about AJF
The Australian Jewish Funders (AJF) is a network of mindful funders who believe that greater impact can be achieved collectively. Driven by Jewish values, the AJF aims to provide a space to enhance, nurture and inspire strategic philanthropy, explore philanthropic best practice and encourage innovation amongst like-minded funders, inspiring members to have a greater impact on and strengthen the Jewish community at the individual and collective levels, and encourage Jewish innovation and maximise their impact.
about AJF
Our History
The AJF was established in 2006 to provide a forum for members to enhance the understanding, quality and effectiveness of their philanthropy. Initially a small group of funders came together to share philanthropic techniques, funding interests through Jewish values, the AJF is now a large, innovative and empowered network stepping up as agents of change to educate and provide tools for philanthropic excellence.
about AJF
Our Members
Australian Jewish Funders is a member-based organisation, where all funders, regardless of scale, unite for greater impact. Members of AJF are committed to the sector of philanthropy, both Jewish and secular, and believe that meaningful change can be achieved collectively. AJF welcomes members from all across Australia, facilitating a variety of educational engagement opportunities and events each year for our members and the wider community.
Over the years, countless philanthropies, change-makers and leaders have informed and inspired the network, igniting passion and power to create positive change by harnessing our time, talent, treasure and ties. Through member engagements AJF provides skills and tools to create impact.
Our Values
Jewish giving is driven by an individual’s Jewish values and their Jewish identity. For the AJF, Jewish tradition, ethics and values are at the heart of everything we strive to achieve.
Tikkun Olam – Repair the World
As Jews, we have a strong responsibility to work collaboratively towards a better world. Key to this is having the courage to take strategic risks and the willingness to make ethical decisions.
Tzedakah – Jewish Obligation to Help Others
Tzedakah incorporates the Jewish ideals of righteousness, justice and fairness. These ideas are at the core of our activities.
Areyvut – Responsibility and Partnership
Areyvut is the responsibility to strengthen the Jewish world and Jewish people. We encourage collaboration and partnership both within the AJF network, and between the wider community to mutually realise this goal.
Limmud – Learning
The Australian Jewish Funders value and welcome new information, lessons and ways of operating, and believe that learning is essential in continuing to develop strategic philanthropy and community capacity building.
Our Tools
In order to fulfil our mission and vision, the AJF strives to facilitate connections among like-minded partners, mobilise the power of the collective and provide a forum to discuss the Big Questions and tackle the Big Challenges facing the global Jewish community, Israel, Australia and the world. We believe that doing this involves three pillars:
01. Innovation
Through funding innovation, we can create unimagined opportunities for the Australian Jewish community and wider society. We encourage our members to take calculated funding risks on projects that use something new, or something known, but in a different way, different time or different place.
02. Collaboration
We recognise that many issues facing local and global communities are too big for one funder to take on alone – with a shared vision and resources we can increase impact. The AJF is taking an active role in building collaboration amongst our networks in Australia and leading international organisations, providing a space where larger foundations can leverage their size and smaller families and individuals can connect for greater success.
03. Leadership
As a network of committed and mindful funders, we strive to be vectors of change by embodying strong and courageous leadership. We believe that this can be done by creating a culture of common action, learning, and sharing, and by challenging the status quo of Jewish philanthropy, being bold and taking risks.