Jerusalem Foundation U.S. Launches $1-Million Innovation Fund to Promote Communal and Cultural Vitality After COVID-19

New York and Jerusalem – October 6, 2020 – The Jerusalem Foundation, Inc., announced today the creation of its new Community and Culture Innovation Fund, beginning with an initial $1 million donated by friends across the United States. The goal of this new fund is to ensure Jerusalem’s future vitality by encouraging institutions and organizations across the city to create innovative models for navigating these unprecedented times and flourishing after COVID–19. In so doing, the Foundation also affirms and extends its founding mandate to unify Jerusalemites across the breadth of the city’s social, cultural, religious, and economic landscapes.

The first call for proposals will open on November 8, 2020, with submissions due by December 6, 2020. Grant awards will be announced early in 2021 for initiatives to be implemented throughout the year.

Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, the Jerusalem Foundation has served Jerusalem’s most vulnerable populations, from young children with special needs to elderly people living in isolation. Raising more than $2 million from sources worldwide, including nearly $1.3 million from the United States, the Foundation has been able to support pressing social and humanitarian needs, ranging from food packages for the homebound to the provision of laptops for remote learning and counseling. Working in close collaboration with Jerusalem’s Mayor Moshe Lion, the Foundation’s recent efforts have so far touched the lives of more than 100,000 Jerusalemites.

Through both its new Innovation Fund and its earlier COVID-19 relief efforts, the Foundation has been able to catalyze matching support from municipal, philanthropic, and corporate sources, creating an immediate multiplier effect and demonstrating another model for the power of public-private partnerships on all fronts. Examples like these take on that much more meaning today, given the mounting demands on philanthropy worldwide during a time of crisis.

U.S. Chairman of the Board Alan Hassenfeld states, “At a time when philanthropy everywhere must focus on urgent needs close to home, it is truly gratifying to see how individuals and foundations across the U.S. have risen to the occasion to support Jerusalem by preserving and strengthening its social fabric and cultural vitality.”

“If initiatives like these succeed in Jerusalem, they can also serve as models throughout the country, and indeed the world, especially at a time when nourishing broad communal engagement is essential. New models must emerge to bolster the city’s social and cultural agendas and its economy – all with the goal of preserving Jerusalem’s unique character and uplifting the spirits of those most affected by the health crisis,” says James Snyder, Executive Chairman in the U.S.

“During these times, we are preserving our focus on supporting the city’s most vulnerable populations, while also ensuring the city’s social and cultural recovery in the face of the ongoing pandemic,” says Shai Doron, President of the Jerusalem Foundation in Jerusalem.  “Doing so has always been central to the mission and mandate of the Foundation as a convening and coordinating partner for city-wide initiatives that foster communal strength and develop future leadership.”

About The Jerusalem Foundation

Founded by Mayor Teddy Kollek in 1966, the Jerusalem Foundation has worked on behalf of the city of Jerusalem and its people for more than 50 years to shape an open, vibrant, and resilient community that serves as a global destination for the arts, culture, science, technology, and industry and supports the daily needs and aspirations of its residents. Since its establishment, the Foundation has invested in more than 4,000 projects throughout the city, ranging from the physical, developing parks and cultural centers, neighborhood community and sports facilities, health centers and synagogues; to the programmatic, delivering education and literacy, cultural competency, and economic vitality; to the spiritual and artistic, restoring and preserving heritage sites, including the Jewish Quarter of the Old City and the Via Dolorosa, and supporting social and cultural programming. These initiatives serve the ongoing development of the historic city and enhance Jerusalem’s contribution today to the world as an exemplary cross-communal model for the arts, culture, and ideas.

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הפוסט The Innovation Fund הופיע לראשונה ב-.

Responding to the Coronavirus Crisis and Building for the Future

The situation in Jerusalem and Israel is changing quickly and we are learning that the pandemic continues to hit Jerusalem in waves.  Residents are slowly learning to live with Covid and find ways to adjust to uncertainty and a very changed world.  Rapidly evolving restrictions and rates of infection have forced to be innovative and creative as we look towards a different future than we had expected.  Jerusalem has one of the highest rates of infection amongst cities in Israel. One of the characteristics of the city, due to the city’s population, is a significantly higher percentage of families with children (and sometimes many children) with verified COVID19 infections.

