Newsletter - Bernstein Family Foundation

ENEWS – June 2025

by Bobbie Shields | Jul 10, 2025 | Newsletter

ENEWS- June 2025

OpenDor Media acquires ‘upbeat’ Israel21c website as group looks to expand

Perspective, identity, history, commodity, race — these are just a few of the issues conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas explores through his work. He’s the 2024 Aspen Institute Harman/Eisner Artist in Residence, and we were thrilled to host two of his artworks at this year’s Aspen Ideas Festival. We caught up with him about how art helps him make sense of the world, what lessons he’s learned from his mother — the prolific photographer Deborah Willis — and why it’s helpful to think of politicians as designers.

Documentary leaders urge Senate not to ax funding for public television and radio

Some of the most respected figures in documentary film are calling on Congress to protect funding for public television and radio.

“It’s critically important,” Gordon Quinn, a founding member of Kartemquin Films, said during a recent panel discussion at DC/DOX, the prestigious film festival in the nation’s capital — where senators will determine the fate of funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which supports the work of PBS and NPR.

A Contemplative Dialogue on Unsettling Grounds with Marissa Williamson.

Unsettling Grounds is an augmented reality (AR) exhibition and interactive storytelling tool showcasing experimental and monumental works by Black, Brown, Indigenous, and rural artists. Inspired by Historic Woolen Mills in Charlottesville, Virginia, Unsettling Grounds invites audiences to uncover hidden histories of lesser-known struggles for freedom. Lead artist Marisa Williamson and Black cultural theorist Charles Athanasopoulos reflect on Unsettling Grounds as an artistic practice that haunts Charlottesville and narratives of its history.

Social Impact Could Be Your Leadership Legacy

Modern business leaders have an opportunity to contribute to society with more than what they produce or the services they provide. To go one step further, business leaders are increasingly being expected to contribute and to create social impact.

Younger generations of consumers and workers are looking for ethically and environmentally conscious companies when deciding where to spend and earn their money.

ENEWS – February 2025

by Bobbie Shields | Feb 21, 2025 | Newsletter

ENEWS- February 2025

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Hank Willis Thomas on the Role of Art in Civic Life

Perspective, identity, history, commodity, race — these are just a few of the issues conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas explores through his work. He’s the 2024 Aspen Institute Harman/Eisner Artist in Residence, and we were thrilled to host two of his artworks at this year’s Aspen Ideas Festival. We caught up with him about how art helps him make sense of the world, what lessons he’s learned from his mother — the prolific photographer Deborah Willis — and why it’s helpful to think of politicians as designers.

Meet TikTok’s ‘Print Princess’: Kelsey Russell

A recent graduate of Columbia University — where she earned a master’s degree — Kelsey Russell is a co-host of the weekly children’s news program, First Stop News. She’s planning to debut a podcast this summer and one day hopes to own a media company that produces entertaining, educational and inclusive content.

A Date Certain: Lessons from Limited Life Foundations

The mission of the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) is to provide data and create
insight so philanthropic funders can better define, assess, and improve their effectiveness—
and, as a result, their intended impact.

ENEWS – December 2024

by Bobbie Shields | Dec 20, 2024 | Newsletter

ENEWS- December 2024

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The Philanthropist Who Wants to Transform Voting

As the election looms, Bradley Tusk — a political strategist and venture capitalist — believes mobile voting is our best shot at reducing American polarization.

A new vision for philanthropy in Israel and Palestine

In February, I was lucky to be among the 200 delegates from the fields of philanthropy and peacebuilding who were hosted in Belfast by the Social Change Initiative. Over four days, we examined our era of spiralling conflict, and asked how philanthropy could make a difference. The entire conference had two ever-present realities that were acknowledged so often that they may as well have been the event’s subtitle.

In the Face of Growing Antisemitism, Silence From Secular Philanthropy Is Unacceptable

The Jewish philanthropic community is in pain. We need our friends and allies to stop equivocating.

The group behind Project 2025 has a plan to protect Jews. It will do the opposite.

If you are concerned about Project 2025, the conservative Heritage Foundation’s sweeping, illiberal agenda for a second Trump administration, then you need to take a hard look at Project Esther, its manual for combating antisemitism.

