Expanding Our Work: New Funding to Foster Healthy Arguments in North America and Israel

We're excited to share this announcement about our growth and expanded initiatives, made possible through new multi-year funding from several generous foundations.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: New Multi-Year Funding from Jim Joseph Foundation and Crown Family Philanthropies, Along with Support from Aviv Foundation and Natan Fund, Will Increase Organization’s Reach in North America and Engage Israeli Communities for the First Time Ever

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For the Sake of Argument, an educational initiative focused on harnessing the potential of healthy arguments, today announced it is expanding its work to help more Jewish communal organizations, educators, and leaders embrace constructive disagreements with tools to navigate contentious topics with nuance and integrity. New multi-year funding from the Jim Joseph Foundation and Crown Family Philanthropies will enable For the Sake of Argument to reach 2,000 people each year directly through workshops and seminars, and many more through writing and educational resources. Most of For the Sake of Argument’s work is currently focused on disagreements about Israel within the Jewish community.

“We will now be able to train a team of excellent educators in North America who will be our faculty on the ground to help more communities engage in healthy disagreements,” said Abi Dauber Sterne, Co-Director of For the Sake of Argument. “Especially with such heated rhetoric about so many issues, we deeply appreciate the support of these foundations and are eager to scale our efforts.”

Founded in 2022, Sterne and co-director Robbie Gringas have led workshops teaching For the Sake of Argument’s approach in communities around the U.S., and consulted directly with many Jewish nonprofit organizations, such as Hillel, Upstart, and Federations across North America. They will now continue to build on this success in the U.S., while also working with Israeli communities for the first time.

Adds Robbie Gringras, Co-Director of For the Sake of Argument, “As Israel continues to be a highly-charged issue in North America, expanding our work seems more important than ever. We look forward to deepening our partnerships with organizations across North America and–for the first time ever–helping Israeli audiences engage in challenging conversations about democracy and what it means to be a Jewish homeland.” 

The organization plans to expand its curriculum, develop new partnerships in the U.S., and pilot programming tailored to Israeli educators and civic leaders. The grant from Crown Family Philanthropies is supporting operating expenses, along with an intensive week of learning planned for Chicago in 2026. The Aviv Foundation grant will enable For the Sake of Argument to engage diverse communities in Israel with practical tools and approaches for Israeli teachers in the classroom, for counselors in youth movements, and beyond.

This marks the first significant expansion of For the Sake of Argument’s supporters following the initial investment from the Jim Joseph Foundation in 2023. The addition of Crown Family Philanthropies and the Aviv Foundation as funding partners underscores the growing recognition of the organization's work and impact. The Natan Fund also supports For the Sake of Argument in target funding to develop “argument circles” for intergenerational audiences.

In all of its work, For the Sake of Argument strives to shift the negative mindset about arguments into one in which arguments are seen and experienced as full of creative potential. By providing a sense of belonging to those who value differences of opinion, by writing and speaking about the power of healthy disagreements, and by sharing research openly, FSA works to create a culture in which healthy arguments are seen as opportunities rather than threats.