Charity Navigator has a somewhat controversial rating system for charities awarding stars to measure the financial health, viability and transparency of charities.
A new updates rating system has resulted in ratings changes for over half of the 5,500 charities rated. Charity Navigator considers whether the charity is making easily available information regarding its governance practices, ethical practices, financial information, effectiveness and results.
Our friends at e Jewish Philanthropy have just posted a blog lists changes in the ratings of many large Jewish Charities. Here is a list of Jewish organizations that have lost the coveted 4 Star rating (new ratings appear in parentheses following the organization name).
- Agudath Israel of America (2)
- Aish New York (3)
- Alexander Muss Institute for Israel Education (3)
- American Committee for Shaare Zedek Medical Center In Jerusalem (3)
- American Friends of Nishmat (1)
- American Friends of Shalva (1)
- American Friends of the Israel Museum (3)
- American Friends of Yad Eliezer (3)
- American Israel Education Foundation (3)
- American Pardes Foundation (3)
- American Society for Yad Vashem (2)
- The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore (3)
- Birthright Israel Foundation (3)
- Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School of Greater Washington (3)
- Combined Jewish Philanthropies (3)
- Fuchs Mizrachi School (2)
- Gross Schechter Day School (2)
- Jewish Community of Louisville (3)
- Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton (3)
- Jewish Federation of Omaha (3)
- Jewish National Fund, United States (3)
- The Negev Foundation (2)
- Yeshiva University (3)
Better news is that 12 Jewish organizations once  rated lower have now earned the 4 Star rating.
- American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
- The Federation, Jewish Communities of Western Connecticut
- International Fellowship of Christians and Jews
- Jewish Communal Fund – NY
- The Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus
- Jewish Community Center of San Francisco
- Jewish Family & Career Services of Atlanta
- Jewish Federation of Cincinnati
- Jewish Federation of Orange County
- Jewish Federation of Rhode Island
- Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago
- MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger – CA
For a more details, please consult e Jewish Philanthropy’s article.
David