Canadians have a long history of providing support to the vulnerable in Jerusalem and to arts organizations and institutions in the city. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Jerusalem Foundation of Canada has established the The Canada Community and Culture Fund. This new fund will support two critical areas for the wellbeing of Jerusalem: ongoing needs for vulnerable residents of Jerusalem of all ages and the recovery of the cultural sector which has been decimated by COVID. Working in close cooperation with Mayor Moshe Lion and his team, funds raised will maximize the efficient and effective delivery of essential goods and services to residents of the city.

In response to the current health, social and economic crisis, the Jerusalem Foundation continues to provide support and a safety-net to the most vulnerable residents from all population groups in the city. This support has included provision of food, respite, mental health support and outreach to those across this city who have required it.  In addition, The Jerusalem Foundation has continued to support the cultural and creative life of Jerusalem during this crisis. The Canada Community and Culture Fund will build on this longstanding tradition and provide continued support to the people of Jerusalem through projects and initiatives which respond to the real needs on the ground.  In recent months, through our emergency campaign, we were able to provide desperately needed support.

Examples of support of the vulnerable during COVID-19 to date include:

• Provision of culturally adapted relief kits for children whose family members have been struck by COVID-19
• Providing funding to Machshava Tova to purchase computers and laptops to low income families across the city, to enable long distance learning and connection to the community
• Ongoing assistance to elderly citizens by establishing hotline phone support, purchasing tablets/computers for home use and food packages
• Through Triple Impact, supporting visits for vulnerable at risk and socially isolated children from shelters, and child welfare agencies to cultural and educational sites in the city – helping to also support their economic recovery

Examples of support of new programs in the cultural sector in response to COVID- 19 to date include:

• Creation of a new broadcast studio to enable live streaming and broadcast of dance, theatrical, musical and arts events at the Horseshoe Cultural Center
• Installation of an outdoor sculpture exhibit during fall, 2020 at The Jerusalem Botanical Garden with works by leading contemporary artists on loan from private collectors all over Israel.
• Provision of employment opportunities for artists at HaMiffal, who will participate in creating new art and at the same time participate in renovating this emerging arts centre in Jerusalem.

Through the Canada Community and Culture Fund, we will build upon our tradition of giving and continue to have a significant impact on the city of Jerusalem.

הפוסט The Canada Community and Culture Fund הופיע לראשונה ב-.

Central to this endeavor is the Tower of David Museum, which contains archeological finds dating back over 2,800 years. Each year, the museum brings Jerusalem’s history to life for more than 300,000 people from Israel and abroad, offering innovative exhibits tracing history from ancient through modern times, and examining Jerusalem’s centrality to diverse peoples and religions.

In 2000, archeologists working on the Kishle structure – erected in 1834, and later used by the British to imprison members of the pre-state Jewish underground – stumbled upon layers of remains chronicling Jerusalem’s expansive history. This included evidence of Jewish life in the Crusader period; important finds from the Second Temple period; part of the First Temple-period city walls; and beneath the entire structure, a tunnel that served as a drainage duct for Herod’s Pool, and as an escape route for the priests and their families when the city was destroyed by the Romans.

In one of the most important initiatives in the field of archeological sites in Jerusalem to date, the Kishle will be transformed into a world-class visitor site, with a cutting-edge archeological center. Visitors will follow a linear route exploring the mysteries of the Kishle excavations and the remains of the palace, the walls, the tunnels and the people behind them. The complex will house an interactive 45-minute multimedia experience, alongside a new, two-story entrance and exhibition gallery building with two rooftop observation decks, as well as space for lectures and events.

Impact: The 450 sq. m. (4,850 sq. ft.) space unearthed will serve as an important archeological site for visitors from around the world, with the center split into two levels: a multimedia archeological center displaying archeological findings on one floor and a gallery on the upper level for changing exhibitions and other cultural activities. The renewed and expanded Kishle complex will attract hundreds of thousands of tourists from around the world, and enable the Museum to significantly expand educational and cultural programs and reach out to larger and more varied audiences. This is a priority heritage project for the State of Israel and is a designated landmark tourist attraction.

