The Gordian Knot Between the Supreme Court and the New Israel Fund (Part 2)

Yossi Baum | X | Feb 25, 2025

Not for the Faint of Heart: The Gordian Knot Between the Supreme Court and the New Israel Fund

The depth of the connection between the Supreme Court and the New Israel Fund and its organizations at times reaches the level of a brothel. Here, I will present ‘samples’ of these connections (this post is a continuation of the post above ?, which is recommended to read first). Here they are:

General:

• Former Deputy President, Justice Hanan Melcer, served as legal advisor for the Reform Movement, which is supported by (and to some extent controls) the New Israel Fund.

• Justice Yoram Danziger was a board member of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), the flagship organization of the New Israel Fund.
• Former Deputy President of the Supreme Court, Justice Salim Joubran, is the chairman of Kav Mashve, which is supported by the New Israel Fund. You’ll be surprised: his son also holds a position there.
• Justice Dafna Barak-Erez co-edited her book “Studies in Law, Feminism, and Gender” with Prof. Yifat Bitton, a board member of the New Israel Fund.
• Prof. Baruch Bracha (deceased):
  • A former board member of the New Israel Fund.
  • Served as a faculty member at Tel Aviv University’s Law School.
  • His son, Amit Bracha, is the CEO of Adam Teva V’Din, which is supported by the New Israel Fund. He was also the chief editor of Piskei Din Elyon (P.D.E.), the official publication of Supreme Court rulings.
  • His other son, Emek Bracha, is the Deputy CEO of the Movement for Quality Government.
  • And wait: Justice Dafna Barak-Erez was his student.

Pay Attention – This Is About to Get Interesting:

• Dr. Maya Marck:
  • Affiliated with the Berl Katznelson Foundation.
  • Editor of “Mishpatim in Action” (Resource Center, Tel Aviv University).
  • Member of the Forum of Academics for Democracy, all of which are supported by the New Israel Fund.
  • She was:
    • A research assistant for Justice Dafna Barak-Erez.
    • A law clerk for Supreme Court President Miriam Naor.
    • A legal assistant to Supreme Court President Esther Hayut.
    • She wrote her dissertation under the supervision of Prof. Arye Naor, who happens to be the husband of…

Aharon Barak:

• Doron Tsabari: Former board member of the New Israel Fund; produced the series “Connected” and “Connected Women” together with Ram Landes, who is Barak’s son-in-law.
• Prof. Issi Rosen-Zvi: Brother-in-law of Prof. Yael Sternhell, who was the vice president of the New Israel Fund (famous for begging Biden to impose an arms embargo on Israel). He interned for Aharon Barak.
• Prof. Asaf Likhovski: Like Rosen-Zvi, he is also a member of the Forum of Academics for Democracy (funded by the New Israel Fund). He lectures at Tel Aviv University’s Law Faculty (parts of which were funded by the Ford Foundation, a partner of the New Israel Fund) – and also interned for Barak.
• Prof. Nir Kedar: President of Sapir College, which is supported by the New Israel Fund – also interned for Barak.
• Prof. Yishai Blank:
  • Dean of Tel Aviv University’s Law Faculty.
  • Former chairman of Bimkom.
  • Former board member of Gisha, IGY (Israel Gay Youth Movement), and the Forum of Lawyers for Democracy – all supported by the New Israel Fund.
  • Interned for Barak as well.
• Dr. Limor Yehuda:
  • Co-chair of “A Land for All”.
  • Faculty member at Hebrew University’s Law Faculty.
  • Affiliated with Van Leer Institute, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, and formerly the head of a department at ACRI.
  • Member of the Forum of Academics for Democracy, all supported by the New Israel Fund.
  • She was a legal assistant to Aharon Barak.

Pay Attention – This Is About to Get Interesting:

• Prof. Asaf Likhovski: Tel Aviv University Law Faculty; Forum of Academics for Democracy – interned for Barak.
• His wife, Orly Erez-Likhovski, is the CEO of the Reform Movement, which is supported by the New Israel Fund (and to some extent controls it) – interned at the Supreme Court.
• Their son also interned for then-President Esther Hayut.

Dorit Beinisch:

• Prof. Eli Salzberger:
  • Affiliated with ACRI and the Forum of Lawyers for Democracy, both supported by the New Israel Fund.
  • His late father-in-law, Amos Oz, was a board member of the New Israel Fund (as well as a member of B’Tselem and Peace Now).
  • His late mother, Lotte Salzberger, founded The Center for the Defense of the Individual, which is supported by the New Israel Fund.
  • He interned for both Barak and Beinisch.
• Dr. Yuval Livnat:
  • CEO of the Adva Center.
  • CEO of the Committee for the Fight Against AIDS.
  • Legal advisor to Kav LaOved.
  • Lecturer at Hebrew University’s Law Faculty.
  • All supported by the New Israel Fund.
  • Interned for Beinisch.
• Prof. Yaakov Mazor:
  • Member of the New Israel Fund.
  • President of the Open University – where Beinisch serves as Chancellor.

Believe Me – These Are Just Samples…

This post is based on numerous sources; therefore, I will not cite them. One can search on Google or request a specific source in the comments.

By the way, the video in the post above was circulating online – I’d love to know who deserves credit.

Additionally, in that post, the director of the Ford Foundation in Israel is Aharon Beck, not Aharon Barak, as mistakenly written (Freud, etc.).