Astor Foundation

Bringing people and cultures together.

 

Our Mission

The Astor Foundation is named after Rabbi Alexander Astor, an influential and much-loved Rabbi of the Auckland Hebrew Congregation for 37 years (1934-71).

Our mission is to empower minority communities and reduce threats to the peace and harmony of New Zealand
such as discrimination, extremism, and ethnic and religious hate.
We support projects that embrace diversity, teach tolerance and understanding, and promote the dignity of all New Zealanders.

Our Purpose

  • Addressing pressing issues that threaten New Zealand’s peace
    and harmony such as extremism, ethnic, and religious hate.

  • Promoting human dignity of all faiths, cultures, and ethnicities.

  • Working strategically through education, dialogue with community groups, academia, and media.

  • Educating and engaging with minority communities to work towards a peaceful and harmonious New Zealand society.

  • Empowering people of
    all ages, to face the challenges of maintaining a cohesive society in a rapidly changing and diversified population.

Our People

 

Founders and Trustees

Sir David Levene KNZM, OBE, DR, DR
(August 1929 - August 2021)

Sir Michael Friedlander KNZM

Chairperson and Trustee

Prof Paul Moon ONZM 

Trustees

Juliet Moses

Dave Tibby

Advisors

Dame Lesley Max DNZM MBE

Bob Narev ONZM MNZM

Shoshana Maasland

CEO

Gael Keren

Communications

Danya Levy

Highlights of Our Activities

Shared Tables, an intercultural programme aimed at breaking down barriers
and stereotypes for university students in the Auckland region.

Secondary School Mentoring programme for refugee students in South Auckland
who are mentored by others from refugee backgrounds.

Diversity Leadership Days for Year 12 students in association with the Religious Diversity Centre.

A mentoring programme for students from Victoria University of Wellington aimed at providing academic support.

Support for the Race Unity Speech Awards (established by the New Zealand Baha’i community in partnership
with the Race Unity Commission 20 years ago) to give high school students a voice in the national conversation
about race relations in Aotearoa.

#JUSTONEWEEK of Holocaust Education launched last year.
To date, 375 teachers from 262 secondary schools have signed up for this new teaching resource
developed by the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand.

 

Our Brand

The Astor Foundation’s brand images of the Koru and a spiral staircase are closely linked.

The Koru speaks of new beginnings, life, hope, harmony, and everyday equilibrium.
Concepts aligned with the Astor Foundation goal of promoting social cohesion.

The spiral staircase is in fact a staircase within a lighthouse.
A lighthouse is used to warn us of danger; we climb this staircase to obtain a better vantage point;
two concepts that reflect the Astor Foundation’s mandate.