Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation

Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation
Formation 2000
Headquarters Los Angeles, USA
Co-Founders
 Adam and Gila Milstein
Website milsteinff.org

Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation (MFF), was founded by Adam and Gila Milstein [1] to educate young professionals and student leaders on U.S. campuses about the challenges facing the Western World, the United States of America, the State of Israel, and the Jewish People today.[2] Founded in 2000,[3] the organization's mission is to strengthen the State of Israel, the homeland of the Jewish People, and its special ties with the United States of America; and to ensure the Jewish identity special affinity to the State of Israel of the young and the future Jewish Generations.

Background

The Milsteins founded the Adam and Gila Milstein Family Foundation (MFF), in 2000. Based in Los Angeles, the primary focus of the Foundation is to educate and train students and young professionals to identify with their Jewish roots, connect with the State of Israel, ignite their Jewish pride, and provide them with facts and the knowledge to advocate for and support the State of Israel and the Jewish people in their schools, campuses, among their friends, and in their communities.[4]

Mission and Vision

The mission of MFF is twofold: 1) strengthen the State of Israel, the homeland of the Jewish People, and its special ties with the United States of America; and 2) ensure the Jewish identity and the special affinity to the State of Israel of the young and the future Jewish Generations. Specifically, the organization’s philanthropic philosophy is to educate and train students and young professionals to identify with their Jewish roots, connect with the State of Israel, ignite their Jewish pride, and provide them with facts and the knowledge to advocate for the State of Israel and the Jewish people in their schools, campuses, among their friends, and in their communities. The Milstein Family Foundation implements three (3) unique principles as part of its philanthropic motto of operation: "Active Philanthropy",[5] “Life Path Impact” and “Philanthropic Synergy”. Active Philanthropy means in addition to funding organizations, projects and programs (“OPP’s”), the Milstein Family Foundation and its staff invest their time and resources to ensure the impact and success of the OPPs they support (rather than just contributing to the general fund).

The Milstein Family Foundation supports dozens of organizations, 58 of which are listed on its website, and ensures that every program it funds is shared among multiple groups.[6] The Foundation also helped found the Israeli-American Council.[7][8] Life Path Impact indicates that their OPP’s are continuously engaging their target audience from a young age through adulthood. Each major program that the foundation supports precedes or follows another one. Philanthropic Synergy connects and combines resources of several philanthropic organizations to amplify the impact and effect of their joint efforts. The latter principle is the ability of several non-profit groups to work in unity and support mutual programs and projects in order to accomplish a combined effect, which in turn, is greater than the individual effects.[9]

Grants

MFF has created two grants to support pro-Israel students on college campuses. The Milstein Foundation Grants are up to $1,000 aimed to help fund pro-Israel cultural events, coalition-building initiatves, campaigns and social media activism led by students.[10][11]

The Milstein Coalition Grants are up to $1,000 and given toward student-led initiatives to build coalitions with cultural and political groups on campus.[12][13]

Campus Allies

MFF created two initiatives called Campus Allies Mission to Israel and the Campus Allies delegation to APIAC’s annual Policy Conference. In partnership with the American-Israel Educational Foundation (AIEF), the educational wing of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the initiatives engage African-American, Christian, and Latino student leaders and educate them to become advocates for Israel.[14]

Foundation Support

The MFF devotes a portion of its resources to organizations, projects and programs focused on younger generations of Americans in both Jewish and non-Jewish communities in order to combat anti-Semite, anti-American and anti-Israel activity, protect Judeo/Christian values, and encourage a lifelong commitment and support of the State of Israel and its special ties with the United States.[15] By focusing its efforts on high schools, college campuses and young professionals, MFF seeks to enhance understanding, increase positive attitudes toward Israel on campus, and establish awareness and knowledge of issues beyond campus borders, thus broadening the perspectives of each student and deepening connections between Americans and the State of Israel. MFF also partners with Hasbara Fellowships to provide the Milstein Coalition Grants to pro-Israel groups, encouraging them to coordinate initiatives together with non-Jewish students leaders on campuses.[16] MFF aims to support initiatives that strengthen the Jewish identity of the young and future Jewish generations through providing funds to Jewish educational and cultural organizations.[17] An example of this sponsorship was MFF’s support of Sifriyat Pijama, a program that delivers Hebrew children’s stories to Israeli-American and other Jewish-American families to read at bedtime.[18] MFF believes that by learning about Jewish values from a young age, Jewish children are likely to share a strong appreciation, affinity and pride for their shared Jewish culture and retain a strong Jewish identity as they grow older. Finally, MFF provides resources to improve the health, well-being, and education of the Israeli-American community.

Criticism

In 2014, it was alleged that Milstein provided campaign financing to Avi Oved,[19] a pro-Israel student who was nominated to the University Of California Board Of Regents Xii. In his public response, Milstein denied that he and/or his family foundation ever contributed to Oved and/or his political platform, Bruins United. According to reports in the Jewish Journal, the alleged Milstein’s contributions did not violate campaign election codes. Ultimately, the University Of California Board Of Regents approved Oved as the new student regent-designate in July 2014.[20]

References

External links