Partners: The Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs, the National Heritage Site Fund of the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Tourism and the Jerusalem Municipality

הפוסט The Kishle Multimedia Archeological Center & Gallery הופיע לראשונה ב-.

Established in 1973, the Jerusalem Conservatory Hassadna is a premier Israeli music academy, providing unique high-quality music education opportunities to some 650 children and youth ages 3 to 18, reflecting the diverse mosaic of Jerusalem’s population including secular, religious and ultra-Orthodox Jews, Muslims and Christians, pupils with special needs, dozens of Ethiopian-Israelis and new immigrants from around the world, spanning the full range of socioeconomic backgrounds.

Hassadna strives to provide each pupil with musical instruction of the highest caliber while ensuring that every child longing to experience the gift of music can access this life-changing opportunity. Its pupils and graduates receive worldwide acclaim, winning coveted Israeli and international music competitions, launching international careers and continuing on to the most prestigious universities and academies.

Need & Response: Forty-six years since its establishment, the enormously successful Jerusalem Conservatory Hassadna operates out of inadequate, makeshift facilities within a building that serves in morning hours as an elementary school and where heavy and costly equipment has to be re-arranged each afternoon, preventing the conservatory from fulfilling its full potential.

A new, contemporary building is needed to ensure the conservatory maintains its superior-quality music instruction and continues to grow. This facility will serve its diverse population of pupils, families and faculty, fulfilling Hassadna’s potential as a central cultural and educational hub in the heart of Israel’s capital.

The new building will feature:

• Practice and training studios enabling pupils to hone their skills with the support they require, play together, establish ensembles, maximize rehearsal time and focus on the task at hand
• Music library and listening room with computer and work stations, a sheet music lending library, a recorded music listening library, supporting literature and expert librarian assistance
• A pupil area with a comfortable lounge, a small eat-in kitchenette, computer stations, study corners, a furnished garden and an outdoor play area for children coming from school and returning home late
• A family waiting area with sitting areas, Wi-Fi, a toddlers’ play area, games and audio-visual equipment, enabling parents and young siblings to utilize waiting time on a computer, reading or playing
• Faculty lounge with a kitchenette, couches, work stations, lockers and computer stations for the use of Hassadna’s roughly 100 first-rate faculty devoted to musical education
• Many more facilities, including acoustically isolated, well equipped classrooms, small learning spaces, storage for musical instruments of all types and sizes, a reception and security desk, a distinguished entrance foyer and snack bar
• Management and administration offices with a reception and waiting area, spaces for meetings with pupils, parents, faculty and guest musicians, as well as instruments for pupils skill assessments

Location: The designated site is in close proximity to the conservatory’s current location in south-central Jerusalem’s German Colony, a busy, dynamic and easily accessible part of the city, contributing to the cultural life in Jerusalem.

Website: https://hassadnamusicconservatory.com/en/home/

הפוסט A New Building for the Jerusalem Conservatory Hassadna הופיע לראשונה ב-.

To fully tap the potential of the Sultan’s Pool area, the Jerusalem Foundation, in partnership with other organizations, developed an ambitious renovation plan to make this space fully useful and accessible to the public every day. The project objectives are to upgrade the amphitheater into a structure that seats 7,000 people, with 4,200 permanent seats and 2,800 additional chairs, and to turn the surrounding area into a park open to residents and visitors. The project features a café and a garden area next to Sultan’s Pool. The renovation will benefit all Jerusalem residents with no distinction as to social or religious background, as well as the many visitors from Israel and abroad.

Impact: The area will become more accessible to Jerusalem’s population and visitors alike, both as a venue for cultural events and as a destination.

Partners: Jerusalem Municipality, Ariel Municipal Company, Israel Antiquities Authority, Israel Nature and Park Authority ltan’s Pool Amphitheater is one of Jerusalem’s most spectacular sites, set against the backdrop of the Old City walls. An ancient water source modernized by the Ottoman sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and turned into an open-air music venue in 1978. It has since become one of Israel’s most prestigious locations for music, dance, opera, and festivals, actively contributing to the city’s vibrant cultural scene. Performances by national and international artists included Eyal Golan, Sting, and Bob Dylan. This spectacular site is a 2030 priority of the Jerusalem Foundation for creative culture, as it enhances the city’s vibrancy and openness, making it a source of inspiration around the world.

