The Zichron Yechiel Mechel Foundation focuses almost exclusively on supporting Orthodox Jewish education and community institutions, making a small number of very large gifts to schools and local Jewish philanthropic vehicles. Grants are institutionally targeted — supporting day schools, yeshivot/mesivtas and community grantmaking funds — suggesting a priority on sustaining religious schooling and local Jewish communal infrastructure. The foundation favors a handful of high-dollar commitments rather than many small awards.
Few, very large grants concentrated on a small set of repeat or closely aligned grantees; mix of multi-grant relationships and single substantial gifts rather than broad, distributed funding.
The Zichron Yechiel Mechel Foundation makes large unrestricted gifts almost entirely to Orthodox Jewish schools, yeshivot, and community institutions, with repeat support showing up across multiple years. Its 2024 and 2025 grants include seven-figure awards to the National Society for Hebrew Day Schools and Mesivta Shaarei Adirim, along with major support for communal vehicles such as The Ojc Fund and Kollel Shabbos Kodesh (Karnoh Shel Torah). That pattern points to a funder that prioritizes sustaining religious education and the institutions around it rather than project-based funding. The grant list is dominated by Brooklyn recipients, but the foundation also backs organizations in Lakewood, Skokie, Lawrence, Spring Valley, and Far Rockaway. Several recipients reappear in both 2024 and 2025, including Tova U'vrucha Inc, Chayim Vchesed Inc, Davis Memorial Fund Inc, Congregation Chonen Vnosen, Yaazoru Inc, and Congregation Yeshias Yisroel, which suggests continuing institutional relationships. The foundation’s recent grants are marked as unrestricted, indicating flexible support for operating needs, capital needs, or other general institutional priorities within the recipient organizations.
Orthodox Jewish day schools are a core focus. In 2024, the foundation gave $1,825,381 to the National Society for Hebrew Day Schools for unrestricted use, followed by $893,834 in 2025. It also supported Yeshiva Darchei Torah in Far Rockaway with $127,000 in 2024. Support for mesivtas and yeshivot appears as another clear thread. Mesivta Shaarei Adirim in Skokie received $1,298,580 in 2024 and $348,325 in 2025, both unrestricted. Keren Olam Hatorah in New York received $291,669 in 2025. The foundation also funds local Jewish communal infrastructure. The Ojc Fund in Brooklyn received $950,000 in 2024 and $900,000 in 2025, while Chayim Vchesed Inc received $447,667 in 2024 and $407,197 in 2025. Those grants show sustained backing for institutions serving community needs alongside schooling.
Typical grants cluster in the mid-five-figure range, with a p25 of $8,250, a median of $22,000, and a p75 of $45,350. The recent grants list also shows a separate pattern of very large awards to a small set of repeat recipients, including seven-figure and high-six-figure gifts. The foundation gives unrestricted support, and the same organizations appear in both 2024 and 2025, indicating recurring relationships rather than one-off awards. It funds organizations rather than individuals and makes no program-related investments. The grant list suggests an institutional, discretionary style of philanthropy focused on a concentrated set of recipients.
$7.9M
$9.2M
$1.8M
$7.9M
Most grants fall between $8K and $45K, with a median of $22K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$22K
75th Percentile
$45K
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Notable grantees: National Society for Hebrew Day Schools, The OJC Fund, Mesivta Shaarei Adirim, Tova U'Vrucha Inc
Grantmaking is regional and heavily concentrated in the New York–New Jersey Orthodox Jewish community. Brooklyn, NY appears most often in the recent grants list, with additional repeat recipients in Lakewood, NJ; Lawrence, NY; Spring Valley, NY; Far Rockaway, NY; and New York, NY. NJ is the top state by grant count, even though 75% of grants go to recipients in New York. Outside the HQ state, Skokie, IL also appears as a recipient location.
Its grants center on Orthodox Jewish day schools, mesivtas and yeshivot, and Jewish communal institutions. Recent recipients include schools, kollelim, congregational entities, and community funds, all receiving unrestricted support.
