Overview
What is Mesorah Heritage Foundation?
The Mesorah Heritage Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Rahway, New Jersey, dedicated to addressing the needs of a large Jewish public who find it challenging to study classic Jewish texts in their original ancient Hebrew or Aramaic. The foundation also caters to individuals who wish to explore Jewish classics but lack the necessary language skills. With a growing team of scholars and editors, the foundation's mission is to elucidate and make accessible classic Jewish works on religion, law, liturgy, culture, and scholarship in both English and other languages, including Modern Hebrew, French, and Spanish. The foundation's output includes translations, explanations, and publications of prayer books, the Talmud, and various scriptures. By engaging in research, translation, and preparation of Jewish religious, literary, biblical, and talmudic works, the Mesorah Heritage Foundation aims to enrich the lives of scholars, students, and laypeople alike.
Official website here: www.mesorahheritage.org
What are the reviews and ratings of this charity?
Charity Navigator Rating: 97%, Four-Star out of Four Star Rating
The Mesorah Heritage Foundation has earned a commendable Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator, reflecting strong accountability and financial health. The organization boasts an impressive accountability and finance score of 97%, indicating robust financial practices, independent oversight, and a low liabilities-to-assets ratio. Additionally, the foundation maintains a high program expense ratio of 88.32%, suggesting that a substantial portion of its resources is directed towards its programs.
However, user feedback presents a contrasting perspective. A review from a professional in the field raises concerns about the foundation's operations, suggesting that its program expenses disproportionately benefit its affiliated publishing company, Artscroll. The reviewer argues that instead of fulfilling its mission to make ancient texts accessible, the foundation prioritizes profits by charging for materials that are already widely available in translation.
While the high rating from Charity Navigator highlights the foundation's fiscal responsibility, the critical user feedback underscores potential ethical concerns regarding its mission and operations. This dichotomy invites further scrutiny into the true nature of the foundation's work and its impact on the community it aims to serve.
This AI summary has been generated from information found on Charity Navigator and Great Nonprofits.
Is Mesorah Heritage Foundation legitimate?
Mesorah Heritage Foundation is a legitimate nonprofit organization registered as a 501(c)(3) entity. Mesorah Heritage Foundation submitted a form 990, which is a tax form used by tax-exempt organizations in the U.S., indicating its operational transparency and adherence to regulatory requirements. Donations to this organization are tax deductible.
Heare are some key statistics you may want to consider:
Executive Compensation: $245,856
Professional Fundraising Fees: $0
Other Salaries and Wages: $5,111,790
For more financial information, click here
Official website here: www.mesorahheritage.org
What is the mission statement of Mesorah Heritage Foundation?
The Mesorah Heritage Foundation is dedicated to researching, locating, translating, and preparing Jewish religious, literary, biblical, and Talmudic works for religious, scholarly, and cultural purposes. The organization aims to make these works accessible to scholars, students, and laymen in a form that is authoritative, accurate, and aesthetically pleasing. Originally producing works in English, the Foundation has since expanded to modern Hebrew, French, and Spanish. It engages scholars and editors to research, write, and prepare works for publication. The Foundation's most notable achievements include the complete 73-volume English and Hebrew elucidations of the Babylonian Talmud, and the 51-volume elucidations of the Jerusalem Talmud. Its works have become standard in synagogues worldwide and have enabled many tens of thousands of people to engage in daily study. The Foundation has also prepared translations and explanations of prayer books and Scriptures, which have become the standard in most synagogues. With a mission to make scholarly works even more accessible, the Foundation has also produced digital apps for several of its classic works.
Official website here: www.mesorahheritage.org
Who is the CEO of Mesorah Heritage Foundation?
Rabbi Gedaliah Zlotowitz is the President of Mesorah Heritage Foundation.
Official website here: www.mesorahheritage.org
What is the revenue of Mesorah Heritage Foundation?
Mesorah Heritage Foundation's revenue in 2022 was $19,686,173.
Official website here: www.mesorahheritage.org
Who are the executives of Mesorah Heritage Foundation and what are their salaries?
The average compensation at Mesorah Heritage Foundation during 2022 was $63,782. There are 84 employees and 6 volunteers at Mesorah Heritage Foundation.
Here are 13 key members and their salaries:
- Compensation: $64,896
- Related: $0
- Other: $0
- Compensation: $173,507
- Related: $0
- Other: $7,453
- Compensation: $0
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- Other: $0
- Compensation: $0
- Related: $0
- Other: $0
- Compensation: $0
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- Other: $0
- Compensation: $0
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- Other: $0
- Compensation: $0
- Related: $0
- Other: $0
- Compensation: $0
- Related: $0
- Other: $0
- Compensation: $159,751
- Related: $0
- Other: $35,316
- Compensation: $167,150
- Related: $0
- Other: $2,850
- Compensation: $169,007
- Related: $0
- Other: $0
- Compensation: $148,096
- Related: $0
- Other: $0
- Compensation: $143,043
- Related: $0
- Other: $0
Official website here: www.mesorahheritage.org
Where can I find the form 990 for Mesorah Heritage Foundation?
