These JNF Canada donors are split over the embattled charity’s future

Jonathan Goodman, left, is raising $10 million for JNF Canada's new Climate Solutions Prize, while Mary Ellen Herman donated half the cost of an accessible playground built in southern Israel. (Submitted photos)

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When the Canada Revenue Agency stripped the Jewish National Fund of Canada of its charitable status on Aug. 10, it also prevented the venerable Jewish charity of being able to issue tax receipts to donors. This poses a serious challenge to the historic Zionist fundraising organization, which received $20.2 million in donations in 2023, and has vowed to continue its work even without its legal status as a registered charity: Will supporters still want to give money to JNF Canada if they can’t get a tax break for it?

Some donors are taking a wait-and-see approach, but want answers as to why JNF Canada has admitted it kept quiet for years about its problems with the federal tax auditors, who warned them about “repeated and serious non-compliance” with Canadian tax rules dating back at least a decade. But other philanthropists believe that bureaucrats treated JNF Canada unfairly, and expect the charity will win both of its appeals in court: to block the suspension—and to eventually overturn it.

On today’s episode of The CJN Daily, we’re joined by two prominent JNF Canada donors: Jonathan Goodman of Montreal, who is raising $10 million for JNF Canada’s new Climate Solutions Prize to boost “green technology”, and Mary Ellen Herman of Toronto, who donated half the cost of an accessible playground built in southern Israel.

What we talked about:

  • Learn more about the accessible playground JNF Canada helped build in Kiryat Malachi with the donation by philanthropist Mary Ellen Herman and family
  • Read The CJN’s previous coverage of JNF Canada’s Climate Solutions Prize launched by Montrealers Jonathan Goodman and Jeff Hart, on thecjn.ca
  • Read why JNF Canada has known for a decade it was at risk of losing its charitable status, in thecjn.ca
  • Why JNF Canada hasn’t yet wound down its Canadian charitable operations just yet, in thecjn.ca

Credits

  • Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner)
  • Production team: Zachary Kauffman (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer)
  • Music: Dov Beck-Levine

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