named programs · 1 · from sources
What they call their work
CONTACT Magazine
Biannual publication exploring themes in contemporary Jewish life, identity, education, and culture, featuring essays and commentary on global Jewish communities.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
-
Jewish Leadership Development 2 activities
- Developing Kayitz Kef Hebrew immersion programDeveloped and expanded Kayitz Kef, a program providing Hebrew immersion experiences at Jewish summer camps, growing from 17 campers in 2013 to nearly 7,000 campers across 40 camps.
- Supporting Community Security Service’s ROAM programSupports the expansion of the Community Security Service’s ROAM program, which trains around 75 young professionals and college students annually in community security and Jewish identity.
-
-
Jewish Religious Education and Outreach 2 activities
- Establishing Makor cultural and learning centerFounded Makor, a cultural and learning center for Jewish adults in their 20s and 30s, to foster engagement with Jewish traditions and community.
- Founding and overseeing Jewish Early Childhood Education Initiative (JECEI)Launched JECEI, a nationwide initiative providing grants, mentoring, accreditation, and marketing support to transform Jewish preschools into centers of Jewish educational excellence.
-
-
Jewish Textual and Educational Publishing 2 activities
- Publishing Contact magazineRelaunched and publishes Contact magazine, featuring critical commentary and diverse perspectives on contemporary Jewish life, history, memory, and cultural expression.
- Supporting MyJewishLearning.com as engagement platformPartners with the Samuel Bronfman Foundation and others to support MyJewishLearning.com as a digital point of engagement for unaffiliated Jews.
-
-
Israel and Jewish Heritage Educational Travel 1 activity
- Co-founding and funding Birthright IsraelCo-founded and funded Birthright Israel, which has brought close to a million young Jews on free 10-day educational trips to Israel since its launch in 1999.
-
-
Youth and Community Research Initiatives 1 activity
- Conducting research on American Jewish life and prioritiesConducted research including a feasibility study on higher education interventions and published essays and reports on Jewish identity, community, and priorities, such as in SAPIR Journal and Jewish Priorities 2023.
-
-
Student Career Readiness and Internship Placement 1 activity
- Supporting Birthright Excel internship programSupported Birthright Excel, a program offering American college students summer internships in Israel to build professional and personal connections with Israeli peers.
-
-
Uncategorized 5 activities
- Founding and supporting Hebrew language charter schoolsFounded and supported the development of a network of 15 Hebrew language charter schools across the U.S., serving over 4,000 students, with a goal of expanding to 24,000 fluent students over ten years.
- Founding the Steinhardt Museum of Natural HistoryFounded the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History at Tel Aviv University to advance natural history research and promote Israeli scientific excellence.
- Launching and scaling OneTableLaunched and expanded OneTable, a web-based platform enabling young adults to organize and participate in Shabbat dinners across the U.S. and beyond, beginning in 2014.
- Supporting Hebrew language educator training programsProvided grants and support to graduate-level Hebrew language teacher training programs at Middlebury College and Queens College, including establishing a Master of Arts in Teaching Hebrew program.
- Supporting national infrastructure for Hebrew language and culture educationActed as a founding funder of the Consortium for the Teaching of Hebrew Language and Culture at Brandeis University and provided ongoing support to Hebrew Public to advance the Hebrew charter school movement.
-
financials · form 990PF · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.15M
Contributions & grants$2.13M99%
Program service revenue——
Investment income$17K1%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$2.14M
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$570K
Grants paid out$40K
balance sheet
Total assets$513K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$372K
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +23.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID GEDZELMAN | PRESIDENT & TREASURER | 50 | $547K |
| ELI SCHAAP | SEN. VICE PRESIDENT & SECRETARY | 40 | $130K |
board members · 4
- DAVID STEINHARDT — DIRECTOR
- JUDY STEINHARDT — DIRECTOR
- MICHAEL STEINHARDT — CHAIR
- SARA BLOOM — VICE CHAIR
relationships · 39
Who they work with
- Areivim Philanthropic Group Partner — Leadership and board involvement by foundation leadership.
- Ari L. Goldman Partner — Contributing author on Holocaust memory
- Ben and Esther Rosenbloom Foundation Partner — Co-launched the Jewish Early Childhood Education Initiative (JECEI)
- Birthright Israel Partner — Co-founded Birthright Israel to provide free trips to Israel for Jewish young adults.
