Professor Eliezer Jaffe, z”l, Emeritus Professor of Social Work and Philanthropy. He first came to Israel from the USA in 1957 as a volunteer and returned to obtain his doctorate in social work. Prof. Jaffe was one of the founders of Hebrew University’s School of Social Work and blazed the path for the social improvement and development of Israel’s non-profit sector.

In 1990, Professor Jaffe founded the Israel Free Loan Association, where served as president until his recent passing.  The organization has provided over 57,000 interest-free loans to low- and middle-income Israelis to date.  He consulted numerous ministers, the mayor of Jerusalem, and many non-governmental offices to create social programs for underprivileged citizens, and taught in various universities. He was instrumental in establishing Israeli law regarding inter-country adoption and published several books.

Professor Jaffe received the highest accolades, among them the President of Israel’s Citation for Outstanding Volunteer, the Sderot Conference Award for contribution to Israeli society, the Jerusalem Mayor’s Award for Outstanding Nonprofit Association Leadership, and the Bernard Revel Memorial Award, presented to the most outstanding scholar and community leader among Yeshiva University alumni. In 2011, he received the Speaker of the Knesset Prize for improving the quality of life in Israel, and in 2012, he received the Yakir Yerushalayim Distinguished Citizen of Jerusalem award. Prof. Jaffe made Aliyah from Cleveland, Ohio in 1960.