DONATE TO CAUSES FOR BLACK LIVES
(WITHOUT SUPPORTING BDS)
The following are organizations you, as a Zionist, can donate to in support of Black Lives Matter (the cause, not the BLM or M4BL organizations - there’s a difference!). I have personally looked through the mission statements and platforms of these organizations to ensure they are NOT affiliated with BDS. I encourage you to do your own research as well to verify my findings.
My process for vetting: I read through each website, and did google site crawls for any mention of “Israel”, “Palestine”, “Palestinian”, “Occupation”, “Territories”, “IDF”, “BDS”, “boycott”, “divest”, “ethnic cleansing” - if any of those words came up, I read to make sure the context had nothing to do with Israel (ex: “occupation” was used to mean “job”). By doing site crawls I could find links that were no longer publicly visible on the site. If you want to do your own site crawl, go to google. Type: site:domain.com insert-word-of-choice. Example: site:naacpldf.org palestine
Potentially problematic aspects of organizations are highlighted in green and you should decide for yourself if this crosses a line for you.
This is a working list - if you would like to suggest an addition, or if an organization I listed has problematic ties to BDS that I overlooked, please email me: michelleconflictresolution@gmail.com
ORGANIZATIONS DOING WORK IN AMERICA
strengthens Jewish identity by raising awareness about the ethnic, racial and cultural diversity of Jewish identity and experience.
JMN nurtures and enhances Jewish diversity throughout the community, at large, via capacity development, community development, community empowerment, and social capital.
Not Free to Desist
Reimagining our collective Jewish covenant: An open letter from Black Jews, Non-Black Jews of Color, and our allies to Jewish Federations, Foundations, Organizations, and Initiatives.
Jews of Color Field Building Initiative
The Jews of Color Field Building Initiative is a national effort focused on building and advancing the professional, organizational and communal field for Jews of Color.
Ammud
Ammud provides Jewish education for Jews of Color (JOCs) by Jews of Color.
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. is America’s premier legal organization fighting for racial justice. Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, LDF seeks structural changes to expand democracy, eliminate disparities, and achieve racial justice in a society that fulfills the promise of equality for all Americans. LDF also defends the gains and protections won over the past 75 years of civil rights struggle and works to improve the quality and diversity of judicial and executive appointments.
*This fund is not the broader NAACP - but note that people associated with the NAACP have made anti-Semitic and anti-Israel remarks. Usually the NAACP condemns this - not always. This fund does not specifically do work related to Israel/ Palestinians - It does, however, have connections to the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights - which has made problematic statements about the US government at the UN. For instance, a back crawl of this NAACP legal fund site shows they uploaded this letter from the Leadership Conference)
Common Justice
Common Justice develops and advances solutions to violence that transform the lives of those harmed and foster racial equity without relying on incarceration. Locally, we operate the first alternative-to-incarceration and victim-service program in the United States that focuses on violent felonies in the adult courts. Nationally, we leverage the lessons from our direct service to transform the justice system through partnerships, advocacy, and elevating the experience and power of those most impacted
Innocence Project
The Innocence Project's mission is to free the staggering number of innocent people who remain incarcerated, and to bring reform to the system responsible for their unjust imprisonment.
Equal Justice Initiative
EJI is committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the U.S., challenging racial and economic injustice, and protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society.
Campaign Zero*
Pushing for urgent policy solutions - informed by data, research and human rights principles - to change the way police serve our communities.
*This campaign does call for an end to police training from IDF “on occupation-style policing”, calling for officers instead to be trained in De-escalation, Crisis intervention, Implicit bias and privilege, Restorative justice. They do not call for divestment from Israel more generally - only for an end to this practice. (Up to you to decide if this fits within your comfort zone!)
The B3 Foundation, founded by NFL OT (and super Mensch!!) Zach Banner, focuses on developing leaders in underprivileged communities through academic and athletic support
Sister Song
SisterSong is a Southern based, national membership organization; our purpose is to build an effective network of individuals and organizations to improve institutional policies and systems that impact the reproductive lives of marginalized communities.
Black Land Ownership is a grassroots organization, founded to combat the historical, systematic and institutionalized marginalization experienced by people of African descent. Our goal is to centralize information, raise funds and encourage/empower Black people to purchase more land specifically in rural areas.
Black Artist Fund
an initiative giving money directly to Black artists to combat systemic inequity in art.
The Bail Project
a non-profit organization designed to combat mass incarceration by disrupting the money bail system ‒ one person at a time.
