$10 Million Gift from David and Judy Lobel Doubles the Shalem Endowment
In what Shalem College President Russ Roberts called “a transformational act of generosity,” David and Judy Lobel of New York City have made a $10 million investment in the college. This historic gift names the Shalem Core Curriculum in perpetuity and doubles the college’s endowment.
“With this remarkable gift, David and Judy are ensuring that our core curriculum—the intellectual heart of a Shalem education—continues to equip generations of Israeli students to lead the Jewish national project they will inherit,” said Roberts. He noted that the gift reflects the Lobels’ values and priorities, among them “a belief in the enduring power of ideas, in rigorous education rooted in ethical purpose, and in steadfast optimism that Israel’s best days lie ahead.”
Longtime supporters of Jewish and higher education, the Lobels have been actively involved with institutions such as the Ramaz School and their alma maters, Harvard and Stanford Universities. As both beneficiaries of and strong advocates for classical liberal education, they are also key supporters of the Tikvah Fund’s Lobel Center for Jewish Classical Education.
“We’re living at a time in which great leadership is urgently needed—in both America and Israel—and a broad-based, liberal arts education has always played a central role in shaping great leaders in history,” says Judy. “David and I have always wanted to do something meaningful for Israel, and we believe that providing smart, idealistic young Israelis with this kind of education is a vital investment in the future of the Jewish state.”
Noting the strong alignment between their vision and that of Shalem College, David emphasized his and Judy’s belief that Israelis should be educated in their own intellectual tradition and history. “We share Shalem’s commitment to preparing leaders for the Jewish state who are deeply grounded in the classic liberal arts—history, literature, philosophy, rhetoric, and of course the founding texts of the Jewish tradition, which have so profoundly influenced the West, and notably, America itself,” David says. “This kind of education is increasingly diluted, and we were greatly encouraged to see that Shalem not only preserves it, but champions it. That’s why we’re proud to support the Shalem Core—and why we believe Shalem graduates will be uniquely equipped to shape a strong, secure, and moral Jewish state.”
David adds that he and Judy were particularly inspired to see the “extraordinary caliber of young Israelis choosing Shalem, eager to receive a classical education and develop the intellectual and interpersonal skills essential to great leaders.”
The Lobels also expressed their confidence in Shalem leadership, in particular President Russ Roberts, Dean of the Faculty Prof. Leon Kass, Chair of the Core Curriculum Dr. Ido Hevroni, and Koret Distinguished Fellow Dr. Daniel Gordis. “The people leading Shalem bring exceptional intellectual horsepower to the college’s mission,” said Judy. “That assured us that our gift was in the right hands. We’re confident that it will be leveraged into meaningful and lasting impact,” Judy concludes.
The Lobels’ gift comes at a pivotal moment for Shalem: Last year, the college expanded its incoming academic class by fifty percent and launched a new major in Strategy, Diplomacy, and Security. In the coming years, the college plans to establish still another major, in economics and public policy. As Gordis noted, “The Lobel gift transforms Shalem from an educational startup into a permanent fixture on the Israeli academic landscape. David and Judy have given us the resources to move into the next stage of our journey, one in which we can both build and sustain the intellectual foundation of the college for generations to come.”
