2018 Annual Report
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT
On December 31, 2018, Jerusalem Peacebuilders (JPB) concluded its eighth year of dynamic interfaith peace and leadership education programming for Americans, Israelis and Palestinians. We achieved our stated goals in the areas of program, staffing, operations, partnerships, and finance. Both the successes and the challenges of 2018 positioned JPB advantageously for 2019.
 
Any celebrations are eclipsed by the tragic deaths of fellow JPB co-founders Angela and Stuart Kensinger in an airplane crash on April 22, 2019. They will be ever missed. The institutional and interfaith relations that Angie and Stuart built in Houston will help the JPB team advance our mission in Texas and beyond for years to come.
 
Thank you for your prayers, volunteer hours and generosity. Without you standing with us, none of JPB's progress or impact in 2018 would have been possible. Here are the past year's highlights:  
  • Program: 2018 programming stands out as an unqualified success. With the addition of the Voyager Institute in Texas our summer youth programs expanded to four with over 100 Israeli, American and Palestinian young leaders and staff. In-school courses also grew in both Houston and the Holy Lands. Adult programming included two spring pilgrimages to Jerusalem and extensive planning for a new EXCEL Peacebuilding Institute for Israeli Arab and Jewish educators at Cambridge University in England (see Partnerships).
  • Staffing: Organizational needs continue to shape our team. Exceptional educators in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Houston drive our programs. Their success will necessitate a new staffing structure in late 2019 involving regular contract educators. While there were challenges with the recruitment and performance of our 2018 summer staff, these have been remedied by a reworking of summer staff job descriptions as well as the creation of a staff-training program. 
  • Partnerships: JPB continues to grow and improve its partnerships. In 2018, JPB launched its partnership with Creating Friendships for Peace. Its two-week home-stay opportunities extend our summer programs and allow JPB to deepen our impact on participating teens and their parents. A new joint annual fellowship with the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale and the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem widens program support and cooperation in the Holy City.  Another newer partner - Retorika for Multiculturalism - is working with us to launch the EXCEL Institute at Cambridge University (UK) in July 2019.
  • Budget, Income and Expense: As planned, our 2018 budget was subsidized by our 2017 budget surplus. However, donor support increased by $100,000 and your response to the Giving Tuesday and Holiday Appeal campaigns allowed JPB to end the year with a $67,000 surplus. JPB remains grateful to Kensinger Donnelly for their generous pro bono support with bookkeeping, legal services and insurance administration.
JPB believes that peace and a shared society for Israelis and Palestinians are possible. Thank you for your participation and support in this life-giving mission. Pray and work for the peace of Jerusalem.
 
Peace, Shalom, Salaam,

The Rev. Canon Nicholas T. Porter
Executive Director, Jerusalem Peacebuilders
TREASURER'S REPORT
Jerusalem Peacebuilders remains in excellent financial health, and we again ended the year in a strong cash position with $67,169.   In terms of donations, JPB raised approximately $97,000 more in 2018 than in 2017 ($346,092 vs. $249,084).   This 40% increase in giving represents an outstanding return on fundraising expenses of $1,339.   Earned income from educational travel, summer program fees (Americans only), and speaking fees also grew from $34,714 in 2017 to $76,999 in 2018.   
















Our increased program expenses also speak to JPB's vitality.   The program expenses increased $144,262 year over year (from $241,212 to $385,474) primarily due to the operation of two adult pilgrimages, the hiring of an additional year-round educator and the successful addition of a fourth summer peacebuilding institute (Voyager) in Texas. Reserves covered the anticipated gap between income and expenses as JPB developed a sequential, four-year summer program.   Our legal and accounting expenses decreased but still remained significant ($43,518) due to our efforts to register as a "public benefit company" (i.e. non-profit) in Israel.   This registration represents an organizational investment and will ease our operations in Jerusalem, Israel and the Palestinian territories.   There is every expectation that both legal and accounting costs will come down in 2019.
















Finally, among the non-recorded contributions are the significant, in-kind donations from Barrett Outdoor Communications in West Haven (advertising and programming), Kensinger Donnelly in Houston (bookkeeping and administrative support), Outdoor Venture Group in Fairfield (programming) Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church in Houston (office space) and the Porter Family in West Brattleboro (program facilities and office space).

The above report is based on notes from the late Stuart Kensinger, JPB Treasurer 2011-2019, in April 2019.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2018! 
A year in review
JPB-CFP teens continue their leadership training in 
Washington D.C.

