Mission:
Artists 4 Israel prevents the spread of anti-Israel bigotry through art and helps communities and people affected by terrorism and hate.
Art Over Hate:
Hate takes many forms: ideologically through words of intolerant speech and calls for BDS or violently through the actions of terrorism and war. Artists 4 Israel combats, solves and heals for both of these extremes.
Artists 4 Israel’s international network of artists are agents of change who place Art Over Hate. Their creativity and talents beautify society, uplift people and enhance our understanding of Israel.
“Artists 4 Israel comprise nothing less than a dynamic, even profound cultural resistance to the demonization of Israel.”
-PHYLLIS CHESLER, AMERICAN WRITER AND PROFESSOR
Crisis: Antisemitism
2022 saw the dam burst and the surging tide of antisemitism rush through popular culture, sweeping away all pretense, normalizing hatred against the Jewish people and showing a community of Jewish organizations seeking help to stay above these rising tides.
Artists 4 Israel responded, utilizing the same methodology and energy that animated our pro-Israel work to lead the Jewish community in effective responses to antisemitism: to work with diverse partners; to focus on positivity as a tool to transcend rather than being defined by the hatred against us; to be proactive; to be preventive, to offer healing above all and art over hate.
The Chalk Over Hate campaign empowered individuals to utilize their creative powers to spread a nation-wide message that hate would not stand. Our goal was 853 chalkers writing across the country messages of love and support for the Jewish people - the same number of incidents of antisemitic graffiti the previous year.
We had over 900 participants. The event was co-sponsored by 37 primary organizations including many JCCs, 10+ secondary partners, received coverage in 7 news outlets and launched the CHALK OVER HATE yearly event series that expanded from one day to multiple events across the country throughout the year.
When vile antisemitic graffiti ripped through a Bethesda, MD neighborhood, the community called on Chalk Over Hate to respond.
Overnight, more than a 100 students took to the street to cover the hateful messaging and leave chalked images of support.
EMPOWERING OTHERS
Artists 4 Israel's Chalk Art for Activism: A Pocket Guide to Fighting Antisemitism empowered everyone concerned about hate to become artists in defense of the Jewish people. Inspired by the Suffragettes and Andy Warhol, chalk has been a powerful form of protest art and social change. Too often, A4I has been told "I want to support your work but I am not an artist." Now, everyone can be part of our efforts as well as create their own personal and communal opportunities. The guide is available for you below.
We were proud to be able to make the guide free so all seeking ways to support the Jewish people could.
The Righteous Among the Nations Global Mural Project: Discussed more in depth later in this report, RIGHTEOUS is a groundbreaking concept in both antisemitism prevention - through creating new heroes courageously opposing hate - and Holocaust education.
Healing Ink, Pittsburgh: In order to help heal those affected by the Tree of Life shooting, honor the first responders and bring national news attention back to the most horrific modern instance of antisemitic violence in this country, we hosted our Healing Ink event in Pittsburgh for those affected by the Tree of Life shooting. NBC, ABC and CBS ran the story. The Pittsburgh Gazette paper ran it on page 1, directly beneath the story of Russia's first attack into the Ukraine. This program reignited interest in what had happened and survivors were asked to return to news shows, again sharing their tales and bringing attention to what could happen when antisemitism is left to grow without opposition.
Most Importantly, our strategy of PREVENTING the spread of anti-Israel bigotry worked. There was zero anti-Israel and antisemitic sentiment coming out of the artists we've toured and from the graffiti, tattoo and street clothing industry in total. And, negligible, if any. from their entire arts community - prevention works!
While other influencer communities were rabidly attacking Israel and the Jewish people this year, the communities within our sphere of influence refused to take part and, when needed, stood up for our country and people.
Artists 4 Israel Campus & Community Events
A4I: The Megaphone
Artists 4 Israel continued to be the first choice for Jewish and pro-Israel campus organizations attempting to: connect with non-Jewish students; raise their profile on campus; create new allies with diverse student groups; and attract otherwise unaffiliated Jewish students.
