The JEHT Foundation was established in 2000 by its trustees based on the core values behind its proposed mission: "justice, equality, human dignity, and tolerance." Most of their efforts focused on grant making and advocacy in support of community justice, and by 2008, JEHT advertised its primary areas of interest as: 1) criminal justice; 2) juvenile justice; 3) international justice; and 4) fair and participatory elections. The Foundation was forced to cease operations in December of 2008 when Bernie Madoff was arrested for securities fraud, resulting in the loss of most of JEHT's financial assets, invested with Madoff for more than 30 years.
