Sefaria Impact Report 2023

Letter from the CEO

Dear Friend,

As Sefaria’s first decade comes to a close, I am humbled to reflect on the past 10 years of effort to propel Torah learning into the digital age and beyond. This triumphant moment arrives against the somber backdrop of the horrific October 7 attacks in Israel. Over these past few months, grief has shaken the Jewish world to its core, reminding us of just how essential our shared tradition is — a source of comfort, connection, and, ultimately, resilience. Now more than ever, we find renewed purpose in Sefaria’s mission to bring the wisdom of Jewish texts to all those who seek them.

Today, Torah is available at the click of a button — but that wasn’t always the case. What started as an ambitious dream by our founders, Joshua Foer and Brett Lockspeiser, has since blossomed into a vibrant global platform, enriching the lives of millions and igniting a revolution in Jewish learning. According to our recent research with Rosov Consulting, 80% of 18-to 44-year-olds in North America were more motivated to study Jewish texts after using Sefaria. We celebrated this renewal of Jewish learning and community at our 10-year anniversary with the launch of our Global Community Torah Project, which invites Jews around the world to come together in “scribing” a virtual Torah scroll, letter by letter.

2023 was especially transformative as we embarked on the initial phase of our new Strategic Plan , laying the foundation for many new and exciting innovations to come. One significant milestone was the birth of our dedicated R&D arm, Sefaria Ventures, which was created to experiment with interactive products that bring Jewish texts to life in new and engaging ways beyond the classic Sefaria library. When critical advancements in artificial intelligence were launched to the public earlier this year, our Ventures team pivoted to explore AI’s potential for Torah learning and the Jewish future. Because Sefaria has already devoted a decade to digitizing core Jewish texts and releasing them as machine-readable data, we, along with the rest of the Jewish community, are prepared to take full advantage of the transformative capabilities of AI.

On the content front, we made significant strides this year by adding highly sought-after texts to our library. These include new English translations of Tanakh by JPS, the books of Prophets by Everett Fox, a Sefaria-commissioned English translation of Bereshit Rabbah, and several significant works of Kabbalah and Chasidut. This expansion reflects our commitment to providing free access to the traditional canon while catering to the diverse interests of our global users. To date, we have digitized 347 million words of original text and translations, with the vast majority being released under open-source licenses, ensuring their free use and reuse in perpetuity.

We also continued to enhance the quality of our texts and user experience. In March, we reached a new milestone with 100 external websites linking to Sefaria via our Linker tool, resulting in an increasingly interconnected Torah learning ecosystem. We enhanced our translation selection, making it easy for users to view and compare the line-by-line nuances of translations directly within the resource panel. And we kicked off a massive cross-departmental effort to reimagine our Topics pages, which will form the basis of our forthcoming Digital Torah Encyclopedia — a comprehensive and user-friendly resource for Torah learners of all levels.

As more people learn about Sefaria year after year, our web traffic continues to skyrocket. In 2023, we were visited by an average of more than 718,000 people worldwide each month. In the wake of the attacks in Israel, we experienced record-breaking traffic: 899,295 total users visited Sefaria in the month of October, and readership of the Book of Psalms increased by more than 330% in a single week. We are proud to provide crucial resources to Jews worldwide, particularly in moments of crisis.

None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the enduring support of our users, friends, and funders. Your engagement, feedback, and continued trust fuel our mission to make Jewish learning accessible and engaging for all. As we enter our next decade, we are inspired to continue pushing the boundaries of innovation and providing all those who engage with us the tools and resources they need to deepen their connection to the Jewish textual tradition.

Thank you to all who have been a part of this incredible journey. May the light of Torah continue to illuminate our path, even in the darkest of times.

With gratitude,

Daniel Septimus Chief Executive Officer

By the Numbers 2023 Our Reach

718,300

124,607

1.358

52,000+

3.5

Our Library

TOP FIVE TEXTS IN 2023

Genesis Exodus Psalms Siddur Edot HaMizrach Deuteronomy

348.6 MILLION

Words in Sefaria’s Library

83.3 MILLION

Words in Translation

43

Historical Manuscripts

505,000

User-Created Sheets

16

Languages Represented in At Least One Text

469

Collections Curated by Individuals and Jewish Organizations

14

Learning Calendars

Powering Connection to Text in Times of Need

Sefaria is a digital home for the texts of the Jewish people

Sefaria’s vital role as infrastructure for the Jewish community reached new heights in 2023, a year marked by milestones and challenges. A monthly average of more than 718,300 people visited Sefaria’s digital stacks in 2023 to study, connect, pray, explore, and more. As the role of Sefaria in contemporary Jewish life expands, our impact is increasingly apparent in shaping a new generation of Jews of all backgrounds who are engaged in learning.