By The Numbers
- Events: 59
- Average Attendance: 350
- Students Affected: 20,000
- Israel History through the Arts Posters Distributed: 12,750
Rankings By Anonymous Review
- More Students than Usual at an Event by Your Organization: 100%, "Wowzers, Many More": Over 90%
- More Diverse Students than Usual at an Event by Your Organization: 100%, "Wowzers, Much More: Over 90%
- Had a Positive Impact on Your Organization's Reputation: 100%
- Increased Your Organization's Ability to Create New Partners and Allies with non-Jewish Students and Organizations: Above 85%
- Increased Organization's Visibility on Campus: Above 90%
Artists 4 Israel's unique, art-based programming is the reason students felt safe to converse about Israel on campus or to host a Jewish-themed event. We receive little to no protests or hatred at our event and rather build unity and coalition. When a protest does erupt it is put down quickly as students prefer art and creativity over the negativity of protest.
Your favorite organization's favorite organization.
Artists 4 Israel does not maintain a permanent representation on campus nor pay student interns to promote us. Every A4I event is brought to campus (and paid for) by a pre-existing student organization in order to help them expand their reach, grow their audience and create a larger community to receive their Jewish and pro-Israel messaging.
Artists 4 Israel is proud to have worked closely with the following organizations over the past year.
Diversity
Diversity is not a goal, it is part of our DNA, it is who we are. Every artist that comes to campus comes from a minority community and makes it easier for us to attract and partner with the demographics our Jewish partner organizations seek to meet.
New in 2023
Painting Ideas: As Artists 4 Israel has helped our partner organizations create new allies and friends, they now must learn to foster and utilize these important relationships. A4I has created the Painting Ideas program to support the next step. Painting Ideas brings together Jewish organizations and non-Jewish support networks to, artistically, discuss the past and future of their efforts to grow together and help each other when needed.
Arts as Resistance: Defeating National Students for Justice in Palestine
In early 2022, National SJP posted a twitter message (to go along with a mass email to their affiliate student groups) declaring that the theme of this year's actions was "Art as Resistance." This was after seeing a more than 100% increase in anti-Israel and antisemitic events the leading research organization deemed as "artistic or cultural" in nature.
There is no other organization with the history or the connections to combat such a focused attack. And no other organizations who could have inspired such a strategy. SJP was scared of and fighting us directly.
We determined to fight back and within a short time, that language disappeared and their tweets and messages about Art as Resistance had vanished.
"For the past 7 years, Artists 4 Israel has been warning about the use of arts to attack Jewish students on campus and the only org. using those very same tactics to defend them. For the past 3 years, SJP and others have seen A4I's success and been preparing for a fight. They started it this year. And they lost. We need Artists 4 Israel."
Student Artist Mission: Responding to the Jewish World's Art Problem on Campus.
Our Most Important New Project
There is a Creative Deficit on college campuses where the art students - the ones who make compelling visual content, create the posters that get anti-Israel students elected, promote BDS and other anti-Israel measures - tend to be anti-Israel or susceptible to anti-Israel views masquerading as progressive ideas. Worse, when these students graduate, they will be the ones influencing hearts and minds. Every product, from Presidential candidates to movies to bubblegum, hire creatives to help them - graphic designers, advertising agents, artists, etc. We are on the verge of allowing a whole generation of anti-Israel tastemakers to be born.
Artists 4 Israel believes the only way to achieve our objectives on campus is to harness the awesome power of the student art community to promote Jewish ideas and pro-Israel messages. Like our other programs, this can best be achieved by bringing them to Israel where they have the opportunity to help those in need while also learning about the country in a direct way, creating relationships that will withstand any misinformation or propaganda they experience in the future.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities
"There are no other organizations that can share a pro-Israel message with the Black and Brown community in an authentic and genuine way - Artists 4 Israel is our most important resource."