BUSINESS PERSPECTIVES: President Trump and the nonprofit sector

The second Trump administration will pose significant challenges, including funding cuts and policy changes, requiring nonprofits to fill essential gaps in services with fewer resources. The cultural environment may also encounter significant challenges.

Under 30 2025 Social Impact: Meet The Young Leaders Building New Businesses For A Better World

By addressing issues such as climate change, disabilities, mental health and elections, these social entrepreneurs are creating sustainable startups for lasting change.

ENEWS – May 2024

by Bernstein Family Foundation DC | Apr 30, 2024 | Newsletter

ENEWS- March 2024

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Daniella Ballou-Aares: How business leaders can renew democracy | TED Talk

How much should business leaders speak out about threats to democracy? It’s a question many corporations are wrestling with these days. Business and democracy leader Daniella Ballou-Aares shows why companies have both the ability and the responsibility to engage in protecting elections and the rule of law — and why their bottom lines may depend on doing so.

Opinion | This monument has been missing from the Mall far too long

Among the 40 monuments, memorials, statues and historic sites on the Mall — including 22 dedicated to individual men, 10 to military history and veterans, three to foreign relations, two to private organizations, one to U.S. postal history, one to the history of the United States’ canals, and another to the history of horses on the Mall — there is not a single one dedicated to American women.

What’s Love Got to Do With It? Returning Philanthropy to Its Root

To navigate through this challenging environment, philanthropy must have a strong spine and maintain a long-term view. Even more importantly, our sector needs to return to and embrace the original etymology of philanthropy—a “love of humankind”—as our animating force. That would be a radical counter-cultural act in our polarized, politically militarized country. But it would follow guidance inspired by author, academic, and activist bell hooks’ ethos on love.

This Muslim Israeli Woman Is the Future of the Middle East

Lucy Aharish is one of the most prominent television broadcasters in Israel—and the very first Arab Muslim news presenter on mainstream Hebrew-language Israeli television. Born and raised in a small Jewish town in Israel’s Negev desert, as one of the only Arab Muslim families, she has a unique lens through which to view the divisions in Israeli society, the complexity of the country’s national identity, and the Middle East more generally.

The Man Who Helped Redefine Campus Antisemitism

In government and as an outsider, Kenneth Marcus has tried to douse what he says is rising bias against Jews. Some see a crackdown on pro-Palestinian speech.

Women-led venture capital funds are helping drive increase in funding for women-owned startups

Venture capital funding in the U.S. for companies founded by women has been trending up in recent years. According to research by Venture Capital Journal, women-led funds’ share of total fundraising increased to about 3% of the $107 billion raised last year by venture funds worldwide.

Survey: The Great Wealth Transfer Will Make Women More Affluent And More Confident Than Ever

Baby Boomers have built a historically unmatched amount of wealth. They were the beneficiaries of a booming economy, robust markets, and price appreciation of their ‌homes for most of their lives. As they die, that wealth gets passed on. Primarily to women. And more specifically, first to Boomer wives, who tend to live longer than their husbands. And after that, to their children: Gen X and Gen Z will receive some, but the much larger Millennial generation — with a record number of single women — may end up with most of it.

Inspire Access Launches Platform to Flow Philanthropic Capital to Businesses Led by Women and People of Color

Inspire Access, the nonprofit dedicated to narrowing the gender and racial investment gap, today announced the launch of a new platform that leverages philanthropic capital to fund companies led by women and people of color.

The Charitable-Industrial Complex

Peter Buffet shares his experiences in the philanthropic industry and discusses his opinion on what actions need to be set in motion to see systemic change.

Judy Chicago Makes ‘Herstory’: Beyond the Ladies of the Dinner Party

The pioneering feminist artist rules the New Museum with a six-decade survey, but she shares the stage with her sisterhood.

ENEWS – DECEMBER 2023

by Bernstein Family Foundation DC | Dec 20, 2023 | Newsletter

ENEWS-Dec 2023

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Craig Newmark of Craigslist Has a New Mission: Saving Democracy

The low-profile tech entrepreneur is channeling his efforts—and fortune—toward “protecting the Republic.”

