Executive Compensation at the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (2021)
The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) is a tax-exempt, non-profit 501 (c) 3 founded by a rabbi in 1983 as a way to “bless Israel and the Jewish people around the world with humanitarian care and life-saving aid” while “building bridges between Christians and Jews.”
There are 8 independent voting members (directors) of the governing body, although 9 are listed on the most recent Form 990 (2021) which appears to be due to timing differences. 7 of the 9 (78%) directors listed are male while 2 (22%) are female (note: the Form 990 does not report gender; determinations were made based on name and google searches).
Based in Chicago, Illinois, IFCJ raised $220 million in 2021 and reported $177 million in expenses ($43 million less than the organization raised) with the three largest expenses reported to be grants ($104 million – primarily to Hakeren L’Yedidut, an organization that operates as the Israeli representative of the IFCJ), fundraising and advertising ($41 million), and compensation ($15 million).
133 employees received $15 million in compensation which equates to an average compensation of $113,000. 26 employees received more than $100,000 in compensation with the 11 most highly compensated reported to be:
- $776,301: Yael Eckstein-Farkas (daughter of the founder of IFCJ)
- $461,516: Robin Van Etten, Global Chief Operating Officer
- $286,043: Laurel Simkovich, VP of Finance
- $276,715: Eric Frans, VP of Philanthropy
- $231,272: Katherine Rovani, Associate VP of Ops (as of 1/1/20)
- $213,881: Geraldine Tolbert, Associate VP of HR (as of 1/1/20)
- $205,517: Kristen Henning, Sr Director of Finance
- $198,149: Erica Prescott, Sr Director Integr FR and Donor Retention
- $193,815: Tewahedo Seyoum, Director of Information Services
- $185,528: Christine Jespersen, Philanthropy Advisor
- $164,721: James Ray, Director of Gift Planning (as of 10/20)
8 of the 11 (73%) most highly compensated employees are female while 3 of the 11 (27%) are male. The 11 most highly compensated employees received $3.3 million in compensation. The most highly compensated employee was Yael Eckstein-Farkas who received nearly $3 million in compensation over the past 5 years:
Yael Eckstein-Farkas
- 2021: $776,301
- 2020: $696,072
- 2019: $625,980*
- 2018: $496,547**
- 2017: $374,600***
*In addition, Rabbi Eckstein, founder and father of Yael Eckstein-Farkas received $2.9 million
**In addition, Rabbi Eckstein, founder and father of Yalel Eckstein-Farkas received $875,239
***In addition, Rabbi Eckstein, founder and father of Yael Eckstein-Farkas received $867,734
George Mamo, the former Global COO, is reported to have received $100,721 in payments from IFCJ, which appears to be a severance payment.
IFCJ made gross up payments or provided tax indemnification but no detail is provided.
IFCJ made a $119,846 loan to Eric Frans for “tax withholding timing difference” which has a balance due of $119,846.
39 independent contractors received more than $100,000 in compensation in 2021 with the five (5) most highly compensated reported to be:
- $16.7 million: Production Solutions, of Vienna, VA for print and postage
- $12.7 million: Cannela Response Television, of Burlington, WI for tv ad placement
- $ 1.9 million: Google, of San Francisco, for internet search and advertising
- $ 1.7 million: ForwardPMX, of NY, NY for donor acquisition services
- $1.4 million: Causeworx, of Ontario, Canada, for telemarketing
As illustrated above, more than $37 million was spent compensating five outside vendors for services related to fundraising.
To read the IRS Form 990 (2021), please click here.
To read about previous Executive Compensation, and specifically about the founder’s executive compensation to him and his family, click on “Executive Compensation at the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.“
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Paddock Post 
you have overcompensated yourselves, and I refused to add even one penny more when I see how you have left those single old women in Russia and their mentorship houses and you have compensated yourself this much money. It is sickening you need to give up your compensation and give it back to the people who need it you don’t need any more compensation give it up where is your heart❓and soul❓❓❓
your GREED IS Obvious and simply horrible to see how you have left so many people with so little and given yourself so much nobody needs that amount of compensation that you have given yourself shame on you ‼️
I don’t donate to any corporation or nonprofit, CEOs make money on it,
I want to help people, I don’t want to pay the CEOs
such a shame that people got a profit on saving other people
wow, she retired her father now makes 3/4 of a million. Would not ever give to a ‘charity’ that is obviously a charity for the people that run it. Despicable.
If a charity is truly about giving, I don’t expect ANY of the staff to be WEALTHY FROM THE DONATIONS!
I would ABSOLUTELY NOT RECOMMEND THIS CHARITY! One doesn’t earn a crown in heaven by grifting! I can understand a reasonable salary. These people exceeded that-way back. Many, many helpless people could have food & shelter from the money paid to “staff”
That is completely ridiculous and wrong to pay those salaries it this is accurate. This is supposed to be a nonprofit but sounds like the upper management is making a great profit. Not supporting this organization
executive compensation is pathetic! I would burn my money before giving it to an organization that pretends to give it to the needy .
yael makes that much? She could feed thousands with 1/3 of her salary! Why is she making so much with staff averages at over 100k? Fuck you for your greed!
And what about that idiot Huckabee? How much did they pay him to go on TV begging for more “donations”? What a scammer or moron.