What are they holding? To assist with sharing the proper narrative about Israel's history and current events, Artists 4 Israel deputized some of our artists to make an informational pamphlet which folds out with stories, facts and information about Israel until finally becoming a poster to hang on the student's dorm room wall. So far, more than 800 HBCU students have learned from these posters.
Many of these posters end up displayed in the student's dorm room, creating a year long opportunity for education of their friends even after the event.
Artists 4 Israel had the opportunity to influence nearly 1,000 students in just one day at FAMU!
Artists 4 Israel's Role in the Pro-Israel and Jewish Space
Leading our Community Forward
Last year, we became part of the community, participating in group events, supporting our partners, lending our voice as speakers to other conferences. This year, we led.
The New Paradigm: Artists 4 Israel is leading the adoption of a New Paradigm in Israel advocacy, combining Aid to Communities with Advocacy for Israel. We are taking the lead in this forward thinking and visionary idea.
Chalk Against Hate: Uniting 37 community partners to learn and practice new ways to empower their constituents and fight hate.
Tibor Baranski Mural Unveiling: Artists 4 Israel brought together the Jewish community, along with Rabbi Menachem Creditor (Scholar-in-Residence at UJA-Federation NY), Neshama Carlebach, and a march of Rabbis from around NY to the unveiling of a graffiti mural in conjunction with local Black and Brown community members.
We Are Proud to Have Received Our First Grants from Leading Members of the Giving Community This Year
Righteous Among the Nations Global Mural Project
"Artists 4 Israel is fighting contemporary bigotry with social solidarity" - CAM Movement
RIGHTEOUS empowers a global team of graffiti, street and mural artists to use their talents and influence to prevent the spread of antisemitism around the world in a bold, dynamic and public way. Artists who have joined A4I on our artistic aid missions to Israel and who have become supporters of the Jewish people return to their home country where they paint a massive, public mural in the center of their city honoring a Righteous Person and his works. The mural will be accompanied by a link to a website listing the individual, his courageous actions and the others who stood up against hate in the face of great evil.
Artists 4 Israel’s mission statement says that we “prevent the spread of anti-Israel bias…” Prevention remains fundamental to our actions and through RIGHTEOUS we believe that by giving people an opportunity to align themselves with heroism, justice, friendship, help, healing, courage and extraordinary acts of bravery, we will prevent new enemies and create powerful allies.
New Technology - Social Media, Short Videos, Film Edits for All Current Uses, Street Theater and QR Codes to Tell Our Story: Using QR codes we are able to let our art tell the story and, when an individual wants more, it is there at their fingertips.
Next Up: Righteous in NY, LA, Paris and Japan
December 18, 2022: Righteous honors Tibor Baranski who saved more than 3,000 Jews. When he was caught, the Russians put him on a forced death march and he served 7 years in a labor prison until being released after Stalin's death. He moved, settled and passed away in NY. His mural will be on the corner of Elizabeth and Spring, one of the busiest intersections in New York City and, thus, the world. The mural will be lit 24/7 for maximum exposure and will receive an unveiling featuring influential members from multiple communities.
February 13, 2023: Righteous honors Irene Gut Opdyke who hid 12 Jewish men and women in a Nazi's commander's basement. She was forced into a "relationship" with the Commander once discovered until escaping and settling in Southern California. The mural will be in the center of the Arts District between busy restaurants, bars and new apartment buildings.
METRICS: Righteous Among the Nations Global Mural Project. By the Numbers
- Portugal
- Over 2m social media interactions in one month.
- Has become a stop on tour bus routes, opening the mural to global tourism.
- Re-shared on multiple street and graffiti art social media sites.
- On main street entering into one city from the next and in a residential community, it is estimated by local officials that the mural is seen by more than 5,000 people a day.
- Greece
- Within a neighborhood of massive apartment buildings up and down each block, the mural towers over tens of thousands of people a day.
- Featured in 21 newspaper or nightly news sources. The link below shows one news program re-creating imagery from the Shoah as a form of education.