Ten reads that offer insight into the origins of today’s conflict—and what may come next.

The Best Books for Understanding the Israel-Hamas War

Foreign Policy staff and contributors recommend books that examine, among other subjects, the rise of Hamas, the innerworkings of Israeli intelligence, and the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The books’ authors represent a wide range of perspectives, from a renowned Palestinian American historian to the former Israeli ambassador to the United States.

Harvard, Columbia and Penn Pledge to Fight Antisemitism on Campus

The universities are trying to address criticism by banning pro-Palestinian student groups, condemning slogans, and starting task forces to address antisemitism.

White House Historical Association Launches $85.5 Million Campaign for Interactive Facility

The People’s House, set to open next year, arrives with a substantial fundraising effort, from small-dollar members to big-ticket naming rights.

25 New Cities in U.S., Canada and Mexico to Make Streets Safer with Art

We announced the 25 cities across Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. selected to receive $25,000 grants to develop art projects through our Asphalt Art Initiative.

These asphalt art projects will help cities engage their communities to improve street safety and revitalize public space.

Art + Activism = Change. But It’s a Formula Philanthropy Largely Ignores.

Shifting cultural attitudes is the key to lasting social change. That’s why grant makers need to encourage and support alliances between artists and advocates.

This isn’t about opening your wallet. This is about opening your heart.

The Pledge is a covenant with our children and grandchildren. I envision the Jewish Future Pledge as a legacy for the Jewish community and Israel, carrying the torch from generation to generation. I hope it will continue growing, attracting more supporters who share our vision. Individual experiences can shape the trajectory of collective efforts.

Best Art of 2023

In addition to its impressionist matchup “Manet/Degas,” the Met unveiled Lauren Halsey’s spectacular new rooftop installation. Our critics weigh in on this year’s most thrilling shows.

10 Must-Read Books to Gift Your Loved Ones this Holiday Season

This holiday season these are the books I’m sharing with family and friends. This is a collection of books about climate action (of course), our American identity and nationality, storytelling, work and well-being, and the power of connecting. Hope you enjoy!

Books Recommended 2023

This year, as every year, I delve into areas of curiosity for me, but also where lessons and reflections can help me understand our times and where we are going. I am especially attracted to “bottom-up” books that take us to understanding the ground of people, countries, and science on their terms; history that contextualizes our worlds; and beautiful writing found in fiction and literature.

E-NEWS July 2023

by Bernstein Family Foundation DC | Jul 19, 2023 | Newsletter

ENEWS-July 2023

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What will museums of the future be like? Three key takeaways from a new book

For his latest book, Imagining the Future Museum: 21 Dialogues with Architects, Szántó spoke with David Chipperfield, Frida Escobedo and David Adjaye, among others, to find out “how the momentous changes of our era” are shaping museum architecture. Below he outlines three key takeaways.

A New $4.5 Million Public Art Initiative Aims to Create ‘More Inclusive and Equitable’ Monuments. The First Selection Is Coming to the National Mall

The first show in the series, “Pulling Together,” will include works by artists Vanessa German, Derrick Adams, Paul Ramirez Jonas, Tiffany Chung, Wendy RedStar, and Ashon Crawley.

What Stories Remain Untold on the National Mall?

Pulling Together is the pilot exhibition of the Beyond Granite initiative. The exhibition will feature special works of art, performances, and programs on the National Mall in the summer of 2023.

The Most Anticipated Museum Openings of 2023

Scheduled to launch this year are new institutions dedicated to punk rock, Amelia Earhart and robots

The Washington Monument: Honoring “an idea as much as a man”

In a town full of monuments, there’s one that stands above them all. Paul Goldberger, professor of design and architecture at the New School in New York, calls the Washington Monument, in our nation’s capital, “the tallest, the simplest, the most straightforward, the most direct. It’s very much like Washington himself in that way actually.”

‘The Jewish Future Pledge is a wakeup call

Tamar Uriel-Beeri, managing editor of Jpost.com, speaks with Russell Robinson, CEO of JNF-USA, about the importance of the Jewish Future Pledge and the Jewish Youth Pledge, two unique initiatives designed to help sustain the future of the Jewish people. JNF-USA, says Robinson, is an enthusiastic proponent of both pledges.

