Olam's original analysis of Birthright Israel Foundation's IRS Form 990 filings: net assets fell from $95.1 million (FY2021) to $56.0 million (FY2024) as expenses spiked 3.3x in FY2022, then fell 41%.
Quick answer: Birthright Israel Foundation's net assets fell 41% in three years, from $95.1 million at the end of FY2021 to $56.0 million at the end of FY2024, according to Olam's analysis of its IRS Form 990 filings. Expenses spiked to $110.7 million in FY2022 as trips resumed, then fell 41% by FY2024, when the Foundation reported $74.3 million in revenue and $9.1 million in net income.
Original Olam research and analysis. The multi-year series, ratios and percentage changes in this article are Olam's own calculations from the Foundation's Form 990 filings for fiscal years 2011 to 2024. Every dollar figure is as reported to the IRS. Every ratio and percentage labeled "Olam analysis" was calculated by Olam and does not appear in the filings themselves.
How Did Olam Analyze Birthright's Form 990 Filings?
Olam reviewed 14 fiscal years of Form 990 data for Birthright Israel Foundation (EIN 13-4092050), from FY2011 through FY2024, using the IRS-digitized extracts published on ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer. The data was checked against ProPublica's listing on October 22, 2026.
| Method step | What Olam did |
|---|---|
| Source data | Revenue, expenses, net income, assets, liabilities, net assets and executive compensation as reported on each Form 990 (fiscal years end December 31) |
| Olam calculations | Year-over-year and multi-year percentage changes, cumulative surpluses and deficits, and compensation and fundraising-fee ratios |
| Definitions | Net assets are total assets minus total liabilities. Executive compensation is the "total pool" figure in the filing's extracted data |
| Limits | The extracted data omits some schedule detail, and amended returns may not be reflected. Figures were not independently audited by Olam |
Birthright Israel Foundation at a Glance: FY2024 Form 990
| Metric | FY2024 |
|---|---|
| Total Revenue | $74,279,931 |
| Total Expenses | $65,202,682 |
| Net Income | $9,077,249 |
| Total Assets | $70,527,712 |
| Total Liabilities | $14,565,261 |
| Net Assets | $55,962,451 |
| Executive Compensation (total pool) | $3,472,763 (5.3% of expenses) |
| Professional Fundraising Fees | $1,383,458 (2.1%) |
| EIN | 13-4092050 |
Source: Birthright Israel Foundation, Form 990 for fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, filed November 13, 2025. Read the full filing on ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer.
Olam Analysis: What Happened to Birthright's Reserves From FY2019 to FY2024?
Original Olam research. Birthright built a reserve while trips were suspended, then spent it when they resumed. The table shows the figures as reported on each Form 990.
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2019 | $98,977,700 | $93,996,365 | $4,981,335 | $62,419,012 |
| FY2020 | $62,541,873 | $37,473,516 | $25,068,357 | $84,746,165 |
| FY2021 | $44,527,782 | $33,798,127 | $10,729,655 | $95,062,343 |
| FY2022 | $72,026,353 | $110,696,563 | -$38,670,210 | $54,211,059 |
| FY2023 | $85,539,550 | $92,850,953 | -$7,311,403 | $48,051,289 |
| FY2024 | $74,279,931 | $65,202,682 | $9,077,249 | $55,962,451 |
Source: Birthright Israel Foundation Form 990 filings, FY2019 to FY2024. Table layout by Olam.
Olam analysis: eight findings from the filings
- The reserve build: Net income of $25.1 million in FY2020 and $10.7 million in FY2021 added $35.8 million, taking net assets to a peak of $95.1 million at the end of FY2021.
- The drawdown: Net losses of $38.7 million in FY2022 and $7.3 million in FY2023 totaled $46.0 million. Net assets fell 43% in FY2022 alone and 49% from the FY2021 peak to the end of FY2023.
- The expense spike: FY2022 expenses of $110.7 million were 3.3 times FY2021's $33.8 million.
- The correction: FY2024 expenses of $65.2 million were 41% below the FY2022 peak and 30% below FY2023.
- The recovery is partial: FY2024 net income lifted net assets 16% above FY2023, but they remain 41% below the FY2021 peak.
- Revenue is well off its high: FY2024 revenue of $74.3 million is 39% below the FY2018 peak of $121.1 million.
