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DRISHA INSTITUTE FOR JEWISH EDUCATION INC
BRONX, NY · EIN 132968932 · Form 990 · FY2024 · Medium ($1M-$10M) · drisha.org
revenue
$3.1M
expenses
$1.7M
net assets
$2.1M
employees
9
program ratio
83%
mission · from form 990

CREATE OPPORTUNITIES IN JEWISH EDUCATION, SCHOLARSHIP AND LEADERSHIP.

profile · synthesized from sources

Drisha Institute for Jewish Education provides advanced, inclusive Torah study programs for women and men across generations. It operates immersive learning initiatives including a women's yeshiva in Israel, summer programs for middle and high school girls in New Jersey, a summer kollel for college and graduate students, and year-round online courses. The organization emphasizes textual rigor, spiritual growth, and community building within a Jewish educational framework.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2019

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $827K
    EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN ISRAEL DURING THE FISCAL YEAR.
named programs · 6 · from sources

What they call their work

Beit Midrash in Israel
Two-week summer program and year-round learning opportunities in Israel for young Israeli adults ages 22–30, featuring intensive Torah study, prayer, and exploration.
Dr. Beth Samuels Summer High School Program for Girls
Five-week summer program in West Milford, NJ offering intensive Talmud study and camp activities for high school girls from around the world.
Summer Kollel
Four-week immersive Torah learning program in New York City for undergraduate and graduate students, including rabbinical and cantorial students, centered on daily Talmud study and cohort building.
Summer Middle School Program for Girls
Three-week summer program in West Milford, NJ providing middle school girls with immersive study of Talmud and Halakhic texts in their original languages alongside creative learning and camp activities.
Year-Round Online Courses
Ongoing weekly online courses, holiday intensives, and lecture series on topics including Talmud, Tanakh, and Jewish thought, accessible to a global audience.
Yeshivat Drisha
Full-time, advanced Torah learning program for women in Kfar Etzion, Israel, fostering development as talmidot chakhamim through immersive study of Talmud, Halakha, and Jewish thought in a Hebrew-speaking environment with English support.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Structured Jewish Text Study Programs 3 activities
    • Advanced Torah study programs for post-high school women (Yeshivat Drisha)
      Offers a full-time, one-year advanced Torah study program (Shana Alef) and ongoing learning opportunities for post-high school women through Yeshivat Drisha, based in Kfar Etzion since 2018. The program includes daily Talmud study, chavruta learning, shiurim, and electives in Tanakh, Halakha, and Jewish Thought.
    • Summer and year-round Torah programs for young Israeli adults
      Runs a two-week summer program in Israel for young adults aged 22–30 focused on rigorous Torah study, prayer, and exploration, along with ongoing weekly programs including a Friday open Beit Midrash, weekly Gemara courses (in person and online), and holiday-related prayer and learning activities.
    • Year-round and holiday-specific Jewish learning courses and lectures
      Offers weekly, holiday-specific, and intensive Jewish learning opportunities including a Daf Shevui program on Talmud, courses on haftarot and Tisha B’Av themes, Mishnah study, kinnot sessions, and annual lecture series (Rudoff, Bohm, Rapoport). Programs are delivered in person, online, and via live Zoom classes.
  • Jewish Textual and Educational Publishing 2 activities
    • Online and podcast-based Torah education
      Produces and distributes a range of podcast series featuring parashah-based teachings, holiday-focused classes, in-depth biblical character analysis, chavruta-style Talmud study, and live Torah lectures. Content draws from archived and current recordings to support accessible, multi-angled Jewish learning.
    • Online library and course access
      Maintains a digital library providing access to over 500 recorded courses and materials on a broad range of Jewish topics, including Tanakh, Talmud, and Jewish Thought, supporting self-directed and global Jewish learning.
  • Jewish Youth Summer Camps 1 activity
    • Summer Torah study programs for middle and high school girls
      Runs immersive summer programs for middle and high school girls focused on classical Talmud and Halakhic text study in original languages through chavruta learning, combined with camp activities. Programs range from three to five weeks in duration and serve participants from around the world.
  • Jewish Advanced Torah Education 1 activity
    • Summer and year-round Torah programs for undergraduate and graduate students
      Provides multi-week immersive Torah learning and cohort-building programs for undergraduate and graduate students, including rabbinical and cantorial students, with daily Talmud study, shiurim, and electives in Tanakh, Halakha, and Jewish Thought.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Contribution to global Jewish text study initiatives
      Contributes faculty and alumni expertise to the 929 English project, a structured global program to study the entire Hebrew Bible over three and a half years.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$3.10M
Contributions & grants$2.86M92%
Program service revenue$122K4%
Investment income$123K4%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.68M
Program expenses83%
Admin / overhead17%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$585K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$2.28M
Cash$87K
Investments$2.01M
Liabilities$202K
Net assets$2.08M
Liquid reserves15.1 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +470.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
DAVID SILBER DEAN - OFFICER 40 $40K
DEBRA COURTRIGHT CFO 10 $32K
board members · 5
  • ALAN SEPTIMUS — PRESIDENT
  • ALLEN MANSFIELD — TREASURER
  • ANDY MENDES — DIRECTOR
  • DANA RUBINSTEIN — DIRECTOR
  • ZELLA GOLDFINGER — SECRETARY
relationships · 8

