Founded in 1982 "to respond to The Washington Post's coverage of Israel's Lebanon incursion" and what it considered to be the media's "general anti-Israel bias," CAMERA postures as a neutral media watchdog, claiming to be "A non-partisan organization, CAMERA takes no position with regard to American or Israeli political issues or with regard to ultimate solutions to the Arab-Israeli conflict." In reality, CAMERA functions as an attack organization for the Zionist right-wing, targeting journalists, academics, students, politicians, and community organizers who make even mild criticism of Israel. For example, CAMERA accused local media outlet WCVB of "teaming up with [a] terrorist supporter" for allowing the executive director of the Massachusetts chapter of CAIR (the Council on American-Islamic Relations) to speak on its program. CAMERA has even criticized Fox news for using the (objectively accurate) language of "settlement expansion."
The Boston chapter of CAMERA was founded in 1988 by Andrea Levin, with Charles Jacobs as its deputy director. The Boston chapter held a conference at the Park Plaza Hotel in 1989, which featured prominent pro-Israel speakers including Alan Dershowitz and Ruth Wisse. In 1991, the Boston chapter of CAMERA became the organization's national headquarters. Dexter Van Zile, listed by CAMERA as its "Christian media analyst," actively writes tweets and articles targeting Boston area activists. In July 2020, for example, Van Zile published an article in the Times of Israel entitled "Scapegoating Jews in the Cradle of Liberty." In the article, Van Zile named activists who had spoken at a recent BDS Boston rally against Israeli annexation of the West Bank, smearing multiple activists who participated in the rally with false charges of antisemitism. In addition to his article about the rally, Van Zile sent multiple emails to Boston Public Schools administrators highlighting a Black Boston Public School teacher who spoke at the rally, in an attempt to push BPS admin to take punitive action against him (BPS admin did not do so). In addition to his ardent Zionism, Van Zile has a long history of open Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism more broadly.
CAMERA currently sponsors pro-Israel student organizations on university campuses nationwide, including in the Boston area. CAMERA funds these organizations and provides them with programming support and ideological guidance. CAMERA also sponsors "CAMERA Fellows," university students who receive stipends for duties such as "regular monitoring of the campus media, classrooms/professors, and anti-Israel events," and "attend[ing] Israel-related events, tak[ing] notes, and ask[ing] questions during the event."
According to their 2019 tax filing (form 990), CAMERA's activities outside the United States include one office with five employees or agents in "the Middle East," providing "program services" for "Media watch in Israel", with a total expenditure of $691,691.
CAMERA is a member organization of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Boston, voting within the JCRC and helping shape the JCRC's positions and actions.
Mailing address: PO Box 35040, Boston, MA 02135
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From fiscal years 2007-2020, Combined Jewish Philanthropies funneled $1,414,286 from its donors to CAMERA.
CAMERA is a member organization of the JCRC of Greater Boston, voting within the JCRC and helping shape the JCRC's positions and actions.
From 2016-2020, Zionist groups including CAMERA targeted the Newton Public Schools system for teaching a curriculum that, in their view, was not sufficiently pro-Israel.
CAMERA on Campus provided support to the Brandeis student organization "Students for Accuracy about Israeli and Palestinian Affairs (SAIPA)," established in 2013 by then Brandeis freshman (and graduate of Gann Academy) Daniel Mael. (Students for Accuracy about Israeli and Palestinian Affairs (SAIPA) subsequently merged with Brandeis Israeli Culture Club (BICC) and now appears to be inactive.)
From fiscal years 2019-2020 alone, Fidelity Charitable funneled $703,142 from its donors into the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA).
Harvard Law School is listed by the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA) as a "CAMERA Campus." CAMERA collaborates with Harvard Law School students to provide "direction" on guest speakers, events, and programming generally. Broadly, CAMERA states that they encourage and support students at their "CAMERA Campuses" to engage in "regular monitoring of the campus media, classrooms/professors, and anti-Israel events; attend Israel-related events, take notes, and ask questions during the event."
CAMERA on Campus is an Institutional Partner of The Israel Summit.
Based on available tax filings, the Joseph and Rae Gann Charitable Foundation has donated at least $70,960 to the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA).
Kraft Family Philanthropies donated $66,000 to CAMERA from fiscal years 2004-2018.
Northeastern University is listed by CAMERA as a "CAMERA Campus," meaning CAMERA funds and sponsors a student-run group at NEU. In collaboration with this CAMERA-sponsored pro-Israel group at NEU, "Huskies for Israel," CAMERA provides pro-Israel "direction" to NU students on guest speakers, events, and general programming. CAMERA also sponsors CAMERA Fellows, students who receive stipends from CAMERA for duties including "regular monitoring of the campus media, classrooms/professors, and anti-Israel events; attend Israel-related events, take notes, and ask questions during the event." Publicly listed CAMERA fellows at Northeastern include Elie Codron (2020-2021), Harrison Garcia (2020-2021), Matthew Blicher (2021-2022), Jacob Egelberg (2021-2022). (See updated list of CAMERA campuses and current CAMERA campus fellows here.)
The Ruderman Family Foundation donated $1,500 to the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA) from fiscal years 2002-2003.
The Klarman Family Foundation donated $1,660,000 to the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis (CAMERA) from fiscal years 2002-2016.
The David Project was founded in 2002 by Charles Jacobs, who also helped found The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting (CAMERA) in 1988.
UMass Amherst Hillel encourages UMass Amherst students to apply for paid internships and fellowships with CAMERA on Campus.