Build a legacy of giving by inspiring the next generation of philanthropists

Young adulthood spans some of life’s biggest milestones—from first jobs to first homes—and getting more involved in making a difference can be one of those meaningful new adventures.

Half of US’s 25 most generous philanthropists are Jews

Jews made up nearly half of America’s biggest philanthropic donors last year, according to a calculation by Forbes of who gave the most money away in 2022.

THE WORLD’S MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES OF 2023

Most Innovative Companies 2023, Fast Company’s definitive chronicle of the novel ideas transforming business and society, was 100% produced by people.

National Museum of Women in the Arts to Reopen October 21, 2023, After Transformative Renovation

The inaugural exhibition The Sky’s the Limit features bold, large-scale work by a dozen contemporary women artists

ENEWS- March 2023

by Bernstein Family Foundation DC | Mar 9, 2023 | Newsletter

ENEWS-March 2023

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2022 Liberty Medal Ceremony Honoring President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

The National Constitution Center honored Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the 34th annual Liberty Medal ceremony on November 7, 2022. The Liberty Medal honors men and women of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe.

11 Trends in Philanthropy for 2023

The philanthropic sector is an ecosystem: a web of
interdependent actors, infinitely variable, striving constantly to build something greater than the sum of its parts.

26 Inspiring Nonprofit Leaders Who Will Impact the World in 2023

Nonprofit leaders within the nonprofit sector play a huge role in the economy, providing essential services that boost economic activity and generate economic growth.

Philanthropy Can Help Build a Thriving Democracy by Building Up Programs and Places That Fuel Civic Involvement

In an alternate universe, January 6, 2021, might have marked an inflection point in America’s decades-long story of democratic decline — a moment of collective epiphany and the beginning of a mass mobilization to rescue our nearly 250-year-old system of self-government.

Descendants of Jewish refugees escaping Nazis sue Guggenheim Museum for $200M Picasso painting

The heirs of a Jewish family that fled Nazi persecution are demanding the repatriation of a Pablo Picasso painting they once owned now in possession of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, which the family says is worth up to $200 million today.

Foundation Assets Plummeted Nearly 20% Last Year, Putting Grant Making at Risk

After three straight years of gains, foundation investments performed dismally last year, leading to a 19 percent decline in the value of their endowments, according to one estimate.

Why black Philanthropy matters

For the Black community, philanthropy has a unique history rooted in solidarity, self-determination and mutual aid. Throughout our history, Black leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., voting rights and anti-hunger activist Fannie Lou Hamer, and businesswoman Madame C.J. Walker all made philanthropy a staple of their legacy, while continuing to focus on fighting for justice and equity to make life better for their community.

Lullaby written for my mother in the ghetto will be in the spotlight at Carnegie Hall

When poet and partisan Shmerke Kaczerginski wrote a lullaby about my grandmother and mother in the Vilna Ghetto in 1943, he surely couldn’t know that some day, the descendant of these two women would make a documentary about the song. And that the song would be performed at New York City’s Carnegie Hall.

Watch: State of Our Union: Telling the American Story

Two of our country’s foremost cultural leaders, Mellon Foundation President Elizabeth Alexander and Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, recently came together to share their knowledge as builders of scholarship and institutions that have opened a fuller understanding of history and culture in the US.

Checkology Virtual Classroom: History of harm and distrust

This lesson has been years in the making and explores how mainstream news coverage of marginalized groups has historically done significant harm, resulting in legacies of distrust that persist today.

ENEWS- January 2023

by Bernstein Family Foundation DC | Jan 19, 2023 | Newsletter

ENEWS-January 2023

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Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden Revitalization: Rendering Hiroshi Sugimoto’s Vision

Hiroshi Sugimoto on the occasion of the groundbreaking of his revitalization of our Sculpture Garden. The ceremony, attended by the First Lady Jill Biden and Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, signals the start of this transformation which formally starts in spring 2023

People of the Book

People of the book harness the vast reach of social media to educate a new Arab generation about the Jewish faith and culture. Its videos foster curiosity and better understanding between Jews and Arabs; trying to shape a more peaceful coexistence.

