A group of 11 Jewish foundations have signed an advertisement that urges Jewish communities in the U.S. and Canada to show respect for one another in honor of religious tradition, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports.

The ad runs this week in 35 Jewish newspapers throughout North America, the agency reports. Participating foundations promise to "withhold grants from groups that engage in uncivil discourse."

Each of the participating philanthropic groups will retain control over its own grantmaking functions, but agree that groups using "irresponsible rhetoric" will not be favored for grants.

The goal is to open communications within the Jewish community. The ad states that "a diversity of views is a sign of healthy debate. Sensationalism and slander are not."

Michael Charendoff, vice president of the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency the project "grew out of a realization that hostile rhetoric can have 'disastrous consequences.'"

Participating foundations want other Jewish groups to join the effort.

The newspaper reports that foundations joining forces for the initiative include such names as Steven Spielberg's Righteous Persons Foundation, the Judy and Michael Steinhardt Foundation and the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation.

Other groups include the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, the J.E. & Z.B. Butler Foundation, the Dobkin Family Foundation, the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies, the Jesselson Family Foundation, the Sapirstein-Stone-Weiss Foundation, Jewish Life Network, Synagogue Transformation and Renewal, and the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.

Full text of the article is currently found at:
http://jta.virtualjerusalem.com/index.exe?9911038