The Alisa Flatow Memorial Scholarship Fund was established to encourage young women to enroll in programs of study in Israel. The fund is dedicated to the memory of Alisa Flatow z”l, a 20-year-old woman who was learning in Israel before she was murdered in a terrorist attack in April 1995.
Find out more about Alisa’s life and legacy below.
The Alisa Flatow Memorial Scholarship Fund provided financial awards to over 150 students between 2001-2016. The fund is able to provide scholarships and grants in 2024 and beyond thanks to a generous legacy gift from Edith J. Lowen z"l, in honor of Pearl P. Stein z"l. Edith was a woman of independent spirit and means who wanted women to have access to an array of educational opportunities.
The fund provides two types of awards:
- Scholarships for women residing or attending school in Greater MetroWest New Jersey to pursue the study of traditional Jewish texts in a full-year program located in Israel. Learn more
- Grants for educational institutions in Israel to provide scholarships to Israeli women in need. Learn more
Alisa Flatow died on April 10, 1995 as the result of a terrorist attack in Israel. Alisa had taken a semester off from Brandeis to study at Nishmat in Jerusalem. A few days before the Passover holiday, Alisa traveled to a resort in Gush Katif because, as she told her father, "I want to get a few days in the sun." While on the public bus, a suicide bomber drove his van loaded with explosives into the vehicle.
During Alisa's early years, the Flatows belonged to a synagogue and observed some traditions, but they did not immerse themselves significantly in Jewish life. At just under five years old, Alisa announced to her parents that she would not be attending the local public school but, instead, would be going to a local day school. From that moment on, Alisa was the driving force for Yiddishkeit, Torah observance, and spirituality in her family.
Alisa loved the State of Israel. She made her first trip at the age of eleven and fell in love with the country and its people over the ensuing five visits.
Alisa's legacy did not end with the terrorist’s bomb. By establishing the Alisa Flatow Memorial Scholarship Fund in their daughter’s memory, Stephen and Roslyn Flatow have encouraged students to pursue transformational Israel experiences, thereby sharing in Alisa’s excitement at living in Israel and in her passion for Torah learning.
We welcomed Alisa’s perception and her sense of humor... She was endlessly patient and amusing, encouraging and yet seriously conscientious. — A friend at Nishmat
Three or more scholarships of up to $5,000 will be awarded to young women residing or attending school in the Greater MetroWest catchment area (Essex, Morris, Sussex, Union and parts of Somerset counties) who intend to study full-time at a post-high school or post-college institution in Israel at a program dedicated to traditional Jewish studies.
Please note the following additional requirements:
- Awards will be made for the first year of study only.
- Programs that combine secular and religious study, or religious study and work/internship will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
- Acceptance to a program is not required in order to apply.
- The institution must have a 501(C)3 tax exempt status and must have an American affiliate mailing address.
Scholarships are competitive and will be awarded to female students who demonstrate that traditional Jewish study will make a difference in the trajectory of their lives. In the application, the applicant should articulate how intensive learning will impact on her connection to Judaism, the land of Israel and the people of Israel.
Each applicant must submit an application with essays* and two letters of recommendation. Please note the following important dates:
- Applications due by Tuesday, February 11, 2025
- Reference letters due by Tuesday, February 25, 2025
- Applicants will be notified of decisions in early summer 2025
*Essay questions:
1. Which person or event has most influenced your Jewish development?
2. How does the existence of the modern State of Israel and the ability of the Jewish people to freely return there impact you?
Torat Chesed is exactly what Alisa embodied... she learned with such an attitude of kindness and consideration for those around her. — A friend at Nishmat
Three or more grants of up to $15,000 will be awarded annually to educational institutions in Israel. The grants must be used to provide scholarships to Israeli women in need. The institutions may be religious or secular, academic or vocational, and may offer degrees or certificates of completion. Grants will be competitive and will require submission of a proposal.
- Applications open late June 2024
- Proposals due by Thursday, September 26, 2024
- Grantees will be announced mid-January 2025
For access to the application, please contact Pam Greenwood at pgreenwood@jfedgmw.org.
The Alisa Flatow Memorial Scholarship Fund is administered through the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest New Jersey. For more information, contact Pam Greenwood, Fund Coordinator, at pgreenwood@jfedgmw.org or (973) 929-3005.