Jewish Children's Museum - Revision history

Chabad Bot: Add tables from the scanned Form 990 returns (revenue and assets, officers, Korf and Laber grants compared with contributions), cited to the IRS filings on ProPublica, and infobox logo

2026-10-22T15:23:56Z

Add tables from the scanned Form 990 returns (revenue and assets, officers, Korf and Laber grants compared with contributions), cited to the IRS filings on ProPublica, and infobox logo

Chabad Bot: v2 format conformity: infobox dates to {{Start date}}, infobox parameters renamed to v2 (no content change)

2026-10-21T05:45:55Z

v2 format conformity: infobox dates to {{Start date}}, infobox parameters renamed to v2 (no content change)

Chabad Bot: Chabad Bot: new page on a recipient of Korf Family Foundation / Laber Foundation grants; year-by-year grant tables from the 990-PF returns, own filings and public records

2026-10-20T15:49:13Z

Chabad Bot: new page on a recipient of Korf Family Foundation / Laber Foundation grants; year-by-year grant tables from the 990-PF returns, own filings and public records

New page

{{Chabad sidebar}}
{{short description|'''Chabad-Lubavitch children's museum on Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn'''}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Jewish Children's Museum
| type = Public charity (files Form 990)
| founded = IRS ruling July 1997; museum opened 2004
| location = 792 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11213
| registration_id = EIN 13-3798344
| key_people = [[Yerachmiel Benjaminson]] (executive director)
| focus = Children's museum of Jewish history and tradition
| website = [https://www.jcm.museum jcm.museum]
}}
The '''Jewish Children's Museum''' is a hands-on museum at 792 Eastern Parkway, Crown Heights, Brooklyn. It grew out of [[Tzivos Hashem]], the [[Chabad-Lubavitch movement|Chabad-Lubavitch]] children's organisation.<ref name="JCMAbout"/> The [[Laber Foundation]] reported grants of $5,524 to it in 2007 and 2008.<ref name="LF990PF200711"/><ref name="LF990PF200811"/>

== History ==
The museum's own account (Chabad-side) traces it to [[Tzivos Hashem]] ("founded" in 1980) and to Jewish Children's Expos held at the Javits Center from 1986. It says the museum "opened in 2004 on Brooklyn's Museum Row", in a "50,000 square foot, $35 million facility" designed by Gwathmey Siegel Architects, who were engaged by the executive director, [[Yerachmiel Benjaminson]].<ref name="JCMAbout"/>

The IRS lists the museum care of Newman & Berger at 792 Eastern Parkway, as a public charity with a ruling date of July 1997, and assets of $15,753,798 in its return for the year ending August 2025.<ref name="BMF"/>

== Funding from the Laber Foundation ==
'''Status: allegation.''' In 2020 the [[United States Department of Justice|US Department of Justice]] filed civil forfeiture complaints alleging that [[Ihor Kolomoisky]] and [[Gennadiy Bogolyubov]] defrauded [[PrivatBank]] in Ukraine, and that their associates [[Mordechai Korf]] and [[Uriel Laber]] "created a web of entities, usually under some variation of the name 'Optima,' to further launder the misappropriated funds".<ref name="DOJ2020"/> Korf and Laber are claimants in those cases, not defendants. They deny any wrongdoing, and no criminal charge against either man has been found. The ''Forward'' reported in 2020 that "there is no evidence that any of the recipients were aware of the two men's connection to the laundering".<ref name="Forward2020"/> This page has found no authority that accuses the Jewish Children's Museum of wrongdoing, and no source that traces any of the alleged proceeds to it. The grants below are lawful grants as the [[Korf Family Foundation]] and the [[Laber Foundation]] reported them to the [[Internal Revenue Service]]. They are not evidence of tracing. The full account is on [[Chabad and Ukraine]].

Every grant to the Jewish Children's Museum listed on the 990-PF returns of the two foundations is set out below, year by year. Tax years end on 30 November. The figures for the tax year ending November 2006 are those on the amended returns, which the foundation pages cite; the original returns gave slightly different amounts.<ref name="KFF990PF200611orig"/><ref name="LF990PF200611orig"/> No grants from the Korf Family Foundation have been found.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Grants to the Jewish Children's Museum reported by the Laber Foundation
! Tax year ending !! [[Laber Foundation]] !! Year total !! Payee name(s) and place as filed !! Source
|-
| Nov 2007 || $1,856 || $1,856 || Jewish Children's Museum (Brooklyn, NY) || <ref name="LF990PF200711"/>
|-
| Nov 2008 || $3,668 || $3,668 || Jewish Children's Museum (Brooklyn, NY) || <ref name="LF990PF200811"/>
|- class="sortbottom"
! Total !! $5,524 !! $5,524 !! !!
|}

