A Scholarship that Bridges the Gap

For Abby Martin, a student from Dover, New Hampshire, participating in the January 2025 Minimester at Alexander Muss High School in Israel (Muss) was a chance to experience something she rarely finds at home: being surrounded by other Jews.

_{Abby Martin}

Abby attended Muss through a scholarship established for students from small communities, and the experience left a lasting impression. “Coming from a place where there aren’t that many Jews in the same space, it was really special,” Abby shares. “Learning about Israeli history and different Jewish cultures is so important. I’m really grateful I got to go.”

Creating more opportunities for students like Abby is exactly what inspired Richard Lerner of Greensboro, North Carolina, to establish the Mark Harris Lerner Memorial Scholarship for Israel Education. Named in memory of his younger brother, Mark Lerner (z’’l), the scholarship supports students from Reform synagogues attending the Heller High School program at Muss and includes targeted support for students from small communities through larger grants of $5,000.

Mark’s deep devotion to the people of Israel was a defining part of his legacy, leading Richard, his brother’s estate trustee, to create the scholarship in his honor. “Mark traveled there frequently, and he is buried in the Old Jewish Cemetery in Tzfat,” Richard shares.

Helping young Jews build a meaningful connection to Judaism and Israel, especially those who may feel isolated in their home communities, is an effort that Richard believes would have been close to Mark’s heart. “We grew up in an even smaller Jewish community than Greensboro,” he says. “I’ve always been aware of how much of a minority we are. Being in Israel, especially through a program like Muss or Heller High, is the best way to form a connection.”

Reflecting on his brother’s legacy, Richard adds, “Mark would be very proud to have his name attached to this.”

To learn more about this scholarship or about Small Communities, email smallcommunities@jnf.org