הפוסט Sultan’s Pool & Hassenfeld Amphitheater הופיע לראשונה ב-.

A Studio of Her Own offers young religious women artists, all of whom have a degree in art, a mentoring program for professional advancement, contact with curators and important artists, and increased exposure through public exhibitions. The Studio also offers a course in business development to assist them in learning to manage their personal studios and to make a living from their work. The Studio, housed in painter Pinhas Litwinowsky’s former home and atelier, was recently renovated to include a gallery for exhibitions, a library and research center and a coffee shop. With more space available, a tailored residency program for women artists has been launched and the Studio now hosts a variety of cultural events featuring performing arts, film, literature poetry and music.

 Impact: Studio of Her Own has received national recognition for its many years of work and activity. Today 40 women artists are active members of the Studio and hundreds of artists have participated in the business course. Studio of Her Own does not only allow Jewish religious women to make a living from art, but it also makes art more accessible to communities that are generally not exposed to it.

Partners: Jerusalem Municipality, Leichtag Foundation

Website: www.studioofherown.com

הפוסט A Studio of Her Own for Women Artists הופיע לראשונה ב-.

HaMiffal’s goal is to become a leading international art center, with an international residency for foreign artists and a creative platform. Renovation is underway of the 1^st floor, supported by funds from the Municipality for the development of the city center. Spaces and activities will double, making extra funding a priority.

HaMiffal provides work for over 200 local artists, with 400 more creatives joining the activities as co-creators or event planners. Every year, over 60,000 visitors (more than 100 per day), come to see art, meet and work at HaMiffal.

Impact: 100 artists benefit from residency programs and exhibition space each year. Among them, 5-10 are accepted to international exhibitions and residencies, while more than 100 public events are organized at HaMiffal for the benefit of the local population.

Partners: Jerusalem Municipality, Eden Development Company

הפוסט HaMiffal – Emerging Artists הופיע לראשונה ב-.

In 2019 the Jerusalem Foundation received 140 applications and had to select among many deserving cultural initiatives. Funding is needed to continue to support an increasing number of arts and culture projects that are changing the face of modern Jerusalem. Priority is given to proposals that are original or innovative, bridge social gaps, by providing platforms for populations lacking cultural infrastructure and promote arts and culture in the public sphere. Projects that received funding from the Jerusalem Foundation for three consecutive years are not eligible and enter a two-year waiting period to ensure support to a variety of cultural initiatives.

Impact: The Jerusalem Foundation funding makes the Jerusalem culture and arts scene every day more vibrant, with a huge impact on the artistic community and on the city as a whole.

All contributions will be part of the large distribution of funds that supports arts and culture in Jerusalem.

הפוסט Creative Culture Grantmaking הופיע לראשונה ב-.

The campus, housed in a restored 19^th century compound and commanding breathtaking views of the Old City, hosts world-class institutions that draw distinguished guests from around the world. The Maurice Dwek Residence Retreat and Guesthouse hosted and inspired the Dalai Lama, Paul Auster, Amos Oz, Marc Chagall, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir and many more. Other institutions include the Konrad Adenauer Conference Center, the Jerusalem Music Center, the Jerusalem Press Club, the Jerusalem Center for Ethics and the Dwek Gallery. The surrounding grounds form one of the most stunning green open spaces in Jerusalem and house several historical attractions, including the landmark Montefiore Windmill, ancient cisterns and a 1860s guardhouse. The Jerusalem Foundation seeks to ensure vital support for the Mishkenot Sha’ananim campus, institutions and programs to flourish well into the future and to meet the needs of Jerusalem’s most distinguished 21^st century guests.

Impact: The Mishkenot Sha’ananim campus hosts sites that are visited by thousands each year, contributing to a vibrant cultural scene in Jerusalem to the benefit of all of its citizens as well as international guests.

הפוסט Jerusalem Foundation Campus at Mishkenot Sha’ananim הופיע לראשונה ב-.

הפוסט Creativity Clubhouse for Senior Citizens הופיע לראשונה ב-.