irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $810KTRAVEL SEMINARS - MELTON'S SOUGHT-AFTER TRAVEL PROGRAMS CONNECT PASSIONATE LEARNERS WITH THE DIVERSITY OF JEWISH LIFE & HISTORY ALL OVER THE WORLD. OUR TRIPS TO THE MIDDLE EAST, EUROPE, AND CENTRAL AMERICA IMMERSE PARTICIPANTS IN CULTURE, LANDMARKS, AND CUISINE THAT BRING THEIR LEARNING OF THE JEWISH WORLD ALIVE. HUNDREDS OF TRAVELERS HAVE JOINED MELTON. NOT MERELY A TOUR, OUR TRAVELING LEARNERS ENGAGE WITH THE HISTORY THROUGH TEXT STUDY AND MEETING WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS WHEREVER THEY GO.
- #2 $91KCORPORATION PROGRAMMING - IN ADDITION TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND TRAVEL PROGRAMS, MELTON INTERNATIONAL OFFERS ONLINE LEARNING FOR PARTICIPANTS AROUND THE WORLD TO ENGAGE IN MELTON'S HIGH CALIBER OF LEARNING. MELTON'S ONLINE LEARNING BEGAN AS A RESULT OF COVID-19 BUT HAS CONTINUED TO ATTRACT LEARNERS WITH THE QUALITY OF LEARNING AND EASE OF ACCESS.
named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Living Wisdom
Six-week, six-lesson courses exploring foundational and advanced Jewish concepts such as purpose, prayer, loss, and identity; designed for adult learners of all backgrounds and knowledge levels.
Melton Travel
Educational heritage travel seminars to Jewish communities around the world, including Cuba, South Africa, Morocco, and Eastern Europe, combining on-site visits with scholarly learning.
What’s Mine is Yours
Adapted Jewish learning curriculum for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, developed in partnership with Matan and based on the Living Wisdom series.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Teacher Professional Development 1 activity
- Build capacity of instructors and partner organizationsProvides instructor orientation and training, advisory guidance on new initiatives, and operational support such as online registration systems to strengthen the delivery of adult Jewish learning programs.
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Structured Jewish Text Study Programs 1 activity
- Deliver adult Jewish education programs through in-person and online classesOffers structured, interactive adult learning courses in Jewish texts and ideas through both local partner organizations and online platforms, with content accessible to learners worldwide. Programs include six-lesson and multi-course series that explore Jewish thought and contemporary issues in a no-agenda environment.
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Sensory-Inclusive Programming and Support 1 activity
- Develop and adapt specialized Jewish learning curricula for diverse learnersCreated and launched the “What’s Mine is Yours” curriculum, adapting the “Living Wisdom” program into multi-lesson modules tailored for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with structured instructional materials to support effective teaching.
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Israel and Jewish Heritage Educational Travel 1 activity
- Organize Jewish heritage travel seminarsOffers educational travel programs to Israel, Europe, the Americas, and Africa focused on Jewish history and heritage, including scheduled trips to Cuba, South Africa, Morocco, and U.S. cities such as Charleston and Savannah.
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Jewish Leadership Development 1 activity
- Support adult Jewish learning through a global network of community partnersOperates a network of 50 adult Jewish education communities across the United States, Canada, Australia, and South Africa, using a partnership model that requires local organizations to offer at least two Melton courses annually with a minimum of thirty learner registrations.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.74M
Contributions & grants$1.23M45%
Program service revenue$1.46M53%
Investment income$15K1%
Other revenue$40K
expenses
Total expenses$2.67M
Program expenses71%
Admin / overhead19%
Fundraising10%
Salaries & benefits$1.00M
Grants paid out$300K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.55M
Cash$799K
Investments$250K
Liabilities$338K
Net assets$1.21M
Liquid reserves4.7 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +54.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RABBI RACHEL BOVITZ | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $178K |
| ANDREA GARDENHOUR | DIRECTOR OF EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL | 40 | $122K |
| RABBI DR MOREY SCHWARTZ | INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR | 40 | $105K |
board members · 18
- ALAN EDELMAN — BOARD MEMBER
- ANN ELYACHAR — BOARD MEMBER
- BOBBIE BLAU — BOARD MEMBER
- BRUCE K SEGALL — BOARD MEMBER
- CAROLYN BASS — BOARD MEMBER
- CATHY ZACKS GILDENHORN — BOARD MEMBER
- DONALD L KATZ — BOARD MEMBER
- DR MICHAEL TRONER — BOARD MEMBER
- HARMAN AVERY GROSSMAN — BOARD MEMBER
- RANDI BRENOWITZ — PRESIDENT
- ROCHELLE FRIEDMAN — BOARD MEMBER
- RUTH HILLIARD — VICE-PRESIDENT AT LARGE
- SANDY HARRISON — BOARD MEMBER
- SHERRIE WEISS — VICE-PRESIDENT, DEVELOPMENT
- SUSAN L GOLDSMITH — BOARD MEMBER
- SUSAN WEISS FIRESTONE — SECRETARY
- VICKI BENJAMIN — TREASURER
- ZACHARY NARRETT — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 15
Who they work with
- Candid Network — Awarded Platinum Transparency Seal by Candid (GuideStar) in 2025
- Central Synagogue Partner — Partner organization offering Melton adult Jewish learning courses in New York City.
- Charity Navigator Network — Recognized with a 4-star rating by Charity Navigator
- Congregation Beth Shalom Partner — Partner organization in Overland Park, KS, offering Melton adult Jewish learning courses.
- Federations Partner — Partners with Jewish Federations to deliver in-person adult Jewish learning programs.
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem Partner — Experts at the Hebrew University review Melton's curriculum.
- JCCs Partner — Partners with Jewish Community Centers to deliver in-person adult Jewish learning programs.
- Living Wisdom Partner — Collaborates with Living Wisdom to deliver adult Jewish learning courses.
- Matan Partner — Collaborated to develop and adapt the "What's Mine is Yours" curriculum for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- Melton Travel Partner — Operates as a program offering Jewish heritage travel experiences under the Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning.
- Stephen Wise Temple Partner — Partner organization in Los Angeles, CA, offering Melton adult Jewish learning courses.
- The Florence Melton Adult Mini-School Corporation Government — Registered 501(c)(3) organization operating under the EIN 01-0725179.
- community organizations Partner — Collaborate to deliver adult Jewish learning programs locally and online.
- synagogues Partner — Partner with the organization to offer local and online adult Jewish learning classes.
- synagogues Partner — Partners with synagogues to deliver in-person adult Jewish learning programs.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Inclusive, Self-Directed Learning Pathwaysmethodology: choose_your_own_journey_learningBy offering self-directed, adaptable learning experiences, the organization enables participation across diverse knowledge levels and abilities because removing prescriptive agendas lowers barriers and empowers individual ownership of learning.
- Peer and Community-Embedded Learning Modelmethodology: community-based_learningBy situating learning within local communities and small groups, the organization increases engagement and belonging because participants are more likely to persist and connect when learning is socially integrated and locally led.
- Text-Based Dialogue Learningmethodology: text-based_dialogue_learningBy using a text-based, dialogue-driven approach, the organization fosters deep engagement with Jewish tradition because open discussion and questioning promote meaningful understanding and personal connection.