Post-summer alumni reunions  in Tel Aviv














Fr. Nicholas and Stuart at the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem










Voyager participants at peace while making Challah bread
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry listens to 
Leadership course students in Nazareth
 
Meeting with US Dep. Amb. Cohen at the  US Mission to the UN in NYC
Fr. Nicholas leads members of the Order of St John on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land











MANY THANKS TO 2018's 288 GENEROUS DONORS!
Your generosity builds a more peaceful future for the peoples of the Holy Lands


$50,000+
Episcopal Foundation of Texas

$25,000+
H. B. & V. M. Porter Charitable Foundation

$15,000+ 
Alexandra Munroe
The 1911 Trust

$10,000+
The Dillon Fund
Episcopal Church in Connecticut
Kensinger Donnelly LLC
Amer & Kristen Nimr Family Foundation
Elizabeth & Douglas Paul

$7,500+
Laetitia Guest Oppenheim
The American Priory of The Order of St. John

$5,000+
Barrett Outdoor Communications
Linnet Deily
Episcopal Diocese of Vermont
Christopher Koch
Danna Kurtin
Susan Lukens
Susan McCabe & Samuel, Nina and Dorothy Meek via Meek Foundation
Spaulding Family Foundation
Claire Wilkes

$2,500+
Sylvia Barnes & James Trimble
Georgia Carter
Honeywell International, Inc.
Houston Endowment
Nancy Janin
Shannon & Jamie Mann
St. Mary's in the Mountains Episcopal Church, VT
Trinity Episcopal Church, Southport, CT
Dick & Cindy Trask
John & Jennifer Vogel

$2,000+
Brockenbrough Family Fund
The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations
Frank Donnelly
Pina Ferlisi via United Way
St James Episcopal Church Women
Swiss Memorial Collection for Albert van Daalen

$1,500+
Richard Clark
David & Lorna Gladstone Foundation
Stephen Tomlinson
Rector & People of St. Paul's Episcopal Society, Riverside, CT
Albert Williams

$1,000+
Anonymous
Gail & Joe Adams
Michael Ainbinder
Drs. John & Barbara Boatwright
Dean & Laura Davis
The Disc. Fund of the Episcopal Diocese of VT
Ann & Thomas Ely Fund for Charitable Giving
Charton & Martina Frantz
Anna Gellert
Susanne Gillatt
Harold Gordon
Elizabeth Hunter
Ollie Kensinger
Robert T. Kurtz Family Foundation
Geert van Mesdag
Charles & Alexa Mosteller
St. Mark's Episcopal Church, New Caanan, CT
Dick & Cindy Trask
Van Wie Family Foundation

$750+
Clinton & Lauren Laechelin
Denis & Karen Lamb
Palmer Memorial Church Concert Offering
Howard & Jo Parks
Theo Pinson

$500+
Anonymous
Bahman & Andrea Azarm
Barnabas Foundation, Inc.
Benevity Fund
Brigitte Bosarge
Debra Broussard 
Cathryn Chapman
Christ Church, Westerly, RI
Christ Church Cathedral, Houston, TX
Christ Episcopal Church, Greenwich, CT
Tom Jurewicz
Chevron Corp. Employee Matching Fund
John & Eleanor Degroot
James Easterling, Jr.
Peter & Jeanne Fellowes
Holly & Joseph Fortner, Jr.
Maco Fowlkes
Freddy Gamble Fund
Peter Gascoyne & Sarah Emes
Martha Hedgpeth
Elizabeth & Thomas Hyers
Brian & Tracy Kapiloff
Winston Lauder
Derek Mann & Associates PLLC
Christopher March
L. Timothy McKone & Lisa Sternschuss
Jean Moffitt
Carol Nicholson
Olufemi Obi
Mr & Mrs Samuel Palmisano
Jocelyn Phelps
David Randall & Tejas Orthopedic & Sports Medicine
Bradley Rauch
Frances Rowland
Lili Ruane & Turtle Pond Farm LLC
Arthur & Elizabeth Schmidt
Carolyn Solomon
Michele & John Spike
Charles & Mary Teeple
Richard & Cynthia Tharpe
Beatrice Vornle & Two B's Accessories Inc.
Scott Weber
St. Michael's Episcopal Church, Brattleboro, VT
Sylvie Visinand

$250+
Anonymous (2)
Eugenia Ardrey
Jennifer Barth
Michael & Alison Barry
Jacob Brown
Francois Cadieux
John & Yvonne Cosgrove
David Crosby
Barry & Gabrielle Dennison
Ruth Frantz
James Holubka
Ernest & Elsie Hunt
Jane & Tim Hunt
Robert & Maria Johnston Charit. Fund
Sarah Liron
John McCarthy
Annette Mullins
Joseph Pace
John Pinto
Patrick Robert
Sarah Shannon
St. John Ophthalmic Association
Bebe Stetson via Main Street Foundation
Jennifer & Christopher Smith
James Traynor
Patricia Twining
Eleanor & Richard Viebig
John Vincent & Revolutionary Press
Wesley Westmaas

