Like other scholarships, Jewish Scholarships are found at specific schools and colleges dedicated to Jewish students.  The Jewish also known as the Yehudi people are considered as Israeli pronunciation of the Ancient Near East. In fact, many communities and metro areas have own Jewish federation offering financial help for students with education expenses. In New York City, the Hebrew Free Loan Society’s scholarship program provides $1 million in annual awards to Jewish students with significant financial need. Similarly there are other scholarships for Jewish students which are offered by organizations and colleges.

What Are Jewish Scholarships?

Jewish scholarships are offered for specific Jewish students who look for financial assistance that can cover their studies. Financial need and community preference are two of the most common criteria for giving scholarships and other monetary aid. To facilitate specifically Jewish community or promoting sense of community as Judaism wide variety of Jewish scholarships exist. Both nationwide and local scholarships are available for Jewish students trying to get fund for their education.

Importance of Jewish Scholarships

Jewish Scholarships helps students of all ages expand their knowledge at a primary level and bring their heritage to life. Grants consider the importance of equipping today’s adults with the ability to deal with any matters pertaining to Jewish affairs, as well as preparing educators and future leaders of Jewish community. Jewish scholarships are getting familiar with not only spiritual and religious viewpoint but heritage and lineage as well. These grants help to rejoice accomplishment amongst Jewish students and their neighbourhood. Whether you are currently practicing or simply of Jewish descent, there are likely to be opportunities for Jewish scholarships available to you.

Listed below are few which are offered for Jewish students:

Jewish Community Federation & Endowment Fund

The federation offers scholarships for students to attend undergraduate or graduate programs at accredited, non-profit colleges or universities. Funding is offered on basis of merit and financial need.  There are different scholarships offered by the federation.

-Marvin Anmuth Scholarship Fund:  This is for Jewish undergraduate or graduate students pursuing a degree program in electrical engineering at an accredited college, university, or graduate school. Granting is approx. $2,500-$5,000.

-Nathan Jay Friedman College Scholarship Fund: The scholarship is offered to Jewish UG students who are permanent residents of San Francisco, the Peninsula (Sunnyvale and north), or Marin, Sonoma, or Alameda Counties. The granting is 1-3 scholarships of $1,500 – $5,000 or more.

-Stephanie G. Hoffman Scholarship Fund: Jewish students with major in library science, English literature, or related field, with the intention of working with underserved children to excite them through reading to pursue higher education. Total funding offered are 2-3 scholarships, $2,000-$5,000 each.

-Gail Karp Orgell Scholarship Fund: Offered to Jewish female undergraduate students, attending a four-year university program focusing on Jewish female undergraduate students, attending a four-year university program. Total scholarships offered are 1-2 scholarships: $2,000-$4,000 each.

-S.F. Humanities, Inc: Leo Hills Scholarship Fund: Funding is offered to Jewish UG students in high school senior graduating from Jewish Community High School of the Bay, Kehillah Jewish High School, Lisa Kampner Hebrew Academy, or in a dedicated public school arts program. The annual grant offered is 1-2 scholarships of $500 – $1,000 each.

Vivienne Camp Scholarship

The scholarship is offered by Jewish Family and Children’s Services. The maximum amount offered is $4350 and is awarded to two young Jewish men and two young Jewish women for college or vocational studies at a postsecondary California institution.

David, Nancy, and Liza Cherney Scholarship Fund

Applicant applying for this funding must be female, Jewish, demonstrate financial need, and be a resident of Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, or Sonoma County, Calif. Maximum Scholarship Amount $100.00, Average Scholarship Amount $100.00 and Minimum Scholarship Amount $100.00.

FEREP Funding

FEREP Graduate Scholarship Program by Jewish Federations of North America has two very important objectives: to prepare its students for the transition to professional excellence in Federation, and to create strong cohorts of students who see each other as colleagues and resources. FEREP awards scholarship up to $20,000 for two years to qualified applicants who agree to work for a Jewish Federation for their first two years after graduating.

Alisa Flatow Memorial Scholarship Fund

This funding is offered to encourage students to walk in footsteps of Alisa in a yearlong program offering the full-time pursuit of traditional Jewish studies at schools in the State of Israel. To get qualified for this scholarship studies must be of a post-high school nature. Study can be in programs which earn college credits. The main aim to offer this scholarship is to help students showing academic promise in their religious studies and the need for financial assistance to pursue study in Israel.

Abe and Gert Nutkis Scholarship

This scholarship is offered to Israel students to not more than seven applicants.  Preference will be given to students who demonstrate a prior commitment to volunteer work addressing human rights violence in the country. The program offers $5,000 funding.

JVS Scholarship Program

It was founded in 1972, and has awarded over $6.5 million to over 4,000 students. Recipients belonging to Jewish community and are primary residence is in Los Angeles with need-based financial aid, in the belief that education represents the first step to career success are eligible for this funding. Student must maintain minimum 2.7 GPA for undergraduate students and a minimum 3.0 GPA for graduate students for every semester or quarter enrolled. Minimum fund awarded is $10000.