Jim Joseph Foundation Announces $4,552,078 in New Grants for Jewish Education

November 12th, 2013

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The San Francisco-based Jim Joseph Foundation, which seeks to foster compelling and effective Jewish learning experiences for young Jews in the United States, announced today that up to $4,552,078 was awarded at its October 2013 Board of Directors meeting. Grantees included Brandeis University, Facing History and Ourselves National Foundation, Hebrew Union College—Jewish Institute of Religion, New York University’s Berman Jewish Policy Archive, Stanford University, and Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School.

Established in 2006, the Foundation has awarded more than $285 million in grants within three strategic priorities: 1) Increase the Number and Quality of Jewish Educators; 2) Expand Effective Jewish Learning for Youth and Young Adults; and 3) Build a Strong Field of Jewish Education.

Details of major grants awarded:

  • Stanford University: Consortium for Applied Studies in Jewish Education (CASJE) 2.0
    Total Awarded: Up to $1,528,040 over six years (2013-2019)
    Purpose: To support the next phase of CASJE, a coordinated scholar-practitioner-funder effort to nurture applied Jewish educational research and to produce high quality, applied research that assists Jewish education practitioners to improve their work based on a growing evidence base of well-researched effective teaching and learning practices.
  • Yeshivat Chovevei Torah (YCT) Rabbinical School: Organizational Capacity Building Challenge Grant
    Total Awarded: Up to $1,200,000 over eighteen months (2013-2015)
    Purpose: Challenge grant funds for general support as YCT completes its transition to sustainability.
  • Facing History and Ourselves National Foundation, Inc.: Facing History and Ourselves Partner Jewish Day Schools Project
    Total Awarded: Up to $600,000 over five years (2013-2018)
    Purpose: To support the expansion of the Facing History Partner Jewish Day Schools Project (formerly Model Jewish Day Schools Project) to 21 new schools.
  • DeLeT Program
    Total Awarded to Brandeis University: Up to $385,576 over one year (2014-2015)
    Total Awarded to Hebrew Union College—Jewish Institute of Religion: Up to $588,462 over one year (2014-2015)
    Purpose: To support 12 fellows (at each university) in Cohort 13 of DeLeT, which prepares fellows to become teacher-leaders who are ready to teach general studies, Judaic studies, Hebrew, or Tanakh in Jewish day schools.
  • New York University’s Berman Jewish Policy Archive: Jewish Survey Question Bank
    Total Awarded: Up to $250,000 over five years (2013-2018)
    Purpose: For expansion of the Jewish Survey Question Bank, an online tool designed to improve future Jewish social research and serve as a resource for researchers, evaluators, academics, leaders of Jewish organizations, and Jewish educators.

“Within this group of grantees, grants address day school curriculum, teacher training, and scholarly Jewish social research,” notes Al Levitt, president of the Jim Joseph Foundation. “We continue to be inspired by the determined, innovative work of these and other grantees. Working collaboratively, we strive to create ever-increasing opportunities for Jewish youth and young adults to engage in vibrant Jewish living and learning.”

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By investing in promising Jewish education grant initiatives, the Jim Joseph Foundation seeks to foster compelling, effective Jewish learning experiences for young Jews in the United States. Established in 2006, the Jim Joseph Foundation has awarded more than $285 million in grants to engage, educate, and inspire young Jewish minds to discover the joy of living vibrant Jewish lives.  www.jimjosephfoundation.org