The recent grants are marked unrestricted. That indicates the foundation gives flexible support rather than tying awards to a named project in the grant records provided.
Yes. Several recipients appear in both 2024 and 2025, including Mesivta Shaarei Adirim, The Ojc Fund, Tova U'vrucha Inc, Chayim Vchesed Inc, Davis Memorial Fund Inc, Congregation Chonen Vnosen, Yaazoru Inc, and Congregation Yeshias Yisroel.
The typical award is $22,000 at the median, with the middle half of grants falling between $8,250 and $45,350. The recent list also includes much larger institutional grants well above that range.
Most grants go to recipients in New York, which accounts for 75% of grants. New Jersey is the top state by grant count overall, and Brooklyn is the most common recipient city in the recent grants list.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE OJC FUND | BROOKLYN, NY | $900,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR HEBREW DAY SCHOOLS | BROOKLYN, NY | $893,834 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| KOLLEL SHABBOS KODESH (KARNOH SHEL TORAH) | BROOKLYN, NY | $650,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| TOVA U'VRUCHA INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $452,920 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CHAYIM VCHESED INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $407,197 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MESIVTA SHAAREI ADIRIM | SKOKIE, IL | $348,325 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| DAVIS MEMORIAL FUND INC | LAWRENCE, NY | $292,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| KEREN OLAM HATORAH | NEW YORK, NY | $291,669 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CONG KEREN ATERES YISOCHER DOV DZABLITOV | BROOKLYN, NY | $235,503 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF RABBINICAL COLLEGE OF TELZSTONE INC | LAKEWOOD, NJ | $226,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CONGREGATION CHONEN VNOSEN | BROOKLYN, NY | $158,550 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| TZUR FOUNDATION | LAKEWOOD, NJ | $143,300 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| YAAZORU INC | LAKEWOOD, NJ | $138,850 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| KUPAS TZEDAKA VCHESED | BROOKLYN, NY | $120,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CONG PRI HOORETZ | BROOKLYN, NY | $112,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CONGREGATION YESHIAS YISROEL | SPRING VALLEY, NY | $107,350 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| DARCHEI TORAH UMUSSAR (BINAT SHLOMO) | BROOKLYN, NY | $106,800 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| YESHIVA SLABODKA BENEI BERAQ | BROOKLYN, NY | $106,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MERCAZ TAHARA | BROOKLYN, NY | $101,800 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CONGREGATION BAIS MEDRASH AVREICHM | BROOKLYN, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| YAD ELKA INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CONG SHAAREI CHESED | MONSEY, NY | $84,300 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MORASHA OLAMI INC | LAKEWOOD, NJ | $80,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CONGREGATION MOSDOS TOLDOS AHARON | BROOKLYN, NY | $79,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF YESHIVA DMIR | BROOKLYN, NY | $78,375 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| OIZ VEHUDAR INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $72,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SIMCAS CHAIM INC | LAKEWOOD, NJ | $62,450 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GEMILOS CHASODIM CHASDEL MOSHE | BROOKLYN, NY | $59,900 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| ONEG SHABBOS AND YOM TOV | BROOKLYN, NY | $56,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| KHAL AND