Mesorah Heritage Foundation's most recent form 990 was submitted in 2022 and can be accessed here.
Official website here: www.mesorahheritage.org
Learn more at the official website: www.mesorahheritage.org
Mission Statement of Mesorah Heritage Foundation
The Mesorah Heritage Foundation is a renowned organization dedicated to researching, translating, and preparing Jewish, religious, biblical, and talmudic works for religious, scholarly, and cultural purposes. Its mission is threefold: first, to make classic Jewish texts accessible to a large Jewish public, including those with a Yeshiva education, who find it difficult to study ancient Hebrew or Aramaic; second, to cater to the growing number of people who wish to explore Jewish classics but have little or no knowledge of the languages in which they were written; and third, to produce original works based on the classics and on subjects such as Jewish law, theology, and philosophy. The Foundation engages highly qualified scholars to translate, elucidate, edit, and prepare the works for publication, ensuring they are accurate, authoritative, and visually appealing. Originally producing these works in English, the Foundation has since expanded to Modern Hebrew, French, and Spanish. It also commissions original manuscripts of Jewish scholarship, law, ethics, liturgy, and history in various languages. To fulfill its mission, the Foundation employs scholars and editors numbering between 90-150 at any given time. Its most significant achievements include the complete 73-volume English and Hebrew elucidations of the Babylonian Talmud and the 51-volume elucidations of the Jerusalem Talmud, which have become standard resources for scholars, students, and laypeople alike. The Foundation's work has enabled millions to engage in daily study and has made the Talmud accessible to active participants rather than mere spectators. Additionally, it has published translations and explanations of the Sabbath, festival, and weekday prayer books, as well as the Chumash, or Five Books of Moses, in English, French, Spanish, and Modern Hebrew versions, which have become standard in synagogues worldwide.
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Impact
October, 2024
Mesorah Heritage Foundation has had a significant and transformative impact on Jewish scholarship and education. By actively researching, translating, and preparing classic Jewish texts, the foundation has made historically important religious, legal, and literary works accessible to a broad audience. This effort has primarily addressed the urgent needs arising in the English-speaking Jewish community after World War II, where many have struggled to engage with traditional texts in their original languages.
One of its crowning achievements is the complete 73-volume elucidation of the Babylonian Talmud, heralded by Lord Immanuel Jakobovits as "the greatest publishing project in Jewish history." This monumental work has empowered thousands to participate in daily Talmud study, contributing to significant gatherings such as the one on New Year’s Day 2020, where over 110,000 participants celebrated the completion of the Daf Yomi cycle.
In addition to Talmudic works, the foundation has created English and Hebrew elucidations of the Mishnah and various prayer books that have become standard in synagogues globally. The translations of the Hebrew Scriptures and classical texts have provided numerous communities with authoritative, aesthetically pleasing editions that are suitable for both laypeople and scholars.
The foundation's versatility extends to modern languages, having expanded its efforts into French and Spanish, thereby broadening its reach to speakers beyond the traditional English-speaking audience. This linguistic inclusivity has responded to a growing demand for Jewish texts in different languages.
Moreover, the foundation has embraced technology, creating digital applications that allow users quick access to over a million cross-references of Jewish scholarship, emphasizing its commitment to making learning adaptive to contemporary needs.
Ultimately, the impact of the Mesorah Heritage Foundation can be seen in the revitalization of Jewish learning and practice, enabling tens of thousands to engage meaningfully with their cultural and religious heritage, thereby cultivating a deeper understanding and appreciation for Jewish tradition that continues to evolve. The work is far from complete, with ongoing projects aimed at further enriching the landscape of Jewish education and scholarship.
This information is meant to be a general summary of Mesorah Heritage Foundation. Please take the time to review official sources before making any decisions based upon the content provided here.
Financials
This financial information is from Propublica.
Other financial information:
This information is from the most recently submitted tax form from this organization, which was in 2022.
- Investment Income: $185,099
- Gross Receipts: $28,565,910
Assets and Liabilities:
- Total Assets: $20,813,785
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Net Assets: $20,813,785
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Organization Details
Founding Year
1989
Phone
(718) 921-9000Principal Officer
Rabbi Gedaliah Zlotowitz
Main Address
313 REGINA AVENUE, RAHWAY, NJ, 07065
Website
www.mesorahheritage.orgNTEE Category
Code: A75Z - Arts
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