Keren Hayeshivot Trust

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $17,744,250 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: $10,000 - $6,430,000
• Geographic Focus: United States and Israel (Sephardic Orthodox institutions)
• Number of Grants: 26-28 grants annually

Contact Details

Address: 1616 East 10th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11223

EIN: 13-3702251

Note: Phone and email not publicly listed. This is a private trust with no public application process.

Overview

Keren Hayeshivot Trust was established as a tax-exempt organization in July 1993. The trust is a private philanthropic foundation dedicated to supporting religious institutions of higher education in the United States and Israel with the mission to raise the level of Torah and Halachic observance in the Sephardic Orthodox Jewish community. With total assets of approximately $2.4 million and annual grant distributions exceeding $17 million, the trust operates as a significant conduit for philanthropic support to Sephardic yeshivas. The organization is led by President Joseph Chehebar and trustees Nesim Bildirici and Michael Safdie. The trust has earned a Two-Star rating (69%) from Charity Navigator based on accountability and finance metrics.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Keren Hayeshivot Trust does not operate formal grant programs with named initiatives or published guidelines. All grants are made through trustee discretion without a public application process.

Grant Range: $10,000 - $6,430,000

Grant Volume: 26-28 grants per year

Priority Areas

• Sephardic Orthodox yeshivas and religious institutions of higher education
• Torah study and Halachic observance programs
• Educational institutions serving the Sephardic Orthodox Jewish community
• Both domestic (U.S.) and Israeli institutions

What They Don't Fund

The trust appears exclusively focused on Sephardic Orthodox religious education. Organizations outside this specific focus area would not be considered.

Governance and Leadership

President: Joseph Chehebar (serves without compensation)

Trustees:

• Nesim Bildirici (serves without compensation)
• Michael Safdie (serves without compensation)

Joseph Chehebar is also associated with the Chehebar Family Foundation, another Brooklyn-based philanthropic organization with over $11 million in assets that supports education, religion, and Judaism.

The trust operates with minimal staff costs ($59,650 in salaries and wages representing 0.3% of expenses), suggesting a volunteer-led governance model focused on grant distribution rather than operational programming.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Keren Hayeshivot Trust does not have a public application process. Grants are made at the discretion of the trustees and president. The trust does not maintain a website, published application guidelines, or open application periods.

This is a private trust that appears to identify and support institutions through the trustees' knowledge of and connections within the Sephardic Orthodox Jewish educational community. Organizations cannot submit unsolicited applications for consideration.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. Grants are approved through trustee discretion on an ongoing basis throughout the year.

Success Rates

Not applicable due to the absence of a public application process.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable. Since there is no public application process, there are no formal reapplication policies.

Application Success Factors

Since Keren Hayeshivot Trust operates through trustee discretion rather than a public application process, traditional success factors do not apply. However, based on the trust's mission and funding patterns:

Alignment Factors:

• Being a Sephardic Orthodox religious educational institution
• Focus on Torah study and Halachic observance
• Located in either the United States or Israel
• Institutional credibility within the Sephardic Orthodox community

Funding Patterns:

• Grant sizes vary widely ($10,000 to over $6 million), suggesting the trust supports both small institutions and major projects
• Consistent annual grant-making (26-28 grants per year) indicates sustained commitment to the sector
• The trust distributes significantly more than its assets annually, functioning as a pass-through foundation that re-grants donor contributions

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No Public Applications: This trust does not accept unsolicited grant applications, making it inaccessible through traditional grant-seeking methods
• Highly Specialized Focus: Exclusively supports Sephardic Orthodox religious educational institutions—organizations outside this narrow focus should not pursue this funder
• Trustee-Driven: All funding decisions are made by the president and trustees based on their knowledge of and relationships within the community
• Significant Grant Range: The wide grant range ($10,000-$6.4M) suggests the trust funds both small operational needs and major capital projects
• Pass-Through Model: With annual giving far exceeding assets, the trust appears to function as a vehicle for channeling donor contributions to institutions
• Relationship-Based: Connection to the trustees or visibility within the Sephardic Orthodox educational community is essential for funding consideration
• Not Suitable for Most Organizations: Unless you are a Sephardic Orthodox yeshiva or religious institution with connections to this community, this funder is not accessible

References

• Instrumentl 990 Report for Keren Hayeshivot Trust. Available at: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/keren-hayeshivot-trust (Accessed January 2026)
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Keren Hayeshivot Trust (EIN 13-3702251). Available at: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/133702251 (Accessed January 2026)
• Charity Navigator - Rating for Keren Hayeshivot Trust. Available at: https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/133702251 (Accessed January 2026)
• Cause IQ - Keren Hayeshivot Trust Profile. Available at: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/keren-hayeshivot-trust,133702251/ (Accessed January 2026)
• Grantable - Chehebar Family Foundation Profile. Available at: https://www.grantable.co/search/funders/profile/chehebar-family-foundation-us-foundation-133178015 (Accessed January 2026)