A timely and significant $600,000 grant from the Walder Foundation of Skokie, Il. has helped Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh raise more than $9.9 million towards its current goal of $10 million. The Walder grant is the third-largest private-sector gift secured during this transformational campaign and is the largest gift from any donor outside of Pittsburgh.
“Joseph and Elizabeth Walder have been friends of the Yeshiva for many years,” according to Rabbi Yossi Rosenblum, head of school. “They value our emphasis on general studies as well as Jewish education and we share their commitment to humility, optimism, unity, collaboration, and trust in God’s plan. It is a partnership that we cherish.”
When Yeshiva high school boys return to school in just a few months, they will be the first to occupy the former Saint Rosalia school on Greenfield Avenue since the school was shuttered in 2018, and they will celebrate the opening of Yeshiva’s third campus. They will also offer thanks to the many donors, volunteers, and staff who are making this dream a reality.
The original goal of $7 million was increased to $10 million due to delays caused by the COVID pandemic, availability of materials, and inflation. “Getting to $10.1 million or more will give us some very welcome breathing room as we complete this first phase of the Greenfield project,” said Dr. Chaim Oster, President of the Yeshiva Board of Directors.
According to Izzy Rudolph, Campaign Chair and Vice-President, Yeshiva received more than a dozen gifts of $100,000 or more to reach this milestone. “We are so grateful to everyone who helped us fulfill this vision,” said Rudolph. “But this would not have been possible without extraordinary support from the Walder Foundation, as well as the State’s RACP funds, the Charles Morris Trust, the Hillman Foundation, the Allegheny Foundation, the Rudolph family, and the hundreds of people who supported our annual Charidy Campaign.”
Phase One, which includes classrooms, the dormitory, shul, dining hall, library, recreation space, and offices will be completed in time for the high school boys to move in this fall. Phase Two, which includes a new gymnasium and additional classrooms, will begin as funding is available within the next several years.
As the boys high school moves from the Wightman Street campus to Greenfield, the girls high school will expand from the Denniston Avenue campus to Wightman Street. “This enables us to address a waiting list for both schools as well as to accommodate more out-of-town students,” said Rosenblum.
Because the Greenfield campus is so close to Squirrel Hill, the three campuses are all within walking distance of each other. “We have been made to feel so welcome by the Greenfield community,” noted Dr. Oster. “We already have plans for some joint programming and shared outdoor facilities, and a number of our families are looking to relocate to the Greenfield area, all important investments in the neighborhood.”
