Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary

Overview

Mission

Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS), an affiliate of Yeshiva University, provides graduate Torah learning programs including halacha and related study tracks. A gaon in Torah, Rabbi Arnest authored two seforim, Lev Yosef and Torat Eretz Zvi. He also authored a commentary called Chiddushim ViHearot At Teshuvot HaRambam, which was published in the Shulzinger edition of the Rambam. In addition, he published widely in various Torah journals HaRav Hagaon R. Binyomin Aranowitz ZT”L 1864-1945 Rabbi Binyomin Aronowitz was born in Varzhan, Lithuania. He received his rabbinical training in the yeshivot of Teishe and Volozhin. Rabbi Aronowitz came to America in 1906 and took a pulpit in Lowell, Massachusetts. In 1910, he was appointed a rosh yeshiva at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, where he taught until his death. He published his writings in va.

What it reported doing in 2024

Rabbinical and judaic study programs, community learning and education and leadership training programs.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 56% for direct work, and 44% for grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
132673756
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
New York, NY, USA
Phone
6465924005
Rating
87
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Graduate, Professional Schools (Separate Entities)
Affiliation
Judaism

Official website

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 93
  • Transparency & Controls: 77
  • Accountability: 98
  • Sustainability: 49
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 87.8%; rating input score 88
  • Fundraising efficiency: $50.7 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 76; 76th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 96.6%; rating input score 97; 30th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -4.3%; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 6.46; rating input score 87; 87th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 6.4%; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 2% per year; rating input score 100; 19th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 2.4% per year; rating input score 100; 21st percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 0.6% per year; rating input score 100; 12th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 1 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 87.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 28 of 29 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $19.2M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $255K · 35 people listed · 5 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 37 of 37 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 12 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 16 annual filings from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 7 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Leadership & pay

35 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • RABBI ARYEH LEBOWITZ (DEAN/DIRECTOR SEMIKHA): $254,896 total reported compensation
  • RABBI MARC PENNER (FORMER DEAN EMERITUS/DIRECTOR): $248,356 total reported compensation
  • RABBI RONALD SCHWARZBERG (PROGRAM DIRECTOR): $243,756 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.