The Michael Stern Adult Torah Study Scholarship Fund is intended to assist members of Adas Israel who seek to advance their understanding of the Jewish faith, in particular through study of our foundational texts together with commentaries from antiquity to the present.
Applicants may seek support to engage in any level of learning - from introduction to Judaism classes to advanced text courses. There is no age restriction for applicants. The award limit under most circumstances is $500 per participant.
Examples of organizations that offer relevant courses of study include the Jewish Study Center, Hadar, Svara, the Brandeis Bardin Institute, the National Havurah Committee including its Summer Institute, the Haberman Institute for Jewish Studies, and Aleph Beta.
The Fund is jointly administered by Rabbi Kerrith Solomon and Rabbi Sarah Krinsky who are happy to entertain any questions you may have. Applications should be sent to them. The program is ongoing. Applications for 2021 and 2022 will be received and considered on a rolling basis. The application form is below.
Michael Stern z”l was one of Adas Israel’s own great sages. He engaged in Torah study for its own sake, advancing to the level of “master teacher,” a designation conferred in 2018 by our senior rabbis.
His family has created the Fund to honor Michael’s lifelong love of learning and teaching.
Testimonials
"The Michael Stern Scholarship enabled me to supplement my rabbinic training with nourishing text learning with svara. I am grateful for the opportunity to expand how I think about text and whom I am able to serve." - Talia
"Receiving the Michael Stern Scholarship was crucial for my conversion to Judaism. I was able to focus on preparing class materials, engaging with the texts, and forming relationships with classmates without the distraction of any burden created by the cost of course enrollment. Months later I'm able to donate funds I've saved since the start of class towards the Mikvah fund and a general contribution to Adas." - Statia
“The Michael Stern Scholarship allowed me to learn to read Hebrew and to take the Judaism 101 class. The scholarship was critical in helping me not just deepen my understanding and knowledge of Judaism but also to deepen my connection with the Adas community. I’m deeply grateful for this scholarship, without which I may not have been able to embark on my Jewish journey!” - Andrew
