Torah Defenders Fund
Torah Defenders Fund is a private foundation based in Lawrence, New York. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including schools and other Jewish organizations.
Key facts about Torah Defenders Fund
In short: Torah Defenders Fund gave $160K across 27 grants in 2024 (avg $6K), mostly in New York. 22% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- EIN
- 46-7292662
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990 filing, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $159,750
- Grants made (2024)
- 27
- Average grant
- $5,917
- Median grant
- $1,600
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (6 of 27, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (69% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990 filing, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 filing · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$160K
+75.0% YoY
Grant Count
27
+12.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$6K
+55.5% YoY
Is Torah Defenders Fund open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 27 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $2K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the fund is available. Its 2024 grants went to organizations including schools and other charitable organizations. One recipient, Peylim Lev Lachim, describes its own work as supporting Jewish, Torah-based programs, with a primary focus on education, outreach, social services, counseling, school placement, and adult education programs in Israel.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the fund reported 27 grants totaling $159,750. Grants ranged from $180 to $22,500, with a median of $1,600. Notable recipients included Yad Eliezer ($22,500), Lev Lachim ($21,600), American Friends of Orchos Chaim ($20,000), Manhattan High School ($15,000), and Yeshiva Ktana Long Island ($15,000).
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 69% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 16% to California, 14% to New Jersey, and 1% to Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 27 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $73K (2021) to $160K (2024). In 2024 it made 27 grants totaling $160K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Yad Eliezer ($23K). Together the top 10 received $135K.
Grant Size Distribution
83 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 83 grants of 83 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Yad Eliezer Brooklyn, NY | Charitable | $22,500 |
| Lev Lachim Lakewood, NJ | Charitable | $21,600 |
| American Friends of Orchos Chaim Northridge, CA | Charitable | $20,000 |
| Manhattan High School New York, NY | Charitable | $15,000 |
| Yeshiva Ktana Long Island Inwood, NY | Charitable | $15,000 |
| Shuvu Brooklyn, NY | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Ahavas Chesed Brooklyn, NY | Charitable | $9,000 |
| American Friends Kesher Yehudi Woodmere, NY | Charitable | $9,000 |
| Torah Academy for Girls Far Rockaway, NY | Charitable | $8,000 |
| Ayelet Hashachar Los Angeles, CA | Charitable | $5,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grants reported | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $159,750 | 27 |
| 2023 | $91,300 | 24 |
| 2022 | $122,900 | 14 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Michael Bernstein, MD, as president and Rose Bernstein as treasurer.
Torah Defenders Fund is led by Michael Bernstein MD, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael Bernstein MD
President
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rose Bernstein
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: C/O 120 Hards Lane, Lawrence, NY 11559
Phone: (516) 371-9289
Frequently asked questions about Torah Defenders Fund
How much does Torah Defenders Fund give each year?
Torah Defenders Fund gave $160K across 27 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. In 2023 it gave $91K across 24 grants.
What is Torah Defenders Fund's typical grant size?
Torah Defenders Fund's median grant in 2024 was $1,600, and its average grant was $5,917, across 27 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Organizations receiving their first grant from Torah Defenders Fund that year got $6K on average.
Where does Torah Defenders Fund give grants?
Torah Defenders Fund gives mostly in New York: 69% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (16%) and New Jersey (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Brooklyn, NY (8 grants), Far Rockaway, NY (4 grants), Lawrence, NY (3 grants) and Lakewood, NJ (2 grants).
Does Torah Defenders Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 27 grants with a stated purpose on Torah Defenders Fund's 2024 IRS Form 990 filing were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (27 grants).
Who are Torah Defenders Fund's largest grantees?
Torah Defenders Fund's largest 2024 grantees include Yad Eliezer ($22,500), Lev Lachim ($21,600) and American Friends of Orchos Chaim ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
What does Torah Defenders Fund fund?
No mission statement for the fund is available. Its 2024 grants went to organizations including schools and other charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Torah Defenders Fund?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Torah Defenders Fund's EIN?
Torah Defenders Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-7292662. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Does Torah Defenders Fund accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Torah Defenders Fund by hand.
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