Hochstein Foundation Inc.

The Hochstein Foundation Inc. operates as a classic, tightly-held private family foundation that has never opened a public application portal in its six-decade history. Founded in 1963 by Bernard Hochstein — co-founder of Mastercraft Pipes and president of 18 Jewish institutions including Aish HaTorah Jerusalem — the foundation embodies one family's deeply personal commitment to Jewish continuity, Torah education, and Israel.

The board is composed entirely of family members and one close associate: Richard Hochstein, Michael Hochstein, Stephen Hochstein (Bernard's sons), and Helen Fuss. None receive compensation. There is no paid staff whatsoever. Administrative functions are handled by WithumSmithBrown PC, an East Brunswick, NJ accounting firm, underscoring the lean, family-managed operating model.

This structure means all grantmaking decisions flow directly through the Hochstein family, driven by personal relationships and shared values rather than formal review cycles or grant panels. The foundation's own 990-PF filings state explicitly that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations" — there is no documented LOI stage, no RFP, and no submission portal of any kind.

For organizations seeking to enter this funder's circle, the only viable path is relationship-first and years-long. The foundation's documented grantee history clusters tightly around Orthodox and traditional Jewish community infrastructure: yeshivas, Jewish schools, Israeli organizations (particularly in Jerusalem), free loan associations (gemachim), and major Jewish communal vehicles like PEF Israel Endowment Funds. Organizations already embedded in this ecosystem — especially those with ties to Aish HaTorah, Jerusalem College of Technology, Central Fund for Israel, or the American Friends organizations that serve Israeli yeshivot — stand the best chance of organically entering the family's awareness.

Total giving has grown from $2.9M in 2014 to over $7M in recent years against assets of $91.7M, suggesting modest expansion as the portfolio has appreciated. However, the preselected-only model shows no signs of opening. First-time applicants should treat this as a multi-year relationship investment, not a grant cycle opportunity.

Hochstein Foundation Inc. has maintained a consistent and growing pattern of unrestricted grantmaking directed almost exclusively to Jewish and Israel-focused institutions. The 12-year arc from 2012 to 2024 shows grants paid growing from $2.7M to an estimated $6.95M — a 160% increase that mirrors steady asset appreciation from $71.6M to $91.7M.

Annual grants paid (from 990-PF filings): - 2024: ~$6,950,000 (charitable disbursements per FY2024 filing) - 2023: $6,561,300 - 2022: $7,133,311 (10-year peak) - 2021: $4,811,600 - 2020: $5,905,600 - 2019: $4,679,600 - 2015: $4,399,600 - 2014: $2,938,100 - 2013: $3,372,600 - 2012: $2,672,500

The five-year average (2019–2023) for grants paid is approximately $5.8M. When FY2024 is included, the six-year average climbs to roughly $6.0M annually. Total giving (grants plus administrative and management expenses) has ranged from $2.9M (2012) to $8.3M (2022).

Grant range from available public data spans $26 to approximately $4.4M for a single disbursement. Given that annual totals reach $6-7M across what appears to be a small number of grantees — all consolidated under a single "See Attached" schedule in available 990-PF data — individual grants likely cluster in the $500K–$2M range, with one or two larger disbursements per year. All four aggregated grant records in the database are NY-state entities, reflecting the foundation's New York organizational base even for Israel-directed giving.

Known grantees from public filings include Jerusalem College of Technology (home to the Bernard and Miriam Hochstein School of Industrial Management), Aish HaTorah Jerusalem, Central Fund for Israel, American Friends of Hebron Yeshiva Jerusalem, Congregation Tiferes Yaakov, Jewish Communal Fund, and PEF Israel Endowment Funds (where the family maintains a seven-figure donor-advised account). The FY2022 spike to $8.3M total giving may correspond to heightened Israel-directed emergency grants during that period.

The foundation receives zero external contributions — entirely self-sustaining through investment returns and asset sales — insulating grantmaking from donor-cycle pressures.

