United Jewish Federation of Stamford, New Canaan, and Darien (UJF) Lilly Reiser Scholarship

United Jewish Federation of Stamford, New Canaan, and Darien (UJF) is excited to announce that the Lilly Reiser Scholarship application window is now open, and will remain open through the end of the day on March 24, 2025.

Any of the current 12th graders or college-aged students involved in your organization can directly benefit from this opportunity. This cycle, the scholarship will award one (1) $10,000 college scholarship (renewable for up to 4 consecutive years) to a Jewish student from Connecticut and New York. The student must be attending an accredited US-based college or graduate school at the start of the 2025-2026 academic year to be eligible. Awards will be based on both financial need and merit. The winning applicants will demonstrate the potential to live up to Lilly Reiser’s example, as a person who overcame significant hardship, prized education, and became a responsible and productive citizen.

To apply, please visit www.ujf.org/LillyReiser. For more information please visit www.ujf.org/LillyReiserScholarship. And for more detailed questions, I can be reached at Eric@ujf.org.

Lilly E. Reiser (1924-2020) was born in the small town of Moravska-Ostrava in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic (now the Czech Republic). Having suffered the inhumanity and indignity of forced labor and internment during the Holocaust at Theresienstadt, Auschwitz, and Bergen-Belson, Lilly was eventually liberated from Bergen-Belson by British soldiers. She emigrated to the United States in 1945 and was only able to obtain her degrees because of the generosity of various Jewish communal organizations, that provided her with the scholarships necessary to do so. Lilly completed her undergraduate education at Hunter College and went on to achieve a graduate degree from Columbia University’s New York School of Social Work. She proudly served as a social worker in the New York City Public School system for over 50 years. Ever thankful for the financial support she received from the organized Jewish community, Lilly wanted to provide similar support to deserving and financially challenged students of Jewish faith.

It is so very special to honor Lilly’s memory by honoring her wishes to assist young Jews achieve their academic dreams like she did. We welcome your partnership in this effort.