About ALEF Fund
The ALEF Fund was established by Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta in 2008 in response to new state legislation when Georgia’s General Assembly passed the Education Expense Credit law to provide families in our state with access to better educational opportunities for their children.
The ALEF Fund provides scholarships to pre-k, kindergarten, primary or secondary public school students who wish to attend participating Jewish private schools.
It is the only organization in Georgia that provides student scholarships exclusively to Jewish preschools, day schools and high schools.
Our guiding principle is to improve the affordability of Jewish education by awarding scholarship dollars to eligible students.
Through the ALEF Fund, you can support Jewish education in Georgia at virtually no cost to you through a dollar for dollar Georgia income tax credit received for your contribution.
See our FAQ’s for more information.
Program Legislation
Amended the QEE Tax Credit law to:
- Raise the annual cap to $58 million
- Require six-week public school attendance for eligibility (grade 2 and above)
- Reduce the admin fees which may be charged by SSOs (5% to 10% scale)
- Require SSOs to award scholarships to specific students within one year
- Require SSOs to consider financial needs of students based on all sources
- Prohibit SSO from awarding scholarships to any individual designated by donor
- Prohibit SSO from promising scholarship in exchange for contribution
- Allow a tax credit for up to $10,000 for individuals with ownership in pass-through
Amended the QEE Tax Credit law to:
- Include a CPI escalator on the annual cap (with sunset in 2018)
- Clarify student eligibility
- Require greater transparency and accountability for SSOs
- Impose first-ever maximum annual award limit for individual students
Georgia’s QEE (tuition tax credit) law was passed in original form
- Georgia lawmakers passed one of the most free-market tuition tax credit laws in U.S.
- Available credits set at $50 million per year
- Student eligibility required only current enrollment in Georgia public school
- Minimal reporting requirements for SSOs; DOR not allowed to make data public
- SSOs must obligate at least 90% of contributions for scholarships
Amended the QEE Tax Credit law to:
- Raise the annual cap to $100 million for the next decade
- Moderately reduce the fees which SSOs are allowed to retain
- Clarify and improve the SSO scholarship reporting process to DOR
- Require State auditors to evaluate the program in five years to determine its financial and economic impact to the State
Amended the QEE Tax Credit law to:
- Raise the annual cap to $120 million for the next decade
- Increase the tax credit from $1,000 to $2,500 for a single filer or head of household, from $2,500 to $5,000 for a married couple filing a joint return and from $10,00 to $25,000 for a pass-through business
David is Chief Executive of SBS Services Corporation, a provider of engineering services for telecommunications carriers. He has been as an officer in both publicly traded and privately held corporations, including serving on the investment committee for qualified retirement plans. His leadership roles have ranged from a venture capital backed Israeli technology start-up, to a multi-billion dollar high-tech company, to a leveraged buy-out in the communications services sector. He is a graduate of Cornell University and the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. David and his wife Cheri have lived in the Sandy Springs area since 1988, and have been active in numerous educational, community, and religious organizations.
David and his wife Cheri have lived in the Sandy Springs area since 1988, and have been active in numerous Jewish educational, community, and religious organizations. Their children, Jessica, Brandon, and his wife Jennifer, are all graduates of the Epstein and Weber Schools.
Todd Koransky is a Certified Public Accountant and Tax Partner at Williams, Benator & Libby, LLP (WBL), a regional, full service public accounting firm in the Atlanta area. Todd has been with WBL since 1999 where he focuses on tax planning and tax compliance with a proactive, high level of service approach for mid-market businesses and high net worth individuals.
Todd and his wife Meghan have three children and live in Sandy Springs where they are active members of Temple Sinai and also Atlanta Jewish Academy parents. Todd is a music lover and plays in the Chai Fidelity band at Temple Sinai. Todd is also a Board Member of Atlanta Jewish Music Festival (AJMF), another Jewish Not-For-Profit organization in the Atlanta area, where he serves as Treasurer. When not working or volunteering his time, Todd enjoys spending time with his family, playing or listening to music, drinking good wine and eating good food.
Stephanie Wyatt is the Development Officer at the William Breman Jewish Home. Previously she served as the Vice President of Engagement & Leadership Development at Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. Stephanie joined Federation in 2010 as the first ALEF Fund Manager. Prior to shifting her career to the non-profit sector, Stephanie was a practicing attorney for 17 years. Her focus was primarily on Corporate Transactions and Real Property. Stephanie currently lives in Sandy Springs with her husband, Justin and their two children, Sloan and Andrew.
Jason Tessler, is a Senior Vice President at Voya Investment Management in the Real Estate Finance team. His group invests and manages in commercial real estate mortgages across the United States. He has been with Voya and predecessor companies (ING) for over 20 years.
Jason and his family live in Dunwoody where they are actively involved in the Jewish Community. His children attended Jewish Day School and participated in multiple activities at MJCCA as an opportunity to learn Jewish values at a young age. He also serves on the board of Davis Academy.
Steve Skor is a Certified Public Accountant and Managing Director with Ernst & Young LLP in their International Tax and Transaction Services practice. He has over 18 years of experience as an international tax consultant, serving clients across a variety of industries, and engaged in business in multiple jurisdictions across the globe with their global structuring, tax controversy, accounting for income taxes and tax compliance needs.
Steve and his family live in Sandy Springs where they are members of Congregation B’nai Torah and attend the Epstein School. He previously served as the ALEF Fund chairman for the Epstein School, and is currently a member of Congregation B’nai Torah’s finance committee. He volunteers regularly at the Epstein School, as well as with other organizations in the greater Atlanta community.
Marci Joel graduated from the University of Southern California with a BS in public administration and then earned a JD. She has served on the board of directors of B’nai David-Judaea in Los Angeles and on the board of directors of Ohr HaTorah, with the last four years as Executive Vice President. Marci has lived in Toco Hills for the past 15 years with husband Darren and her three children Jordon at The Weber School and Kayla and Siena who both attend Atlanta Jewish Academy.
Jeremy is a partner with the law firm Chilivis Grubman Dalbey & Warner LLP, where his practice focuses on government contract and procurement issues, campaign finance and election law, governmental and regulatory affairs matters, charter schools, investigations, and government and public policy litigation.
Jeremy and his family live in Dunwoody. Jeremy’s wife Rashelle currently chairs the board of Jewish Family & Career Services and their older son is a student at the Weber School. Jeremy also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta.
Rachel Lehrer Rosner currently serves as the Life & Legacy Coordinator at the Atlanta Jewish Foundation and the Fiduciary Review Coordinator at Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta. Her professional career began as an executive at Bloomingdale’s Department Stores, serving in various management and merchandising positions. Rachel has an extensive career in the volunteer world and is currently treasurer and immediate past president of the National Council of Jewish Women, Atlanta Section. Rosner is also board member of the Northwestern University Club of Atlanta and member of the Sandy Springs Society. She is a past board member of the Northwestern Alumni Association. Rachel has a BA in philosophy from Northwestern University.
Marty Kogon is Company Manager of Pull-A-Part, LLC. He is the former President of ALEF Fund, Inc. as well as former President of Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta and The Epstein School. He has been in Atlanta for over 50 years.
