Jeff Seidel Student Centers

What Jeff Seidel Student Centers does

Jeff Seidel Student Centers (legal entity: Ohel Avraham) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1982 by Jeff Seidel in Jerusalem, operating a network of physical student centers on and adjacent to leading Israeli universities. The organization serves approximately 20,000 Jewish college students, gap-year participants, Birthright visitors, and travelers annually through five centers spanning the country — the Old City Jerusalem headquarters, the Milstein Center at Hebrew University, the Tel Aviv University center, the Ben Gurion University center in Be'er Sheva, and the IDC Herzliya (Reichman University) center, with a Technion center listed on the site. JSIC explicitly clarifies that it is not affiliated with any of the universities it serves.

Core programmatic offerings include weekly Friday-night Shabbat dinners (~100 placements per week), GetShabbat.com hospitality matching to host families globally, an annual Poland mission trip (36 students), a Prague Shabbaton, an Italy student mission, weekly lectures featuring Israeli public figures, Chavrusah study groups, the Max Steinberg Israel Diplomacy fellowship, women's leadership programming, and ancillary services such as laundry, computer access, and travel guides. The technology layer is intentionally minimal: standard WordPress web presence, WhatsApp and Facebook for student communications, and manual hospitality matching — no proprietary platform, no API, and no digital product beyond the GetShabbat signup portal.

The business model is donor-funded rather than revenue-generating. JSIC provides all services free to students and finances operations entirely through private contributions from individuals, families, and charitable trusts (with US donations tax-deductible under 501(c)(3) status and UK donations channeled through the Gertner Charitable Trust). Published sponsorship tiers range from $250 per student for Chavrusah study groups up to a $100,000 Lifetime Partner commitment, with one-time trip sponsorships of $43,000 (Poland) and $18,000 (Prague). Headcount is reported at 1–10 employees; no revenue or financial statements are disclosed.

Name

Jeff Seidel Student Centers

Legal name

Ohel Avraham

Website

https://jeffseidel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Jeff Seidel Student Centers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating five-plus physical student centers at Israeli universities (Hebrew University, Tel Aviv University, Ben Gurion, IDC Herzliya, Technion), serving approximately 20,000 Jewish students, gap-year participants, and travelers annually with free Shabbat meals, educational programming, and mission trips, funded entirely by private donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious and Community Education Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Jewish Heritage & Israel Pilgrimage Travel Agencies (THAKAHAC)

Keywords

• Jewish student services
• Religious education programs
• Shabbat hospitality placement
• Holocaust education trips
• Community student centers

Headquarters

HQ city

Jerusalem

HQ country

Israel

HQ region

Middle East

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit relying entirely on private donations from individuals, families, and charitable trusts. Accepts checks, wire transfers, and credit card donations. Tax-deductible for US donors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Jeff Seidel Student Centers operates a network of five physical student centers at major Israeli universities (Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv University, Ben Gurion University in Be'er Sheva, and IDC Herzliya), providing Jewish students studying in Israel with Shabbat meals, hospitality placement, educational programming, social events, and mission trips. The organization also runs the GetShabbat platform for matching individuals with Shabbat meal hosts globally. All services are provided free to students, funded through charitable donations to the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Ohel Avraham.

Product overview

Jeff Seidel Student Centers operates a network of physical student centers at Israeli universities (Hebrew University Jerusalem, Tel Aviv University, Ben Gurion University Be'er Sheva, and IDC Herzliya) providing Jewish students with religious programming, social events, and educational services. The core offerings include Shabbat dinner programs, weekend Shabbaton retreats, international mission trips to Poland/Prague/Italy, weekly lecture series, leadership programs, and social events (Super Bowl parties, NFL nights, soccer). GetShabbat serves as an online companion platform for Shabbat meal placement. The organization operates as a nonprofit with 501(c)(3) status and serves approximately 20,000 students annually through its various programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Get Shabbat: A program to help students and travelers find free Shabbat meals around the world
• Max Steinberg Israel Diplomacy Program

