jelf brunch with purpose! Empower Education Together
We had a fantastic JELF Sunday brunch on Sunday, September 10th at the home of Ilana and Richard Peretz, which was co-hosted by Jane and Craig Aronoff. It was so special to hear firsthand about the JELF experience of current loan recipient, Eli Benveniste, a junior at the University of Georgia studying computer science. Thank you for generously supporting students like Eli!
As Board Members of JELF, and longtime supporters of this important cause, we are thrilled to share more about JELF’s impact on Jewish students in Atlanta and beyond.
As the only organization providing 0% interest loans for Jewish students to attend college and graduate school, JELF is supporting over 400 students in the SE USA, with loans approaching $2 million in 2023-24 school year and 120 of those students are from Atlanta alone (totaling nearly $600,000)!
richard and ilana peretz
craig and jane aronoff
JELF is making a difference.
Each loan JELF makes represents a student and a story.
JELF has played a part by providing 6,646 interest-free, last dollar loans. We refer to our recipients as JELFies.
6,646 Total Students
99% Repayment Rate
438 Recpients Last Year
100% Jewish Students
JELF partners with Jewish agencies across 5 states allowing us to really personalize the loans process.
25 Partner Agencies
110 Volunteers
170 Universities Last Year
Many JELF loan recipients are vital members of the JELF community – in turn, helping future Jewish students in need
$813K repaid last year.
This is one of the main ways our fund for new loans is replenished
JELF Alumni Leadership
16% of current JELF Board members are either former recipients themselves or have a close family member who was a JELF recipient!
Volunteering to Lend a Hand
Each year scores of volunteers from around JELF's five-state region personally review each loan applications
Tomer T.
"There was a low point in my life where I couldn't feed myself. JELF provided me with the funds to be able to pay for basic life necessities. That's why it's so important to me as a donor to give back to JELF"