Who they work with

  • 929 English Partner — Drisha faculty and alumni contribute to the 929 English project, a global initiative to study the entire Hebrew Bible.
  • Beit Midrash Partner — Location and learning environment where the Summer High School Program for Girls conducts Torah study.
  • Ben Yehuda Press Partner — Publisher of Rifka Rosenwein's collected columns, Life in the Present Tense.
  • Drisha scholars Partner — Teach afternoon courses and electives in the Summer Kollel program.
  • Kibbutz Kfar Etzion Partner — Hosts the Yeshivat Drisha program and provides community integration opportunities for students.
  • Rabbi Dr. Joshua Kulp Partner — Lead instructor for the Daf Shevui program, providing daily explanations and weekly live review classes.
  • Yeshivat Drisha Partner — Israeli affiliate institution focused on advancing women's Torah learning, founded by Drisha in 2018.
  • Yeshivat Drisha Partner — Offers full-time advanced Torah study programs for women, including the Shana Alef program.
strategies · 5

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.

  • Chevruta-Based Learning for Deep Textual Engagement
    methodology: chavruta-based learning
    By using chavruta (paired) study, learners collaboratively analyze classical Jewish texts, producing deeper understanding and mutual accountability because joint inquiry strengthens analytical skills and personal investment in learning.
  • Deep and Honest Learning with Commitment to Action
    methodology: deep_and_honest_learning
    By combining intellectually rigorous and spiritually meaningful engagement with Jewish texts alongside a commitment to action, the institute fosters inclusive and transformative learning because authenticity and depth produce sustained spiritual and intellectual growth.
  • Differentiated Instruction with All-Female Faculty
    methodology: differentiated instruction with all-female faculty
    By employing expert all-female faculty and offering differentiated instruction, the institute supports both beginners and advanced learners because gender-specific pedagogy and tailored pacing increase accessibility and intellectual confidence in Talmud study.
  • Immersive and Cohort-Based Learning Environment
    methodology: cohort_based_immersive_learning
    By situating learning within intensive, cohort-based settings that combine daily study, complementary courses, and community-building activities, the institute deepens textual engagement because sustained immersion and peer relationships enhance commitment and understanding.
  • Integrated Experiential and Textual Learning
    methodology: integrated experiential and textual learning
    By combining rigorous textual study with creative, hands-on methods and social bonding, the institute enhances engagement and personal growth because experiential elements anchor abstract learning in lived experience and community.