One of America’s most influential and politically active Jewish families has reportedly funneled substantial funds to organizations inciting pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses. The family, linked to Levi Strauss, the iconic denim brand, includes a sitting U.S. congressman and a former ambassador to Jerusalem.
A recent report by the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP), a think-tank supported by Israel, identifies the Bafrayung Fund as a significant sponsor of pro-Palestinian activist groups. These groups have been involved in various campus demonstrations across the country.
The report highlights that the Bafrayung Fund, based in Covina, California, has consistently supported the Palestinian Youth Movement, which has played a central role in recent campus protests. Additionally, the fund has aided allied organizations such as the Arab Resource and Organizing Center and Critical Resistance. These groups often use the slogan “from the river to the sea,” which critics argue calls for the destruction of Israel. However, some, including Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), dispute this interpretation.
The driving force behind the Bafrayung Fund is 33-year-old Rachel Gelman, a Bay Area resident and a descendant of the Levi Strauss family. Gelman is also a cousin of Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY). The fund’s finances primarily come from Gelman and the Morningstar Philanthropic Foundation, a charity founded by her parents, who are major Democratic Party donors and own a chain of publications for East Coast Jewish communities.
Rachel Gelman’s mother, Susie Gelman, was appointed by President Joe Biden to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom last summer. Susie Gelman’s grandfather, Walter Haas, transformed Levi Strauss into a global denim brand, and her father, Richard Goldman, founded a significant insurance company. Her late brother was a federal prosecutor and father to the current U.S. representative, Dan Goldman.
Susie Gelman’s involvement in Jewish and Israeli issues began early, meeting her husband through a Jewish youth group. The couple co-own the Mid-Atlantic Media Group, which publishes several Jewish newspapers. Her connection to Israel started young, with her first trip to the country at 16, and during the Second Intifada, she volunteered at a Jerusalem hospital. More recently, she served as chairwoman of the Israel Policy Forum from 2016 to 2023, using the platform to critique Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Despite their differences with Israel’s current leadership, the Gelmans are major supporters of the Birthright Israel Foundation, which sponsors free trips for young Jewish adults to Israel.
Between 2019 and 2022, the Morningstar Philanthropic Foundation contributed $3,470,000 to the Bafrayung Fund. This fund supports various left-wing causes, including pro-Palestinian activities. The Palestinian Youth Movement received $60,000, while the Arab Resource and Organizing Center was given $40,000. Recently, the Palestinian Youth Movement has documented its role in campus protests, such as the one held at Columbia University.
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