The Alexander Muss Institute for Israel Education

Mission:
The Alexander Muss Institute for Israel Education (AMIIE),
http://www.amiie.org/, was founded in 1972 as The Alexander
Muss High School in Israel, to help teens better understand
Israel's living history through hands-on exploring. AMIIE works
to provide a superior Israel education experience to learners of
all ages in Israel and within communities in North America.
Through its work, the Institute promotes, builds and strengthens
lifelong bonds between American Jews and Israel through
education, experiences and understanding. AMIIE creates
meaningful educational opportunities, cultivates leadership skills
to support Jewish advocacy, and promotes, builds and strengthens
Jewish survival and continuity.

Financial Efficiency Evaluation:
According to Charity Navigator
(http://www.charitynavigator.org/), America’s leading charity
evaluator, AMIIE has an overall rating of 3 stars (four stars is
the highest rating.) Charity Navigator provides the following
breakdown of AMIIE based on 990 tax returns through
2006:
Overall Rating: 3 stars ***
Organizational Efficiency: Efficiency Rating 3 stars***
Program Expenses: 78.2%
Administrative Expenses: 20.9%
Fundraising Expenses: 0.7%
Fundraising Efficiency: $0.02
(AMIIE spends $0.02 to raise $1.)
Organizational Capacity: Capacity Rating 4 stars ****
Primary Revenue Growth: 21.0%
Program Expenses Growth: 20.0%
Working Capital Ratio (years): 0.37
(AMIIE can sustain itself for 0.37 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.

AMIIE has net assets of $3,607,414. Compensation for its
Chief Executive Officer, Joseph Breman, was $26,250 which
represents 0.59% of expenses. For comparison purposes,
compensation for the President of the American Jewish World
Service, Ruth Messinger, was $191,00 which was 0.79% of
expenses. These are both very low figures in the non-profit
world.


Recent News:
Following is a typical week for students at AMIIE as presented
in the headmasters weekly update sent out by email for the
week of October 3 – 10, 2008:
On Friday October 3, 2008, the students went on a hike in the
Nahal Amud area. In the afternoon, they met with an artist in
Tzfat who infuses Kabalistic themes into his art. The students
Then settled in at the guesthouse and prepared for Shabbat. After
lighting candles, the students went to synagogues in the ancient
city and artist colony area for Kabbalat Shabbat – the girls went to
a women’s minyan and the boys to Beirav, a Carlebach minyan.
They returned to the guesthouse for dinner, singing and Oneg
Shabbat. On Shabbat morning, some of the students went to
synagogues for Shacharit and the rest chose to sleep late. In the
afternoon, the group went to the Citadel Park. It was a very special
Shabbat filled with the sprit and atmosphere of Tzfat. After
Havdalah the group returned to campus. On Sunday, the students
studied about the Jewish community in Poland that was so influenced
by the Kabbalah that was developed in Tzfat. On Monday,
the students focused on the Enlightenment and the struggle for
Jewish Emancipation. On Wednesday afternoon, the group traveled
to Jerusalem for Yom Kippur. The group stayed, together with the
students of the Barrack Hebrew Academy, in the center of Jerusalem
so that they would be able to attend services at synagogues of their
choice. After Kol Nidrei, the streets of Jerusalem filled with families
dressed in white taking a leisurely stroll. Many of the students
commented about their feelings being in Jerusalem for Yom Kippur.
Yom Kippur is a special day all over Israel. The country comes to a
stand still – there is absolutely no traffic. This atmosphere is felt in a
more special way in Jerusalem. The entire group walked to the Kotel
for Ne’ilah. Many of the students found minyanim, which they joined
while some met to have our own Minyan and others preferred a
private moment at the Wall. At the conclusion of the Ne’ilah service
the students returned to the youth hostel for Havdalah and to break
the fast before returning to campus.

Recommendations:
AMIIE is an efficient non-profit. AMIIE should be commended
for having a low administrative executive director expense in that
its is paid less than 1% of expenses. Charity navigator has presently
given AMIIE an overall efficiency rating of three stars. It could
earn a four star rating from Charity Navigator, however, by reducing
its overall administrative expenses so that it can give more than 80%
of its revenue to its program expenses. AMIIE’s fundraising efforts
may benefit by publicizing its favorable efficiencies.

For comparison purposes, Charity Navigator has given an overall
rating of two stars to the The Morgan Library and Museum located
in New York City; its mission is to foster a greater knowledge,
understanding, and appreciation of Western history and culture.

Next Week’s Blog: Israel Special Kids Fund