- Liabilities jumped: Total liabilities rose from $2.2 million in FY2021 to $15.2 million in FY2022, about seven times higher, and stood at $14.6 million in FY2024.
- Fundraising fees more than doubled in a year: Professional fundraising fees rose 152% from $548,777 in FY2023 to $1,383,458 in FY2024. That is more than double the highest annual figure from FY2012 through FY2023 ($671,438 in FY2018).
What Is Birthright Israel Foundation?
Birthright Israel Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 13-4092050), tax-exempt since June 2001 and headquartered in New York. It raises funds in the United States to support Birthright Israel, which provides free 10-day educational trips to Israel for young Jewish adults ages 18 to 32. The Foundation also raises money for Onward Israel, a mid-length internship program serving roughly 3,200 participants a year, and the Excel fellowship, a competitive program for about 60 participants a year, according to its own program description.
Elias Saratovsky became President/CEO in September 2023, succeeding Israel Tapoohi, who had led the Foundation since December 2016. Tapoohi succeeded David Fisher, who was CEO through 2016.
Where Does Birthright's Money Come From?
| Revenue Source | FY2024 | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Contributions | $71,784,347 | 96.6% |
| Investment Income | $1,091,106 | 1.5% |
| Sales of Assets | $1,404,478 | 1.9% |
Contributions supplied 99% or more of revenue in every year from FY2012 through FY2023 and 96.6% in FY2024 (Olam analysis), which is why the Foundation's results move so closely with donor giving. Major named funders identified in public grant disclosures include the Adelson Family Foundation, the Marcus Foundation and the Jim Joseph Foundation, alongside Jewish federations and communal funds, according to Influence Watch's review of those foundations' own Form 990-PF filings.
Where Does Birthright's Money Go?
The Foundation's FY2024 expenses of $65.2 million included $3.5 million in executive compensation (5.3%), $6.3 million in other salaries and wages (9.7%) and $1.4 million in professional fundraising fees (2.1%), according to the filing. The Form 990 summary data does not itemize grantees. Grants and program support are detailed in the full filing's schedules, which are linked from ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer.
Spending is tied closely to trip volume. In FY2021, with trips suspended, expenses were $33.8 million. When trips resumed at scale in FY2022, expenses jumped to $110.7 million against $72.0 million in revenue, a $38.7 million net loss. Expenses then fell to $92.9 million in FY2023 and to $65.2 million in FY2024, a 30% cut under incoming CEO Elias Saratovsky that restored $9.1 million in net income even as revenue fell 13% from $85.5 million (Olam analysis).
What Do Birthright's Top Executives Earn?
| Executive | FY2024 Compensation | Other |
|---|---|---|
| Elias Saratovsky, President/CEO | $659,123 | $58,294 |
| S. David Shapiro, Chief Financial Officer | $484,728 | $58,507 |
| Zhe Yang, Chief Information Officer | $397,952 | $24,868 |
| Jessica Feldan (through 04/2024), Chief Development Officer | $368,147 | $18,588 |
| Margot Ettlinger, National Campaign Director | $349,414 | $77,013 |
| Deborah Dolgin, VP Western Region | $336,635 | $33,425 |
Olam analysis: executive pay against spending
Saratovsky's FY2024 total of $717,417 (compensation plus other) is below the $1,141,908 reported for his predecessor Israel Tapoohi in his final year, FY2023 ($1,056,061 plus $85,847 other). Tapoohi's final-year total was 30% above his FY2022 total of $875,709. The extracted data does not explain the increase; Schedule J of the full filing is where severance and similar payments would be disclosed.
The total executive compensation pool rose 60% between FY2021 ($2,170,160) and FY2024 ($3,472,763), while total expenses rose 93% over the same period. As a share of expenses, the pool was 2.5% in FY2019, 6.4% in FY2021, 2.4% in FY2022, 3.7% in FY2023 and 5.3% in FY2024. The share swings with expenses because the pool changes far less than trip-driven spending does.
Board chair Philip De Toledo and the rest of Birthright's volunteer directors, including Vice Chair Lori Komisar, Treasurer Lawrence J. Cohen and Cabinet Chair Douglas M. Ross, received no compensation.
Has Birthright Disclosed Conflict-of-Interest Transactions?
Birthright Israel Foundation's fiscal year 2015 Form 990 disclosed reportable conflict-of-interest transactions on Schedule L, which covers loans, grants or business dealings with interested parties such as officers, key employees, their family members or businesses they control. The summary data flags the disclosure without itemizing it. The specifics are in the full Schedule L filing, available through ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer.
