YRF - Youth Renewal Fund


YRF , a non-profit organization, is the US partners of Darca schools - a network of 28 high schools and two learning centers in disadvantaged communities in Israel. YRF provides strategic guidance, research and philanthropic support to Darca Schools.

History

YRF was founded in 1989 in New York City as a grassroots effort to improve the available academic opportunities for underprivileged students in Israel. It grew to become an implementer of supplemental education programs in Israel's periphery. A study conducted by the organization proved that the programs provided were making an impact in closing the educational gap between wealthy and poor.
In August 2008, YRF launched a multi-year Teacher Professional Development Program, one of the first of its kind in Israel. In its pilot year, the program served nearly 200 YRF teachers. YRF has implemented over $25 million in programming, reaching more than 75,000 Israeli children.

Board of directors

– Chairman; Paul Schnell – President; Sam Katz – Past President

Members of the Board

Anne Angowitz; Stuart Angowitz; Ram Burshtine; Sam Camens; Harlan Cherniak; Jeff Cohen ;Jamie Easton; Danny Epstien; David Feldman; Susan Flaxman; Jeffrey Freed; Michael Gardner; Jeff Gimbel; David Grin; Michael Gross; Karen Herron; Scott Hoffman; Sam Katz; Doug Korn; Randye Kwait; Ken Lande; Bret Pearlman; Ilene Penn; Allison Rosen; Bennett Rosenthal; Marc Rowan; Jordan Sall; Paul Schnell; Robert Schwartz; Jamie Schweid Robert Sheft; Deborah Simon; Hope Taitz; Ross Weiner
Executive Committee
Harlan Cherniak; Jamie Easton; Jeff Gimbel; Sam Katz; Randye Kwait; Paul Schnell; Robert Schwartz