The Jewish Education Center of Cleveland (JECC) is a 501(c)(3) religious and educational nonprofit organization located in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Established in 1943, JECC serves as the educational planning arm of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland. The organization is dedicated to fostering and strengthening lifelong Jewish learning and education across diverse community settings, providing resources, support, and programming to inspire meaningful Jewish experiences for children, families, and educators throughout the Cleveland area.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$19.3M
+41.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.0M
+13.2% YoY
Grant Count
34
+21.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$60K
-6.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To inspire transformative Jewish educational experiences that add meaning to the lives of Jewish children and their families in Cleveland.
Vision: To instill a lifelong love of Jewish learning to further Jewish continuity in Cleveland.
JECC's primary program areas include:
Personnel Development: Enriches the skills, Judaic knowledge, and professional development of community educators through mini-courses, online courses, intensive on-site professional development, and tuition subsidies for college degrees and professional development seminars. The organization supported 244 educators with stipends and works with a local professional development committee serving general studies teachers in Cleveland-area affiliated day schools.
Informal Education: The Retreat Institute creates and implements retreats and informal education programs in collaboration with local Jewish educational institutions, serving approximately 1,590 participants including students and educators.
Early Childhood Education: Educational capacity building support for early childhood programs.
Congregational Education: Support and resources for congregational educational initiatives.
Special Education Services: Committed to providing educational support for students with special needs through the SEGULA program.
Teacher Center: A hands-on gathering place where teachers access professional guidance, materials, and resources for creative classroom planning.
Teacher Licensing: Support for teacher licensing and professional credentials.
Israel Scholarships and Camp Grants: Financial support for students' Israel experiences and camp participation.
Information Technology Support: Technical resources for affiliated institutions.
JKIDS (Young Kids in Cleveland): Programming for young children.
jHUB: Interfaith engagement initiatives.
Teen Initiatives and Programming: Educational and developmental programs for teenagers.
Professional Networking and Planning: Evaluation services and professional development opportunities.
JECC also administers the Fund for the Jewish Future, a multi-million dollar endowment supporting continuity projects.
Grantmaking
JECC functions as both a grantmaker and service provider. Based on recent financial data, the organization distributed **$3,235,366** in total giving. Typical grant awards range from **$7,627 to $235,665**.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
JECC's funding and programming activities are primarily concentrated in Ohio, with secondary focus areas in Michigan and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (Fiscal Year 2024):
- Total Assets: $13,668,179
- Total Revenue: $8,447,860
- Total Expenses: $8,333,749
- Total Giving: $3,235,366
Previous Year Data (Fiscal Year 2023):
- Total Assets: $12.1M
- Revenue: $8.29M
- Expenses: $8.08M
Staffing: The organization employs 43 staff members as of 2024.
Tax-Exempt Status: Tax-exempt since January 1945 (EIN: 34-0714554)
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $19,344,965 | $13,668,179 | $12,149,013 |
| Revenue | $13,239,320 | $8,447,860 | $8,291,368 |
| Expenses | $9,021,909 | $8,333,749 | $8,082,328 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $152,515 | $135,048 | $64,592 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
145 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Mandel Jewish Day School ($222,928), Gross Schechter Day School ($206,661), Hebrew Academy ($190,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH | Adult education programs | $143,793 |
| Congregation Mishkan Or Beachwood, OH | Funded positions, school program grants, congreagation enrishment, instituitional stipends retreat, early childhood development and shoresh grants. | $102,698 |
| Mandel Jewish Day School Beachwood, OH | Teacher salary upgrade program and staff development | $222,928 |
| Bnai Jeshurun Congregation Pepper Pike, OH | Congregation enrichment, school program grants, funded positions, retreat, outreach and shoresh grants. | $52,293 |
| Sububan Temple Beachwood, OH | Funded positions, school program grants, intituitional stipends, retreat, and shoresh grants. | $39,066 |
| Park Synagogue Pepper Pike, OH | Funded positions, school program grants, outreach, and congregation enrichment | $67,408 |
| Temple Emanu El Orange Village, OH | Congregation enrichment, school program grants, retreat, outreach, shoresh grants and Institutional stipend. | $16,705 |
| Fuchs Mizrachi Day School Beachwood, OH | Teacher salary upgrade program and staff development | $170,840 |
| Gross Schechter Day School Beachwood, OH | Teacher salary upgrade program and staff development | $206,661 |
| Solon Chabad Hebrew School Solon, OH | Congregation enrichment grants | $16,712 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Marlyn Bloch Jaffe: Chief Executive Officer
