The ISEF Foundation

Since its founding in 1977, the ISEF Foundation has strengthened Israel from within by enabling gifted Israeli youth from immigrant and underprivileged communities to get a higher education.

ISEF's founders, Edmond Safra z"l, his wife Lily Safra, and Nina Weiner, were convinced that the brainpower of Israel's youth is its most important resource, and that investing in the long-term development of that brainpower holds the key to a secure, prosperous and stable future for Israel.

Since its inception, ISEF has awarded over 16,000 needs-based merit scholarships, from B.A. to Ph.D. and postdoc, at all of Israel's major universities and colleges, as well as at world-renowned institutions such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and Cambridge.

While they study, ISEF's 800 scholars multiply ISEF's impact by teaching, mentoring, and encouraging more than 3,000 underprivileged youngsters enrolled in ground-breaking education programs which ISEF sponsors all over Israel. ISEF's scholars don't just teach math, science, and English; they are role models for how higher education can transform lives.

ISEF's unique formula - merit scholarship aid combined with on-campus support systems and leadership development programs - has engendered an astonishing rate of success: more than 90% of ISEF's scholars complete their degrees, and many go on for advanced degrees.

ISEF's thousands of successful, productive alumni are living proof of the value of ISEF's investment in expanding access to higher education. Former ISEF scholars are today heads of major hospitals, university professors and educators, prominent attorneys and entrepreneurs, media commentators, diplomats, financiers, artists, and agents for change in Israel's schools and society.

By enabling thousands of bright young minds to reach their highest potential, ISEF helps advance Israel's standing in the global knowledge economy and boosts its security in the region.