A Long Walk Home
A Long Walk Home empowers young artists and activists to end violence against all girls and women. We advocate for racial and gender equity in schools, communities, and our country-at-large.
Children of Promise, NYC
embraces children of incarcerated parents & empowers them to break the cycle of intergenerational involvement in the criminal justice system.
Israel’s premier Ethiopian Israeli-led organization, advocating for an equal and just society. Founded in 1993, AEJ advances equitable policies to close gaps, change prevailing attitudes and improve the quality of life of Israelis of Ethiopian descent on every level: with the community, municipal and state decision-makers, the media and civil society. AEJ constitutes a multi-dimensional platform – based on research and data, profound community involvement, and persistent advocacy with Israeli decision-makers.
ASSAF was founded in 2007 in order to aid refugees and asylum seekers in Israel. Our aim is to promote the rights of refugees in their encounters with the state authorities. This includes providing advocacy and support to those in need: thousands of men, women and children who are conducting a daily struggle to overcome memories of the traumatic experiences they have escaped, and who are living in Israel without status or access to basic human rights.
The African Refugee Development Center is a grassroots, community-based nonprofit organization that was founded in 2004 by African asylum-seekers and Israeli citizens in order to protect, assist, and empower African refugees and asylum-seekers in Israel. ARDC began its work as a humanitarian aid organization, and over time has adapted to fit community needs. Currently, ARDC works to address gaps in services created by harsh governmental policies in 4 key sectors: education, livelihoods, advocacy, and rights empowerment. To date, ARDC has served over 15,000 asylum-seekers from a number of countries and operates various educational programs seeking to deepen the social and economic inclusion of asylum-seekers throughout Israel.
Eritrean Women's Community Center
The Eritrean Women's Community Center in Tel Aviv is an initiative designed and run independently by a group of Eritrean refugee women. Established in November 2011, the center aims to provide Eritrean women with a safe space as well as access to important services. This center is the first and only one of its kind, utilizing a grass roots approach to support and em Eritrean women in a fundamental way. Representing a safe space, the Center stands as a community fixture recognized as the location women can turn to in order to access information, services and support.
The Schoolhouse is a diverse community committed to advancing social justice and access to education. We hold a shared belief that every person has the potential to make positive change in their lives and believe that education is a critical tool in this process. Our primary mission is to advance education, practical skills and opportunity for these individuals who dream beyond the barriers that stand in their way, to make an impact on their future and on the future of their communities.
ACRI (Association for Civil Rights in Israel)*
Founded in 1972, ACRI is a policy driven, non-profit organization protecting the human rights and civil liberties of all people living in Israel and the Occupied Territories.
*Note that this organization does work to combat discrimination faced by Palestinians living in the disputed territories. The organization DOES use language like “occupied territories” which I disagree with personally (I would say the people are living under military occupation, the land is not occupied). However, it is important to make a distinction between organizations like this and BDS. This organization is working WITHIN the Israeli legal system and current status quo to make life for Palestinians and other marginalized groups more equitable. Again, it is up to you whether or not this fits within your comfort zone - for me this falls under the category of fair internal criticism (not demonization).
Bringing together thousands of Palestinians from across the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, Zimam is building a society united through respect, peace and democracy.
Ir Amim (“City of Nations” or “City of Peoples”) focuses on Jerusalem within the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The mission of Ir Amim is to render Jerusalem a more equitable and sustainable city for the Israelis and Palestinians who share it and to help secure a negotiated resolution on the city through sustained monitoring, reporting, public and legal advocacy, public education and outreach to re-orient the public discourse on Jerusalem.
*Again, you may not agree with the mission of this organization - but it is another org working within the Israeli legal system to make Jerusalem a more equitable city for all.
Bimkom – Planners for Planning Rights, is an Israeli human rights organization formed in 1999 by a group of professional planners and architects, in order to strengthen democracy and human rights in the field of spatial planning and housing policies, in Israel and in Area C of the West Bank, which is under Israeli control. Drawing on values of social justice, good governance, equality and community participation, Bimkom advances the development of planning policies and practices that are more just and respectful of human rights, and responsive to the needs of local communities. Bimkom strives to assist the weakest sectors of society through research and reports, community planning assistance and through awareness raising among planning authorities. We work with both Jewish and Arab communities among others, in attaining fair, equitable and appropriate planning of the physical spaces in which they live.
Compiled by Amy Albertson