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AMERICAN FRIENDS OF KESHER YEHUDI
WOODMERE, NY · EIN 813967978 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE P20 · Human Services · Medium ($1M-$10M) · www.kesher-yehudi.com
revenue
$2.0M
expenses
$1.9M
net assets
$83K
employees
0
program ratio
96%
mission · from form 990

PROVIDES AID AND ASSISTANCE FOR JEWISH IDENTITY , SUPPORTS INSTITUTIONS FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION .

profile · synthesized from sources

Kesher Yehudi is an Israeli social movement building lasting friendships between secular and religious Jews to strengthen national unity. Through one-on-one chavruta (study partnerships), shared Shabbat experiences, and holiday programming, the organization fosters mutual understanding and connection. It has expanded its work to support families of hostages and survivors of the October 7th attacks, offering spiritual and emotional comfort through community and tradition.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Chavruta Program
Matches secular and ultra-Orthodox Jews as one-on-one study partners to explore Jewish texts and build lasting friendships through shared learning and experiences.
Emergency Response Programming
Provides trauma-informed support to Nova festival survivors and hostage families through Shabbatons, holiday gatherings, and ongoing chavruta relationships.
Jewish Unity Project
Emergency initiative launched to support families of hostages by expanding the chavruta program in their merit, offering spiritual connection, learning, and community events.
Mechninot Program
Partners with secular pre-army academies to connect students with religious peers through monthly study, Shabbatons, and holiday events, deepening their connection to Jewish identity before military service.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Jewish Holiday and Shabbat Community Events 1 activity
    • Create communal healing spaces for trauma-affected Israelis
      Organizes communal gatherings, including Simchat Torah celebrations and Shabbatons, for Israelis affected by trauma, grief, and disconnection from tradition, with a focus on spiritual healing and reconnection to Jewish life.
  • Structured Jewish Text Study Programs 1 activity
    • Facilitate chavruta study partnerships between secular and religious Jews
      Arranges one-on-one Torah study partnerships (chavrutot) between secular and religious Jews in Israel, with over 16,000 participants engaged since inception and approximately 100 new pairs formed monthly. These partnerships are conducted in person and via weekly phone calls, fostering ongoing engagement and spiritual growth.
  • Israel and Jewish Heritage Educational Travel 1 activity
    • Foster cross-sector relationships among diverse Jewish communities
      Builds relationships across religious, secular, and ultra-Orthodox Jewish sectors in Israel through structured programming, peer engagement, and long-term friendship development, with a focus on Jewish unity and shared learning experiences.
  • Jewish Leadership Development 1 activity
    • Provide programming for pre-military academy youth
      Delivers structured programming to over 1,600 students annually across 32 secular pre-army academies (mechinot) in Israel, connecting them to Jewish heritage through monthly in-person study sessions, holiday events, and peer engagement with volunteers from ultra-Orthodox communities.
  • Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care Services 1 activity
    • Support families of hostages and survivors of the October 7th attacks
      Provides spiritual and communal support to families of hostages taken on October 7th and survivors of the Nova music festival massacre through Shabbatons, community events, holiday programming, dedicated staff engagement, and chavruta learning partnerships. Includes organizing joint prayer gatherings and full Shabbat experiences focused on healing and connection.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.99M
Contributions & grants$1.99M100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.94M
Program expenses96%
Admin / overhead4%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$1.87M
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$83K
Cash$55K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$83K
Liquid reserves0.3 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +226.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 3
  • ESTHER WEIN — PERSIDENT
  • MARTIN SCHMELL — TREASURER
  • SHIFRI PERL — SECRETARY
relationships · 18

Who they work with

  • American Friends of Kesher Yehudi Government — U.S.-based nonprofit supporting Kesher Yehudi; accepts tax-deductible donations.
  • Aviva Hoch Partner — Member of the Kesher Yehudi Board
  • Col. Gilad Olshtein Partner — Co-developed the mechina program in collaboration with Col. Gilad Olshtein, Educational Director at Nachshon Mechina.
  • Dr. Allan Seidenfeld Partner — Member of the Kesher Yehudi Board
  • Esther Wein Partner — Member of the Kesher Yehudi Board
  • Families of the Hostages Partner — Collaborates with families of hostages to provide spiritual and emotional support and co-host events.
  • Jenny Felder Partner — Member of the Kesher Yehudi Board
  • Jerusalem Unity Prize Government — Recipient of the Jerusalem Unity Prize, a recognition of efforts to unify Israeli society.
  • Jonathan Rosenblum Partner — Member of the Kesher Yehudi Board
  • Judy Frankel Partner — Member of the Kesher Yehudi Board
  • Leonard Wassner Partner — Member of the Kesher Yehudi Board
  • Moshe Schmell Partner — Member of the Kesher Yehudi Board
  • Nachshon Mechina Partner — Collaborates with Nachshon Mechina to adapt and deliver the chavruta program across its three campuses.
  • Nova Survivors Partner — Provides comfort and programming to survivors of the Nova Festival attack.
  • Reuven Rivlin Government — Former President of Israel who awarded Kesher Yehudi the Jerusalem Unity Prize in 2016.
  • Reuven Rivlin Government — Then President of Israel who awarded Kesher Yehudi the 2016 Unity Prize.
  • Shmuel and Leah Rieder Partner — Members of the Kesher Yehudi Board
  • Tzili Schneider Partner — Founded Kesher Yehudi to bridge divides between secular and religious Jews.
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.

  • Chavruta-Based Healing for Trauma Survivors
    methodology: chavruta_based_healing
    By using chavruta (paired learning) between trauma survivors, we support emotional and spiritual healing because the reciprocal, structured relationship provides safe, meaningful connection that fosters resilience and recovery.
  • Chavruta-Based Intergroup Dialogue
    methodology: chavruta_based_dialogue
    By pairing secular and religious Jews in one-on-one chavruta (study partner) relationships grounded in shared Jewish texts, we build mutual understanding and lasting connections because learning together fosters respect, reduces stereotypes, and strengthens shared identity.
  • Shabbat as a Unifying Practice
    methodology: shabbat_as_unifying_practice
    By engaging secular and religious Jews in shared Shabbat experiences, we strengthen Jewish identity and reduce societal division because ritual participation creates embodied, relational moments of unity that transcend ideological differences.
  • Shared Jewish Identity as Unifying Framework
    methodology: shared_identity_bridging
    By emphasizing shared Jewish identity and heritage as a common foundation, we bridge divides between religious and secular Jews because this shared belonging fosters openness, reduces polarization, and enables deeper relational engagement.
  • Structured Relationship Sustainability
    By incorporating intentional reflection and closure practices at the end of programs, we increase the likelihood of sustained relationships between participants because it reinforces commitment and personal meaning beyond the program duration.