Har emerged from a 2024 gathering in Montana, where philanthropists from diverse backgrounds and political perspectives came together around a shared belief: antisemitism threatens not only Jewish communities, but also the American values of pluralism and democracy. 

“Har,” the Hebrew word for mountain, reflects both where the initiative’s early thinking took shape and the scale of the challenge it was created to meet. Har is grounded in the belief that unprecedented challenges call for unprecedented innovation—and that remarkable leaders, both within and beyond the Jewish community, are finding new ways to create meaningful change. The initiative believes that pairing these leaders  and their organizations with meaningful financial support and high-quality strategic guidance can help their ideas and impact grow.

The Har Initiative is currently composed of twelve philanthropic families that have agreed to commit $10 million or more to Har grantees.  The initiative is co-chaired by Lindsey Spindle, President of Samueli Family Philanthropies, and Fay Twersky, President of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. William Foster, the Managing Director of The Bridgespan Group, serves as a key executive partner helping shape the initiative.