Products and services

• Jeff Seidel Student Centers Physical student center locations providing Jewish students with resources, programs, Shabbat meals, and community connection. Centers operate at Hebrew University (Jerusalem), Tel Aviv University, Ben Gurion University (Be'er Sheva), and IDC Herzliya, serving approximately 20,000+ students and travelers annually.
• GetShabbat Online hospitality matching platform connecting individuals with free Shabbat meals at local hosts worldwide. Includes an application form for meal placement and a directory of Shabbat meal locations, serving approximately 100 students per week.
• Poland Mission Trip Annual student trip to Poland visiting Holocaust sites including Treblinka, Majdanek, and Auschwitz, led by Yad Vashem educator Hazy Flint. Includes Shabbat in Krakow. Accommodates 36 students; sponsorship cost $43,000.
• Prague Shabbaton Three-day Shabbat experience in Prague visiting Jewish historical sites including the Maharal Synagogue, Terezin Concentration Camp, Prague Castle, and Charles Bridge. Accommodates 26 students; sponsorship cost $18,000.
• Italy Student Mission Three-day Shabbaton in Italy exploring Jewish history in Venice and Rome. Accommodates 36 students from Hebrew University, Tel Aviv University, and Ben Gurion University.
• Max Steinberg Israel Diplomacy Program Weekly fellowship program providing students with tools to combat anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism on university campuses through group activities and guest speakers. Participants receive a stipend.
• Friday Night Shabbat Dinner Program Weekly Shabbat dinner at student centers providing authentic Shabbat experience with opportunities for student socialization. Per-week sponsorship $1,040.
• Chavrusah Study Program Small group and one-on-one learning sessions studying Jewish texts, concepts, and traditions from Jewish texts for students. Per-student sponsorship $250.
• Weekly Lecture Series Dinner lectures featuring Jewish experts including soldiers, politicians, journalists, and athletes discussing careers and lives of Jewish Israeli leaders. Annual sponsorship $3,125.
• Women's Leadership Program Weekly fellowship featuring lectures on women's issues in contemporary Judaism with group dinner discussions on Torah topics and modern applications. Per-week sponsorship $650 (program) and $525 (leadership).
• Men's Dine and Learn Weekly small group or one-on-one learning sessions on Jewish concepts and texts for male students, held at student centers.
• ATV Shabbaton Weekend Shabbat experience combining ATV riding in Dishon, winery tour, and Shabbat observances including catered dinner and services.
• Yom Haatzmaut BBQ Annual Independence Day barbecue held in Gan Sacher, Jerusalem, hosting over 300 attendees with barbecue and beer. Annual sponsorship $3,125.
• Welcome Back BBQ Semester opening barbecue introducing students to Jeff Seidel Student Programs and welcoming new students. Per-event sponsorship $950.
• NFL Football Night Weekly Sunday night football viewing parties with pizza and beer, continuing through NFL playoffs. Per-week sponsorship $350.
• Super Bowl Party Annual late-night Super Bowl viewing party on 2 big screens with food and drinks. Annual sponsorship $1,300.
• Tuesday Night Soccer Program Weekly dinner and Champions League soccer viewing for South American students. Per-week sponsorship $875.
• Women's Retreat Shabbaton Semester women's retreat with programming specifically focused on women in Judaism, including trips and educational content.
• Scholarships to Israel Financial support programs helping students study in Israel, administered through the organization's nonprofit structure.
• Tefillin Application Program Program providing tefillin (phylacteries) to students, supporting Jewish practice and education.
• Siddur Giveaway Distribution of siddurim (Jewish prayer books) to students.
• Dollars for Learning Financial support program for student Jewish education and learning activities.
• Virtual Jewish Learning Audio and video-based Judaism classes available to students for remote learning.
• Israel Travel Guide Comprehensive guide to travel within Israel, including ulpans, hotels, tour guides, and places to visit.
• Jerusalem Soul Center Organization serving young new olim, lone soldiers, and students living in Israel, operating out of the Old City Center.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,000+ students and travelers visited annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and moderate.

