The Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York (JFNENY) is accepting applications for both academic scholarships for undergraduate college and graduate school students as well as scholarships to enable local children and college students to participate in enriching Jewish experience programs. Applications are due by Feb. 21.

Jewish Enrichment Scholarships: Camp, Israel, etc.

Scholarship funds are available for local children and college students to participate in overnight Jewish camps, Jewish travel experiences, summer and year Israel experience programs, and other programs that provide Jewish enrichment and inspire Jewish continuity.

Decisions on who will receive these scholarship funds are based on financial need and are determined following completion of an application, submission of the applicant’s most recent complete federal income tax return available, and a possible telephone follow-up. In considering an applicant’s need, the committee considers the program expense and any exceptional circumstances or financial burdens or responsibilities that the immediate family may have.

JFNENY allocates funds to eligible local Jewish day camps to support camperships. Interested students are asked to apply directly to these camps for funding.

Applications are available at www.jewishfedny.org/scholarships. Rebecca Miller at 518- 783-7800m ext. 225 or [email protected] can provide details. Applications are due by Feb. 21, 2025.

Academic Scholarships

Applications for academic scholarships are through JFNENY’s Jewish Community Endowment Fund for college and graduate school students and are based on merit and/or financial need. The available undergraduate college scholarships — and their criteria — include:

The Abraham & Eleanor Staff College Scholarship—$4,225 grant

The family of the recipient must reside in Albany, Schenectady, Troy, Saratoga, Glens Falls or the immediate surrounding area. (If the family does not reside in this area, no need to apply). The applicant must have been raised as and consider him or her self to be Jewish, and display leadership qualities in general and Jewish activities.

The applicant must have a minimum GPA of 3.50 (or an 88 cumulative average) in high school and have taken at least some Advanced Placement and/or Honors courses in high school. The recipient of the award must be between the ages of 17 and 24.

Although not an eligibility requirement of this scholarship, selection of a recipient will show priority to otherwise deserving candidates who choose to demonstrate financial need. To do so, the applicant’s parents must provide a copy of their most recent tax returns for the preceding two years as part of the application, each parent separately if they have not filed together. If there are financial circumstances not easily gleaned from the tax return, please include a letter of explanation. A candidate will not be disqualified from consideration for failing to demonstrate financial need.

If the recipient maintains a cumulative grade point of at least 3.25 in college, and is on-track to complete an undergraduate degree within four consecutive years, they will be automatically eligible to receive the scholarship each year for up to four years.

David and Rose Udelson Bray Scholarship—$2,000 grant

This scholarship is intended to benefit students, preferably Jewish, to help subsidize the expense of a college education, to be disbursed at the rate of $2,000 per year to a different student each year. Priority will be given to students in the geographic area served by the Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York (Albany, Schenectady, Troy, Saratoga, Gens Falls or immediate surrounding areas).

Medwin/Krouner Pharmacy Scholarship—$980 grant

The scholarship provides a stipend to a Jewish student (or students) at Albany College of Pharmacy. The recipient will be chosen based on character, academic record, and service to the Jewish community as demonstrated through interests, activities, and financial need. These criteria will be assessed through the academic scholarship form, a letter of application, references and, if the committee requests, a personal interview.

Judith Littman Wax and Oscar Ben Zion Wax Scholarship—$4,025 grant

This scholarship is presented to an outstanding young Jewish woman who grew up in the Capital Region to enable her to enrich her Jewish learning through study or travel. The recipient must be enrolled in a program that has the purpose and focus of enriching Jewish knowledge.

The program can be a formal educational program, a tour that includes a Jewish focus on Jewish sites, yeshiva learning, college studies with a preponderance of Judaic studies courses, or other educational opportunity that will enrich the recipient’s Jewish learning.

The grant should be used following high school graduation and is available to any outstanding Jewish woman during her undergraduate study years. (Women returning to school later in life are eligible if they are studying at the undergraduate level.)

The recipient must have a commitment to her Jewish identity. A range of criteria will be considered when reviewing applications including, but not limited to, the applicant’s academic performance (transcript required), Jewish community involvement, evidence of Jewish community leadership, talents and interests, and other factors that the applicant wishes to share with the committee. The grant is based solely on merit, not financial need.

Graduate School Scholarships:

Axelrod-Lichtenstein Scholarship—$805 grant

This merit scholarship is provided to a Jewish medical school student who is in good standing at an accredited medical school and studying for an M.D. degree. The applicant must have completed at least one year of medical school. A medical school transcript is required. The committee will consider volunteer activities and other interests. The grant is based solely on merit, not financial need; however, if there is more than one suitable applicant and one has a greater financial need than the other(s), the committee has the discretion to consider financial need when awarding the grant.

Paul M. Gans Scholarship—$720 grant

The scholarship is given to a graduate student studying toward a career in Jewish communal service, including such fields as the rabbinate, the cantorate, Jewish education, Jewish social work, etc. Priority will be given to those individuals who establish academic ability and/or financial need.

Hilda & Dr. John Lanzkron Medical Scholarship —$340 grant

This scholarship is available for Jewish medical-school student in good standing at an accredited medical school. Medical school transcript is required. The committee will consider volunteer activities and other interests.

Interested applicants are asked to complete the academic scholarship application form (available at www.jewishfedny.org/scholarships), draft a letter of interest, and any additional information the applicant wishes to have considered by the committee and send it to:

Deborah Goldstein, Jewish Federation of NENY, the Golub Center, 184 Washington Avenue Ext.,

Albany, NY 12203-5306. Applications may also be sent via e-mail to [email protected]. All applications are due on or before Feb. 21. Questions may be directed to  Goldstein at 518- 783-7800, ext. 230.

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