NEW YORK — The Open Society Foundations, established by billionaire philanthropist George Soros, announced Wednesday a $30 million initiative to combat religious hatred targeting Jewish and Muslim communities over the next three years.
The human rights organization made the commitment to build stronger interfaith alliances and safeguard vulnerable communities as religious violence escalates globally, particularly amid tensions surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict and recent ceasefire developments.
Data from Tel Aviv University’s latest annual report shows that violence against Jewish people reached unprecedented levels last year — the worst in more than 30 years — including incidents like the December shooting during Hanukkah festivities in Australia. Simultaneously, anti-Muslim sentiment has surged, with some congressional Republicans making inflammatory statements suggesting Muslims “don’t belong in American society.”
Open Society Foundations President Binaifer Nowrojee addressed the crisis in a statement, saying: “The deep injustices occurring in the Middle East are fueling indiscriminate prejudice, dehumanization, and violence directed against both Muslims and Jews. Entire communities cannot be targeted simply because of their religion. Bigotry and intolerance in any form must be called out and confronted.”
This represents the organization’s most prominent public initiative since reports emerged last fall that federal prosecutors were exploring potential charges against the foundations. Former President Donald Trump specifically mentioned Soros while directing law enforcement to investigate what he termed “left-wing terrorism” — allegations the organization has consistently refuted while emphasizing their democratic mission.
Alex Soros, who assumed control of the family foundations in late 2022, brings personal perspective to the cause as both the child of a Holocaust survivor and spouse of a Muslim American. The organization noted that George Soros, despite his prominent role as a progressive political donor, frequently becomes the target of conspiracy theories that transform his influence into antisemitic narratives about shadowy control.
“At a moment like this we need to stand together and act,” Alex Soros stated in a social media video. “This investment is about keeping people safe and pushing back against hate.”
The funding will support educational programs addressing discrimination, empower community leaders who foster trust between groups, and defend free speech protections. Several organizations have already received grants, while others can apply for support. Beneficiaries include the Jewish Social Justice Roundtable, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, and the Nexus Project. Shoulder to Shoulder, an interfaith coalition training religious leaders to combat Islamophobia, leads anti-Muslim discrimination efforts.
Amy Spitalnick, who heads the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, praised the comprehensive approach addressing both issues simultaneously. The funding will expand JCPA’s collaborative work with Muslim and Arab American organizations, relationships that have grown stronger since the Israel-Hamas war began. She highlighted joint programs including a fellowship and Capitol Hill event on Jewish-Muslim cooperation developed with the Muslim Public Affairs Council.
Spitalnick stressed the interconnected nature of hatred, explaining that normalizing Islamophobia, racism, and broader extremism creates conditions where antisemitism thrives.
“We need funders and others to recognize that treating any of these issues in silos doesn’t get at the root cause, doesn’t get at the broader resiliency we need right now,” Spitalnick explained. “The fact that Jewish safety requires Muslim safety, that Muslim safety requires Jewish safety.”
The foundations did not specify their definition of antisemitism — a contentious topic on college campuses and in state governments where debates continue over whether Israeli criticism constitutes anti-Jewish hatred. The selected grant recipients suggest a more flexible interpretation than organizations like the Anti-Defamation League, which publishes yearly antisemitic incident reports and considers anti-Zionist views as antisemitic.
The Nexus Project, by contrast, advocates for antisemitism definitions that exclude criticism of Israeli government policies. When the National Education Association considered restricting ADL educational materials, Spitalnick emphasized that “one does not need to align with the ADL on every issue.”
Andrés Spokoiny, who leads the Jewish Funders Network, estimates philanthropic organizations have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in antisemitism prevention efforts, regardless of definitional differences. Other major initiatives include New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s $25 million “Stand Up to Jewish Hate” advertising campaign launched in March 2023 through his Foundation to Combat Antisemitism.
However, continued antisemitism has prompted some funders in Spokoiny’s network to question their strategies.
“There’s a lot of perplexity around what actually works,” he observed. “So many funders are very frustrated.”