“Across all user types, engagement with Sefaria enhances a sense of connection to the Jewish people and a sense of confidence to engage in Jewish practice beyond Jewish text study.”

— 2023 SEFARIA-ROSOV COMMUNITY SURVEY

A source of comfort, gathering, and prayer

As the Jewish world continues to reel from the devastating war in Israel, Sefaria has been a source of solace to learners around the globe. In October, Sefaria experienced a surge in traffic: Readership on the Book of Psalms and liturgy such as the Prayer for Those Being Held in Captivity dramatically increased. Individuals also used the library to make meaning and share their insights. For example, in an effort to advocate for the safe return of kidnapped Israelis, a reserve soldier in Israel compiled a collection of textual sources about the commandment of redeeming captives.

We are reminded of Sefaria’s purpose — maximizing access to Torah — when we witness Jews turning to our shared textual tradition for comfort and strength.

A soldier in Israel using Sefaria SELECTED LIBRARY TRAFFIC IN THE WEEK AFTER SIMCHAT TORAH

Weekly Parashah Study Companion

Delivered to user inboxes weekly, this new curated email series is designed to support independent learning at any level with an overview of the weekly Torah reading coupled with ideas for exploration in the Sefaria library. These emails have helped more than 9,000 learners study the parashah independently and build out their own practice over time.

SPOTLIGHT:

“Sefaria, you guys make me so excited to finally start keeping up with the weekly parashah in the next Jewish year. Sending so much love.”

Global Community Torah

In August, we launched the Global Community Torah, an international, multilingual initiative that invites Jews everywhere to feel connected to each other and their heritage by “scribing” a letter in a digital Torah scroll.

In 2023, more than 8,332 people participated in the project.

“I just want to say how amazing these Sefaria emails are at providing short bits of info, but in a great format and easy to digest manner. Keep up the great work, Sefaria team!!” —

“Such a beautiful way to make this mitzvah accessible. I hope someday in my lifetime I will be able to complete the mitzvah [of writing a letter in a physical Torah scroll].”

Shepherding Jewish Texts into the Digital Age

Some Meaningful Additions to the Library in 2023

SEFARIA MIDRASH RABBAH TRANSLATION PROJECT

In 2023, we released a Sefaria-commissioned English translation of Bereshit Rabbah, making this canonical work more accessible to Jews the world over. Learn more about this project on the next page!

NEW TANAKH TRANSLATIONS

We partnered with the Jewish Publication Society (JPS) to release their latest Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) translation and also released scholar Everett Fox’s translation of the early books of Prophets.

MISHNAH COMMENTARIES

We added a variety of commentaries on the Mishnah, including Eliyahu Rabbah, Lechem Shamayim, and additional volumes of Mishnat Eretz Yisrael.

KABBALAH

In a big step forward for our Kabbalah section, we added a modern Hebrew translation of the Zohar, the Sulam, Sha’arei Orah, numerous kabbalistic commentaries, and more.

EXPANDING ON GUIDE FOR THE PERPLEXED

Learners can now access additional layers of thought on this classic work by Rambam (Maimonides) with commentaries including Abarbanel, Crescas, the Efodi, Narboni, and Shem Tov.

LIKUTEI TEFILOT

We added a variety of works to our Chasidut section, including Likutei Tefilot, a collection of prayers composed by Rebbe Natan Sternhartz, the foremost student of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov.

WORKS BY THE PIASECZNO REBBE

We rounded out our collection of works by Rabbi Kalonymous Kalman Shapira (the Piascezno Rebbe) with the addition of Esh Kodesh and Derekh HaMelekh in Hebrew, and the essay Bnei Machshava Tova in English.

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF PHILO IN ENGLISH

You can now explore the works of one of the most significant Jewish philosophers of the Second Temple period, including extensive interconnections with biblical texts.

New Collaboration: Rabbi Sacks on Sefaria

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, z”l, (1948-2020) was a renowned philosopher, theologian, and Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom from 2001 to 2013. A prolific author and speaker, he blended faith, reason, and public engagement in a way that inspires many.