$200+
Anonymous (2)
Mark & Suzanne Brunning
Barbara Burian
Marcia Coe
Joseph & Sigun Coyle
Jane Dean
William Duncan, II
James Follett & Robert Pelosi
Joanne & William Gartin
Frederic & Joan Glover
Ceci Goldstone
Shannon Goodson
Judith Jordan
Jonathan Justice
Anne Mallonee
Darryl MacPherson
John & Julie Potter
Peter & Jean Smith
Heidi Truax
Damian & Elaine Tryjankowski
Weston Cargill Charitable Foundation
Susan Williford

$100+
Anonymous (6)
Deirdre Anderson
Patricia Anthony
Christy Bergner
Barbara & Robert Betancourt
Pamela Bingham
Brown Thumb Garden Club
Jake Brown
Sandra Buckner
Walter & Jeanette Ciciora
Michael Cohen & Alison Hill
Kim Craig
Kendall Crolius & Stephen Stout
Lawrence Crumb
Dr. & Mrs. Scott Dorfman
Susan Feickert
Edward Frese, Jr.
Marilynn & Geoffrey Geiger
Philip Golden
Annette Grant
Hypatia Griffith
Edda Guglielmetti
Brent & Serena Hall
Metta Halla
Alan & Loni Haas, via The Abacus Fund
Barbara Hass
Charles Hickox
Geraldine Kennon
John & Gretchen Kidder
Kathleen Koch & Torsten Barsch
Thomas Ashe Lockhart
Drs. Richard & Adele Mattern
Paul McKee
John Morris
Jonathan Murphy
Jennifer & Matthew Necci
Craig & Sylvia McBeth
Lisa Newton
Charlotte Porter
John & Arlene Price
Christine Restrepo
Patrick & Jennifer Robinson
Bonnie Rodriguez
Robert Scott
Julie Spivack
Norma & Mel Shakun
Eshagh Shaoul
Mary Ann Starks
Cecily Stranahan
David Sturges
Phyllis Svrcek
Cynthia & Richard Tharpe
Mary & Don Tobin
Trinity Episcopal Church, Shelburne, VT
Diana & Chase Untermeyer
James Walker
Kathleen Ward
James Williams
Windham World Affairs Council, VT

$50+
Anonymous (2)
Mark & Margaret Anschutz
Camille Bertram
Ric Frievalt
Deena Galantowicz
Hobart & Jean Gardiner
Didi Granger
Keith & Marily Harrison
Wendy Kiblawi
Rose Lambert
Judith Louderback
Laura Lewis
Edmund & Marcy McElroy
Marilyn Smith Mason
John Morgan
Ann Ottaviano
Edward Prevost
Margaret Rieck
James Rosenthal
Eileen & Roy Strasser
Mary & Don Tobin
Sheila Upjohn
Timothy Weed

$25+
Anonymous 
Rebecca & Robert Anderson
Nancy Barber
Arthur & Elise Burrows
Jeremy & Sarah Breckbill
Deborah Stewart Canedy
Olivia Charney
Janet Covington
Felicia De Dominicis & Gary Flynn
Helen Eddy
Stacy Heller
Victoria Hood
Penny Littlewood
Kathy Mitchell
Rick Parsons

$5+
Anonymous (3)
Tom Anderson, Jr.
Joshua Bruner
Mary Lou Cartwright
Kenneth Dimmick
LB Ellwood-Filkins
Durelle Green
Liz Hooker
Cindy Anne Hudson
Hope Jones
Kevin Kimbrew
Shelly Olson
Amanda Phillips
Beverly Verner
Daniel Worthy

In-Kind Donations
Barrett Outdoor Communications
IWagePeace
Kensinger Donnelly, LLC
Outdoor Venture Group
Dorothy & Nicholas Porter
 INVEST IN PEACE  

Help us fund this summer's programs for the next 
generation
of leaders and changemakers.

   
"JPB gave us love, courage, cherished memories, advice, and 
most importantly, hope. F or that, I am forever thankful."
 
                                                            - 2018 Participant  
Please donate securely online or make your donation check payable to 
"Jerusalem Peacebuilders" and send it to the following address:

Jerusalem Peacebuilders, Inc. 
3300 Chimney Rock, Suite 301
Houston, TX 77056 USA 

Jerusalem Peacebuilders (JPB) is a tax-exempt organization per section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is further classified as a public charity. Donations may be made directly to JPB and deducted under Section 170 of the Code. JPB's federal tax identification number (EIN) is 45-2233148.

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING YOUTH PEACEBUILDERS!




     
Because the future of Jerusalem is the future of the world