Democracy is under threat globally, presenting urgent challenges for funders and civil society leaders. How can, and should, Jewish funders respond? Hosted by democracy scholar and longtime foundation leader Dr. Tali Yariv-Mashal along with funders and guest experts, this eight-session series will dive deep into the challenges and opportunities in pro-democracy philanthropy.  

Branching out from a popular and well-received workshop at the 2025 JFN International Conference, this series will address a wide range of pro-democracy funding areas from education to politics, activism to communication, and will consider the relationship between Jewish and democratic values in Israel, the United States, and around the globe.

Session 1
Don't Take Democracy For Granted: Philanthropy, Polarization and the Need for Responsive Pluralism
Featuring guest expert Daniel Stid, Executive Director of Lyceum Labs, who previously served as Founding Director of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation’s U.S. Democracy Program

This opening session will explore how foundations and individual donors can think strategically about supporting democracy. What are the key questions we need to ask ourselves when considering how to intervene? And how can funders promote a more responsive and pluralistic democratic culture in an increasingly polarized world?

While each session can be attended on its own, participants will gain the most insight and value by attending the full series, as each conversation builds on the ideas and themes introduced in earlier sessions.

Session 2:  The Changing Democratic Discourse: Can Jewish and Democratic Coexist? 
Wednesday, June 4th | 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
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Session 3: Struggle, Resistance, and Supporting Activism 
Wednesday, June 18th | 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
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Session 4: Political Philanthropy – What Can We Learn From Each Other?
Tuesday, July 8th | 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
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Session 5: Communication and Democracy 
Tuesday, July 22nd | 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
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Session 6: Education and Democracy 
Tuesday, September 9th | 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
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Session 7: Research, Development, and Application 
Tuesday, October 21st | 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
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Session 8: The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and the Crisis of Democracy in Israel 
Tuesday, November 11th | 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
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