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Matthew E.

“JELF has provided me with the comfort that I can pay for things like rent and food while focusing on my studies and involvement in Jewish extracurriculars!”

Jordan R.

I have always dreamed of being a nurse and thanks to JELF I am able to get the education to do so. I hope to help my patients and their families during their most vulnerable times and I am so thankful to be able to attend school to do so. During these trying times of COVID-19, I am so lucky to have a job that allows me to help others. Thank you JELF!

Ilana D.

“JELF helped me with part of my tuition during my four years at college from 1982-1986 so I could get an education! I am grateful for this assistance and still use my career today! I was able to pay my loan back quickly and really appreciate the assistance that was afforded to me.”

Larisa K.

I am so grateful for seeing a JELF flyer at a coffee shop. This loan wound up helping me feel connected to my Jewish community while supporting me to pursue the education of my dreams. 

Megan W.

“JELF helped take away financial burdens while I attended the University of West Georgia pursuing my marketing degree. I was able to enjoy college life while interning with two non-profits which led to employment at graduation and then became building blocks for the consulting role I am now in.”

I grew up in Lawrenceville, GA and am the youngest of four siblings.  I have always had a passion for pushing myself outside of my comfort zone.  As a child, I was always active, pushing myself to become a cheerleader, basketball player, Girl Scout, a chorus member (even though I cannot sing to save my life), and other school and community groups. As an adult, I still continue to push myself and now have a passion for traveling, experiencing cultures, and being around people.

Of my siblings, I was the first to attend college and took on the financial responsibility, so that is something I am really proud of.  I was a JELF recipient through my four years of undergrad.  In 2011, during my junior year of college, I was also the recipient of an interest-free loan from JELF. JELF has been a huge contributor to my success in school and after.  As many young college graduates learn, student loans are not exactly fun and having a high interest rate is even less fun.

Currently, I am involved in several different aspects in the Jewish community.  I went on Birthright shortly after graduating college and then began playing with social sports at the JCC.  I then began to get involved in the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta and helped plan and coordinate a reverse mifgash and other events. I also co-chaired the Birthright Alumni involvement at the Federation, staff Birthright trips, and played sports at the JCC, in addition to attending different social events throughout the community.

Shortly after college, I began my career in marketing and consulting at the Scheduling Institute in Alpharetta, GA. Having received my degree in marketing and sales, I am fortunate to have found a company that lets me use my creative and strategic talents. My advice to any young professional, or really any professional, is to find a career that will help you develop both personally as well as professionally. It truly makes a huge difference. I am now enjoying getting involved with entrepreneur friends and helping them with social media, word of mouth, or other outlets.

In 2012 and again in 2017, I had the opportunity to share my story at large JELF events and I was so glad to be there so that I could represent the importance of JELF and the difference it can make.  Having these interest-free loans for school made such a difference for me, and also truly affected the years after college and my ability to succeed.  Thanks, JELF!

Jane S.

JELF taught me early on about value on resourcefulness in pursuing your dreams. I had merit scholarships, but they were not enough to cover my tuition and books. JELF’s loan supplemented my scholarship funds and gave me the peace of mind to focus on my studies without worrying about finances. Thank you, JELF, for supporting me and so many others!

Rachel D.

“Thanks to JELF, I am attending the University of Central Florida (UCF) and taking my General Education classes toward my goal of attending medical school in the future.  I am enjoying my studies as well as my sorority.  Thanks, JELF, for helping me achieve these goals!”

Marnie S.

JELF has allowed me to attend an out of state college that best fits my need for my major. I am to get a hands on education and attend a school that allows me to experience sports journalism. I hope to return to Atlanta one day and report for our state’s teams!

Lianne M.

When I was younger my parents gave me a reality check by telling me that my only college option was community college. Nonetheless, after 4 years of hard work, 20 college applications, and the generosity of JELF I was able to accept a spot at USC. It took a lot of convincing, but with the support of JELF my parents confidently let me go pursue my dreams in LA , where I was involved in  Jewish Heritage Program, Jewish Greek Leadership and made the Dean’s List at USC!

Andrew S.

Thank you so much JELF for helping to fund my education!!

Benjamin W.

Dr. Benjamin Warsaw is a classical pianist, composer, teacher, and accompanist, and has performed numerous solo and ensemble concerts throughout North America. Concert highlights include, Schwartz Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA; Yamaha Hall and Haydn Birthplace, Vienna, Austria; O’Shaughnessy Theatre, Minneapolis, MN; JFK Birthplace, Boston, MA; and performed original compositions for President Carter during a live broadcast at the Carter Center.

Benjamin has studied and performed solo and chamber music and original compositions in summer festivals and masterclasses such as, Boston University Tanglewood Institute, Wiener Masterclasses, Banff Center Piano Master Classes, Chautauqua Institution, Brandywine International Piano Festival, International Keyboard Festival at Mannes, Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival, and Blue Lake Fine Arts, where his original compositions were featured on NPR.

A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Benjamin holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Eastman School of Music where he studied with Rebecca Penneys. He completed his Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance at Boston University under the tutelage of the late Anthony di Bonaventura. He is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, Music Teachers National Association, and the Savannah Music Teachers Association. Benjamin is Assistant Professor at Armstrong State University, Savannah, GA. There he teaches piano and theory and is Artistic Director of Piano in the Arts. In 2015 Benjamin released his debut album, Warsaw plays Warsaw, featuring a set of 24 Preludes of original music for piano.

Brittany F.

Not only did JELF help make it possible for me to afford Vanderbilt University, a top-15 private school, but it was at Vanderbilt Hillel where I first understood how fulfilling it is to be a part of a Jewish community. It was at Vanderbilt where I went to Israel for the first time on a Birthright Trip with my classmates. And it was at Vanderbilt where I met my husband Andrew – who has truly made my dreams come true. I am incredibly grateful and committed to giving back to this fantastic fund that has brought so many blessings into my life.