(1) How can I Love Israel solicit donations if it’s not already an approved 501(c)3 charity?
(2) I Love Israel is new. How will it account to donors for its expenditures?
(3) There are so many organizations that claim to be fighting for Israel in the information war. What makes I Love Israel different?
(4) Can you provide a practical example of how pro-Israel activism could change if your vision of ILI becomes a reality?
(5) What is ILI’s target market?
(6) Does ILI view itself as a competitor of existing pro-Israel organizations?
(1) How can I Love Israel solicit donations if it’s not already an approved 501(c)3 charity?
All sorts of people and organizations use crowdfunding to solicit donations for causes and projects they champion, be. Examples include emergency fundraising efforts, a campaign to develop a prototype of a cool new product, or to produce a film. to address a controversial public issue.
In this vein, I Love Israel is a nonprofit-in-formation, meaning, we have completed all the preparatory steps needed to apply for 501(c)3 status with the IRS:
(1) I Love Israel, Inc. (“ILI”) was registered as a Virginia non-stock corporation in June 2021
(2) In July 2021, ILI submitted its 501(c)3 application (1023-EZ) to the IRS, for recognition as a nonprofit charity
According to IRS rules, now that (a) these two steps are completed, and (b) ILI’s application has been submitted, all financial contributions that ILI receives over the next 27 months (until October 2023) will become tax-deductible, once it is approved as a 501(c)3 charity nonprofit.
One of the purposes of ILI’s crowdfunding campaign is to enable us to retain a law firm that specializes in representing nonprofit applicants to the IRS.
A volunteer lawyer with experience in nonprofit formation drafted the following notice for ILI, for whenever this question is raised:
“I Love Israel, Inc. is seeking donations to support our educational and charitable activities, and to help us achieve Internal Revenue Service recognition as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charity. We anticipate, but cannot guarantee, that the IRS will approve our application. Once our application is approved, any contributions made to I Love Israel, Inc. (even contributions made before such approval is received) will be tax-deductible under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.”
To learn about ILI’s first priorities for whatever money we raise via our Seed Capital Crowdfunding Campaign, please see Section (4).
(2) I Love Israel is new. How will it account to donors for its expenditures?
As noted in Section (4) here, the first funding priority for proceeds of this Seed Capital Crowdfunding Campaign will be to retain legal and accounting counsel help us set up basic nonprofit management systems, and the ideal means by which to provide donors with the highest degree of transparency that is advisable, during ILI’s first six months.
Assuming ILI secures adequate general funding in response to its business plan and outreach, we will then work out with our legal and accounting counsel the systems by which donors large and small with as much accounting as advisable, regarding:
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- How the money they gave us was spent
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- The results we are achieving
It is anticipated that use-of-proceed reports will be available to donors on a quarterly basis, unless otherwise advised.
Due to the controversial (more precisely, lie-filled) environment in which ILI will operate, however, additional considerations may limit what internal documentation ILI can and will release to donors (which will invariably end up in the public domain). In conjunction with ILI’s law and accounting firms, we will work to strike a reasonable balance between accountability and security.
(3) There are so many organizations that claim to be fighting for Israel in the information war. What makes I Love Israel different?
This is a big, vital question, that is asked often, particularly by prospective donors and allies.
The short answer is: As described in the ILI mini-documentary, “Israel: The Most Amazing Micro-Nation,” below, we will offer three values, contained on one website:
- Meticulously organized, carefully-curated, evidence-based materials that showcase — in plain language — Israel’s incredible contributions to all major realms of human wellness, safety and longevity
- Personal stories from people around the world, explaining why they love Israel, and how its innovation, benevolence or generosity helped them — or even saved their lives
- Professionally-produced infographics, short videos, and even virtual reality applications, each of which will condense one, essential fact about Israel into visual formats, that can be shared on social media, and beyond
The longer answer is: Over the years, billions of dollars have been invested in existing and new nonprofits, in the US and beyond.
From ILI’s perspective, the only question that really matters is:
What measurable results have these organizations collectively achieved, in regards to: (1) Turning back the growing, global inferno of hatred against Israel, and (2) Infusing into the public consciousness essential facts about her?
The following slide show demonstrates:
- The fact that while support for Israel in America is strong, this trend is being reversed, quickly — even among Jews and Christians
- The stunning success of Israel-haters in winning “hearts and minds” of general populations around the world
See more research data, including from the UK and Western Europe, at:
Research data – Anti-Israel & Anti-Semitic hate & violence I Love Israel
The Abraham Accords, and the non-publicized relationships that Israel has been building with certain regional regimes, indeed constitute movement in a positive direction. The decisions to normalize relations with Israel were almost invariably made by unaccountable rulers of nations that have been traditionally hostile to Israel. Yet the pace at which rising generations around the world are clearly coming to accept anti-Israel narratives is jarring.
All of this is occurring despite the best efforts of all the prominent Israel-supporting and Jewish organizations. And ILI is unaware of anything in development, or on the horizon, that has the capacity to reverse these trends.
Everything ILI is, and plans to do, will be based on a deep understanding of the research data that indicates how badly Israel is losing the information war that’s been declared on her, as assembled here:
Research data – Anti-Israel & Anti-Semitic hate & violence – I Love Israel
What this all means is: ILI was designed, and will be built from the ground up, to produce measurable results in the information war that’s been declared on Israel — with the objective of helping to win it.
(4) Can you provide a practical example a of how pro-Israel activism could change if if your vision of ILI becomes a reality?
