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Federation of Jewish Communities of the C I S Inc

EIN 13-3970940 · New York, NY

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong97 out of 100GovernanceGood79 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO PROVIDE HUMANITARIAN AID AND JEWISH EDUCATION, ORGANIZE AND PROVIDE CULTURAL EVENTS AND RELIGIOUS SERVICES, AND HELP DEVELOP JEWISH COMMUNITIES AND REBUILD JEWISH INSTITUTIONS, IN RUSSIA, THE FORMER SOVIET UNION, AND ELSEWHERE. DELIVERING ON THAT MISSION, THE FEDERATION OF JEWISH COMMUNITIES PROMOTES THE REBIRTH OF JEWISH CULTURE BY SPONSORING PROGRAMS AND INSTITUTIONS IN 15 COUNTRIES, CREATING AN INCUBATOR FOR THE FIRST POST-SOVIET GENERATION OF JEWISH ARTISTS, PERFORMERS, COMPOSERS, AND WRITERS. THIS CULTURAL ARCHIPELAGO INCLUDES LIBRARIES, COMPUTER CENTERS, MUSEUMS, CHESS TOURNAMENTS, ATHLETICS, ART EXHIBITIONS, POETRY READINGS, CONCERTS, THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS, DANCE GROUPS, ADULT EDUCATION, AND HOBBY CLUBS.

Income
$54.9 million
Spending
$54.5 million
Spent on programs
98%
Reserves
13.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 94%
Employees
32
Volunteers
4

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 97 out of 100. Higher than 70% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 13.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 8% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    98% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 79 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    2 of 4 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $30.2 million spent. CULTURE & COMMUNITY CENTERS - CULTURAL ACTIVITIES OFTEN TAKE PLACE AT FEDERATION-SPONSORED JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTERS. A SUCCESSFUL JCC IS A SECOND HOME, WHERE JEWS OF ALL AFFILIATIONS AND AGES JOIN EDUCATIONAL AND MANY OTHER ACTIVITIES IN A NURTURING COMMUNAL SETTING. JCCS HOST WOMEN'S CLUBS, SPORTS CLUBS, BOOK CLUBS, CHESS CLUBS, SINGLES' CLUBS, FAMILY CLUBS, BUSINESS CLUBS, AND YIDDISH CLUBS. THEY OFFER HEBREW CLASSES AND DISCUSSION GROUPS ON JEWISH TOPICS, SUCH AS TALMUD, KABBALAH, MEDICAL ETHICS, AND FAMILY LAW. THE JCCS ALSO SERVE AS INFORMATION AND EDUCATION CENTERS, INCLUDING ARRANGING HOLIDAY EVENTS AND LIFE CYCLE CEREMONIES. IN MANY COMMUNITIES THEY ARE THE SOLE SUPPLIER OF JUDAICA. THE FEDERATION CURRENTLY SUPPORTS MORE THAN 100 COMMUNITY CENTERS ACROSS THE FORMER SOVIET UNION. ITS GOAL IS TO OPEN A JCC IN EVERY CITY AND TOWN WITH A SUBSTANTIAL JEWISH POPULATION, EACH WITH ITS OWN FITNESS CENTER, MULTI-FUNCTION HALLS AND CLASSROOMS, THEATER, LIBRARY, SOUP KITCHEN, AND EVEN MEDICAL FACILITIES. THE FEDERATION ALSO HELPS REBUILD SYNAGOGUES AND MIKVAS, REFURBISHES CEMETERIES AND ASSISTS THE NEEDY. THROUGH A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH CHABAD LUBAVITCH, THE FEDERATION SUPPORTS MORE THAN 200 PERMANENT RABBIS SERVING OVER 90 COMMUNITIES IN 15 COUNTRIES. MANY RABBIS SERVE IN REMOTE LOCATIONS AND INHOSPITABLE CLIMATES. IN ADDITION TO LEADING PRAYER SERVICES AND PERFORMING WEDDINGS, BAR AND BAT MITZVAHS AND FUNERALS, THEY PARTNER WITH LOCAL JEWISH LEADERS IN REBUILDING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND LEADING THE REMARKABLE REVIVAL OF JEWISH LIFE THROUGHOUT THE FORMER SOVIET UNION.
  2. $14.1 million spent. RELIGIOUS & EDUCATIONAL SERVICES - FOR MILLIONS OF JEWS WHO WERE UNFAILINGLY EDUCATED IN THE STATE DOCTRINE OF ATHEISM, FORCED TO GROW UP WITH NO KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR RELIGION, CULTURE OR HERITAGE, JEWISH EDUCATION IS ESSENTIALLY AN EXPERIENCE OF SPIRITUAL REBIRTH. TO PROMOTE THIS REBIRTH, THE FEDERATION SUPPORTS MORE THAN 100 EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING JEWISH KINDERGARTENS, ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES, WITH AN AGGREGATE ENROLLMENT OF MORE THAN 7,000 STUDENTS.
  3. $9.2 million spent. HUMANITARIAN AID - MORE THAN ONE MILLION JEWS STILL LIVE IN THE FORMER SOVIET UNION. MORE THAN A THIRD OF THEM ARE POOR, SINGLE PARENT FAMILIES, ELDERLY, DISABLED, OR SICK. MANY LACK THE MOST BASIC NEEDS, SUCH AS FOOD, CLOTHING AND MEDICINE. THE FEDERATION SUPPORTS SOUP KITCHENS AND THE DELIVERY OF THOUSANDS OF MEALS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE UNABLE TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES, CHILDREN, AND NEEDY FAMILIES. IT ALSO SUPPORTS THE DISTRIBUTION OF CLOTHES AND MEDICATIONS, MEDICAL CLINICS, ORPHANAGES, SAFE HOMES, ASSISTED LIVING, AND SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTERS FOR JEWS THROUGHOUT THE FSU.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending July 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since November 1998.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.