FAQs
Is The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous (JFR) a recognized nonprofit organization?
Yes, the JFR is an incorporated nonprofit organization and was granted 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service of the Federal Government in 1994. Please see our Financial Information page for more on this subject.
What percentage of my donation goes to rescuers?
The JFR spends approximately 86% of each donation on program-related activities – direct support of rescuers and Holocaust teacher education – and 14% on administration and fundraising. Of the funds that go to programs, 85% goes directly to rescuers and 15% goes to the JFR’s Education Program.
How does the JFR find the rescuers it supports?
Rescuers are referred to the JFR by Yad Vashem, by the Jewish survivors they saved, by other rescuers, and by organizations and individuals from the countries in which they live.
How does the JFR determine if a person is eligible to receive financial support?
A rescuer must be recognized as a Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority in Israel, must have been born before 1934, and must be in need of financial assistance. The JFR does not give financial support to rescuers’ spouses or other family members.
How does the JFR determine award levels for each country?
The JFR sets award levels for each country individually, based on information we receive from the Jewish community in each country and in consultation with the Joint Distribution Committee.
How often does the JFR send funds to rescuers?
We send funds to rescuers three times during the year, in March, July, and November/December.
Where do the rescuers live?
We support individuals living in 17 countries around the world, but most live in Eastern Europe. The largest number lives in Poland.
Why does the JFR have an education program?
The JFR’s mission is two-fold: to support those rescuers who are in need for the duration of their lives and to preserve their legacy by sharing their stories and by educating others about the Holocaust. We fulfill the second part by giving middle and high school teachers the knowledge and the tools they need to teach this complex history.
Can any educator who is interested in attending the Summer Institute for Teachers apply to the program?
In order to attend the Summer Institute or any other JFR education program, a teacher must be affiliated with one of the Holocaust centers or museums in the JFR’s Holocaust Centers of Excellence Program.
Can a Holocaust center apply to join the JFR’s Holocaust Centers of Excellence Program?
The JFR seeks out centers and museums with which to partner; there is currently not an application process. The thirteen centers that are currently in the program are located throughout the United States. Each center commits to nominating participants for the Summer Institute for Teachers (SIT) and agrees to sponsor its own Holocaust teacher education programs using JFR materials and training models. Centers are also expected to call upon their Lerner Fellows the teachers we train at SIT to assist in designing and implementing programs.
What education materials does the JFR offer?
The JFR is in the process of publishing a two-volume set for use in the classroom. The first volume, Voices & Views: A History of the Holocaust, was published in October 2002. Edited by Holocaust scholar Debórah Dwork, the book covers the entire history of the Holocaust and features selections from the works of noted Holocaust scholars. Two of the ten chapters focus on rescue.
The companion volume, a Resource for Teachers (working title), will be published in 2011. This book will help educators integrate Voices & Views into their teaching on the Holocaust. Visit our Publications page to learn more about these books.
To order our Poster Set on Rescue: Traits that Transcend, published in September 2005, visit our Online Store. The JFR also offers units of study for teachers to cover in one or two class periods. The two currently available – one on the Danish Rescue and one on Zegota, a Polish underground group – include background information, essential questions, student outcomes, suggested teaching approaches, timelines, and documents.
