Jewish Values

The Irving Harris Foundation is pleased to join the City of Chicago, the State of Illinois, and other philanthropic partners in the effort to support individuals, families, and communities hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the press release.

The Foundation has been guided and nourished by Jewish values, especially the tradition of giving back to our communities and the imperative to contribute to repairing the world. Our views are informed by our founder’s perspective and experiences, which propelled him to do what he could to combat the effects that anti-Semitism and bigotry of all kinds have on the social fabric. We bring a Jewish lens to issues of social justice, both in the United States and Israel. Our grantees build important bridges between diverse groups, and we fund their efforts to combat anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry including poverty, racism and social inequity faced by all oppressed people.