About
Legacy of the Mandel Brothers
“Leadership has been the central thrust of our activity.
As the world changes, our programs will change, but the need for enlightened, informed leadership will not go away.”
Mission of the Mandel Foundation
To contribute to the flourishing of the United States and Israel as just, inclusive, compassionate and democratic societies, and to improve the quality of life in both countries.
Areas of Engagement
The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation was founded in 1953 by brothers Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel of Cleveland, Ohio, with the primary mission to help provide outstanding leadership for the nonprofit world. The Mandel Foundation focuses on these areas of engagement:
Leadership Development – Investing in leaders of educational, nonprofit and public sector institutions with the aim of deepening their impact on the larger society.
Management of Nonprofits – Fostering excellence in the management of nonprofit and public sector institutions.
Humanities – Promoting the humanities as the foundation of human aspiration and human experience.
Jewish Life – Helping successive generations discover the meaning and significance of Judaism and Jewish culture, and contributing to the vibrancy of Jewish communities.
Urban Engagement – Supporting neighborhood and community development, as an expression of our commitment to just, inclusive and democratic societies.
Our Israel Story
The Mandel Foundation–Israel was founded in 1990. In 1991, Israel's Minister of Education approached Morton Mandel with a challenge: he needed more highly qualified professionals to staff key positions within the Ministry of Education. This led to the establishment of the Mandel School for Educational Leadership in 1992.
For over three decades, through its renowned, intensive, two-year Mandel School for Educational Leadership and other programs, the Mandel Foundation has produced a generation of leaders in Israel's educational and nonprofit sectors. Today, many of the over 400 graduates of the school hold key positions in Israel's educational system, in nonprofit, and in national and local government in Israel.
The Mandel Leadership Institute is home to additional leadership programs, including the Mandel Programs for Leadership in the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) Community, the Mandel Youth Leadership Program, the Mandel Program for Leadership in Jewish Culture, the Mandel Program for Academic Leadership in Teacher Education, and the Mandel IDF Educational Leadership Program, which was launched in 2005 in collaboration with the Israel Defense Forces' Education and Youth Corps.
Since its founding, the Mandel Foundation–Israel has extended across Israel to include the Mandel Center for Leadership in the Negev, which helps train and empower leaders on the local level in the South of Israel, and the newest addition, the Mandel Center for Leadership in the North, which is home to regional and social leadership training programs in the North of Israel.
The Mandel Graduate Unit provides over 2,000 graduates of core Mandel programs with opportunities for continuing professional development, in order to increase their impact in the field.
