COMMON MAPS
Map version new-york activity top-down
Main site Contact
Menu
↑ parent activity group ·
research dossier

AMERICAN FRIENDS OF MATAN INC

POMONA, NY · EIN 133639482 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE T70J · Philanthropy & Grantmaking · Medium ($1M-$10M) · matan.org.il
revenue
$1.1M
expenses
$1.3M
net assets
$1.9M
employees
2
program ratio
94%
mission · from form 990

TO ESTABLISH A GENERATION OF EXPERT JEWISH LEADERSHIP WOMEN WHO ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT THE TORAH

profile · synthesized from sources

Matan - The Sadie Rennert Women's Institute is an Israeli nonprofit founded in 1988 to advance advanced Torah study for women. It operates multiple study centers across Israel, offering rigorous programs in Talmud, Halacha, and Bible for women of all backgrounds. Matan also runs community-wide educational initiatives, including Bat Mitzvah programs and public lecture series, both in Israel and the diaspora.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Advanced Talmud and Halacha Programs
Multi-year programs for women to study Talmud and Jewish law at a high level, including certification tracks for halachic advisors
Halachic Advisers Training Program
Innovative program training women as halachic leaders in family law and lifecycle issues, combining religious study with medical and psychological training
Matan Answer Center
Online and Zoom-based halachic consultation service where women can receive guidance from trained female halachic advisors
Mothers and Daughters Bat Mitzvah Program
Year-long program for mothers and daughters to study together in preparation for the Bat Mitzvah, offered in Israel and over 80 diaspora communities
Summer Learning Programs
Annual summer series offering Torah study in Bible, Talmud, and Jewish thought, available in person and online
activities · 7 groups

What they do

  • Jewish Textual and Educational Publishing 3 activities
    • Digital learning tools and publications
      Develops and maintains four educational websites for Bible instruction and publishes scholarly and popular books on Jewish texts, including works on Ruth, Lamentations, and Rosh Hashanah liturgy.
    • Online and hybrid Torah learning
      Delivers Torah education through live-streamed Zoom sessions, recorded on-demand content, and hybrid courses combining in-person and online participation, making classes accessible to women and men worldwide.
    • Specialized Torah lecture series
      Hosts targeted lecture series on topics including prophecy, mourning laws, Rabbi Kook’s teachings on redemption, and halachic analysis of women’s obligations, featuring scholars such as Dr. Rabbanit Adina Strenger, Rabbanit Chani Winkler, Rabbi Johnny Solomon, and Rabbanit Ariela Davis.
  • Structured Jewish Text Study Programs 2 activities
    • Advanced Torah education for women
      Provides in-depth Torah study programs for women of all ages and backgrounds through an institute founded in 1988, offering courses in Bible, Jewish law, and rabbinic teachings at its flagship location in Jerusalem and multiple branches across Israel.
    • Thematic theological and emotional study programs
      Organizes educational programs that explore theological and emotional responses to mourning and other lifecycle events through rabbinic teachings, combining textual study with personal reflection.
  • Jewish Women's Spiritual & Social Circles 1 activity
    • Bat Mitzvah and lifecycle education programs
      Offers the “Jewish Woman Through the Generations” Bat Mitzvah program launched in 1994, designed to deepen the spiritual and educational significance of the Bat Mitzvah year for daughters and mothers, delivered in Israel and globally.
  • Halachic Guidance and Education Services 1 activity
    • Halachic counseling and responsa
      Provides online halachic guidance through the 'Mashivat Nefesh' project, including written responsa and personal Zoom consultations that integrate halachic advice from a Morah L'Halakha with medical input from a doctor.
  • Elder Abuse and Legal Advocacy Services 1 activity
    • Legal and social consulting services
      Provides consulting services in areas related to aging, disability, and community integration through a senior legal advisor.
  • Jewish Leadership Development 1 activity
    • Teacher training and educational leadership
      Trains women as halachic educators and community leaders through the 'Halachic Educators' program launched in 2016, and leads the Ashcholot program for Jewish studies teachers, including curriculum development and pedagogical leadership.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • National and international program expansion
      Operates branches in Raanana, Beit Shemesh, Modi'in, Ashkelon, Zichron Yaakov, Netanya, Be'er Sheva, and Rehovot, and has expanded its Bat Mitzvah program to over 80 diaspora communities since 2004.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.15M
Contributions & grants$1.15M100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$3K0%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.25M
Program expenses94%
Admin / overhead6%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$161K
Grants paid out$943K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.90M
Cash$1.90M
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$1.90M
Liquid reserves18.1 mo
2 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +42.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 3
  • JAY POMRENZE — GOVENOR
  • SAMUEL EISENSTADT — GOVENOR
  • SUZANNE HOCHSTEIN — GOVENOR
relationships · 10

Who they work with

  • Bar-Ilan University Partner — Academic institution where multiple Matan faculty members earned degrees and currently teach.
  • Beit Knesset Menorat Hamaor Partner — Hosted Torah study sessions in Ramat Beit Shemesh
  • Beit Knesset Necham Manasseh Partner — Hosted Torah study sessions in Ramat Beit Shemesh
  • David and Mindy Tennenbaum Partner — Supported the founding of Matan HaSharon in Raanana in memory of Mindy Tennenbaum, with the branch initially operating in their home.
  • Herzog College Partner — Institution where Matan faculty members teach and hold academic positions.
  • Yeshiva University Partner — Academic affiliation where a senior faculty member earned the first PhD in Bible awarded to a woman by the institution.
  • בית המדרש לנשים במגדל עז Partner — Host institution where Dr. Achinnom Ya'akobs teaches and with which Matan collaborates.
  • מכללת הרצוג Partner — Institution where Dr. Achinnom Ya'akobs teaches and with which Matan collaborates.
  • קרן אריאל בנשמת Partner — Collaborates with or draws graduates from the Kerem Ariel program at Nishmat.
  • תוכנית 'כתבוני' Partner — Program at Matan Women's Institute with which Dr. Achinnom Ya'akobs is affiliated.
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.

  • Advancing Academic Access for Women in Jewish Studies
    methodology: advanced_academic_access_for_women
    By pioneering advanced academic opportunities such as the first PhD in Bible for women at Yeshiva University, we expand the role of women in Jewish scholarship, because institutional recognition and credentialing validate women’s intellectual authority and create pathways for future generations.
  • Hybrid and Multimodal Torah Learning
    methodology: hybrid_learning
    By delivering Torah education through onsite, live-streamed, and recorded formats, we increase access and participation, because offering flexible modalities removes geographic and scheduling barriers and enables broader, more inclusive engagement with Jewish learning.
  • Inclusive Torah Education for Women
    methodology: inclusive_Torah_education
    By offering innovative and rigorous Torah education programs tailored to women of all ages and backgrounds, we advance women's participation in Jewish learning, because creating accessible, high-quality educational frameworks counters historical exclusion and fosters deeper religious engagement.
  • Integrated Textual and Emotional Learning
    methodology: integrative_textual_and_emotional_learning
    By combining religious, psychological, and intellectual analysis of rabbinic texts, we foster spiritual and emotional closeness to the divine, especially in times of mourning, because a multidimensional approach to text study supports both cognitive understanding and emotional healing.
  • Integrative Halachic and Medical Counseling
    methodology: integrated halachic-medical consultation
    By providing joint halachic and medical consultations, we support individuals facing health-related religious questions, because integrating religious and clinical expertise leads to more holistic, personalized guidance that respects both halachic integrity and medical reality.