# American Friends of Bar-Ilan University American Friends of Bar-Ilan University is an Endowment / Foundation based in New York, United States. ## Overview - **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation - **Headquarters:** New York, United States - **Region:** North America - **Address:** 160 East 56th Street, New York, NY 10022 - **Founded:** 2012 - **Assets under management:** Undisclosed - **Website:** afbiu.org - **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-friends-of-bar-ilan-university ## Regulatory record - **Reports private funds:** No ## About American Friends of Bar-Ilan University was established in 2012 by Steven P. Rosenberg, who serves as Chairman alongside a board that includes Odeon Capital Group executive Eric Gomberg and CEO Jessica Feldan. The organization exists as the primary US-based philanthropic conduit for Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel. Its mandate covers donor outreach, grant administration, and stewardship of American-sourced endowment assets earmarked for the university. AFBIU directs capital into Bar-Ilan's academic infrastructure, faculty recruitment, and scholarship programs. The organization does not function as a traditional investment office — capital raised flows toward university priorities rather than into a separately managed portfolio. Grantmaking activity spans science and engineering departments, medical research, and humanities programming. AFBIU also stewards beneficial interests in trusts that support long-term university initiatives. No direct investment positions or co-investment structures are disclosed. The organization operates from a single office at 160 East 56th Street in New York and draws philanthropic support from a network of family foundations, including the Adelson Family Foundation, Haron Dahan Foundation, M D Katz Foundation, and Samueli Foundation. These relationships form the backbone of AFBIU's fundraising model, with major donors supporting capital projects across Bar-Ilan's campus. AFBIU's structural differentiator is its complete alignment with a single Israeli university's development agenda — a model common among US-based friends organizations but unusual in the broader endowment landscape. The organization's governance blends American nonprofit board oversight with strategic coordination through Bar-Ilan University's Global Chairman Michael Jesselson, creating a transatlantic operating structure. No data on professional staff count, total deployment, or asset allocation is publicly available. Altss estimates the endowment's asset base at approximately $20 million. ## Sectors - Education ## People - Steven P. Rosenberg — Chairman of the Board of Directors - Michael Jesselson — Global Chairman, Bar-Ilan University - Jessica Feldan — Chief Executive Officer - Eric Gomberg — Board Member ## Questions ### How does American Friends of Bar-Ilan University source its funding? AFBIU raises capital through a network of American family foundations and individual donors. Known supporters include the Adelson Family Foundation, Haron Dahan Foundation, M D Katz Foundation, and Samueli Foundation. The organization conducts outreach primarily through its New York office and board-level networks, with no public fundraising events or campaigns detailed in available records. ### Is AFBIU structured as an endowment with an investment portfolio? AFBIU functions primarily as a grantmaking and fundraising vehicle rather than an actively managed investment portfolio. It holds beneficial interests in trusts and reported endowment assets of approximately $20 million (Altss estimate), but the bulk of its activity consists of directing American donor contributions to Bar-Ilan University programs. No investment staff, asset allocation, or portfolio management structure is disclosed. ### Who makes allocation decisions at AFBIU? The organization's board of directors governs strategic direction, chaired by Steven P. Rosenberg. Day-to-day operations are led by CEO Jessica Feldan. Allocation decisions appear to follow donor intent tied to specific university projects rather than a centralized investment committee process. No Chief Investment Officer role or investment committee is publicly identified. ### How is AFBIU connected to Bar-Ilan University's broader governance? Michael Jesselson serves as Global Chairman of Bar-Ilan University and was formerly Chairman of AFBIU, creating a direct governance link between the US fundraising arm and the university's senior leadership. This relationship ensures that AFBIU's grantmaking aligns with Bar-Ilan's strategic priorities in Ramat Gan. ## Related profiles - [The Bay & Paul Foundations](https://altss.com/profile/the-bay-paul-foundations) - [City of Southfield Retiree Healthcare and Benefits Plan](https://altss.com/profile/city-of-southfield-retiree-healthcare-and-benefits-plan) --- Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/american-friends-of-bar-ilan-university Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology