Maccabee Task Force

The Maccabee Task Force (MTF[1]) is a fundraising group oriented against Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS), funded largely by Sheldon Adelson as of 2017.[2]

History

MTF was founded in 2015.[1] Sheldon Adelson expressed interest in formation of three components in MTF: a donor group for funding, an on-campus activist group to propagate MTF efforts on the ground, and a researcher group to investigate anti-Israel groups and opportunities for legal challenges to them. Adelson aimed to opposed the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement and the groups Students for Justice in Palestine and Muslim Student Association in particular.[3]

Leaving his position as executive of Christians United for Israel (often shortened to CUFI), David Brog joined as MTF executive in 2015.[4] Initial fundraising for MTF raised over $50 million.[5] As of 2018, Brog was still executive director.[6]

MTF's Brog says the organization concentrated its efforts on six California campuses through 2016, expanding to twenty in 2017.[7] Brog announced at the end of the 2018–2019 school year that MTF would expand to over 100 schools.[8]

In 2019, MTF announced that it would expand internationally in 2020, though it did not specify to which countries.[1]

Relationship to other groups

MTF is a major funder of Act.IL, a volunteer group that highlights and propagates pro-Israel information online.[2]

MTF is one of the largest donors to PragerU, a conservative visual media site. PragerU promoted five videos on its front featuring MTF.[9]

References
  1. Cortellessa, Eric (October 7, 2019). "Anti-BDS group backed by Sheldon Adelson heads to 6 countries outside US". Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 20 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  2. Casey, Nikki (November 30, 2017). "Shadowy Israeli App Turns American Jews Into Foot Soldiers In Online War". The Forward. Archived from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  3. Guttman, Nathan (June 11, 2015). "Secret Sheldon Adelson Summit Raises up to $50M for Strident Anti-BDS Push". The Forward. Archived from the original on June 11, 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  4. "CUFI's David Brog to lead new anti-BDS campus group". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. July 10, 2015. Archived from the original on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  5. Guttman, Nathan (July 8, 2015). "Leader of Christian Zionists Named Head of Campus Anti-BDS Group". The Forward. Archived from the original on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  6. Parke, Caleb (11 October 2018). "University of Michigan tackles anti-Semitism after three incidents on campus". Fox News. Archived from the original on 20 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  7. Kamaras, Jacob; Savage, Sean (June 6, 2017). "In the campus arena, Maccabee Task Force wages the battle without the 'credit'". Jewish News Syndicate. Archived from the original on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  8. Schwalb, Jess (December 24, 2019). "Maccabee Games". Jewish Currents. Archived from the original on 30 July 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  9. Goforth, Claire (25 November 2019). "Money Behind PragerU: Old, Rich, and Ultra-Conservative". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on 20 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
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