Philadelphia Jewish Film and Media
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
PHILADELPHIA JEWISH FILM AND MEDIA (PJFM) CREATES CONNECTION AND COMMUNITY THROUGH JEWISH CINEMA AND DIGITAL STORYTELLING. PJFM WELCOMES EVERYONE TO ENGAGE WITH JEWISH CULTURE AND VALUES THROUGH ITS EDUCATIONAL AND ENTERTAINING YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS.
- Income
- $459,206
- Spending
- $460,338
- Spent on programs
- 66%
- Reserves
- 2.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 89%
- Employees
- 6
- Volunteers
- 20
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 64 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.2 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 22% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 0% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1566% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 97 out of 100. Higher than 90% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 14 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Independent check of accounts
12 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 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 (1)
- $304,663 spent. PHILADELPHIA JEWISH FILM AND MEDIA'S PURPOSE IS TO CREATE CONNECTION AND COMMUNITY THROUGH JEWISH CINEMA AND DIGITAL STORYTELLING, WELCOMING AUDIENCES TO ENGAGE WITH JEWISH CULTURE, HISTORY, IDENTITY, AND VALUES THROUGH FILM, MEDIA, PUBLIC PROGRAMS, AND DIALOGUE. FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COVERING SEPTEMBER 2024 THROUGH AUGUST 2025, THE ORGANIZATION'S THREE LARGEST PROGRAM SERVICE ACTIVITIES WERE AS FOLLOWS: 1.44TH PHILADELPHIA JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL / FALL FEST 2024 PHILADELPHIA JEWISH FILM AND MEDIA PRESENTED THE 44TH PHILADELPHIA JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL, ALSO KNOWN AS FALL FEST 2024, FROM NOVEMBER 14-24, 2024. THE FESTIVAL SERVED AS THE ORGANIZATION'S LARGEST PUBLIC PROGRAM AND ADVANCED PJFM'S CHARITABLE AND EDUCATIONAL MISSION BY PRESENTING JEWISH CINEMA AND MEDIA TO BROAD PUBLIC AUDIENCES THROUGHOUT THE PHILADELPHIA REGION. THE FESTIVAL INCLUDED 18 FILMS, CONSISTING OF 13 FEATURE FILMS AND 5 SHORT FILMS, AND INCLUDED NARRATIVE, DOCUMENTARY, DOCUDRAMA, DOMESTIC, AND INTERNATIONAL WORKS. THE PROGRAM INCLUDED FILMS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND MULTIPLE COUNTRIES, INCLUDING ISRAEL, FRANCE, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, GERMANY, HUNGARY, ITALY, JAPAN, POLAND, AND THE UNITED KINGDOM. THE FESTIVAL INCLUDED 20 TOTAL FILM SCREENINGS AND EVENTS, INCLUDING 5 SPECIAL EVENTS. TOTAL IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL ATTENDANCE WAS 2,100, WITH AN AVERAGE IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE OF 84 PER SCREENING OR EVENT. THROUGH SCREENINGS, SPECIAL EVENTS, FILMMAKER ENGAGEMENT, GUEST SPEAKERS, AND AUDIENCE DIALOGUE, THE FESTIVAL PROVIDED CULTURAL EDUCATION, PROMOTED PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF JEWISH STORIES AND EXPERIENCES, AND CREATED OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY CONNECTION ACROSS JEWISH AND NON-JEWISH AUDIENCES. 2. JEWISH RESILIENCE SPRING FESTIVAL PJFM PRESENTED JEWISH RESILIENCE, A SPRINGTIME FESTIVAL FOCUSED ON JEWISH STORIES OF PERSEVERANCE, MEMORY, IDENTITY, CULTURAL CONTINUITY, AND COMMUNAL STRENGTH. THE PROGRAM ADVANCED THE ORGANIZATION'S EXEMPT PURPOSE BY USING FILM, MEDIA, AND PUBLIC CONVERSATION TO EXPLORE JEWISH RESILIENCE ACROSS HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY CONTEXTS. JEWISH RESILIENCE INCLUDED 10 SCREENINGS, 9 PUBLIC PROGRAM EVENTS, AND 5 GUEST SPEAKERS, PANELISTS, FILMMAKERS, OR COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS. THE FESTIVAL SERVED APPROXIMATELY 400 PEOPLE. AUDIENCES INCLUDED MEMBERS OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, INTERFAITH AND MULTICULTURAL AUDIENCES, STUDENTS, OLDER ADULTS, EDUCATORS, PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, AND MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THE PROGRAM PROVIDED AN ACCESSIBLE FORUM FOR EDUCATION, REFLECTION, AND DIALOGUE ON JEWISH HISTORY, IDENTITY, ANTISEMITISM, TRAUMA, RECOVERY, AND CULTURAL ENDURANCE. BY PAIRING FILM PRESENTATIONS WITH MODERATED CONVERSATIONS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, JEWISH RESILIENCE SUPPORTED PUBLIC LEARNING AND STRENGTHENED PJFM'S ROLE AS A CONVENER OF JEWISH ARTS, CULTURE, AND CIVIC DIALOGUE. 