annual-pro-israel-meme-contest/ |agency=JNS }}
In January 2018, the foundation launched the website Virtually Israel 2.0, which hosts virtual reality tours of popular sites in Israel.{{cite news |date=January 31, 2018 |title=You Can Now Experience Israeli Tour Spots On Virtual Reality |url=http://jewishjournal.com/news/israel/230212/can-now-experience-israeli-tour-spots-virtual-reality/ |work=Jewish Journal }}
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
- {{ProPublicaNonprofitExplorer|954824595}}
Category:Foundations based in the United States
Category:Organizations established in 2000
Category:Israel–United States relations
Category:Zionist organizations in the United States
Category:Israel friendship associations
Category:Organizations involved in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict