According to Mike Leven, the founder and CEO of Jewish Future Promise, its mission is simple but powerful: To ensure Jewish continuity for future generations.
In an interview with JNS, Leven said: “It’s about passing on not just our traditions, but our values, our commitment and our love for the Jewish people and the State of Israel from one generation to the next.”
Originally named Jewish Future Pledge when Leven, a successful American entrepreneur, founded the nonprofit in May 2020, JFP or “the Promise,” as it is often called, encourages Jews globally to designate their charitable giving to Jewish and Israeli causes.
Some 100,000 people have signed the initiative since its inception. Notable signatories include businessmen Charles Bronfman and Bernie Marcus, philanthropist Julie Platt, activist Noa Tishby, advocate Morton Klein, jurist Alan Dershowitz and comedian Modi Rosenfeld.
Leven said signing the pledge means making a promise: “If you’re planning to leave money to charity in your estate, commit that at least 50% of it will support Jewish causes and Israel. That’s how we ensure that the institutions and values that shaped us are there to shape our children and grandchildren.”
He stressed that it’s more than just a financial commitment; it’s a conversation. “For the next generation, it’s a way to connect with their identity, to have meaningful dialogue with their peers, and to understand the importance of sustaining what’s been built over centuries. The Promise becomes a bridge between generations, uniting us in purpose and helping ensure a vibrant Jewish future.”
Asked how the Hamas massacre on Oct. 7, 2023, had affected the initiative, Leven said: “Oct. 7 was a painful reminder, a modern-day pogrom, that history has a way of repeating itself if we grow too comfortable or forgetful. For generations, many Jews, especially in the United States and Europe, believed, “It can’t happen here.” But it did. And it shook us to our core.”
Leven said what happened on Oct. 7 woke up a lot of people to the reality that antisemitism hasn’t disappeared. “It’s been here for thousands of years, and it’s not going away,” he said. “That moment didn’t just stir emotion; it stirred action.”
The initiative has accelerated rapidly since then, Leven noted. “More people are stepping up, giving charitably and seeing this commitment for what it truly is: a stand for continuity, for strength, for survival.”
Relating this to the upcoming Jewish festival, he said: “Passover teaches us that in every generation, someone rises up against us. The Promise is our way of saying: We remember. We prepare. We preserve. The phrase ‘Never again’ isn’t enough, because it can happen again. What we need is ‘Never forget.’ That’s the heart of the Promise.”
Leven is a veteran hospitality executive with five decades in the hotel industry. “I’ve spent my life building businesses, and now I’m focused on building the future of the Jewish people,” he told JNS.
“After a long career leading some of the world’s top hospitality brands, Days Inns of America to Holiday Inns to Las Vegas Sands, I turned my attention to purpose-driven work,” he said. “I’ve been fortunate to help grow organizations like Georgia Aquarium and The Marcus Foundation, and I co-founded the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, which today represents more than half the hotels in the U.S.”
Married to Andrea for more than 60 years, Leven and his wife have three sons and seven grandchildren, all of whom, he noted with pride, are deeply involved in Jewish life.
“My proudest legacy is the Jewish Future Promise. It’s rooted in my family’s lifelong commitment to Judaism and the belief that we each have a role in sustaining our heritage for generations to come,” he said. “At this stage in my life, I’m not just thinking about what I’ve built, but what I’ll leave behind. And that’s what the Promise is all about.”
Diverse appeal
Leven noted that because many JFP signers, like himself, are parents and grandparents, the Promise sparks meaningful conversations about Jewish identity and values across generations. For such families, the Promise becomes a gateway to sharing their Jewish story and instilling pride in the next generation—grandparents passing down their legacy and parents starting a Jewish tradition with their kids.
In addition, he said, the Promise speaks to a broad spectrum of Jewish identity— from religious to secular, cultural Jews to activists, and liberals to conservatives.
“The values and ideals of the Jewish people have contributed in countless ways to making the world a better place,” said Drs. Eleonora and Brian Goldberg from Beverly Hills, California, explaining why they signed. “Those values and ideals are constantly under attack and it is imperative that we secure the funding necessary to ensure the continuity and preservation of these values and ideals for generations to come.”
Dina Leffert from Los Angeles said, “Every word my grandmother taught me about caring about the perpetuation of the Jewish people is more important now than ever.”
Hadara Ishak, president and COO
Hadara Ishak, JFP’s president and COO, has been dedicated to realizing Leven’s vision of ensuring a vibrant Jewish future for generations to come since taking on the role in 2021.
Asked how she sees its mission, she told JNS: “Jewish Future Promise isn’t just a nonprofit; it’s a movement. At its core, JFP is about securing the Jewish future by transforming intention into action. We ask Jews and allies to make a moral commitment: that if they make charitable contributions upon their passing, whether it’s $10 or $10 million, at least 50% will go to Jewish causes and/or the State of Israel.”
Ishak stressed that it’s not a legal or binding agreement.
“It’s a promise to our people, our values, and the next generation. But the Promise goes beyond philanthropy. It’s also about passing down stories, values, and traditions. We invite people to reflect and share: Where did your family come from? What’s your Jewish story? Because in today’s world, so many young people don’t know the answers. And how can they take pride in their identity or carry it forward if they don’t know where they come from?
“The Promise creates that moment—for reflection, reconnection, and meaningful conversation across generations. It’s about ensuring that Jewish giving is not just financial but personal. Because when we give with purpose and story, we don’t just sustain Jewish life; we ignite it.”
Asked how Oct. 7 had impacted the Promise, she said the horror of that day was “a wake-up call, a devastating reminder that Jewish safety, identity and continuity cannot be taken for granted.”
She added: “At Jewish Future Promise, we saw a surge in urgency. People began asking, ‘How can I make sure the Jewish people thrive, not just survive?’ That’s where the Promise becomes more than philanthropy; it becomes a moral obligation. Since then, we’ve seen a growing wave of commitments not just from individuals but also from families who are revisiting their values and legacy. In many ways, October 7 has only sharpened our mission and deepened the collective resolve to ensure Am Yisrael Chai.”
Ishak described herself as “a mother, a grandmother, a daughter of a Holocaust survivor, and the granddaughter of pogrom survivors. I carry the legacy of resilience and see myself as part of the fabric that tells the Jewish story.”
Professionally, Ishak said, her path has always been about building and scaling meaningful movements.
“I’ve worked across business, philanthropy, and community-building spaces, always with one driving question in mind: How do we turn values into action? That passion led me to get involved in documentary filmmaking, focusing on stories that capture the human side of Israel and the Jewish people. I’ve always believed that storytelling isn’t just powerful; it’s essential to our survival.”
Ishak shared that what drew her to JFP is “its clarity and audacity.”
“We’re not fundraising; we’re future-raising. And that’s something I want to model not just in my career but in my home, for my children and grandchildren. Caring about our people is at my core, and I’ve spent my life turning that care into action.”
Ishak invited every reader to take the Promise. “It costs nothing. It changes everything,” she said. “Whether you’re giving now or planning your estate, whether you’re deeply engaged or just reconnecting with Jewish life, the Promise is a powerful act of love for our people, our story, and our future.”
She added: “And if you’ve already made the Promise? Talk about it. Make it part of your Shabbat table, your family conversations, your community work. Because when we normalize giving Jewishly, we create a culture that sustains us for generations.”
JFP’s impactful work is supported through partnerships with major Jewish organizations, including the Jewish Federations of North America, Jewish National Fund-USA, Israel Bonds, the Orthodox Union and a host of local federations across the United States.
“Whether you’re a grandparent, parent, young professional or just beginning to reconnect with your Jewish roots, the Promise is your opportunity to honor the past and secure the future,” Ishak said.
For more information, visit: www.jewishfuturepromise.org.
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