American Friends of Nishmat

MISSION:
American Friends of Nishmat (AFN) http://www.nishmat.net/
supports Nishmat, the Jerusalem Center for advanced Jewish
study for women. Nishmat students are serious about their
Judaism. They expect to delve deeply into Torah learning.
They aim to grow intellectually and spiritually. Nishmat
unites native Israelis and Americans, Ethiopians and
Europeans in a cohesive learning community. We seek to
develop leaders to contribute to Jewish life. Nishmat offers
intensive programs of text-based Torah study for beginners
o advanced scholars. Programs include the Alisa Flatow
Overseas Students Program, Shana Ba'Aretz pre-college year
in Israel, summer study programs, the Nishmat Ethiopian
Women program, and Keren Ariel Yoatzot Halacha, a leading
halachic studies program.

RECENT NEWS:
In the fall of 2007, Nishmat dedicated a new campus in Jerusalem.
During chol hamoed Sukkot, nearly 300 of Nishmat’s supporters,
students, alumnae, and faculty gathered under s’chach and starry
skies for a festive celebration of Nishmat’s new campus.
Hadassah Lieberman, a public policy expert and wife of
Senator Joseph Lieberman was the keynote speaker.
Mrs. Lieberman, has seen Nishmat’s impact first-hand as her
daughter Hani Lieberman, 19, is a graduate of Nishmat’s Shana
Ba’Aretz program. In the keynote address, Lieberman said,
“Jewish women have always been central to their communities
and families…We are important, and we must teach our children,
our communities, to learn.” Rabbanit Henkin called Lieberman’s
participation “a tremendous kiddush Hashem,” explaining that
the media attention she drew helped broadcast in several countries
that “there is a place where women study Torah at the highest
level, with love for mitzvot and sensitivity to their neighbors.”

AFN sponsors Torah colloquiums around the country.
On July 28, 2008, AFN is sponsoring the
Fifth Annual Hamptons Torah Colloquium for Women and Men
featuring Rabbanit Chana Henkin on Monday and Tuesday,
July 28-29.

FINANCIAL EFFICIENCY EVALUATION:
According to Charity Navigator (http://www.charitynavigator.org/),
America’s leading charity evaluator, the AFN has an overall rating of
4 stars (four stars is the highest rating.) Charity Navigator
provides the following breakdown of the AFN based on 990 tax
returns through 2006:

Overall Rating: 4 stars ****
Organizational Efficiency
Program Expenses: 92.7%
Administrative Expenses: 5.3%
Fundraising Expenses: 1.9%
Fundraising Efficiency: $0.01
Efficiency Rating: 4 stars ****

Organizational Capacity
Primary Revenue Growth: 59.3%
Primary Expenses Growth: 79.9%
Working Capital Ratio (years): 0.48
(AFN can sustain itself for 0.48 years
without generating new revenue.)
Capacity Rating: 4 stars ****

Organizational Capacity refers to an organization’s
ability to sustain itself over time. Charities that
exhibit consistent revenue and expenses growth
are more likely to sustain its programs and services
over the long haul.

AFN has net assets of $1,765,879. Compensation for its
Executive Director, Sondra Fisch, was $86,000 which was
2.37% of expenses.

RECOMMENDATION:
American Friends of Nishmat is a highly efficient non-profit
organization and has demonstrated an ability to sustain itself
over time. For purposes of comparison, Charity Navigator has
given The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation,
located in North Hollywood, California, an overall rating of one
star. The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation
sponsors educational and archival programs about the evolution
of television and digital media