Slifka Center at 30:

Ensuring Jewish Resilience at Yale

The Yale Jewish Resilience Fund

For 30 years, Slifka Center has been the heart of Jewish life at Yale, fostering learning, leadership, and community. Today, in the wake of October 7th, we face a new reality—one that demands renewed investment in Jewish community, security, and leadership.

The Yale Jewish Resilience Fund was launched in 2024 to ensure that Jewish Yale thrives over the coming decades. Your support of this $3M fund is an investment in the next generation of Jewish leaders and a stand against antisemitism. Together, we will ensure that our community will continue to thrive and lead with resilience.

We have already secured over $1M in gifts and endowments. Now, we turn to you to help raise the next $2M.

Strategic Funds to Strengthen Jewish Yale

Fund for Jewish Education Empowers students through immersive Jewish learning, including the Jewish Learning Fellowship (an opportunity for students to ask life’s big questions through a Jewish lens), our Intro to Judaism Class (for those with very little background and/or those who are exploring conversion), and Yeshivat Yale (a weekly program on a classical Jewish text, including Talmud).

Fund for Jewish Leadership Establishes the Jewish Communal Leadership Fellowship at Slifka, training the next generation of Jewish professional and volunteer leaders.  This is a new program to explore the field of Jewish communal leadership, enhance the leadership development work that Slifka is already doing, and formalize a much-needed training program for college students who are future Jewish professional or volunteer leaders.

Fund for Jewish Community Building Invests in Jewish community life and infrastructure by supporting excellence in pastoral care and program leadership, ensuring security, and sustaining kosher dining—critical elements for a thriving Jewish presence at Yale.  Provides for the diversity of Jewish life on campus including Jewish cultural groups and related activities and outreach to Jewish students across campus.

Fund for Shabbat & Holiday Celebrations Ensures the future of Slifka’s renowned Shabbat and holiday gatherings, where students find community, connection, and tradition in the heart of Jewish Yale. These meals and celebrations create a welcoming opportunity for students to connect, reflect, and celebrate together.

Fund for travel to Israel and Global Jewish Heritage Sites Provides students with the opportunity to engage firsthand with the global richness of Jewish tradition, from historic synagogues to Holocaust memorials and vibrant contemporary communities. These experiences foster meaningful learning, personal growth, and a strengthened sense of Jewish peoplehood, ensuring that students return with a deeper understanding of their heritage and its relevance to their lives today.

Join Us: Strengthening Jewish Resilience Together

(Ways to make an impact)

Recurring Gifts in Honor of Slifka’s 30th Anniversary

Sustain Jewish resilience by making a commitment that is meaningful to you. Whether you contribute over 30 days, 30 weeks, or 30 months, every recurring gift strengthens our community and our shared future. Your recurring gift will be recognized in our annual report and other publications and events.

Make a 3-Year Pledge

Your multi-year commitment provides a solid foundation for Jewish resilience at Yale.

• $5,000  a year ensures steady support for our growing community
• $10,000 a year earns recognition in the Urim v’Tumim Fellows Society, a leadership circle of donors shaping the future of Jewish life at Yale

Name a Fund with a Gift of $100,000 or More

Create a lasting impact by establishing a Named Fund that supports Jewish life at Yale for generations to come.

• Endow a Named Fund in Perpetuity: Your gift is invested, generating sustainable annual support at an estimated 5% each year. For example, a $1 million gift would provide $50,000 annually—forever.
• Create a Named Fund with Annual Drawdowns: Choose to establish a fund that distributes 10% annually, providing immediate and impactful support over ten years.

Leave a Legacy

Ensure the future of Jewish life at Yale by making a lasting impact through a planned gift.

• A documented planned gift of $10,000 or more grants you membership in the Urim v’Tumim Fellows Society, a distinguished circle of donors dedicated to sustaining Yale’s Jewish community for generations to come.

Opportunity for Transformative Giving

Endowing Leadership: The Executive Director Position

The Executive Director of Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale is our most senior leadership role, holding primary authority for the mission and vision, and the overall direction of Slifka Center and its execution. Your Name would come to be associated with the highest level of leadership and vision for the Slifka Center, and by extension, Jewish Life at Yale. This position oversees all aspects of Jewish leadership, overall Jewish education, and the wellbeing and excellence of our professional team.

• In perpetuity: $5 million endowment
• For 10 years: $2.5 million draw-down (naming ceases following final annual draw)

Your Gift, Your Impact

By supporting the Yale Jewish Resilience Fund, you are securing the future of Jewish life at Yale. Whether by endowing a position, naming a fund, or making a multi-year pledge, your generosity will ensure that Jewish Yale remains a beacon of learning, leadership, and community.

Join us in shaping the next 30 years.

Make Your Gift Today