Press Release
MAGEVET LAUNCHES ENDOWMENT CAMPAIGN
Yale’s Jewish Singing Group Creates Perpetual Fund to Celebrate Its 30th Anniversary
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New Haven, CT, August 3, 2022 – Magevet, Inc., Yale University’s a cappella singing group devoted to Jewish, Hebrew, and Israeli music, today announced a fundraising campaign to establish a permanent endowment for the group. The Magevet endowment campaign is intended to support Magevet’s musical work in perpetuity and will coincide with the ensemble’s 30th anniversary in the spring of 2023.
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“We’re so excited that Magevet’s alumni, parents, and friends have decided to take on this project,” said Eric Risch, the group’s Business Manager. “In the past, our ability to bring our music to different communities has been limited by their ability to cover our expenses. With a permanent endowment, the extra income will expand the range of communities we can serve.”
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Magevet, whose name means “towel” in Hebrew, was founded in 1993 and has been operating continuously since. The mixed-gender group is a registered student organization at Yale, comprising 14–18 undergraduate members at any given time. ​Their repertoire spans modern Israeli pop and Renaissance choral pieces to Ladino lullabies and liturgical classics.
Part of the ensemble’s mission is to spread Jewish music far and wide. In addition to regular performances throughout the northeastern United States, tours have taken Magevet to locations across the continent, as well as to Europe, Africa, South America, and Israel.
However, disruptions caused by COVID-19 substantially curtailed the group’s ability to rehearse and perform. Although Magevet makes some income from sales of its recordings, the group primarily depends on revenue from live performances for its operating resources.
“We wanted to find a way to help Magevet focus on the music,” said Cantor David Frommer, who served as musical director of the group in the early 2000s. “Over 30 years, the group has made an impact on communities across the globe—not to mention a deep, lasting impact on generations of students. But COVID-19 was a wake-up call. Creating a stable source of endowment income will give the group a financial safety net in challenging times.”
The campaign will be conducted in partnership with the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford, which has created a Designated Fund for Magevet. Tax-deductible donations to the Magevet Endowment Fund will be invested alongside the Foundation’s other $175 million in assets under management, and investment income from the Fund will be distributed to Magevet according to the Foundation’s standard distribution policies.
“We are pleased to partner with Magevet to ensure the group will receive an annual
stream of income—forever—to help them sustain a vibrant future,” said Kathryn Gonnerman, Vice President of Philanthropy for the Jewish Community Foundation and a Yale alumna.
Donations to the Magevet Endowment Fund can be made through www.magevet.org, or via www.jcfhartford.org.
About Magevet
Founded in 1993, Magevet (www.magevet.org) is one of the nation’s premiere Jewish a cappella singing groups. A coed ensemble of undergraduate students at Yale University, Magevet is known for its choral focus, unique arrangements, and lighthearted performance style. ​The group’s repertoire spans Renaissance choral pieces and liturgical classics to modern Israeli pop and to Yiddish folk tunes. The members of Magevet are equally diverse with respect to background and interest, all united by camaraderie and a love of singing.
Magevet is devoted to spreading Jewish music to the far corners of the globe and embarks on two major tours each year, traveling as near as Boston and New York and as far as Buenos Aires, Paris, and Jerusalem.
About the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford
The Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford (the Foundation, www.jcfhartford.org) was founded in 1972 with an initial gift of $50,000. Thanks to the vision and generosity of individuals, families, businesses and organizations, past and present, the Foundation currently has $168 million in assets under its management and stewards grants of approximately $4.6 million annually.
The Foundation unlocks the power of personalized and collective philanthropy to solve problems, strengthen community organizations, and provide permanent support for Greater Hartford’s Jewish community. The nonprofit is a proud partner to the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford and a member of the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy.
For more information, contact:
Eric Risch
Business Manager '22, Magevet
475-257-0775
Madison Hahamy
Previous Business Manager, Magevet
847-909-7276
Kathryn Gonnerman
Vice President, Philanthropy, Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford
860-727-6193