Mesorah Heritage Foundation

Tax-deductible

Rahway, NJ501(c)(3)Since 1989Arts & CultureEIN 11-2981112

The foundation's mission is to research, locate, translate, and create jewish religious, literary, biblical, and talmudic works for religious, scholarly and cultural purposes for the general public.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
89¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 6 volunteers and 95 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $2.4M a year · 16% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
89%
of spending
Looks good: 89% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.1M
to officers and key staff · 7% of spending
Top officer’s pay lower than 87% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 7% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
20 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 19.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
27
named funders · $4.2M
Looks good: 27 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$10K
0.04% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
6
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 6 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$17.3M
+35% vs prior year
Spent
$15.2M
To programs
89%
Net assets
$25.1M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$17.3M
FY2025▲ +35%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$10.8M
FY2021$13.0M
FY2022$19.7M
FY2023$15.9M
FY2024$12.8M
FY2025$17.3M
Expenses
$15.2M
FY2025▲ +6%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$10.1M
FY2021$10.6M
FY2022$11.7M
FY2023$13.1M
FY2024$14.4M
FY2025$15.2M
Net assets
$25.1M
FY2025▲ +9%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$10.9M
FY2021$13.2M
FY2022$20.8M
FY2023$24.2M
FY2024$23.0M
FY2025$25.1M

From the FY2025 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Mar 1994.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

89 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 89% · $13.6M Management & general 6% · $847K Fundraising 5% · $767K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Who runs it and what they're paid

13 people listed on the 990; $1.1M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Typesetter
$181,326Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary/Treasurer
$173,081Pt VII · Sec A
Donor Coordinator
$166,700Pt VII · Sec A
Typesetter
$166,043Pt VII · Sec A
$163,471Pt VII · Sec A
$162,872Pt VII · Sec A
$64,896Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Solomon Brander’s $181K as Typesetter is at the 13th percentile of top reported officer pay among 749 $10–100M arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Solomon Brander$181,326$171,742$169,393$169,007$157,122$139,934
Rabbi Nosson Scherman$173,081$173,399$173,714$173,507$169,737$164,076
Steve Weisz$166,700$166,800$166,950$167,150$170,519$168,300
Jacob Brander$166,043—————
Sara Lea Hoberman$163,471$149,782————
Mordechai Sonnenschein$162,872—————
Rabbi Jacob Brander——$157,188$159,751$160,693$156,028
Rabbi Yehezkel Danziger—$155,655$143,348$143,043——

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Mesorah Heritage Foundation executive salaries →

Are you one of these people? Claim this org to confirm your role

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Researches, translates, and prepares Jewish religious and literary works.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until Mesorah Heritage Foundation claims this page.

Know this organization? Claim it to add your story

1 program service account for $13.6M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2025.
01

The mesorah heritage foundation was created to respond to urgent needs that became apparent in the post-world war ii english-speaking world. These needs continue to grow, in part thanks to the scholarship sponsored by the foundation.

$13.6Mprogram expense

Run this program? Claim this org to tell your story

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 27 funders →
Grants paid · 3 grants · $38K · 2022–2024
Yeshivath Beth YehudahMI · FY2023$10,000
Ohr NaavaNY · FY2022$18,000

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$17.3M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$16.8M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.1M
Money outPt IX
$15.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$13.6M
Managementcol C$847K
Fundraisingcol D$767K
Owns and owesPt X
$25.1M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$24.9M
Total assetsLn 16$25.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$10K
PeoplePt VI, VII
13
listed · VII A
PaidVII A7
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b6
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$16.8M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$1.6M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$171K
Investment incomeLn 3$1.1M
Gains on assetsLn 7$48K
Total revenueLn 12$17.3M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$3.6M
SavingsLn 2$21.3M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$24.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$131K
Total assetsLn 16$25.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$10K
Net assetsLn 32$25.1M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 595
VolunteersI 66
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$22.9M$24.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$119K$131K
Total assetsLn 16$23.0M$25.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$10K
Net assetsLn 32$23.0M$25.1M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$246K$112K$112K$22K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$294K$256K$13K$25K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$6.0M$5.3M$166K$498K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$86K$75K$4K$7K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$1.2M$1.2M$674$1K
Payroll taxesLn 10$421K$367K$19K$35K
Legal feesLn 11b$33K$33K
Accounting feesLn 11c$55K$55K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$6K$6K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$189K$78K$102K$10K
Office expensesLn 13$190K$23K$83K$83K
Information technologyLn 14$478K$213K$209K$56K
TravelLn 17$24K$14K$115$10K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$11K$6K$51$5K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$14K$6K$8K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$6.0M$6.0M$44K
Total functional expensesLn 25$15.2M$13.6M$847K$767K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $17.3M$15.2M$2.1M$25.1M 990 PDF
FY2024 $12.8M$14.4M−$1.6M$23.0M 990 PDF
FY2023 $15.9M$13.1M$2.8M$24.2M 990 PDF
FY2022 $19.7M$11.7M$8.0M$20.8M 990 PDF
FY2021 $13.0M$10.6M$2.4M$13.2M 990 PDF
FY2020 $10.8M$10.1M$658K$10.9M 990 PDF

Want to add your own materials alongside these filings? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2025 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $17,321,141 across 8 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$171,038
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$16,643,658
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$1,568,898
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$16,814,696
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,029,778$1,029,778
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $47,682$47,682
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$571,015−$571,015
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $506,445$17,321,141
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $15,247,900 across 16 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $111,896 · Management $111,896 · Fundraising $22,064$245,856
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $255,767 · Management $13,185 · Fundraising $24,620$293,572
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $5,286,191 · Management $166,379 · Fundraising $497,574$5,950,144
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $74,858 · Management $3,859 · Fundraising $7,207$85,924
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $1,204,267 · Management $674 · Fundraising $1,259$1,206,200
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $367,003 · Management $18,920 · Fundraising $35,330$421,253
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $33,107$33,107
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $55,166$55,166
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $6,500$6,500
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $77,535 · Management $102,086 · Fundraising $9,730$189,351
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $23,482 · Management $82,912 · Fundraising $83,275$189,669
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $212,627 · Management $208,841 · Fundraising $56,292$477,760
IX-17 TravelPrograms $13,671 · Management $115 · Fundraising $10,286$24,072
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $6,086 · Management $51 · Fundraising $4,578$10,715
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $5,662 · Fundraising $8,493$14,155
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $6,000,182 · Management $44,274$6,044,456
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $13,633,565 · Management $847,127 · Fundraising $767,208$15,247,900
Part X · Balance sheet $25,076,795 assets, 9 lines filed
Asset lines not itemized here account for $11,890; see the IRS return.
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,550,486$3,629,259
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $20,360,629$21,304,245
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $118,622$131,401
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $23,045,457$25,076,795
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expenses$10,038
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$10,038
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $23,045,457$25,066,757
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $23,045,457$25,066,757
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $23,045,457$25,076,795
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $25,066,757 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$17,321,141
XI-2 Total expenses$15,247,900
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$2,073,241
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$23,045,457
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$51,941
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$25,066,757

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

If you ARE the filing organization, claim this org and add context

Made it to the end? Claim this organization

Keep this kind of thing free
Keep public charity data easy to read.

Free to the public, because obviously. Like this? Pay it forward. Don't like this? Help us get better.

Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. One time.
Keep this kind of thing free
Keep public charity data easy to read.

Free to the public, because obviously. Like this? Pay it forward. Don't like this? Help us get better.

Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. One time.

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.