American Friends of Yeshivot Bnei Akiva

Mission:
American Friends of Yeshivot Bnei Akiva (AFYBA),
www.afyba.org is the American fund raising arm of Yeshivot
Bnei Akiva (YBA) in Israel. YBA, the premier religious Zionist
educational movement in Israel, was founded in 1940 by
Rav Moshe Zvi Neriah, zt"l, when he opened Israel's first yeshiva
high school with 13 students on a hilltop in Kfar Haroeh. Today,
YBA has grown into a national movement encompassing 57
schools from the Golan to Eilat, serving more than 22,000
students of all backgrounds. This includes children from low-
income homes, new immigrants, and the learning disabled. All of
these students graduate from YBA with a profound love of Torah,
the Jewish People and the Land of Israel, which they carry with
them for the rest of their lives.

Financial Efficiency Evaluation:
According to Charity Navigator(http://www.charitynavigator.org/),
America’s leading charityevaluator, AFYBA has an overall rating of
1 star (four stars is the highest rating.) Charity Navigator provides
the following breakdown of the AFYBA based on 990 tax returns
through 2006:
Overall Rating: 1 star *
Organizational Efficiency: Efficiency Rating 1 star*
Program Expenses: 67.0%
Administrative Expenses: 15.2%
Fundraising Expenses: 17.6%
Fundraising Efficiency: $0.28
(AFYBA spends $0.28 to raise $1.)
Organizational Capacity: Capacity Rating 1 star *
Primary Revenue Growth: -10.9%
Program Expenses Growth: -16.1%
Working Capital Ratio (years): 0.33
(AFYBA can sustain itself for 0.33 years without
generating new revenue.)
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.

AFYBA has net assets of $434,825. Compensation for its
former Executive Director, Moshe Spingarn, was $125,000
which represents 9.56% of expenses. For comparison
purposes, compensation for the present President of the
American Jewish World Service, Ruth Messinger, was
$191,00 which was 0.79% of expenses.

Recent News:
1) The Nordlicht Family Makes History in Acco
Over the last 5,000 years, the history of the ancient port city
of Acco has been intertwined with the history of the Jewish
people. It has witnessed both high and low points. One of the
high points in its modern day history, occurred on Chol
Ha’Moed Pesach when Meir and Dahlia Nordlicht of New
Rochelle laid the cornerstone for the new campus of YBA
Yeshivat Hesder “Ruach Tzfonit” in Acco, following their
major gift which will enable the completion of the first stage
of the project.
2) Art in Kfar Saba
Last Spring, YBA Ulpana Amana in Kfar Saba opened an
outstanding Art Exhibit by the 12th grade girls who study
art as a “major”. The unique works of art are extremely
impressive visually as well as conceptually. The artists
presented the ideas behind their works, demonstrating
unusual rhetoric abilities, as well as depth of thought and
analytical powers.

Recommendation:
In order to attract foundation funding, AFYBA must
give more than 80% of its revenue to its target –providing
a Torah education to low income and learning disabled
children. According to Charity Navigator’s ratings, AFYBA
is not a financially efficient non-profit. This may explain why
its primary expenses growth and program expenses growth
have decreased since 2004. In order to become more
financially efficient and attract more foundation funding,
AFYBA must reduce its administrative and fund-raising
expenses.

Next Week’s Blog: Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life

Shana Tova Metucha