• Amazon SmileminorOthersJeff Seidel Student Centers participates in Amazon Smile program where a percentage of qualifying Amazon purchases are donated to the organization. Registered charity name: Ohel Avraham.
• Max Steinberg Israel LeaderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMax Steinberg Israel Public Diplomacy Program is a flagship advocacy program of JSIC, launched in August 2015 to combat anti-Semitism and BDS on university campuses. Provides students tools to advocate for Israel through group activities and guest speakers.
• Yad VashemmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerYad Vashem provides educator Ms. Hazy Flint to lead Poland mission trips for students. The four-day missions include visits to concentration camps including Treblinka, Majdanek & Auschwitz.
• Various Yeshivas and Jewish ProgramsminorOthersNetwork of affiliated yeshivas and programs including Machon Shlomo, Ohr Somayach, Mayanot, Yeshivat Darche Noam, and others that JSIC refers students to and coordinates with for educational programming.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Chabad on Campus: Chabad-Lubavitch's university outreach arm delivers Shabbat dinners, holiday programming, and Jewish education to students on campuses worldwide. Most direct peer in terms of free Shabbat hospitality, Jewish learning classes, and student-center physical infrastructure model.
• Mayanot Institute: Jerusalem-based yeshiva offering programs for English-speaking students including Shabbatonim, lectures, and trips. JSSC lists Mayanot as an affiliated partner; comparable in providing Jewish learning and hospitality in Israel to overseas students.
• Ohr Somayach Institutions: Jerusalem-based yeshiva network providing Jewish learning programs, Shabbat hospitality, and student support services. JSSC explicitly lists Ohr Somayach as a referral partner; directly comparable in serving English-speaking Jewish students in Israel with religious and social programming.

Broad incumbents

• The Jewish Agency for Israel: Quasi-governmental organization connecting Jewish youth to Israel through gap-year, study, and immigration programming (e.g., Masa). Comparable in mission of Jewish student engagement in Israel, with substantially broader scope and institutional backing.
• Hillel International: The largest global Jewish campus organization, providing Jewish student programming across hundreds of universities. Highly comparable mission of serving Jewish college students with community, education, and Israel engagement, though JSSC operates narrowly in Israel while Hillel is dominant in North America.
• NCSY (National Council of Synagogue Youth): Orthodox Union's youth organization running programming, summer programs, and Israel gap-year initiatives for Jewish teens and college-age students. Comparable in fostering Jewish engagement, Israel trips, and on-campus programming for the same demographic JSSC serves once they reach Israel.
• Birthright Israel Foundation: Funded provider of free 10-day Israel trips for young Jewish adults, serving as a major upstream feeder into JSSC's gap-year and post-Birthright student programming at Israeli universities. Comparable target demographic and Israel-engagement mission.
• Masa Israel Journey: Organization funding and coordinating long-term Israel gap-year, study-abroad, and volunteer experiences for young Jewish adults. Comparable target market (Jewish students in Israel) and complementary to JSSC's university student-center services.

Emerging players

• StandWithUs: Israel advocacy and education organization active on university campuses, with fellowship and Hasbara Fellowship training. Closely comparable to JSSC's Max Steinberg Israel Public Diplomacy Program in mission and target audience.

Regional players

• AEPi (Alpha Epsilon Pi): International Jewish fraternity serving undergraduate members primarily at North American campuses. Comparable target demographic (Jewish college students) and overlapping mission of Jewish identity programming, though AEPi is a member-driven Greek organization rather than a service provider.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/jeffseideltau
• Xx.com/jeffseidel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jeff-seidel-jewish-student-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Jeff Seidel Student Centers