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 2 - Can Jewish and Democratic Coexist?

We’ll explore how donors can contribute to long-term efforts that strengthen Jewish and democratic values in an evolving political landscape. Dr. Yariv-Mashal will lead a conversation with Yehuda Kurtzer, President, Shalom Hartman Institute of North America, and Ronit Heyd, Executive Director, Hartman Institute Israel, who will examine the ethical connections between Jewish and democratic identity in both the U.S. and Israeli contexts.

Aaron Dorfman, founder of A More Perfect Union: The Jewish Partnership for Democracy, will speak on the process of building a shared Jewish and democratic narrative. Then, Elad Kaplan of Ne’emanei Torah Ve’Avodah will share insights from his grassroots civic engagement work in Israel—highlighting how funders can support values-driven activism on the ground.

Participants will also be invited to reflect on how the themes raised apply to their own philanthropic work, with guided prompts woven between the presentations to deepen personal and communal insights.

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 1:  Don't Take Democracy For Granted 
Wednesday, May 21st | 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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