I once wrote a check to donate to this organization years ago. After that it was several years of receiving mail from them incessantly asking me for more money. They wasted a lot of money sending mail to me with all kinds of inserts. This organization is listed as abuse of funds. They are very poorly ranked in the list of Charities on the internet. The president and CEO is an actress. It is Criminal to be on television asking for $25 per month when the CEO receives one third of a million dollars as salary and I am sure that does not include all the benefits. Horrific! I would never give another Penny to this organization. There must be and I’m sure there are better organizations that are more honest and give a higher portion of the donations to the cause they represent. These people should go to jail for he might have died cheating the public.
I was just getting ready to write another check to this organization and decided to google the salaries paid to their administrators. I am so disappointed. I see the commercials on tv and it breaks my heart. I want to help these people but now I feel like my money goes to the wrong place. Shame on them for letting these people live in shacks and starve. Is there any other way to help these folks?
I was thinking of donating. However, the salaries, unnecessary printing, etc. it’s ridiculous. I will not donate to this organization.
The large salaries these people make off starving people is horrifying !!
Obviously this scam are the ones who have forgotten the Jews they claim to help. Anyone can see this scam is lining pockets of such greedy people. I bet the Jews never receive any help from this organization. Shit, there’s no money left for them. Shame on you
I was just looking because I see it on tv constantly. They used to want $25 a box for Russian Jews and now it’s $45 a box for Israeli Jews bwhybthe difference. Then I looked up what the COE ‘svmake and was shocked at the high amount for a charitable foundation. CEO makes $800,000 a year and his daughter makes $500,000 plus. I am not donating to this I am going to look at Wounded Warriors or Tunnels to Towers instead You should be ashamed of yourself. I never used to love ok up but money is tighter and I thought I wonder what the head people make???
$776,301: Yael Eckstein-Farkas (daughter of the founder of IFCJ) Justify what you make and could help so many more. If you still kept $176k you could help thousands of more people but you don’t care. You take the money and people die. Why would I donate to this when all you care about is you and your board.
Way too much money goes into people’s pockets instead of to the cause to help the people you say you are trying to helping.
I hve always thought that if you choose to become the CEO of a non-profit you should be willing to sacrifice some measure of salary for the greater good of the organization and its charitable aims. How many indigent Jews could Eckstein-Farkas feed by reducing her generous compensation by $276,301 and have other executives proportionately do the same? I think she could survive comfortably on half-a-million bucks a year. (I read recently that her pay has even been criticized by other Jewish organizations)
correction my last comment, Franklin Graham $1.5 million not 11.5 million
Grossly high salaries for a charity. Yael Eckstein $800,000 last year. But look at Goodwill, CEO made $1 million last year, Franklin Graham made $11.5 million plus his Bentley, $5 million home. US Attorney should crack down on CEO pay of 501.c.3 charities.
This non-profit seems administratively heavy.
Many more could be helped with that kind of money! How many boxes did rack member of the administration donate?
I just watched an advertisement of an elderly Jewish woman who was hungry. I want to contribute; I googled the salaries of the folks that run this charity. No wonder people are starving…they are not benefitting whatsoever. Disgusting!
The topic is executive compensation…not advertising. As such, they could help a lot more people if Yael Eckstein-Farkas (daughter of the founder of IFCJ) did not receive nearly $800,000 in compensation in 2021.
It’s really not a lot. They’d raise not nearly this amount of money if they didn’t advertise on the level that they do.
You salaries show you have lost sight of your mission. Not one cent from me.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels this way about this organization. For years, I have watched the commercials where they attempt to tug at your heart, while the US sends billions of dollars in aid each year. This organization should be shut down. And now, they are seeking $45 for aid after Israel was invaded. If the CEO donated her salary for one year, it would go a long way for food to the Israelis in need!
It’s a shame that people donate their hard earned money to a cause that they think is really helping other people only to find out that that money is really going to the greedy executives! How many deserving, hungry, cold, sick people could you help by putting our donations to THEIR needs instead of your own! It’s appalling! Unbelievable!!!!
The executive salaries of your organization are outrageously way too high. You’re ripping off your donors with your greed. You should be exposed.
Just another example of the greed that is rampant in the world. Guilt the world into sending $25 for food boxes for the shaking water lady who, if the camera man were a true Christian, would put the damn camera down and help her pour the damn cup of water into her storage vessel. Major shame to ALL upper level employs who ‘steal’ the food out of the mouths of these Jews to pad their million dollar nest egg. Remember, you will be accountable to God for all this crooked shit you are doing. Also a shame on how much personal profit happens in non-profits. Crooks.
This is a joke you guys are supposed to be helping the Jewish people and you spend millions and millions of dollars on your help how much are you actually given those people you guys are good at figuring things with numbers figured out a $25 a person how many damn people you need just to pay your goddamn salary this is a joke this is a scam this is a fraud I’m surprised you guys are even in business yeah I said you guys are a joke
Hi Carole: I limit my posts to primarily the execuctive compensation of non-profits and how non-profits spend revenue. I will be happy to look at any non-profits if you can e-mail me (aedpad@aol.com) the names of the non-profits (and the EIN number if you have it), and other information you deem pertinent.
Hello Anne May I usps mail you information about ct public corruption involving various CT agencies and Courts, and non profits . If yes please send me your usps address. CaroleRoseman@Gmail.com PH: 518-755-6127 Thanks Carole Columbia MBA Investment Mgmt Ret RIA/ Financial- Retirement-Estate Planner