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=The Wexner Foundation=

The Wexner Foundation is a charitable organization founded by Leslie Wexner, CEO of Limited Brands and his wife, Abigail Wexner in Columbus, Ohio. It is a charity that focuses on enhancing Jewish Leadership. There are three core leadership programs: The Wexner Graduate Fellowship Program, The Wexner Israel Fellowship Program, and the Wexner Heritage Foundation. The Wexner Foundation also supports other Jewish charities.

History
The Wexner Foundation was founded in 1984 by Leslie Wexner, CEO of Limited Brands. Leslie and Abigail Wexner developed the foundation to promote Jewish leadership. It was designed to enhance the quality of leadership in Jewish professionals, Jewish volunteer leaders, and Israeli public officials.

Leslie Wexner and Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman, the former Chief Executive Officer of the National United Jewish Appeal established The Wexner Heritage Program in 1985. The purpose of this program was “to educate Jewish communal leaders in the history, thought, traditions and contemporary challenges of the Jewish people.”

In 1988, The Wexner Graduate Fellowship Program was founded by the Wexner Foundation. It awards scholarships to 20 individuals who wish to obtain degrees in Jewish Education, Jewish Leadership, Rabbinical Studies, or Cantorate Studies.

The Wexner Israel Fellowship Program was created in 1989. It is a partnership between The Wexner Foundation and Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. The program selects 10 Israeli Government officials to participate in a variety of leadership programs. When finished, the officials are awarded a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree.

The Wexner Foundation headquarters is in New Albany, Ohio. There are also main offices in New York City, Israel, and at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The President of the Wexner Foundation is Larry S Moses.

The Core Leadership Programs of The Wexner Foundation
The Wexner Foundation comprises of three core leadership programs: The Wexner Graduate Fellowship Program, The Wexner Israel Fellowship Program, and the Wexner Heritage Foundation.

The Wexner Graduate Fellowship Program supports and trains graduate students who are planning a career related to Judaism. It financially supports 20 students who are planning careers as a Rabbi, Hazzan (Cantor), Jewish teachers, or any other type of Jewish leadership. Wexner Graduate Fellowships are given to students who are strongly committed to the Jewish Community, have excellent grades, and show potential to become a leader in Jewish communities. Each student selected receives $20,000.00 each year for up to three years to finance their education. The money is dependent upon the students’ grades and achievement. In addition, each fellowship member must participate in institutes in which each member can talk with other Jewish leaders.

The Wexner Israel Fellowship Program is co-sponsored by Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. It brings ten Israeli public officials to Harvard University for a yearlong program. The fellowship program pays all expenses associated for each participant including tuition, book fees, travel fees, etc. The Wexner Foundation also grants each individual a generous living stipend. These public officials must meet certain requirements set by the Wexner Foundation, such as having 5 years experience in the public sector, proficiency in English, and demonstrating potential to achieve important leadership positions in Israel when they return. At the end of the program, each official is awarded a Master of Public Administration (MPA). Participants must attend leadership institutes sponsored by the Wexner Foundation. The purpose of the program is to enhance the leadership and public management skills of Israel’s public leaders. It has currently supported 135 Israeli officials. After the program, the Israeli public officials go back to Israel and serve in high government positions and the Israeli Defense Forces.

The Wexner Heritage Foundation centers on volunteer leaders in the various Jewish Communities in North America. The program focuses on strengthening Jewish values and bringing them into the community. It is a two year program that consists of 36 seminars located in New York, Colorado, California, Utah, and Israel. All expenses are paid for by the Wexner Foundation. The seminars focus mainly on four areas: Traditions of the Jewish People, Jewish History, Contemporary Jewish thought, and Contemporary Issues facing the Jewish Community today. To become a participant in the Wexner Heritage Program, candidates must be nominated by people in their community. The participant must demonstrate commitment to the Jewish people through personal and/or professional leadership. The participant does not necessarily have to be Jewish, but many are. After the program, the alumni are encouraged to continue their Jewish study under the guidance of the Wexner Foundation.

Other Philanthropies that the Wexner Foundation Supports
Central Ohio Philanthropies supported by The Wexner Foundation


 * Columbus Jewish Federation
 * The Columbus Jewish Foundation
 * The Wexner Jewish Student Center of Ohio State University
 * Wexner Heritage Village
 * The Columbus Torah Academy
 * The Columbus Jewish Day School
 * The Leo Yassenoff Jewish Community Center
 * The Columbus' United_Way_of_America campaign
 * The Wexner Institute for Pediatric Research at Children's Hospital
 * The Wexner Center for the Arts at Ohio State University

[United States] Philanthropies sponsored by The Wexner Foundation


 * Birthright Israel
 * PEJE The Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education
 * Hillel The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life
 * JESNA The Jewish Education Service of North America
 * all major rabbinical seminaries
 * Brandeis University
 * United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

[Israel] Philanthropies supported by The Wexner Foundation


 * Hebrew University of Jerusalem


 * Tel Aviv University

Information About Alumni of The Wexner Foundation Programs

 * Yossi Abramowitz

Yossi Abramowitz]] is listed in the Forward Newspaper as one of the 50 most influential Jewish people in America. He has been nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in the former Soviet Union. He served as a keynote speaker in Russia's Human Rights Conference. Currently, Yossi and his daughter are working on Worldmanna.org, an organization created to reduce World hunger.


 * Robin S. Axelrod

Robin S. Axelrod is currently the director of the Sol Dracher Program. She is also a clinical professor of Judaic Studies and Social Work at the University of Michigan. She is developing programs for Jewish leadership training with the help of Michigan s Ross School of Business and The Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. She also gives talks about various issues affecting the national and local Jewish communities.


 * Lila Corwin Berman Ph.D

Lila Corwin Berman Ph.D is writing a book entitled Jewish Missionaries: How Jews Presented Themselves to America. It discusses how American Jews understand their identity as an American. She is a Frederick P. and Sandra P. Rose Young Historian, an award given by the Center for Jewish History.


 * Shira Reifman

Shira Reifman is the Executive Director of the Jewish Student Union, which is an organization that strives to create Jewish Culture in public schools.


 * Ohad Marani

Ohad Marani currently serves as the Director General of the Israel Ministry of Finance, which creates economic policies of Israel. He has also served in Washington D.C. as the Minister of Economic Affairs at Israel's Embassy, where he worked on creating aid for Israel from the United States.


 * Dr. Yair Birnbaum

Dr. Yair Birnbaum is the Director of the Hadassah Ein Karem Hospital in Israel. He is a board certified Pediatrician and is also an ordained Orthodox Jewish Rabbi.