=== Revenue and expenses as filed ===
Basis column: ''e-file'' = IRS e-file XML; ''summary'' = ProPublica's summary of IRS Statistics of Income data (the return itself not held); ''scan'' = figures read by eye from the return's page images on ProPublica (not yet second-checked). Schedule B: a public charity must attach its list of large donors, but the names are not open to public inspection; a private foundation's are.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Revenue and expenses of the Jewish Children's Museum as filed
! Year ending !! Form !! Contributions !! Programme service revenue !! Total revenue !! Grants paid !! Total expenses !! Net assets at year end !! Schedule B !! Basis
|-
| Aug 2011 || 990 || $4,209,734 || $307,853 || $4,899,230 || $0 || $3,833,590 || $15,037,454 || attached (names not public) || e-file
|-
| Aug 2012 || 990 || $1,820,971 || $365,672 || $2,553,012 || $0 || $4,032,961 || $13,557,505 || attached (names not public) || e-file
|-
| Aug 2013 || 990 || $1,133,218 || $426,687 || $1,976,052 || $0 || $3,869,611 || $11,663,946 || attached (names not public) || e-file
|-
| Aug 2014 || 990 || $839,079 || $434,300 || $1,821,141 || $0 || $4,053,209 || $9,258,045 || attached (names not public) || e-file
|-
| Aug 2015 || 990 || $2,389,399 || $468,800 || $8,790,684 || $0 || $3,324,323 || $14,724,406 || attached (names not public) || e-file
|-
| Aug 2016 || 990 || $984,752 || $495,201 || $2,313,182 || $0 || $3,287,779 || $14,623,413 || attached (names not public) || e-file
|-
| Aug 2017 || 990 || $2,367,218 || $460,473 || $3,494,602 || $0 || $3,334,024 || $14,783,991 || attached (names not public) || e-file
|-
| Aug 2018 || 990 || $1,140,757 || $541,602 || $2,306,466 || $0 || $3,439,412 || $13,651,045 || attached (names not public) || e-file
|-
| Aug 2019 || 990 || $1,215,366 || $489,159 || $2,320,336 || $0 || $3,414,691 || $12,556,690 || attached (names not public) || e-file
|-
| Aug 2020 || 990 || $952,368 || $264,429 || $1,543,657 || $0 || $2,924,443 || $11,175,904 || attached (names not public) || e-file
|-
| Aug 2021 || 990 || $1,629,892 || $392,434 || $2,597,494 || $0 || $2,963,074 || $10,810,324 || attached (names not public) || e-file
|-
| Aug 2022 || 990 || $985,765 || $475,023 || $2,123,832 || $0 || $3,249,788 || $9,684,368 || attached (names not public) || e-file
|-
| Aug 2023 || 990 || $1,877,729 || $581,713 || $2,995,868 || $0 || $2,969,070 || $9,711,166 || attached (names not public) || e-file
|-
| Aug 2024 || 990 || $1,324,198 || $565,114 || $2,484,535 || $0 || $3,328,014 || $8,867,687 || attached (names not public) || e-file
|-
| Aug 2025 || 990 || $1,203,573 || $593,200 || $2,332,689 || $0 || $3,307,355 || $7,893,021 || attached (names not public) || e-file
|}

=== Officers and directors ===
Names and titles as filed in Part VII of the e-filed returns (spellings as filed; one person may appear under more than one spelling).

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Officers and directors of the Jewish Children's Museum listed on Form 990 Part VII (e-filed years)
! Name as filed !! Title as filed !! First e-filed year listed !! Last e-filed year listed !! Highest reported compensation
|-
| Devorah Halberstam || Fundraising Dir || 2011 || 2013 || $275,050
|-
| Rabbi Benjaminson || Executive Direc || 2011 || 2012 || $0
|-
| Sb Baumgarten || Administration || 2011 || 2013 || $54,992
|-
| Rabbi Benjaminson || Executive Dir. || 2013 || 2013 || $0
|-
| Devorah Halberstam || Director || 2014 || 2017 || $281,793
|-
| Sb Baumgarten || Foundation Mgr. || 2014 || 2025 || $58,658
|-
| Yerachmiel Benjaminson || Executive Dir. || 2014 || 2025 || $48,986
|-
| Ari Chitrik || Director || 2018 || 2025 || $0
|-
| David Smetana || Director || 2018 || 2025 || $0
|-
| Devorah Halberstam || Grant Director || 2018 || 2025 || $250,000
|-
| Jacob Pinson || Director || 2018 || 2025 || $0
|-
| Joseph Frimerman || Director || 2018 || 2025 || $0
|-
| Joseph Rivkin || Chairman || 2018 || 2025 || $0
|-
| Lipa Lieberman || Director || 2018 || 2025 || $0
|-
| Zalman Chein || Treasurer || 2018 || 2025 || $0
|}

