The Abel & Judy Friedman Charitable Foundation concentrates its support on Jewish communal life, particularly young-adult and campus Jewish engagement, as well as Holocaust remembrance and education. Grants are directed to both national organizations (Hillel International, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum) and local/regional Jewish institutions (Northwestern Hillel, Jewish United Fund), indicating a mix of broad and place-based investments. The foundation favors organizations that build Jewish identity, communal connections, and historical memory.
A defining thread in Abel & Judy Friedman Charitable Foundation grantmaking is sustained support for Jewish campus life, especially through Hillel and Moishe House. The foundation’s largest recent grant in the file was $200,000 to Hillel International in Washington, DC, followed by $175,000 to Northwestern Hillel in Evanston, IL, showing a clear interest in Jewish student engagement at both national and campus levels. Holocaust remembrance and education is another recurring priority: the foundation gave $125,000 to the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC and later renewed that support with a $75,000 grant in 2024. It also backs organizations that connect young adults to Jewish community, such as a $90,000 grant to Moishe House in Charlotte, NC in 2025 and a $70,000 grant in 2023. Alongside these larger awards, the foundation makes smaller grants to Jewish communal and civic organizations, including the Jewish United Fund, Anti Defamation League, and World Jewish Congress. The pattern points to a funder focused on Jewish identity, community infrastructure, and historical memory.
In Jewish campus engagement, the foundation supported Hillel International with $200,000 for community organizations and civic affairs, and Northwestern Hillel received $175,000 for the same general purpose. Young-adult Jewish community building is another clear area: Moishe House in Charlotte, NC was awarded $90,000 in 2025 and $70,000 in 2023. Holocaust remembrance and education also appears prominently, with the United States Holocaust Museum receiving $125,000 in 2023 and $75,000 in 2024. The foundation also supports Jewish communal infrastructure in Chicago, including a $50,000 grant to Jewish United Fund in Chicago, IL.
Grant size varies widely, from $1,000 to $200,000 in the recent grants listed. The middle of the distribution sits at $10,000, with the 25th percentile at $5,000 and the 75th percentile at $60,000. Several recipients appear more than once across the file, including Hillel International, Northwestern Hillel, Moishe House, and World Jewish Congress, which suggests recurring relationships rather than one-time awards. The foundation is not a vehicle for individual giving and does not make program-related investments. The recent grants list shows direct grants to nonprofits, with no application process described in the data.
$110K
$25K
$90K
$110K
Most grants fall between $5K and $60K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$60K
About 35% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Concentrated, high-dollar giving to a small number of repeat and flagship grantees; multiple large grants to the same organizations (Hillel, Moishe House, Holocaust Museum) rather than many small, diverse awards.
Notable grantees: Hillel International, Northwestern Hillel, Moishe House, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Jewish United Fund
Grants are national in scope, with all listed recent awards going to U.S. recipients. New York is the top state by grant count, including organizations in Brooklyn and New York City. Illinois is also a major state for the foundation’s giving, with recipients in Evanston, Chicago, Northbrook, and Lincolnwood. Other recipients appear in Washington, DC; Charlotte, NC; Stanford, CA; Bend, OR; and Washington, DC, reflecting a mix of national institutions and local Jewish organizations.
The recent grants center on Jewish communal life, especially Jewish campus engagement, young-adult Jewish community building, Holocaust remembrance and education, and Jewish community infrastructure in Chicago and beyond. The file also includes grants to civic and advocacy organizations tied to Jewish life and civil liberties.
No. The recent grants show both national and place-based giving. Awards went to organizations in Washington, DC; New York; Chicago; Evanston; Charlotte; Stanford; Bend; and Northbrook, while the grant file also includes support for national institutions serving broader audiences.
Among the recent grants listed, the 25th percentile is $5,000, the median is $10,000, and the 75th percentile is $60,000. The listed awards range from $1,000 to $200,000, so the foundation makes both modest and sizable grants.
Yes. Hillel International, Northwestern Hillel, Moishe House, and World Jewish Congress each appear more than once in the recent grants list, which points to ongoing relationships rather than isolated awards.
No. The profile indicates that the foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. The recent grants list is entirely composed of grants to organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moishe House | Charlotte, NC | $90,000 | 2025 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| World Jewish Congress | New York, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| Jewish Plays Project | Brooklyn, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| United States Holocaust Museum | Washington, DC | $75,000 | 2024 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| Hillel International | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2024 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| Anti Defamation League | New York, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| World Jewish Congress | New York, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| Open Heart Magic | Chicago, IL | $1,500 | 2024 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| Hillel International | Washington, DC | $200,000 | 2023 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| Northwestern Hillel | Evanston, IL | $175,000 | 2023 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| United States Holocaust Musuem | Washington, DC | $125,000 | 2023 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| Moishe House | Charlotte, NC | $70,000 | 2023 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| Jewish United Fund | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 2023 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| Northwestern Hillel | Evanston, IL | $10,000 | 2023 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| People for the American Way | Washington, DC | $10,000 | 2023 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| World Jewish Congress | New York, NY | $10,000 | 2023 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| World Jewish Congress | New York, NY | $7,500 | 2023 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| Healing Reins | Bend, OR | $5,000 | 2023 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| American Civil Liberties Union | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2023 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| Maot Chitim | Northbrook, IL | $5,000 | 2023 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| Northwestern Hillel | Evanston, IL | $3,000 | 2023 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| Stanford Hillel | Stanford, CA | $2,500 | 2023 | Community Organizations and Civic Affairs |
| CHAI LifelineCamp Simcha | Lincolnwood, IL | $1,000 | 2023 | Health and Human Services |
Moishe House
$90,000Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
World Jewish Congress
$10,000Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
Jewish Plays Project
$10,000Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
United States Holocaust Museum
$75,000Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
Hillel International
$50,000Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
Anti Defamation League
$10,000Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
World Jewish Congress
$10,000Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
Open Heart Magic
$1,500Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
Hillel International
$200,000Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
Northwestern Hillel
$175,000Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
United States Holocaust Musuem
$125,000Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
Moishe House
$70,000Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
Jewish United Fund
$50,000Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
Northwestern Hillel
$10,000Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
People for the American Way
$10,000Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
World Jewish Congress
$10,000Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
World Jewish Congress
$7,500Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
Healing Reins
$5,000Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
American Civil Liberties Union
$5,000Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
Maot Chitim
$5,000Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
Northwestern Hillel
$3,000Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
Stanford Hillel
$2,500Community Organizations and Civic Affairs
CHAI LifelineCamp Simcha
$1,000Health and Human Services