The Jewish Foundation of Greater New Haven proudly announces that they will be partnering with JLens to invest a portion of the Jewish Foundation’s US equity portfolio. In doing so, the Jewish Foundation Board of Trustees unanimously approved the recommendation of the Foundation’s investment committee as well as its investment advisor, SCS Financial.

“I am happy that the trustees of the Jewish Foundation recognize the importance of “Jewish socially responsible investing” and have taken the lead by introducing this concept into our portfolio management,” states Craig Sklar, Chair of the Jewish Foundation.

“We are so pleased that the Jewish Foundation of Greater New Haven has invested in JLens’ Jewish Advocacy Strategy. The Foundation is furthering the positive impact of its philanthropic dollars by supporting JLens’ investor advocacy efforts with 300 companies on Jewish communal priorities. JLens is thrilled to strengthen our relationship with the New Haven community,” states Julie Hammerman, Executive Director and Founder of JLens.

JLens’ Jewish Advocacy Strategy is the only Jewish values-based investment option that conducts investor advocacy on Jewish communal concerns. The strategy was launched in 2015 by Jewish institutions seeking a customized mission-aligned market-rate investment that generates a positive impact. The strategy’s portfolio of 300 companies is selected through a six-point Jewish values scoring methodology focused on Coexistence, Society, the Worker, Ethical Business, the Environment, and Support for Israel. JLens builds long-term relationships with portfolio companies and engages in investor advocacy within JLens’ six issue areas listed above. JLens is the only investor organization countering the Boycott, Divest, Sanction (BDS) campaign’s economic warfare against Israel, as well as anti-Semitism, hate speech, discrimination against religious ritual, and other Jewish communal concerns in the values-based investing and corporate social responsibility arenas.

“Temple Emanuel, one of our partner organizations, came to us and said that they were interested in learning more about socially responsible investing,” states Lisa Stanger, Executive Director of the Jewish Foundation. “Over the years the Foundation had considered social impact investing but felt the area was not sophisticated enough. We knew the field had evolved and it was time to look again. In addition, in the past there was not a Jewish option in the area—nothing that could screen for anti-Israel corporations and also consider Jewish values— Jlens really changed that. We are grateful Temple Emanuel was part of this,” continues Stanger.

“The committee looked at several opportunities, we chose JLens because of its Jewish approach, we also found it to have a very holistic approach, and we liked its relationship with Parametric,” states Stephen August, Jewish Foundation Investment Committee Chair. Parametric is a highly regarded investment firm with over $300 billion dollars under management.

To learn more about JLens go to www.jlensnetwork.org