Leviev Foundation announces new $50 million educational initiative

The Leviev Foundation has launched a significant $50 million educational initiative aimed at supporting Jewish children from underserved and immigrant communities over the next five years. The program will provide scholarships and educational grants, with a core mission to strengthen Jewish identity.

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Jewish identity should never be a luxury.

Chagit Leviev Sofiev, speaking at the Jerusalem Post New York Conference's Opening Gala, shared a poignant anecdote about a child who felt compelled to hide their Jewish identity at school. This experience, she stated, underscores the foundation's belief that Jewish identity should never be a luxury and that Jewish children should feel proud of their heritage.

The initiative builds upon the Leviev family's long-standing commitment to Jewish education. Sofiev recounted the historical sacrifices of her great-grandfather, Zevulun Leviev, who was exiled for teaching Jewish children, and her grandfather, Avner, who secretly preserved Jewish traditions. Her father, Lev Leviev, established over 150 Jewish schools and institutions, including the first free Jewish school in Queens, New York.

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Don’t worry, no one in my school knows I am Jewish.

"Jewish continuity survives only when each generation is willing to protect it," Sofiev remarked, drawing parallels to her own experience raising children in America. The foundation's new program seeks to ensure that no Jewish family faces financial barriers to their child's Jewish education, framing the investment in children as the "greatest diamonds we will ever invest in."

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Because the greatest diamonds we will ever invest in are not the ones in jewelry, but the children of the future.