YESHIVA OHOLEI SHMUEL | BROOKLYN, NY | $50,110 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BAIS YAAKOV ATERES MIRIAM | FAR ROCKAWAY, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MOADIM UZMANIM | LAKEWOOD, NJ | $46,200 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CONG THILOS ARYE | BROOKLYN, NY | $44,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LYUN HAPARSHA INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $37,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MOSDOS BETH YOSEF ZVI | BROOKLYN, NY | $35,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MESIVTA SHAAREI CHAIM | FAR ROCKAWAY, NY | $34,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF PANIM EL PANIM | BROOKLYN, NY | $31,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| KOLLEL INTERNATIONAL INC | LAKEWOOD, NJ | $30,300 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NEFESH YEHUDI | BROOKLYN, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| FRIENDS OF AHAVAT SHALOM | MONSEY, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| YESHIVAS CHSAN SOFER INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| KOLLEL SHABBOS KODESH (MACHON CHOCHMAH V'DAAS) | BROOKLYN, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CHASIDEI SKULEN DE-LAKEWOOD INC | LAKEWOOD, NJ | $27,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| RAV CHAIMS KOLLELIM | LAKEWOOD, NJ | $26,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HACHAIM VEHASHALOM INC | CEDARHURST, NY | $25,600 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| THE SPECIAL CHILDREN | BROOKLYN, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| AL KANFEI NISHARIM | CEDARHURST, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CONGREGATION AND YESHIVA BETH HILLEL | SUFFERN, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MOSDOS HA'ARI SHEBACHBURAH INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $24,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MIFAL EZRA ZICHRON YEHUDA | BROOKLYN, NY | $23,400 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
KOLLEL SHABBOS KODESH (KARNOH SHEL TORAH)
$650,000UNRESTRICTED
TOVA U'VRUCHA INC
$452,920UNRESTRICTED
MESIVTA SHAAREI ADIRIM
UNRESTRICTED
KEREN OLAM HATORAH
$291,669UNRESTRICTED
CONG KEREN ATERES YISOCHER DOV DZABLITOV
$235,503UNRESTRICTED
CONGREGATION CHONEN VNOSEN
$158,550UNRESTRICTED
KUPAS TZEDAKA VCHESED
$120,000UNRESTRICTED
CONG PRI HOORETZ
$112,500UNRESTRICTED
CONGREGATION YESHIAS YISROEL
$107,350UNRESTRICTED
DARCHEI TORAH UMUSSAR (BINAT SHLOMO)
$106,800UNRESTRICTED
YESHIVA SLABODKA BENEI BERAQ
$106,000UNRESTRICTED
MERCAZ TAHARA
$101,800UNRESTRICTED
CONGREGATION BAIS MEDRASH AVREICHM
$100,000UNRESTRICTED
CONG SHAAREI CHESED
$84,300UNRESTRICTED
CONGREGATION MOSDOS TOLDOS AHARON
$79,000UNRESTRICTED
OIZ VEHUDAR INC
$72,000UNRESTRICTED
SIMCAS CHAIM INC
$62,450UNRESTRICTED
GEMILOS CHASODIM CHASDEL MOSHE
$59,900UNRESTRICTED
ONEG SHABBOS AND YOM TOV
$56,000UNRESTRICTED
KHAL AND YESHIVA OHOLEI SHMUEL
$50,110UNRESTRICTED
BAIS YAAKOV ATERES MIRIAM
$50,000UNRESTRICTED
MOADIM UZMANIM
$46,200UNRESTRICTED
CONG THILOS ARYE
$44,000UNRESTRICTED
MESIVTA SHAAREI CHAIM
$34,500UNRESTRICTED
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF PANIM EL PANIM
$31,000UNRESTRICTED
KOLLEL INTERNATIONAL INC
$30,300UNRESTRICTED
YESHIVAS CHSAN SOFER INC
$30,000UNRESTRICTED
KOLLEL SHABBOS KODESH (MACHON CHOCHMAH V'DAAS)
$30,000UNRESTRICTED
CHASIDEI SKULEN DE-LAKEWOOD INC
$27,500UNRESTRICTED
RAV CHAIMS KOLLELIM
$26,000UNRESTRICTED
HACHAIM VEHASHALOM INC
$25,600UNRESTRICTED
THE SPECIAL CHILDREN
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
AL KANFEI NISHARIM
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
CONGREGATION AND YESHIVA BETH HILLEL
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
MOSDOS HA'ARI SHEBACHBURAH INC
$24,000UNRESTRICTED
MIFAL EZRA ZICHRON YEHUDA
$23,400UNRESTRICTED