Former Chancellor Supports Graduate Scholarships

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In 1975, Chancellor Gerson Cohen asked Dr. Ismar Schorsch to establish a graduate school at JTS and become its founding dean. “I was thrilled with the invitation,” Dr. Schorsch said. “I believed JTS should always be a source of critical scholarship, best centered in a prestigious graduate school.” 

In the years since, Dr. Schorsch, who served as chancellor from 1986–2006, has proudly watched the Kekst Graduate School flourish. When he and his wife, Sally, decided to make a significant gift to JTS, they decided to focus on the graduate school, “in part because of my esteem and affection for Gershon Kekst.” 

“My hope was to strengthen the PhD track,” he said. “I wanted to make sufficient financial aid available to outstanding doctoral candidates so they would consider coming to JTS. That’s why I insisted that my money be spent immediately—I wanted an immediate benefit that would make us competitive in the doctoral market.”

Dr. Schorsch’s vision has already come to fruition. “My commitment was a 5-year gift, $100,000 each year, and we have given it twice so far. The gift translated immediately into an outstanding graduate student each year. The fellowship isn’t named—I didn’t want the recipients to feel any sense of obligation to the donor. I just wanted them to benefit from the availability of competitive financial aid.”

He also hoped to set an example for others. “That was our intent—not only to benefit JTS, but to stimulate others to think in the same way and give major gifts that will be immediately beneficial to JTS.”

READ MORE STORIES OF ALUMNI GIVING SEE ALL ALUMNI WHO MADE SIGNIFICANT GIFTS TO THE CROSSROADS CAMPAIGN