Announced in September 2023, Sefaria is proud to collaborate with the Rabbi Sacks Legacy and Koren Jerusalem to bring the works of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks to millions of learners worldwide — made possible by a gift from the William Davidson Foundation. This collection will serve as a permanent, online home for Rabbi Sacks’ writings and will continue to grow over the coming years.

SPOTLIGHT:

An Open-Source, English Translation of Midrash Rabbah

For the first time ever, there will be an online-accessible, complete English translation of Midrash Rabbah available free to all. In line with Sefaria’s goal to enable Jews of all learning levels and backgrounds to engage with Jewish texts, we hired a team of expert translators to lead a multiyear, multivolume translation project for the canonical text Midrash Rabbah, a classic collection of stories and insights about the Torah. Already we’ve released:

Shir HaShirim Rabbah

Ruth Rabbah

Eikhah Rabbah

Kohelet Rabbah

Esther Rabbah

Bereshit Rabbah

Shemot Rabbah

Vayikra Rabbah

Remaining volumes of Midrash Rabbah on Torah will be released in 2024.

Image Credit: Blake Ezra

Word-by-Word

Sefaria launched the Word-by-Word Fellowship to address the need for women’s Torah scholarship to be more proportionately represented on the Jewish bookshelf. Made possible by the Arev Fund, Micah Philanthropies, and Walder Foundation, the fellowship supports Jewish women scholars on their journeys toward publication. With this initiative, we hope to lay the groundwork to encourage more women to become significant contributors to the Jewish canon. After receiving 119 submissions from a competitive and diverse pool of applicants, we established a 20-person cohort that met in person for the first time in June.

“The Word-by-Word fellowship has been incredibly generative and helpful to me as I write my book, a dream of mine for over two decades. The combination of a cohort of brilliant colleagues, personal coaching, and continuous learning about the field of publishing has been transformative in my work, and I am extremely grateful.”

— A WORD-BY-WORD PARTICIPANT

New Horizons in Tech and Torah

“If we want our children’s learning to reflect our values, if we want them to help build a world based on our commitments, then we must invest serious time and resources in developing our communal ability to understand and grapple with the radical technological transformations of our day.”

— SARA WOLKENFELD, Chief Learning Officer, published in Sapir Journal

Sefaria’s ongoing mission is to steward Jewish texts into the digital age and, in so doing, leverage technology to democratize access to our tradition. From early visualizations displaying connections between Torah and Talmud to creating a source-sheet builder, we seek out new ways to use technology to elevate learning.

As we look to new advances in AI and other emerging technologies, Sefaria sees the potential to radically transform what is possible for Torah study in the 21st century. Platforms like OpenAI, Claude, and Google Gemini are able to operate in the space of Jewish texts because Sefaria has spent 10 years making those texts digitally accessible and machine readable.

Sefaria is excited to use these emerging technologies to further our mission of opening access to texts to every Jew, everywhere.

“An Exploration into the Future of Torah and AI,” an event with Rabbi Chaim Miller, Sefaria Chief Product Officer Lev Israel, tech leader Seth Rosenberg, and Sefaria Board Member Rachel Kraus, generously hosted by Joe Teplow, Harry Ritter, and Eric Reiner.

Artificial Intelligence & Torah SPOTLIGHT:

In 2023, we began a fruitful partnership with Applied AI and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) to explore and develop tools that harness AI to better study Torah. Our goal is to create an AI tool — similar to ChatGPT or Bard but more reliable, accurate, and trustworthy — that makes Torah not just available but truly accessible for all.

Harnessing the power of AI, we can work toward making every text findable and understandable in any language. Future AI tools will be able to help learners explore complex questions related to the vast Sefaria library of texts. We also believe AI can be leveraged to help build entryways into Jewish learning for those new to text study by curating information around specific topics, commonly asked questions, and more. The possibilities are vast, and we are thrilled to be developing them in a responsible and thoughtful way through this partnership.

New Product Features

ENHANCED TRANSLATION SELECTION

Sefaria added a feature that enables users to make more informed translation choices by presenting them with a comprehensive overview of available options. Instead of simply displaying translation titles, users can now view and compare the line-by-line nuances of each translation directly within the sidebar, facilitating a more intuitive and informed selection process.

IMPROVEMENTS TO TEXT QUALITY

Throughout 2023, Sefaria's engineers added vocalization to various texts in the library, enhancing the study experience for learners with less advanced knowledge of Hebrew. Most recently, we added vocalization to several works of Musar (instruction for spiritual and ethical development), including Mesilat Yesharim and Sha'arei Teshuvah.

