JNS
In an interview with JNS, COO Naomi Kovitz outlines the Yael Foundation’s global vision for Jewish education.
At a time when many Diaspora communities worry about rising antisemitism and long-term continuity, Naomi Kovitz believes the primary challenge is ensuring that every Jewish child feels they belong.
Speaking in an interview at the JNS Media Hub in Jerusalem on Feb. 12, the chief operating officer of the Jerusalem-based Yael Foundation summarized the philanthropic organization’s mission in a single sentence: “No Jewish child should feel alone in the Jewish story.”
For Kovitz, that idea lies at the heart of the Yael Foundation's work across continents, languages and educational systems.
“The work itself speaks for itself,” she said. “Wherever you live and wherever you see your Jewish community, hopefully we’re there also giving support. Some communities are thriving on their own—and that’s wonderful—but in others, we’re necessary.”
The Yael Foundation focuses on strengthening Jewish identity through education, leadership development and immersive experiences in communities large and small. Over the past several years, the organization has expanded rapidly, supporting educational initiatives in more than 40 countries across Europe, North America and Israel.
Kovitz, who has spent over a decade in nonprofit leadership and holds degrees in business management and Israel-Diaspora relations, oversees the operational strategy behind that growth. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and a master’s degree in American Jewry and Israel relations, and joined the leadership team as the organization expanded its worldwide grantmaking and Jewish-education programs.
Quoting Yael Foundation co-founder Uri Poliavich, she described the organization’s mindset simply: “We are overachievers. Our vision is to overachieve in everything—in standards of excellence, meaningful Jewish experiences and careful investment in Jewish education.”
Global classrooms, local impact
Founded in 2020 by Cyprus-based Uri and Yael Poliavich, the foundation, whose motto is “No Jewish Child Left Behind,” is a leading philanthropic initiative currently impacting some 20,000 Jewish students in 45 countries.
This mission was highlighted at its recent 2026 Yael Awards event in Vienna, where the foundation recognized excellence across its network of over 100 educational institutions with awards honoring innovation and academic leadership.
Rather than impose a single educational model, the foundation adapts to each community’s needs. In established communities, funding may strengthen existing schools and teacher training. In smaller or isolated communities, the focus may be basic infrastructure—curriculum, staffing or leadership support.
Kovitz said one of the organization’s guiding principles is respect for local leadership.
“We don’t come in to replace communities,” she explained. “We come to empower them so they can succeed long-term on their own.”
That approach, she believes, is essential in an era when Jewish identity is shaped simultaneously by global culture and local pressures—from assimilation in some regions to security concerns in others.
While social media connects young people instantly across continents, she said, many still grow up unaware how large the Jewish world really is.
“Children sometimes think they’re the only Jewish kid in their country,” she said. “When they discover there are others like them—in Finland, Iceland or elsewhere—it changes their sense of identity completely.”
Camp Yael
That discovery is most visible at Camp Yael, one of the foundation’s flagship programs.
Each year, the foundation rents a different site and brings together hundreds of students from around the world for a heavily subsidized summer experience centered on Jewish learning, leadership and community building.
Last summer, about 500 participants from 19 countries attended—with no single shared language.
“Camp happens in four languages simultaneously,” Kovitz said. “There’s no one unifying language, but there is a unifying story.”
Participants return home, she added, transformed—not only personally but communally.
“The schools that send students see the impact immediately. The kids come back with leadership and ownership. It strengthens the entire community.”
For youth from small or isolated Jewish populations, the experience can be especially powerful.
“They suddenly understand they’re part of something much larger,” she said. “They don’t feel alone anymore.”
Education as a continuity strategy
While public discussion about Jewish continuity often focuses on politics or security, Kovitz argues that education is the decisive factor.
Investment in schools, teachers and immersive experiences, she said, produces lasting identity rather than temporary engagement.
“We measure success long-term,” she said. “Not just attendance at an event—but whether someone builds a Jewish home, becomes a leader or stays connected years later.”
That philosophy guides the foundation’s grantmaking strategy, which emphasizes depth over visibility. Programs are often developed quietly in partnership with local educators rather than through high-profile campaigns.
Still, the organization has begun holding larger gatherings to unite partners and supporters. A major international event scheduled for March will bring together educators, community leaders and donors to share results and plan expansion into additional communities.
Kovitz sees such meetings less as fundraising opportunities and more as strategic planning forums.
“The goal is to learn what works in one place and adapt it elsewhere,” she said. “Jewish communities differ—but the core needs are similar."
A growing global network
Since its founding just five years ago, the Yael Foundation has built a broad network of schools, camps and leadership programs. Much of its work focuses on communities without strong institutional backing, where even modest support can transform sustainability.
Kovitz described its mission as both operational and moral.
“It’s a huge privilege,” she said. “But also a tremendous responsibility.”
Despite the scale of the project, she returned to its simplest objective—belonging.
For her, Jewish continuity depends less on ideology than on emotional connection formed early in life.
“If a child feels part of the Jewish story,” she said, “everything else follows.”
And if not? “They drift away,” she said quietly. “That’s what we’re trying to prevent.”