How Have Birthright's Net Assets Changed Since FY2011?
| Fiscal year | Net assets | Fiscal year | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2011 | $14.0 million | FY2018 | $57.2 million |
| FY2012 | $28.8 million | FY2019 | $62.4 million |
| FY2013 | $15.0 million | FY2020 | $84.7 million |
| FY2014 | $42.8 million | FY2021 | $95.1 million (peak) |
| FY2015 | $31.0 million | FY2022 | $54.2 million |
| FY2016 | $29.3 million | FY2023 | $48.1 million |
| FY2017 | $32.4 million | FY2024 | $56.0 million |
Source: Birthright Israel Foundation Form 990 filings, FY2011 to FY2024. Table layout by Olam.
Total liabilities stood at $14,565,261 in FY2024, down from $16,229,377 in FY2023.
What Other Olam Form 990 Research Is Available?
Birthright is one of a series of original Olam analyses built from IRS filings. Each page carries the same method: figures as reported, with growth multiples and ratios calculated by Olam.
- The $318 Million Machine: IFCJ and Yael Eckstein, 14 years of filings for the largest Christian-to-Jewish giving operation
- FIDF Hasn't Transferred $91 Million of Its October 7 Commitment, an audit-based analysis of Friends of the IDF
- ORT America: Where the Money Goes, including the FY2025 filing and a 51% fall in executive pay
- Leket Israel USA: FY2024 Form 990 Review, revenue up 6.6 times since 2011
- Nefesh B'Nefesh USA: 14 Years of Form 990s
- One Family Fund: FY2024 Form 990 Review, with Schedule L flags in six of seven years
- Friends of Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center: Who Funds It
- Larry David's Foundations Gave $170,500 in 2025
- $16.8 Million: Who Funds the JCCs
- HIAS: A Form 990 Audit
- Inside the Jewish Camp 990s, Olam's methodology for reading nonprofit filings
For the wider context, see Olam's coverage of Global Jewish Philanthropy.
Frequently Asked Questions About Birthright Israel Foundation
What is Birthright Israel Foundation?
Birthright Israel Foundation (EIN 13-4092050) is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises funds to support Birthright Israel's free educational trips to Israel for young Jewish adults, along with the Onward Israel internship program and the Excel fellowship.
How much did Birthright's net assets fall?
Net assets fell from $95.1 million at the end of FY2021 to $48.1 million at the end of FY2023, a 49% drop, before recovering to $56.0 million in FY2024. That leaves them 41% below the FY2021 peak (Olam analysis of Form 990 data).
Why did Birthright's net assets fall so sharply in 2022?
Trip volume, and the spending that comes with it, had been suppressed during the COVID-19 pandemic while donations continued. When trips resumed at scale in 2022, expenses jumped to $110.7 million against $72.0 million in revenue, a $38.7 million net loss that year alone.
How much does Birthright's CEO earn?
Elias Saratovsky, President/CEO since September 2023, received $659,123 in reportable compensation and $58,294 in other compensation in fiscal year 2024, per the Foundation's Form 990.
Is the analysis in this article original research?
Yes. The figures are as reported on Birthright's Form 990 filings, and the multi-year series, percentage changes, cumulative totals and ratios are Olam's own calculations. The method is described in the section on how Olam analyzed the filings.
Has Birthright Israel Foundation disclosed any conflicts of interest?
Yes. Its fiscal year 2015 Form 990 reported conflict-of-interest transactions on Schedule L, which covers loans, grants or business transactions with officers, key employees, their families or businesses they control.
Where can I read Birthright's actual tax filings?
Form 990 filings for Birthright Israel Foundation, going back to 2001, are publicly available on ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Financial figures are drawn from Birthright Israel Foundation's Form 990 filings for fiscal years 2011 through 2024, as published by ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer and verified on October 22, 2026. All percentage changes, cumulative totals and ratios are Olam's own calculations from those figures. Funder information comes from Influence Watch's review of Form 990-PF filings by the Adelson Family Foundation, the Marcus Foundation and the Jim Joseph Foundation. Program descriptions come from Birthright Israel Foundation's own public statements via Charity Navigator and GuideStar.
How we report: Olam stories draw on public filings, company disclosures and named sources, checked by our editors. Read our methodology · Corrections