Beyond Granite

Trust for the National Mall Reveals Exhibition, Six Participating Artists for Beyond Granite Initiative on the National Mall

2022 at Civic Nation

2022 was an impactful year for Civic Nation — and there’s still so much for us to accomplish. As we plan for 2023, we look forward to continuing our work, launching new initiatives, and so much more.

Arts in Action

2022 Midterm Election and
Impact on the Arts
Volume IV, 2022

Duke Ellington School

Duke Ellington Annual Report

2022 Liberty Medal Ceremony Honoring President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

The National Constitution Center honored Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the 34th annual Liberty Medal ceremony on November 7, 2022. The Liberty Medal honors men and women of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe

ENEWS- November 2022

by Bernstein Family Foundation DC | Nov 17, 2022 | Newsletter

ENEWS-November 22

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Museums Need to Be Braver. Here’s How College and University Art Galleries Can Offer the Sector at Large a Roadmap for Reinvention

Here are five ways campus museums model a more courageous future.

Keeping the Faith

Is intermarriage threatening American Judaism or renewing it? Contemporary Jews confront an age-old question — and discover surprising answers.

New Report | Access to nature and the workplace

Benefits of Nature, Design & Restorative Places, Health, Reports, Research

Arts Action News

The Quarterly Newsletter of the Americans for the Arts Action Fund

Unsafe Spaces

When being Jewish means you don’t belong.

Billionaire No More: Patagonia Founder Gives Away the Company

Gelles writes about the intersection of climate and the corporate world and has covered Patagonia for nearly a decade.

Truths we hold and share

The Founders Bequeathed Us Something Radical

Beyond Granite

The National Mall: home to an array of monuments, attracting millions of visitors who travel from all over the world to witness some of the most significant people and moments in US history.

 

ENEWS – July 2022

by Bernstein Family Foundation DC | Jul 18, 2022 | Newsletter

ENEWS-July 22

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WhatsApp’s reclusive founder has quietly become a megadonor to Jewish causes

Ascendant, together, this Juneteenth

This speech was presented by Darren Walker during “Ascendant Weekend,” in which over 400 descendants of enslaved people attended a rededication of the Burial Ground for Enslaved People at Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia.We move through projects in a goal-oriented way.

A (Re)generation of Artists

Artists in four US regions—and counting—are harnessing the creative power of regeneration to connect our communities to the past, present, and future.We move through projects in a goal-oriented way.

Singing with Israeli and Palestinian artists

This was easily the most rewarding music video process I’ve ever been a part of. Everyone who sang lines in this video wrote those words and live them. What a gift it was to work with The Jerusalem Youth Chorus. We move through projects in a goal-oriented way.

Take 5: Democracies and How They Thrive

A look at this form of government at a time when democracy is under stress around the world.

Public Art Transforms Illegal Dumping Sites in Camden, NJ

How can larger-than-life public art serve a community and inspire change? Camden, N.J.’s Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge winning project, “A New View” worked to transform illegal dumping sites by converting the spaces into multi-purpose community forums to host art installations and provide a visual narrative to the more than 65,000 people who travel through Camden daily.

The Well and the Will

Ward 8 residents are on the verge of new opportunities for food security, wellness and economic sustainability in the community. DC Greens is creating a new urban farm and garden space called The Well at Oxon Run Park to address this topic and build a legacy of sustainable health.

Art in the United States

American Jewish women have made major contributions to the art world as artists, photographers, gallery owners, museum curators, art critics, art historians, and collectors at least since the beginning of the twentieth century.

Arabella’s Racial Wealth Gap Practice

Changemakers and philanthropists know that good intentions are just the beginning. Impact is what matters. At Arabella, we share a commitment to expanding equity in the social sector and beyond. As part of that work, we launched the Racial Wealth Gap Practice in 2021 with the goal of focusing more intentionally and urgently on race and the systemic inequalities that permeate every aspect of our society and economy. We seek to support communities of color in accessing economic opportunity and prosperity.

Jewish Continuity: Are We Aiming Too Low?

As a community, we can afford to lift our gaze above the basic goals of survival and continuity. We ought to find ways to fulfill our potential and rise beyond the self through altruism and spirituality.

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