The Mandelbaum Trust manages the Estate of the late Rachel Lipton, the remarkable woman whose vision and drive founded Mandelbaum House.

Rachel Lipton had an innate and enduring appreciation of her Jewish heritage and the value of Jewish education. “The purpose of this Institution [Mandelbaum House] is that it might act as a focal point for Jewish learning and for the study of the vast riches of Jewish thought throughout the ages to the present day,” her will states.

The will also demonstrates that she possessed an impressive ability for strategic and creative planning. “The College would doubtless be kept more ‘alive’ by providing a venue for series of lectures by distinguished visitors and the holding of conventions and seminars within its precincts,” she observes. “I would consider it desirable that the College should work in conjunction with the Department of Semitics of the University.”

Mandelbaum House retains a distinguished Academic Advisory Committee, drawn from community and academic circles, to provide direction and advice on learning programs.  The committee reviews applications from international scholars to ensure the depth and variety of our educational offerings.

Supported by the Trust, the Mandelbaum Library boasts a large collection of Judaic books and a range of magazines and newspapers.  Several individuals have made significant donations to the library and honorary librarians Zelda and Mo Levitt have catalogued these collections, making a valuable resource for the college, students of Jewish Studies and the general community.