Hochstein Foundation Inc. occupies a specific niche among Jewish private family foundations: moderately sized in assets ($91.7M), with substantial annual grantmaking ($6-7M), operating on a strictly preselected invitation-only model without public-facing programs. Comparable foundations in the Jewish philanthropy space include:

Hochstein's preselected-only model and Orthodox/Israel institutional focus most closely resembles the Avi Chai Foundation's historical posture (before its planned sunset in 2019) and the Samis Foundation's tightly managed grantmaking. Unlike the Harold Grinspoon Foundation — which runs defined signature programs (PJ Library, UpStart, Hillel) with known submission windows — Hochstein offers no programmatic entry points whatsoever. The Natan Fund represents a more accessible alternative for organizations seeking Jewish/Israel funders open to new relationships, as it maintains a published LOI process. Hochstein's $91.7M in assets and $7M+ in annual giving place it firmly in the mid-tier of Jewish family philanthropy — well above small family funds but below the major institutional Jewish philanthropies like Schusterman or Marcus.

No major public announcements, press releases, or leadership changes from the Hochstein Foundation have surfaced for 2025 or 2026. The foundation maintains a deliberately low public profile, consistent with its 60-year history as a closed, family-operated grantmaker with no website, no social media presence, and no public communications.

The most recent verifiable activity is the filing of the FY2024 Form 990-PF on November 18, 2025, which disclosed $6,950,000 in charitable disbursements, total assets of $91,699,774, and revenue of $6,562,216 — driven primarily by $5.55M in asset sale gains and approximately $990K in combined dividend and interest income. Total assets grew 5.3% year-over-year from $87.1M, indicating a healthy investment portfolio despite disbursements slightly exceeding pure investment returns.

The foundation's peak giving year on record remains FY2022, when $8.3M in total giving was distributed — the largest single-year disbursement in the available 10-year filing history, likely reflecting elevated Israel-related contributions during a period of heightened regional tension.

Leadership composition has remained entirely stable: board members Richard Hochstein, Michael Hochstein, Stephen Hochstein, and Helen Fuss have served continuously and without compensation across all available filing years. The foundation's accounting relationship with WithumSmithBrown PC has similarly been consistent, indicating stable back-office infrastructure. Bernard Hochstein, the founder who built the family's deep institutional ties across New York and Jerusalem, established a legacy that the family continues to steward with the same institutional loyalties.

The single most important insight for any organization approaching the Hochstein Foundation is this: there is no conventional application. The foundation explicitly and consistently funds only preselected organizations, and no proposal — however well-crafted — will change that. What matters is whether the Hochstein family knows your organization through direct, personal, relationship-driven exposure over time.

Embed in the same ecosystem. The foundation's documented grantee history clusters tightly around Orthodox and traditional Jewish institutions in New York and Jerusalem — Aish HaTorah, yeshivas, gemachim (free loan associations), and Israeli educational organizations. Being a peer institution in this world is the primary qualification. Organizations that are secular, interfaith, or not explicitly aligned with traditional Jewish values should not prioritize this as a funding prospect.

Prioritize PEF Israel Endowment Funds connections. The Hochstein family routes significant Israel-directed giving through a donor-advised account at PEF Israel Endowment Funds. Organizations already known to PEF's grantee network, or that receive support through it, are well-positioned to appear on the family's radar through trusted intermediaries.

Leverage Jerusalem College of Technology ties. The family's deepest institutional legacy is the Bernard and Miriam Hochstein School of Industrial Management at JCT. Israeli organizations with JCT connections or that operate in technology-with-Torah-values education spaces carry inherent credibility with this family.

Seek warm introductions at communal events. Board members are likely accessible at JFNA General Assembly, Orthodox Union events, and federation galas in the New York metropolitan area. A mutual board member or major donor introduction is worth far more than any written materials.

Do not contact WithumSmithBrown PC. The accounting firm handles filings at 1 Tower Center Blvd, East Brunswick, NJ. Direct inquiries there will not reach decision-makers.

Build a multi-year cultivation plan. The foundation has funded many of the same organizations for decades. A realistic cultivation runway is 2-5 years before any funding conversation becomes viable. Track the annual 990-PF filings (available each November on ProPublica) to monitor new grantees and watch for any shifts in giving priorities.