Exponentially Increasing Our Reach
This mural was painted by an artist at a massive public arts festival in Montreal after that artist became familiar with the hero via the mural we created. This is one of potentially many examples to come.
Thank you to our partners: the Combat Antisemitism Movement
Healing Ink
Multiple, Powerful Events Across the United States and Israel
Healing Ink Israel, 2023
35 survivors of terror attacks, families of the deceased and IDF soldiers injured in combat were brought further on their journey of healing by American and Israeli artists.
Artists combined for more than 2 million followers and featured some of the most famous within the industry, giving us renewed credibility amongst the artists we seek after two years of no events due to COVID. Every participating artist loved the program and continue to discuss Israel at tattoo events and with their thousands of clients.
Healing Ink, Pittsburgh
For those injured in the Tree of Life shooting.
Healing Ink, Las Vegas 2
After serving the community two years prior, Healing Ink was decided to be the most healing thing for those involved in the shooting. The organization serving First Responders asked us to return.
Healing Ink, Gaza Envelope
Another "Locals Only" program, 15 Israeli artists tattooed those affected by terror attacks from Gaza on the border itself.
Artists 4 Israel: Progressive Values and Progressive Ideas
New Media
Artists 4 Israel has taken advantage of QR codes to share our message like the ones in Greece for the RIGHTEOUS program.
We've also added a ROKU channel sharing all the videos from our Healing Ink programs.
The Pro-Israel Community & Progressive Spaces
The Jewish and Pro-Israel world suffer from three concerns in the current socio-political climate: 1. Anti-Israel forces making allies with marginalized communities; 2: Feeling excluded from progressive spaces; and 3. Knowing how to speak progressive language and make our narrative meet the cultural zeitgeist. Artists 4 Israel is the first organization with the history, experience and credibility to solve for all three.
The Healing Arts Kits
UKRAINE
Healing Arts Kits were donated to Israeli first aid workers on the border of Ukraine to assist children fleeing the wall. These Kits were made available and arrived on the border with a day of fighting.
PARTNERSHIP WITH SAVE A CHILD'S HEART
Working with SACH to provide Kits for use in their surgical centers and hospitals.
ADVOCACY
In Our Artists' Own Words
HONORING THOSE WE'VE LOST
The COL WALLNUTS Memorial Artist: With the support of Eric Granowsky, Artists 4 Israel has established a stipend to bring one extra artist to Israel on a graffiti mission each year in honor of Gregg Bruno.
Artists 4 Israel's B'nai Mitzvah Gala Celebration
After 13 years, we are still as new and compelling as before but we are honored to be recognized for our achievements and iconic programming. We are thankful for our partners, supporters and to be considered a premiere organization, mentioned alongside the legacy organizations that define non-profit work for the past 100 years. At our B'nai Mitzvah, we gladly welcomed this new maturity. We proudly took our place as a necessary member of the core of advocacy and aid organizations. With the utmost seriousness, we embrace our new responsibilities to continue to lead the way, to support and educate our peers about our successful strategies and to continue to prevent the spread of antisemitic and anti-Israel bigotry and help heal those affected by hate.
A Special Thank You
To all who have generously given during this challenging time ensuring the work of Artists 4 Israel continues with passion and purpose.
To more than 100 participating artists in 2022 who volunteered their talents in support of Israel.
To amazing volunteers who help a small organization have a big impact.
And to our committed leadership team:
Chairman: Lionel Leventhal
Treasurer: Eric Granowsky
Secretary: Kathryn Kovitz Arnold
Tara Gordon
Bruce Robinson
Rebecca Sugar
Seth Wolfson
Amy Berko Iles
A Blessing
I ask for the one that blessed our ancestors and all that came before us, and those who gave us the holiness of our tradition and the one that gave us the opportunity to live in this time, that we have the State of Israel, that G-d blesses this holy work (Artists 4 Israel), the holy work of your hands (artists' hands) to heal, and to bring compassion and love to all those who have been injured in defending Israel and terror survivors to bring their hearts to a place of shalom, to a place of peace.