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marlyn Bloch Jaffe | Chief Executive Officer | 40 | $296,250 |
| Laurie Hardesty | Chief Financial Officer | 40 | $218,521 |
| Yossi Israeli | Chief Information Officer | 40 | $169,928 |
| Amnon Ophir | Akiva Director/Israel Awareness | 40 | $185,355 |
| Rabbi Stacy Schlein | Director Educational Capacity Building | 40 | $146,827 |
| Ilya Kligman | Network Engineer | 40 | $179,047 |
| Rachel Lawton | Associate Director Hebrew and Judaic Programs | 40 | $110,913 |
| Jared Miller | President | 1 | — |
| Erica Lazzaro | Vice President | 1 | — |
| Sharon Rosenbaum | Vice President | 1 | — |
| Neil Waxman | Vice President | 1 | — |
| Susan Krantz | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Yoni Kelin | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Kenneth Bravo | Honorary Trustee | 1 | — |
| Louis Chaiten | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Lynne Cohen | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Matt Cohen | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Leslie Dunn | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Aaron Evenchik | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Alex Evenchik | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Rachel Glickman | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Harly Gross | Honorary Trustee | 1 | — |
| Gary Gross | Honorary Trustee | 1 | — |
| J David Heller | Honorary Trustee | 1 | — |
| Michelle Hirsch | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Gayle Horwitz | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Keith Israelstam | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Jody Katzner | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Eliana LeVine | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Menachem Lubling | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Mariely Luengo | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Noam Magence | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Kevin Margolis | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Susi Meisel | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Jono Nisenboum | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Shoshana Nyer | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Cole Pesses | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Tamar Poupko Smith | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Chrles Horowitz Ratner | Honorary Trustee | 1 | — |
| Beth Rosenberg | Honorary Trustee | 1 | — |
| Harvey Sass | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Josh Schalk | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Marcy Levy Shankman | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Sharon Socher | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Erica Stafffield | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Moish Tohn | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Sally Wertheim | Honorary Trustee | 1 | — |
| Adam Wieder | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Danielle Wild | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Jeffrey Wild | Honorary Trustee | 1 | — |
| Idelle Wolf | Honorary Trustee | 1 | — |
| Allison Wuliger | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Andrew Zelman | Trustee | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
JECC continues to recognize and celebrate educator achievements through annual Educator Awards presentations, with recent ceremonies held in 2022, 2023, and 2024. The organization remains actively engaged in supporting professional development and recognition of educators across the Cleveland Jewish community.
JECC to celebrate educators for their work, achievementsSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Jewish Education Center of Cleveland fund?
**Mission:** To inspire transformative Jewish educational experiences that add meaning to the lives of Jewish children and their families in Cleveland. **Vision:** To instill a lifelong love of Jewish learning to further Jewish continuity in Cleveland. JECC's primary program areas include: • **Personnel Development:** Enriches the skills, Judaic knowledge, and professional development of community educators through mini-courses, online courses, intensive on-site professional development, and tu…
How do I apply for a grant from Jewish Education Center of Cleveland?
JECC functions as both a grantmaker and service provider. Based on recent financial data, the organization distributed **$3,235,366** in total giving. Typical grant awards range from **$7,627 to $235,665**. Primary funding focus areas include: • Head Start Grants • Early Childhood Development Grants • Elementary Education Grants • Grants for Jewish Nonprofits The organization supports affiliated institutions including Agnon School, Cleveland Hebrew School, Fuchs Mizrachi, Gross Schecter Day Sch…
Where does Jewish Education Center of Cleveland make grants?
JECC's funding and programming activities are primarily concentrated in **Ohio**, with secondary focus areas in **Michigan** and the **District of Columbia**.
What size grants does Jewish Education Center of Cleveland award?
In 2025, Jewish Education Center of Cleveland awarded 34 grants totaling $2.0M — an average of about $60K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Jewish Education Center of Cleveland's EIN?
Jewish Education Center of Cleveland's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-0714554. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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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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