Legacy and Mission

The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey was established in 1996 with the proceeds from the sale of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and is dedicated to continuing the founding health and caring mission through philanthropy. The mission derives from a century-old commitment to the communities of Newark and greater Newark, and to local Jewish families whose wives established the hospital in 1901 in response to anti-Semitism that prohibited Jewish physicians from working in Newark’s hospitals. The Foundation is steadfast in following the legacy of a hospital dedicated to battling racism and disparity.

The Foundation “shall support and foster the provision of health care services, health care education, and, when reasonable and appropriate, medical and scientific research, and shall respond to the medical, custodial and other health-related needs of elderly, underprivileged, vulnerable and underserved persons in the MetroWest Jewish community, the greater Newark community, Essex County, and, when appropriate, the State of New Jersey.” ¹

The Foundation is guided by the Jewish spiritual principles of tzdekah (charity, righteousness) and tikkun olam (repairing the world), tenets of Torah, and respect for the values and traditions of the Jewish people. Through the vision of Lester Z. Lieberman, Chairman of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center from 1988 - 1996, and Foundation Chairman since its inception, The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey is focused strategically on eliminating inequalities in health care, and engaging in partnerships to foster healthy and caring communities.

¹ 1996. Agreement to Establish The NBI Healthcare Foundation, Inc.