A recent ISGAP report has unveiled the significant financial backing behind widespread anti-Israel protests on U.S. college campuses, tracing the funds to the Bafrayung Fund, associated with one of America's most affluent Jewish families.
A recent report from the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) has revealed that the Bafrayung Fund, linked to one of America's wealthiest and politically active Jewish families, is a significant financial supporter of the National Students for Justice in Palestine (NSJP) movement, known for orchestrating widespread anti-Israel protests on U.S. college campuses.
Rachel Gelman, 33, a descendant of Levi Strauss and related to U.S. Representative Dan Gelman (D-NY), directs the Bafrayung Fund. According to ISGAP, the fund has allocated substantial sums to support these protests in recent months.
NSJP’s main fiscal sponsor, the Westchester Peace Action Committee (WESPAC), originally a civil rights advocacy group from the 1970s, now supports pro-Hamas activities, providing a legitimate facade for their actions. ISGAP reports that WESPAC sponsors several virulently anti-Israel and antisemitic organizations, including the US Palestinian Community Network (USPCN) and the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM).
The Bafrayung Fund, based in Covina, California, is WESPAC’s top grant provider, donating $298,000. The Elias Foundation, promoting progressive ideas, provided $100,500. The Bafrayung Fund also donated $60,000 to the Palestinian Youth Movement and $40,000 to the Arab Resource and Organizing Center, both using the controversial slogan, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
Rachel Gelman’s mother, Susie Gelman, considered for U.S. ambassador to Israel by President Biden, served as chairperson of the Israel Policy Forum from 2016 to 2023. During her tenure, she frequently criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing governments.
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