Uri and Yael Poliavich's foundation now backs 145 Jewish schools in 48 countries, with enrollment growing at over three-quarters of them — from a rescued Rio school to a €70 million Cyprus campus.
Uri and Yael Poliavich's Yael Foundation now supports 145 Jewish educational institutions across 48 countries, and new data show enrollment growing or holding steady at a majority of them, the Jerusalem Post reported. Founded in 2020, the foundation has grown into one of the fastest-expanding funders in Jewish education, with a budget that has grown substantially year over year.
Who are Uri and Yael Poliavich?
- Yael Foundation: founded 2020 by Uri and Yael Poliavich; funds Jewish day schools, kindergartens, Sunday schools and after-school programs in 48 countries under the motto "No Jewish Child Left Behind," per JNS's profile of Uri Poliavich.
- Uri Poliavich: a serial tech entrepreneur with companies in IT and gaming, Cyprus-based; has said his goal is that no Jewish child grow up disconnected from Jewish identity the way he did.
- Yael Poliavich: met Uri in Central Asia in 2010, converted to Judaism, and co-founded the foundation, which is named after her.
- Chaya Yosovich: CEO of the Yael Foundation since October 2023, per eJewishPhilanthropy, previously CEO of the Shema Yisroel network of Jewish schools in the former Soviet Union.
- Cyprus Jewish Academy of Excellence: the foundation's flagship project, a campus near Limassol, part of a broader push documented by eJewishPhilanthropy's reporting from the foundation's Cyprus conference.
How Fast Is the Yael Foundation Growing?
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Institutions supported | 145 across 48 countries |
| Schools with rising enrollment | 52% grew, per the foundation's own analysis reported by the Jerusalem Post |
| Schools with stable enrollment | A further 26% held steady |
| Annual grant budget | Grown from an initial fund to roughly $21.8 million in planned grants as of 2024, per eJewishPhilanthropy, and further since |
How Far Does the Yael Foundation's Reach Extend?
The foundation holds an annual conference bringing together school principals and community leaders from dozens of countries, most of them from the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, eJewishPhilanthropy reported from the Paphos, Cyprus gathering. CEO Chaya Yosovich told the Jerusalem Post: "This is far more than the rescue of one school. It is the protection of a Jewish community's future" — reflecting the foundation's broader philosophy that renewed investment in Jewish education is a response to antisemitism and demographic pressure rather than a retreat from it.
Why Does the Yael Foundation Reach Communities Other Funders Don't?
The Yael Foundation targets small and often-overlooked Jewish communities across Europe, South America, and elsewhere less addressed by larger philanthropies, according to eJewishPhilanthropy's reporting, alongside larger flagship commitments including the Cyprus campus.
What Is the Yael Foundation's Connection to Chabad-Lubavitch?
Chabad-Lubavitch is the largest Jewish religious and educational network in the world, operating schools in many of the small, isolated communities the Yael Foundation prioritizes. That structural overlap explains why many Yael grantees are Chabad-affiliated — often the only Jewish educational option available locally. The foundation's original chairman, Rabbi Shmuel Azman, is the son of Ukraine's Chief Rabbi Reuven Azman, per the Jerusalem Post's early coverage of the foundation's launch, while the foundation itself describes its work as pluralistic.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Yael Foundation?
A private philanthropy founded in 2020 by Uri and Yael Poliavich, funding Jewish schools in 48 countries.
How fast is it growing?
The foundation's grant budget has grown substantially year over year, with enrollment growing or holding steady at a majority of its 145 supported schools.
What is the Cyprus Jewish Academy of Excellence?
The foundation's flagship project: a campus near Limassol, Cyprus, developed as both a school for the local community and a design template for schools elsewhere.
Sources
Jerusalem Post, "New Yael Foundation data reveal Jewish education enrollment growing" (2026); JNS, profile of Uri Poliavich; eJewishPhilanthropy, on the foundation's leadership and budget growth; eJewishPhilanthropy, on the Cyprus flagship school; Jerusalem Post, on the foundation's 2023 launch and early leadership.
How we report: Olam stories draw on public filings, company disclosures and named sources, checked by our editors. Read our methodology · Corrections