Prepared by Jon Sutz, ILI founder
Sure. As a preface, though:
Imagine a world in which a steadily-increasing portion of the general public is not only aware of, but is amazed by Israel’s core cultural ethos, accomplishments, benevolence and generosity, and that as a result, they are able to quickly dispel the most commonly-peddled lies about her. That is the world that ILI will strive to create.
This world described in the ILI mini-documentary can be achieved, and I believe the following two simulations will show the unique role that ILI could play in bringing it into existence.
Simulation 1: “The Cocktail Party — Without ILI Resources”
Imagine you are at a cocktail party, and are interacting with young-ish, “educated” people, and the issue of Israel — or your work regarding it, and Middle East issues — comes up.
One person, a graduate of an elite American university, asks how in the world you can support Israel — a “racist, oppressive nation, that bombs innocent women & children,” and that this is one of the reasons why so many people hate it.
What would you say?
You might explain what you know about this issue. If challenged to prove what you say, however, what would you say? What would you do?
You might offer to do the research, and get back to your questioner, assuming s/he will provide you their email address and/or phone number. The others in attendance, however, are unlikely to ever know whatever you email/text to that person — or if it’s even legitimate.
In short, you lose. And as an extension, Israel loses.
Simulation 2: “The Cocktail Party — WITH ILI Resources”
Now, let’s reset the clock to the beginning of this conversation, and start right after the same question is asked, and you provide a verbal response.
When challenged to back up your assertions, imagine you can do the following, in less than one minute:
- Tell the entire conversation circle that you’d be glad to provide the proof, if they’ll give you their emails and/or phone numbers
- Send them, in one bulk email or individual texts, the link to this page – and tell them to go to Sections 2 and 3
Israel’s humanitarian benevolence – even for enemies | I Love Israel
On that page, in those sections, is but a starting point of explaining, in plain language — backed up by evidence, whenever possible — the mind-boggling lengths to which Israel goes to develop tactics and technologies that enable it to defend itself, while minimizing harm to civilians. Keep in mind that what you see there now was created by one person, working on an uncompensated basis, to assemble version 1.0 of a “crash course” for anyone who actually thinks that Israel indiscriminately bombs defenseless Palestinian women and children.
Imagine, however, how much more efficient this process would be if the facts on that page were translated into:
- Single-frame infographics, like these, in all major languages, which could be rapidly posted on social media and beyond, with links to back up their assertions
- Short (2-3 minute) documentaries, containing graphic, and even animated & VR depictions of the battlespaces in which Israel is forced to fight, and how each side conducts itself — the rules and preventative measures they employ
I believe that such informational tools could (a) revolutionize the way that Israel is perceived by people throughout the world, and (b) put the purveyors of the lie, that Israel “bombs innocent women & children,” on notice that they’ve reached the pinnacle of their influence — and that from that day forward, the verifiable truth is going to become increasingly known by their target audiences.
As I said here:
Our mission is to create will be to create — and help others to create — world-class “knowledge tools,” using ILI’s resources, that can be deployed at a moment’s notice, and employed across social media, and beyond. In this regard, we will aspire to create an Apple-like revolution within pro-Israel advocacy, developing knowledge tools and resources that:
- Are beautifully designed
- Are based on quality evidence
- Are pleasurable and easy to use
- Inspire others to rethink how information about can and should be formatted, to reach and persuade the broadest possible swath of the general public — with a particular emphasis on the young, and the young-at-heart
(5) What is ILI’s target market?
Ultimately, ILI’s target market consists of general audiences throughout the world, who primarily obtain information over the Internet. For that is the grand battlefield on which those who spread anti-Israel propaganda operate — and any effort that aspires to combat it must operate there, too, with informational tools that are understandable and persuasive to the broadest swath of general audiences.
Part of the funding ILI seeks will be devoted to enabling its founder, Jon Sutz, to research and develop a comprehensive business plan, which will precisely define and profile its key target markets.
For now, here’s a rough outline: Anyone who has been, or is at risk of is being indoctrinated to hate Israel — and who, without ILI, will likely endure this process without any sufficiently powerful intervening force. This include:
College and high school students in Western nations — and, once fully funded, throughout the rest of the world, with special emphasis on the nations and regions that are most proficient at inciting hatred of Israel
Professional, Israel-supporting influencers: From entertainers to attorneys, tech leaders to former diplomats, and from business leaders to academics, anyone who is on the battlefield, with solid intent, and significant followings — but who accept how badly Israel is losing the information war. It is assumed that they will greatly value ILI’s unique offerings, designed to help them be more effective, efficient advocates for Israel.
Israel-supporting citizen-activists throughout the world: From wheelchair-bound retirees, to adolescents who edit their school newsletters, to citizens who speak out at school board meetings, anyone who supports Israel and wants to defend and champion her, we will help them to make their voices known — and have an impact.
(6) Does ILI view itself as a competitor of existing pro-Israel organizations?
The short answer is: no. Not only that, ILI will help to elevate the visibility and work products of the best of these organizations. We will do this by:
- Featuring their work, with attribution, on the pages of ILoveIsrael.me, and our media tools and knowledge products. In this scenario, we not only aren’t a competitor to them, we may end up helping to drive more donations to their coffers.
- Considering how we might collaborate with them, when possible, to co-produce original reporting, sort of like how blockbuster movies are co-produced by several major players
This is a question that needs to, and will be, flushed out in the ILI business plan, which this Seed Capital Crowdfunding Campaign is designed to help raise the money to fund the development of (among other necessary start-up tasks, described here).
Last updated: October 16, 2021