Eliezer Ben-Yehuda Foundation, Inc.

Recent Foundation Activities

The Eliezer Ben-Yehuda foundation was incorporated in Florida as a "not-for-profit" foundation in April of 2008.   In the by-laws of the corporation submitted to the IRS for a 501(c)3 (tax exempt) status, the purpose was explained: "This corporation finds it mandate in Biblical prophecy concerning the return of the Jewish People to their own land and the consequent historic mission of Eliezer Ben-Yehuda..."

The efforts to bring about the goals of the foundation even while waiting for the IRS to approve the tax exempt status of the corporation, which they did on April 24, 2009 .

I traveled to Israel in July of 2008 to begin work on the project.  In a meeting with the Executive Secretary and the President of the Academy of the Hebrew Language – an institution that was actually founded by Ben-Yehuda, they shared with me the heavy costs of maintaining their part of the Ben-Yehuda heritage: The Ben-Yehuda library needed to be preserved to prevent the paper and covers of the books from turning to dust. With the help of my sister, Dr. Hemda Ben-Yehuda, we were able to obtain a initial grant of some 25,000 Euros to begin this emergency work from the Levi Lassen Foundation in Holland.  The Academy also indicated that the Ben-Yehuda room, with original furniture and artwork from the home of Eliezer and his wife Hemda, needs refurbishing. More funding is still necessary to support these tasks as soon as possible.

We also met and discussed these and other projects with a number of people, but these contacts were very preliminary and did not translate into action.

During a second trip to Israel in August of 2009, further progress was made.  Before the trip I was contacted by the chairman of an organization that places Hebrew articles and books on a public domain website to make them available for all who wish to read and use the texts that often are no longer available in print.  The goal in mind is to place on the web the sixteen volumes Ben-Yehuda Dictionary of the Hebrew Language, Ancient and Modern.  In Israel, I was happy to learn that the Academy of the Hebrew Language is also interested in putting the Ben-Yehuda Dictionary on their site. Further, Ms. Orly Simon, the Head of Digitalization Projects at the National Library of Israel, another institution Eliezer Ben-Yehuda had initiated, also expressed her interested to place the dictionary on their site, alongside with the historical early Hebrew newspapers of Eliezer Ben-Yehuda already on the web (http://jpress2.tau.ac.il/view-hebrew.asp).  With the goal of creating a joint Hebrew Academy and National Library site for the Ben-Yehuda Dictionary in mind, Dr. Asher Dagan and Mr. Ido Ivri of the Rothschild Foundation was brought into the picture to possibly fund this project. At the meeting, all parties seemed keen to learn more about the Ben-Yehuda heritage project and have they have expressed their willingness to take part and help make this project possible, as well as to provide additional help for the preservation of the Ben-Yehuda room at the Hebrew Academy.

 

The Eliezer Ben-Yehuda Foundation, Inc.

Founded in 2008

Vision -- Conviction -- Fulfillment

 

The Eliezer Ben-Yehuda Foundation, Inc. finds its mandate in Biblical prophecy concerning the return of the Jewish People to their own land - and the consequent historic mission of Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, who in 1881, following a vision from God concerning the return, moved to Jerusalem and spent the next forty one years working to fulfill the prophecy by teaching, publishing newspapers and single-handedly reviving the Hebrew tongue to give a language for a people that he knew will return home from the four corners of the earth speaking in many tongues.
The purpose of this corporation is to teach and preserve the heritage (both physical and spiritual) of Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, and to inform people of all nations and religious or cultural affiliations of the miraculous ways of the Lord, and His grace in fulfilling His promise to the seed of Abraham.

This foundation will promote the historical, educational and religious ideals and ideas advocated by Ben-Yehuda. This corporation is organized exclusively for one or more of the purposes as specified in § 501 (3) (c) of the Internal Revenue Code, including, for such purposes, raising funds and distribution of funds to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under § 501 (3) (c) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

Address:  110 Camino Trail

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

32082

Phone:  904 543 8128