Mission and Values

Our Mission

The primary mission of the Schusterman Foundation – Israel (SFI) is to help strengthen the fabric of Israeli society by providing funding, technical assistance and leadership for new and existing philanthropic initiatives. As the philanthropic arm in Israel of the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, SFI strives to bring the same commitment to excellence and basic Jewish values that have been the hallmark of the Schusterman family's philanthropy for the past twenty years. 

By engaging organizations and government policy-makers in Israel that share our ideals, we seek to make a lasting impact upon Israeli society in key ways:

• transforming the treatment and prevention of child abuse
• facilitating a sincere exploration of Jewish identity and global Jewish peoplehood for secular Israelis through tikkun olam (repairing the world) and
• answering the biblical imperative to build Jerusalem, leading its renewal as a modern, open and eternal capital of the Jewish people

 
Our Values 

The establishment of the Schusterman Foundation – Israel in 2006 by the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation gave powerful expression to the Schustermans' commitment to the Jewish people and the State of Israel, characterized by: 

• A profound devotion to Judaism and the Jewish people around the world
• The belief that Israel truly can be "a light unto the nations"
• A commitment to fulfill the biblical imperative of tikkun olam (repairing the world) 

We believe that the ethics, values and lessons inherent in Judaism remain as relevant today as they have for thousands of years, and that the perpetuation of the Jewish people is of paramount importance. 

We believe that the best way to ensure that the Jewish people thrive – not merely survive – in the 21st century and beyond is for the worldwide Jewish community to work cooperatively to strengthen the Jewish identity. 

We believe that Rabbi Tarfon, a great Jewish sage, spoke for all humanity when he explained that "while no one person is obligated to complete the task [of tikkun olam], neither is anyone free to desist from it." 

We believe in the power of positive thinking and the unlimited potential of the human spirit.
 

Diversity Statement (Adopted August 2007)

The Schusterman family of philanthropic entities values diversity in its employment practices, in the organizations it supports, and in all of its other endeavors.

We believe that an understanding of and an appreciation for differences - age, color, disability, gender, race/ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation - lead to healthy and inclusive communities. We believe that by respecting all people and hearing all voices - by celebrating our shared humanity - we make better decisions for ourselves and for the communities we serve.