3.UNAPOLOGETICALLY JEWISH COMPETITION PJFM CONTINUED ITS UNAPOLOGETICALLY JEWISH COMPETITION, A SOCIAL MEDIA AND STORYTELLING INITIATIVE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT AND ELEVATE CONTEMPORARY JEWISH CREATIVE EXPRESSION. THE COMPETITION ADVANCED THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION BY ENCOURAGING ARTISTS, FILMMAKERS, AND DIGITAL STORYTELLERS TO EXPLORE JEWISH IDENTITY, CULTURE, VALUES, AND LIVED EXPERIENCE THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT. THE COMPETITION INCLUDED 9 APPLICANTS, 7 SELECTED FINALISTS, AND 2 IN- PERSON PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS. FINALISTS PRODUCED AND CREATED ORIGINAL CONTENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA CENTERED ON THE UNAPOLOGETICALLY JEWISH COMPETITION WITH THE PURPOSE TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY. FINALISTS PRESENTED THEIR ORIGINAL CONTENT AT AN IN-PERSON SHOWCASE AND AWARD SHOW. THE PROGRAM BENEFITED APPROXIMATELY 200 IN-PERSON AND OVER A MILLION IN UNIQUE VIEWS AND ENGAGEMENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. UNAPOLOGETICALLY JEWISH EXPANDED PJFM'S REACH BEYOND TRADITIONAL FILM EXHIBITION BY ENGAGING EMERGING CREATORS AND AUDIENCES THROUGH CONTEMPORARY MEDIA PLATFORMS. THE PROGRAM SUPPORTED JEWISH STORYTELLING, AMPLIFIED A VARIETY OF JEWISH VOICES, AND CREATED OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC AUDIENCES TO ENCOUNTER JEWISH IDENTITY AND CREATIVITY IN TIMELY, ACCESSIBLE, AND CULTURALLY RELEVANT WAYS. PHILADELPHIA JEWISH FILM AND MEDIA'S PURPOSE IS TO CREATE CONNECTION AND COMMUNITY THROUGH JEWISH CINEMA AND DIGITAL STORYTELLING, WELCOMING AUDIENCES TO ENGAGE WITH JEWISH CULTURE, HISTORY, IDENTITY, AND VALUES THROUGH FILM, MEDIA, PUBLIC PROGRAMS, AND DIALOGUE. FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COVERING SEPTEMBER 2024 THROUGH AUGUST 2025, THE ORGANIZATION'S THREE LARGEST PROGRAM SERVICE ACTIVITIES WERE AS FOLLOWS: 1.44TH PHILADELPHIA JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL / FALL FEST 2024 PHILADELPHIA JEWISH FILM AND MEDIA PRESENTED THE 44TH PHILADELPHIA JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL, ALSO KNOWN AS FALL FEST 2024, FROM NOVEMBER 14-24, 2024. THE FESTIVAL SERVED AS THE ORGANIZATION'S LARGEST PUBLIC PROGRAM AND ADVANCED PJFM'S CHARITABLE AND EDUCATIONAL MISSION BY PRESENTING JEWISH CINEMA AND MEDIA TO BROAD PUBLIC AUDIENCES THROUGHOUT THE PHILADELPHIA REGION. THE FESTIVAL INCLUDED 18 FILMS, CONSISTING OF 13 FEATURE FILMS AND 5 SHORT FILMS, AND INCLUDED NARRATIVE, DOCUMENTARY, DOCUDRAMA, DOMESTIC, AND INTERNATIONAL WORKS. THE PROGRAM INCLUDED FILMS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND MULTIPLE COUNTRIES, INCLUDING ISRAEL, FRANCE, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, GERMANY, HUNGARY, ITALY, JAPAN, POLAND, AND THE UNITED KINGDOM. THE FESTIVAL INCLUDED 20 TOTAL FILM SCREENINGS AND EVENTS, INCLUDING 5 SPECIAL EVENTS. TOTAL IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL ATTENDANCE WAS 2,100, WITH AN AVERAGE IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE OF 84 PER SCREENING OR EVENT. THROUGH SCREENINGS, SPECIAL EVENTS, FILMMAKER ENGAGEMENT, GUEST SPEAKERS, AND AUDIENCE DIALOGUE, THE FESTIVAL PROVIDED CULTURAL EDUCATION, PROMOTED PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF JEWISH STORIES AND EXPERIENCES, AND CREATED OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY CONNECTION ACROSS JEWISH AND NON-JEWISH AUDIENCES. 2. JEWISH RESILIENCE SPRING FESTIVAL PJFM PRESENTED JEWISH RESILIENCE, A SPRINGTIME FESTIVAL FOCUSED ON JEWISH STORIES OF PERSEVERANCE, MEMORY, IDENTITY, CULTURAL CONTINUITY, AND COMMUNAL STRENGTH. THE PROGRAM ADVANCED THE ORGANIZATI
Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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.
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 November 6, 2026.
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.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending August 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 1932.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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 November 4, 2026.
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