- Brandeis University Partner — Founding funder of the Consortium for the Teaching of Hebrew Language and Culture at Brandeis University.
- Brandeis University Partner — Partnered with Brandeis University in training educators for Modern Israeli Hebrew instruction.
- Brigitte Sion Partner — Contributing author on European Jewish museums
- CUNY’s Queens College Partner — Partnered with CUNY’s Queens College in training educators for Modern Israeli Hebrew instruction.
- Combined Jewish Philanthropies/JCCs of Greater Boston Partner — Co-launched the Jewish Early Childhood Education Initiative (JECEI)
- Community Security Service Partner — Supports the expansion of the CSS ROAM program, which trains young professionals and students in community security.
- Foundation for Jewish Camp Partner — Partnered on the Kayitz Kef (Hebrew at Camp) program to support Hebrew language immersion in Jewish summer camps.
- Ghiora Aharoni Partner — Featured artist with language-melding sculptures
- Harlem Hebrew Language Academy Charter School Partner — Supported through foundation initiatives and board involvement.
- Hebrew Language Academy Charter School Partner — Supported through foundation initiatives and board involvement.
- Hebrew Public Partner — Provided financial and in-kind support to advance the Hebrew language charter school movement.
- Hebrew Public Partner — Supported through foundation initiatives and board involvement.
- Hilary Schumer Partner — Contributing author on Jewish terms in American vernacular
- Jewish Priorities Partner — Collaborated with Jewish Priorities to publish essays by Michael Steinhardt and Rabbi David Gedzelman.
- Liam Hoare Partner — Contributing author on profiles of Jewish engagement
- Middlebury College Partner — Partnered with Middlebury College in training educators for Modern Israeli Hebrew instruction.
- Middlebury College School of Hebrew Partner — Receives support from The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life for graduate-level programs
- MyJewishLearning.com Partner — Supported by The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life as a platform for Jewish learning
- OneTable: Shabbat Together Partner — Launched and supported by the foundation.
- Paul Singer Partner — Co-founded OneTable with Paul Singer and Terry Kassel.
- Primary Areas of Focus Partner — Featured as a program area on the foundation's website
- Queens College, CUNY Partner — Provided a significant grant to establish the Master of Arts in Teaching Hebrew program.
- Rabbi David Gedzelman Partner — Contributing author on Hebrew poetry in Israeli songs
- SAPIR Journal Partner — Collaborated with SAPIR Journal to publish "New Priorities for American Jews" by Sara Steinhardt Bloom.
- Samuel Bronfman Foundation Partner — Co-supports MyJewishLearning.com
- Selected Ongoing Partnerships Partner — Featured as a program area on the foundation's website
+ 9 more
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.
- Digital and Media Platforms for Unaffiliated Jewish Engagementmethodology: digital-engagement-for-unaffiliated-jewsBy offering pluralistic online education and curated media content, the foundation reaches Jews unaffiliated with traditional institutions, because accessible, non-judgmental digital spaces lower barriers to entry and allow for self-directed exploration of Jewish identity.
- Experiential Entry Point for Jewish Engagementmethodology: experiential_entry_pointBy using accessible rituals like Shabbat dinners as low-barrier experiences, the foundation fosters deeper Jewish connection and engagement among young and unaffiliated Jews, because shared lived experiences are more effective than didactic approaches at building identity and belonging.
- Hebrew Language as a Cultural and Civic Bridgemethodology: hebrew_in_public_educationBy promoting Hebrew language education through public charter schools and educator training, the foundation fosters cultural connection and global citizenship, because language acquisition creates durable pathways to identity, belonging, and cross-cultural understanding.
- Israel as a Pillar of Diaspora Jewish Identitymethodology: israel-centered_jewish_engagementBy leveraging transformative experiences in Israel and promoting Israel-centered education and cultural narratives, the foundation strengthens Diaspora Jewish engagement, because personal connection to modern Israel fosters a sense of peoplehood, pride, and shared destiny.
- Strengthening Jewish Identity Through Family and Early Educationmethodology: family-engagement-through-early-educationBy investing in high-quality Jewish early childhood education, the foundation instills Jewish identity in children and simultaneously inspires broader family engagement, because early positive experiences serve as foundational touchpoints that ripple outward to parents and caregivers.