named programs · 8 · from sources
What they call their work
Crash Courses in Basic Judaism
Introductory classes teaching foundational knowledge of Judaism and Jewish life to beginners
Hebrew Reading Crash Course
Teaches Jews with little or no Hebrew background to read Hebrew in five 1.5-hour weekly sessions; includes Level I, Level II, and Advanced Level I courses
Hebrew Writing Crash Course
Three-hour class teaching Hebrew block letter writing while reinforcing reading skills learned in beginner courses
High Holiday Beginners Services
Specially designed services for those new to or unfamiliar with Jewish holiday prayer services, particularly around Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
One Day Review
Short course to refresh Hebrew reading skills before advancing to Level II or preparing for Jewish holidays
Read Hebrew America and Canada
Continent-wide Hebrew literacy campaign offering classes between October and December to foster Jewish identity through Hebrew reading skills
Shabbat Across America and Shabbat Across Canada
Nationwide event inviting Jews to experience Shabbat through explanatory services, rituals, meals, and discussions at synagogues and Jewish centers
Twebrew School
Online platform offering bite-sized Hebrew lessons for review and reinforcement of Hebrew reading and writing
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Jewish Religious Education and Outreach 2 activities
- Annual continent-wide Hebrew literacy campaignConducts the "Read Hebrew America and Canada" campaign each fall after the High Holidays, offering Hebrew classes through partner synagogues and Jewish centers across North America to promote Hebrew literacy.
- Virtual educational classesCoordinates and delivers virtual Jewish educational classes via Zoom, enabling broad access to programming across North America and beyond.
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Structured Jewish Text Study Programs 2 activities
- Basic Judaism and Jewish History educationOffers recurring Crash Course programs in Basic Judaism and Jewish History, with classes exploring belief in God, prayer, Sabbath, Jewish observance, and sexuality, as well as providing a working knowledge of Jewish history and identity.
- Hebrew Reading Crash Course instructionOffers free, structured Hebrew reading instruction through Level I and Level II courses, a One Day Review refresher, and a Hebrew Writing Crash Course, teaching participants to read, write, and improve fluency in Hebrew. The Level I course consists of five 1.5-hour weekly sessions, and 77% of participants enroll in follow-up courses.
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Jewish Community Media Production 1 activity
- Digital Jewish education outreachDistributes daily email insights on Jewish life, practice, and holidays; produces weekly Torah commentaries by Rabbi Buchwald; maintains the Jewish Treats YouTube channel with over 2.4 million views; and publishes recurring newsletters including Bereishith and The NJOP Report to reach a broad audience.
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Jewish Textual and Educational Publishing 1 activity
- Educational material development and distributionDevelops and publishes Hebrew language instruction materials, including the Reishith Binah Hebrew primer in multiple languages (Russian, Hungarian, Spanish), and produces supplementary reading materials for classes.
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Regional Chapter Network Support 1 activity
- Partnership-based program deliveryDelivers Jewish educational programs through partnerships with over 5,200 synagogues and Jewish organizations across North America and in 45 countries, enabling broad geographic reach and local engagement.
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Jewish Holiday and Shabbat Community Events 1 activity
- Shabbat and holiday educational programmingOrganizes annual Shabbat Across America and Canada events and provides recurring holiday-specific programs for Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Passover, Shavuot, and Tisha b'Av, featuring explanatory services, meals, discussions, classes, stories, and guides to engage Jews in Jewish life.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.27M
Contributions & grants$1.22M97%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$41K3%
Other revenue$1K
expenses
Total expenses$1.45M
Program expenses67%
Admin / overhead19%
Fundraising13%
Salaries & benefits$1.09M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$2.02M
Cash$489K
Investments$1.44M
Liabilities$178K
Net assets$1.84M
Liquid reserves15.9 mo
7 years on record · 2018–2024 · YoY revenue +29.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPHRAIM BUCHWALD | DIRECTOR | 60 | $256K |
| LAWRENCE GREENMAN | ASSISTANT SE | 60 | $175K |
board members · 16
- ADAM FINE — BOARD OF DIR
- BERNARD GOLDBERG — BOARD MEMBER
- CYRUS SCHWARTZ — BOARD OF DIR
- ELI SALIG — BOARD OF DIR
- ELIZABETH KONECKY — BOARD OF DIR
- FRED EHRMAN — BOARD OF DIR
- GEORGE ROHR — BOARD OF DIR
- HOWARD HOFFEN — BOARD OF DIR
- ILAN KAUFTHAL — BOARD OF DIR
- LEONARD SHAYKIN — BOARD OF DIR
- MARC BELZBERG — BOARD OF DIR
- MARC ROWAN — BOARD OF DIR
- MOSHAEL STRAUS — BOARD OF DIR
- SAUL SPITZ — BOARD OF DIR
- TRACY GERBER — BOARD OF DIR
- VALERIE DIKER — BOARD OF DIR
relationships · 11
Who they work with
- Jewish Treats Partner — Social media arm of NJOP that shares daily content about Judaism.
- JewishTweets Partner — Social media platform operated by NJOP as part of its digital outreach.
- READ HEBREW AMERICA AND CANADA Partner — Collaborative program partner in Jewish literacy initiatives.
- Read Hebrew America and Canada Partner — Continent-wide Hebrew literacy campaign partnered with each fall.
- SHABBAT ACROSS AMERICA AND CANADA Partner — Collaborative program partner in Shabbat outreach initiatives.
- Shabbat Across America Partner — NJOP's annual Shabbat program offered under the Shabbat Across America initiative.
- Shabbat Across America and Canada Partner — Flagship campaign partnered with for annual programming.
- Shabbat Across Canada Partner — NJOP's annual Shabbat program offered under the Shabbat Across Canada initiative.
- congregations Partner — Partners with congregations through local coordinators to deliver outreach initiatives.
- rabbis Partner — Collaborates with rabbis in congregations to implement NJOP programs.
- synagogues and Jewish centers Partner — Hosts Hebrew classes as part of the Read Hebrew America and Canada campaign.
strategies · 4
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.
- Decentralized Network Model for Scalable Jewish Outreachmethodology: decentralized_network_deliveryBy partnering with local rabbis, congregations, and organizations to deliver free, standardized programming, we achieve broad reach and cultural relevance, because leveraging trusted local networks increases accessibility and trust among unaffiliated or marginally affiliated Jews.
- Hebrew Literacy as a Pathway to Jewish Reconnectionmethodology: language-as-connectionBy teaching foundational Hebrew literacy to beginners through accessible, standardized curricula, we enable personal reconnection to Jewish identity and heritage, because language serves as an empowering and tangible link to tradition and community.
- Inclusive, Standardized Entry Points to Jewish Practicemethodology: inclusive_introductionBy offering affiliation-neutral, standardized Shabbat and holiday experiences, we lower barriers to entry for Jews of all backgrounds, because predictable, welcoming, and non-intimidating formats foster comfort and encourage ongoing engagement.
- Joy-Centered Engagement Through Accessible Learningmethodology: joy-centered_engagementBy delivering positive, joyous experiences of Jewish life and bite-sized, engaging content ("Juicy Bits of Judaism"), we foster accessible and sustainable engagement, because enjoyment lowers barriers to entry and encourages continued participation in Jewish learning and practice.