Jewish Federation Los Angeles (JFEDLA) recently received a historic $20 million endowment gift from the estate of Geri Brawerman, the largest single gift in JFEDLA history, this transformative investment will expand the Geri & Richard Brawerman Leadership Institute, a cornerstone Federation initiative supporting exemplary Jewish college students with financial need as they prepare to lead our community into the future.
Geri Brawerman, a longtime philanthropist and community pillar, was known for her boundless generosity, unwavering commitment to Jewish continuity, and belief in the power of education to shape lives. Geri created the Brawerman Fellowship in 2012. With this gift, generations of new fellows will now benefit from her vision, values, and love for the Jewish people.
JFEDLA President & CEO Rabbi Noah Farkas and JFEDLA Chair of the Board Orna Wolens jointly stated:
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“We are incredibly grateful for the longstanding support and partnership Geri and Richard
Brawerman provided. They exemplified what it means to give back and put the values of
community and leadership into action. Especially at a time when our college students need
additional support on campus, this generous gift will help us pave the way to help mentor
many of our future community and industry leaders – for generations to come.”
The Geri & Richard Brawerman Leadership Institute currently provides four years of college scholarships ($10,000 per year), annual retreats, local and overseas service opportunities, a Birthright trip, global Jewish learning experiences, and mentorship opportunities. Fellows are selected for their academic excellence, leadership potential, and financial need. They become ambassadors of the program and of Jewish life on their campuses and in their communities.
JFEDLA is in the process of convening an advisory committee and engaging expert consultants to explore how best to grow and sustain the Brawerman Fellowship. This includes possibly expanding access to more students, increasing scholarship amounts, increasing programmatic offerings, and deepening long-term engagement with Brawerman alumni.
To learn more about the Brawerman Fellowship, visit JewishLA.org/Brawerman.
