Marking a major milestone in a transformative scholarship initiative, Yeshiva University has named the first cohort of Scholars to the Heller Center for Academic Excellence and Jewish Values—exceptional students selected across the current undergraduate class—who exemplify strong academic achievement grounded in Torah values. Each scholar will receive $10,000 annually, providing meaningful support as they pursue demanding coursework and lives of leadership, growth and purpose. The Heller family’s commitment to establishing a foundational endowment anchors this initiative, ensuring its longevity and advancing YU’s mission of integrating intellectual rigor with Torah-centered education.
The Heller Center’s vision is now taking concrete form on campus. This year, 20 students have been named Heller Scholars across Yeshiva College, the Sy Syms School of Business and Stern College for Women, with a few Stern College Heller Scholars designated as Livia Turkel Scholars. Within the next year and a half, the program is expected to grow to 40 Heller Scholars, with a long-term goal of supporting up to 100 students across the university.
Looking ahead to fall 2026, Yeshiva University anticipates another strong pool of high-achieving applicants, from which outstanding students will be considered for the next cohort of Heller Scholars.
“This groundbreaking program is a powerful expression of the Heller family’s enduring relationship with Yeshiva University,” said Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, President of Yeshiva University. “Across decades and disciplines, their involvement has strengthened education shaped by Torah, intellectual rigor and moral clarity, leaving a lasting imprint on the academic and spiritual life of our university. Through the new Heller Center, exceptional students are empowered to pursue accomplishments grounded in faith, responsibility and service, advancing YU’s mission and contributing meaningfully to the broader society.”
Over the years, that philanthropic partnership has manifested itself in many ways. The Heller family has played a central role in advancing faculty positions and doctoral studies at YU’s Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, scholarship funds at Stern College for Women and ongoing investments in a Rabbinic Fellowship and Chair in Talmud at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary—initiatives that continue to shape YU’s academic and communal impact.
At the heart of the Heller family’s story stands its matriarch, Fanya Gottesfeld Heller, a”h, a noted author, educator, philanthropist and communal leader whose principles continue to guide the family’s giving. A Holocaust survivor who chronicled her experiences in widely studied memoirs, Mrs. Gottesfeld Heller believed passionately that the future of Jewish life is shaped in the classroom. Her conviction continues to inform the family’s support for Yeshiva University, expanding opportunities for men and women alike and strengthening the preparation of Jewish educators and leaders for generations to come.
That legacy is now reflected in the experiences of today’s students. Among this year’s Heller Scholarship recipients is Tess Kraus, a Dallas native who chose Yeshiva University for its strong academic reputation, values-driven learning environment and emphasis on helping students develop both intellectually and personally.
“I’m so grateful to be awarded this scholarship,” Kraus said. “It represents an investment in my education which I hope to one day pay forward through success in and out of YU. By easing some of the financial pressure, the scholarship allows me to take greater advantage of the opportunities YU offers and to focus on growing both academically and personally.” Another inaugural awardee is Matan Avitsedek of Woodmere, NY, who spoke to the meaning and responsibility of this honor.
“Being named a Heller Scholar is deeply meaningful to me,” Avitsedek said. “The Heller family’s incredibly generosity makes it possible for students to more fully engage in their studies and personal growth. It empowers us to reach our potential and, God willing, to one day extend that same support to others. I am profoundly grateful to them for investing not only in Yeshiva University, but in the futures of its students.”
Collectively, the inaugural cohort of Heller Center Scholars embodies the highest aspirations of the Heller Center and of Yeshiva University itself: students of remarkable promise whose intellectual ambition is inseparable from Torah values, moral responsibility and a commitment to serve. As the Heller Center takes root, it establishes more than a scholarship—it advances YU’s mission to cultivate thoughtful, principled individuals who will apply learning and faith in service of the Jewish community and the wider world.