== See also ==
* [[Tzivos Hashem]]
* [[Korf Family Foundation]]
* [[Laber Foundation]]
* [[Chabad and Ukraine]]

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="JCMAbout">Jewish Children's Museum, [https://www.jcm.museum/about-us/ "About Us"], jcm.museum, checked 20 October 2026. Chabad-side.</ref>
<ref name="LF990PF200711">The Laber Foundation Inc (EIN 20-3925774), Form 990-PF for the tax year ending 30 November 2007 (2006 form), paper or printed return as scanned for the IRS public-inspection set, [https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/download-filing?path=2008_12_PF%2F20-3925774_990PF_200711.pdf PDF via ProPublica]. Read from the page images. Primary source (filed by the foundation).</ref>
<ref name="LF990PF200811">The Laber Foundation Inc (EIN 20-3925774), Form 990-PF for the tax year ending 30 November 2008 (2007 form), paper or printed return as scanned for the IRS public-inspection set, [https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/download-filing?path=2009_02_PF%2F20-3925774_990PF_200811.pdf PDF via ProPublica]. Read from the page images. Primary source (filed by the foundation).</ref>
<ref name="BMF">Internal Revenue Service, Exempt Organizations Business Master File extract for New York (eo_ny.csv), [https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/eo_ny.csv irs.gov], downloaded 20 October 2026, row for EIN 13-3798344 (care of Newman & Berger; foundation code 15 (public charity); assets $15,753,798, tax period August 2025). Primary source (IRS).</ref>
<ref name="DOJ2020">[https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-seeks-forfeiture-two-commercial-properties-purchased-funds-misappropriated "Justice Department Seeks Forfeiture of Two Commercial Properties Purchased with Funds Misappropriated from PrivatBank in Ukraine"], US Department of Justice, 6 August 2020. Primary source (allegations).</ref>
<ref name="Forward2020">Molly Boigon, [https://forward.com/news/440219/florida-chabad-lubavitch-miami-charities-money-laundering-optima-schemes/ "Two Florida Chabad donors implicated in Optima schemes"], ''The Forward'', 21 February 2020 (with later corrections). Critical.</ref>
<ref name="KFF990PF200611orig">The Korf Family Foundation Inc (EIN 20-3942766), original Form 990-PF for the tax year ending 30 November 2006 (2005 form), received by the IRS in October 2007 and later superseded by the amended return, [https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/download-filing?path=2007_11_PF%2F20-3942766_990PF_200611.pdf PDF via ProPublica]. Read from the page images. Primary source (filed by the foundation).</ref>
<ref name="LF990PF200611orig">The Laber Foundation Inc (EIN 20-3925774), original Form 990-PF for the tax year ending 30 November 2006 (2005 form), received by the IRS in October 2007 and later superseded by the amended return, [https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/download-filing?path=2007_11_PF%2F20-3925774_990PF_200611.pdf PDF via ProPublica]. Read from the page images. Primary source (filed by the foundation).</ref>
</references>

[[Category:Chabad-Lubavitch|Jewish Children's Museum]]
[[Category:Jewish organisations in the United States|Jewish Children's Museum]]
[[Category:Charities|Jewish Children's Museum]]

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 {{Infobox organization
 | name = Jewish Children's Museum
 | type = Public charity (files Form 990)
 | founded = IRS ruling July 1997; museum opened 2004
@@ Line 109: / Line 110: @@
 | Zalman Chein || Treasurer || 2018 || 2025 || $0
 |}
 == See also ==
@@ Line 126: / Line 203: @@
 <ref name="KFF990PF200611orig">The Korf Family Foundation Inc (EIN 20-3942766), original Form 990-PF for the tax year ending 30 November 2006 (2005 form), received by the IRS in October 2007 and later superseded by the amended return, [https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/download-filing?path=2007_11_PF%2F20-3942766_990PF_200611.pdf PDF via ProPublica]. Read from the page images. Primary source (filed by the foundation).</ref>
 <ref name="LF990PF200611orig">The Laber Foundation Inc (EIN 20-3925774), original Form 990-PF for the tax year ending 30 November 2006 (2005 form), received by the IRS in October 2007 and later superseded by the amended return, [https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/download-filing?path=2007_11_PF%2F20-3925774_990PF_200611.pdf PDF via ProPublica]. Read from the page images. Primary source (filed by the foundation).</ref>
 </references>

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 | registration_id = EIN 13-3798344
 | key_people = [[Yerachmiel Benjaminson]] (executive director)
-| focus = Children's museum of Jewish history and tradition
+| services = Children's museum of Jewish history and tradition
 | website = [https://www.jcm.museum jcm.museum]
 }}