Harry and Jane Fischel Foundation
The Harry and Jane Fischel Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established on January 4, 1932, by philanthropist Harry Fischel. Based in Forest Hills, New York, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to advancing Orthodox Judaism through education, research, and community support in the United States and Israel.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$19.9M
+2.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$524K
-32.7% YoY
Grant Count
11
-56.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$48K
+53.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Harry and Jane Fischel Foundation reported a distributable amount of $947K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation is organized to develop Talmudic research to aid Jewish knowledge and to present Orthodox Jewish contributions to civilization. Primary funding areas include:
- Talmudic Research and Education: Support for institutes that conduct research and republish Talmudic commentary in new editions utilizing previously unknown manuscripts
- Religious Law and Judicial Training: Funding for schools that train judges for religious courts and publish tracts in the field of religious law
- Jewish Education: Support for educational institutions serving the Orthodox Jewish community
- Synagogues and Religious Institutions: Grants to temples and religious organizations
- Community Services: Support for organizations serving Jewish communities
Grantmaking
The foundation accepts grant applications through its website at fischelfoundation.org.
Grant Range
$2,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds organizations in the United States and Israel, with particular emphasis on communities in these regions.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Giving (as of December 2024):
- Total assets: $19,853,586
- Total revenues: $1,841,188
- Total expenses: $1,887,826
- Investment income and dividends: $229,269
- Net rental income: $171,468
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $290,800
Tax Status:
- EIN: 13-5677832
- Tax-exempt since May 1941
- Required to file IRS Form 990-PF
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $19,853,586 | $19,434,459 | $19,019,175 |
| Revenue | $1,841,188 | $1,849,834 | $1,550,205 |
| Expenses | $1,887,826 | $2,163,555 | $2,247,136 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $621,462 | $878,693 | $1,264,736 |
| Net Investment Income | $616,743 | $786,269 | $709,201 |
| Distributable Amount | $946,793 | $967,594 | $973,130 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
95 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Harry Fischel Institute ($461,461), Yeshiva University ($26,250), The Golden Network ($11,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| HARRY FISCHEL INSTITUTE | GENERAL CONTRIBUTION | $461,461 |
| JEWISH SOUL BETHEL, NY | GENERAL CONTRIBUTION | $9,900 |
| KEW GARDENS SYNAGOGUE KEW GARDENS, NY | GENERAL CONTRIBUTION | $1,000 |
| THE GOLDEN NETWORK SILVER SPRING, MD | GENERAL CONTRIBUTION | $11,500 |
| YESHIVA HAR TORAH QUEENS, NY | GENERAL CONTRIBUTION | $900 |
| YESHIVA UNIVERSITY NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL CONTRIBUTION | $26,250 |
| YOUNG ISRAEL OF HOLLISWOOD HOLLISWOOD, NY | GENERAL CONTRIBUTION | $2,000 |
| HEBREW ACADEMY OF NASSAU COUNTY WEST HEMPSTEAD, NY | GENERAL CONTRIBUTION | $500 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF HATZOLAH BEIT SHEMESH BROOKLYN, NY | GENERAL CONTRIBUTION | $1,500 |
| HAKSHIVA INC CEDARHURST, NY | GENERAL CONTRIBUTION | $7,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is governed by a board of directors with limited paid staffing:
- Seth M. Goldstein - President/Director
- Rabbi Aaron Reichel - Board Secretary/Director
- Rabbi Hillel Reichel - 1st Vice-President and Director
- Chaim Stepelman - 2nd Vice-President and Director
- Additional Directors: Deborah Stepelman, Jonathan Kraus, Avishai Kraus, David S. Locker, Stuart Shor, Donald Moses, Yitzchak Dov Bronner, Daniel Davis
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SETH M GOLDSTEIN | PRESIDENT / DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| RABBI AARON REICHEL | BOARD SECRETARY DIRECTOR | 12 | $41,919 |
| DEBORAH STEPELMAN | DIRECTOR | 0.3 | — |
| RABBI HILLEL REICHEL | 1ST VICE-PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR | 0.4 | $17,836 |
| JONATHAN KRAUS | DIRECTOR | 0.3 | — |
| CHAIM STEPELMAN | 2ND VICE-PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR | 0.4 | — |
| AVISHAI KRAUS | DIRECTOR | 0.3 | — |
| DAVID S LOCKER | DIRECTOR | 0.4 | — |
| STUART SHOR | DIRECTOR | 0.4 | — |
| DONALD MOSES | DIRECTOR | 0.4 | — |
| YITZCHAK DOV BRONNER | DIRECTOR | 0.3 | — |
| DANIEL DAVIS | DIRECTOR | 0.3 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has supported emergency services and community expansion initiatives, including donations of emergency vehicles to United Hatzalah and funding to enable the Golden Network to expand activities serving the Baltimore community.
Harry and Jane Fischel Foundation Donates Multiple Emergency Vehicles toFrequently Asked Questions
What does Harry and Jane Fischel Foundation fund?
The foundation is organized to develop Talmudic research to aid Jewish knowledge and to present Orthodox Jewish contributions to civilization. Primary funding areas include: • **Talmudic Research and Education**: Support for institutes that conduct research and republish Talmudic commentary in new editions utilizing previously unknown manuscripts • **Religious Law and Judicial Training**: Funding for schools that train judges for religious courts and publish tracts in the field of religious law…
How do I apply for a grant from Harry and Jane Fischel Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • The foundation made 11 grants in its most recent fiscal year • Median grant size: $2,000 • Grant range: $500 to $461,000 • Recent grantees include Yeshiva University ($26,250), Golden Network ($11,500), and Jewish Soul ($9,900) **Application Process:** The foundation accepts grant applications through its website at fischelfoundation.org.
Where does Harry and Jane Fischel Foundation make grants?
The foundation funds organizations in the United States and Israel, with particular emphasis on communities in these regions.
What size grants does Harry and Jane Fischel Foundation award?
In 2024, Harry and Jane Fischel Foundation awarded 11 grants totaling $524K — an average of about $48K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Harry and Jane Fischel Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Harry and Jane Fischel Foundation reported a distributable amount of $947K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Harry and Jane Fischel Foundation's EIN?
Harry and Jane Fischel Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-5677832. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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