“Sefaria is my library of Seforim (Jewish books) that I need but could not afford. It is with me wherever I go, so I can learn what I want, as deeply as I want, whenever and wherever I want. The linking to resources is fabulous. The English translations are great when I am stuck on vocabulary or understanding context. The speed at which I can look up something, as opposed to using hard copy, is another benefit.”

– FROM A 5-STAR SEFARIA APP REVIEW

Developing Sefaria as a Nonprofit

In addition to launching new texts and initiatives, much of Sefaria’s work in 2023 was focused on expanding our organization’s capacity and infrastructure. Last year we:

Grew our team and board with seven new staff members

Adapted to new tools like Salesforce and the latest Google Analytics

Took steps toward establishing a nonprofit entity in Israel

Created a new Metrics and Evaluation team

After 10 years of service to Sefaria, Sefaria co-founder Joshua Foer graduated from board leadership, and we welcomed a new board chair, Samuel Moed. Deeply invested in Jewish education, Sam is guiding Sefaria's long-term growth with a focus on sustainability and impact.

“For me, there is nothing more energizing, nothing more inspiring than the global Sefaria community. I especially love the sense of belonging and unity that Sefaria has created.”

— SAMUEL MOED, Sefaria’s new board chair

Marking 10 Years of Impact

2014

Sefaria’s engineers create the Source Sheet Builder, a transformative and critical resource for Jewish education.

Jewish educators were among Sefaria’s early adopters and today represent more than 20% of Sefaria users.

2013

With crucial startup funding from the Natan Fund, Jonathan and Tamar Koschitzky, and the Jim Joseph Foundation, Sefaria incorporates as a nonprofit.

“I really can no longer remember what it was like to make a study sheet in the days before @SefariaProject.”

— Rabbi Abusch-Magder, Ph.D. @RabbiRuth

2015

Sefaria signs its first deal with a major Jewish publisher to digitize and release translations into the public domain.

2016

Sefaria’s engineers create mobile apps for Android and iOS.

This game-changing, onetime investment marked the beginning of Sefaria’s collection of rabbinic texts, which now includes the Tosefta, French and German Talmud translations, and the full Jerusalem Talmud, powering Talmud study around the globe for seasoned scholars and newcomers alike.

With 524,000+ downloads to date, the Sefaria app helps Jews around the world fulfill the ideal of ךְֶרֶ דֶַּבַ ךָּתְּ כְֶלֶּבַ וּ ךֶָתֶיֵבַ ּבְּ ךָּתְּ ּבַ ׁשִּׁבְּ from Deuteronomy 6:7 — the teaching that Torah is something that can be with you wherever you go, always close at hand — and that whatever your particular path is, Torah can be a part of it.

2017

Sefaria makes history by releasing the William Davidson Talmud, including Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz’s English and Modern Hebrew translations.

2018

More than one million users representing almost every country in the world visit Sefaria’s library in a single year for the first time.

2020

Sefaria pivots to meet the needs of COVID-19, ensuring the continuity of Jewish learning throughout the global pandemic and beyond.

2019

Sefaria is named one of the top 10 Jewish developments of the last decade.

When the majority of physical study centers were closed, Sefaria facilitated the sudden shift to online learning for Jewish schools, synagogues, and learners everywhere.

This period marked a turning point for Sefaria as an unprecedented number of users — 500,000 in a single month — visited the library. Despite the pandemics challenges, this period demonstrated that the existence of Sefaria is vital to the thriving of Jewish people in the digital age.

2021

Overcoming copyright hurdles, Sefaria adds works of major female scholars to the library, including works by Dr. Judith Hauptman and Dr. Avivah Gottlieb Zornberg.

2022 2024

Sefaria begins adding its first major commissioned translation — an opensource English translation of Midrash Rabbah — and raises more than $1 million from its user community.

Sefaria embarks on its second decade, taking steps to harness emerging technologies, increasing personalization options for users, and adding significant texts including works by the late Rabbis Sacks and Steinsaltz.

Donations from the Sefaria community power a significant portion of Sefaria’s annual budget. Through their generosity, our 10,000+ annual donors (giving an average donation of just $32!) make possible one of the most significant developments in Jewish learning in the 21st century.

“Just made a small donation to @SefariaProject, and I feel it’s some of the best money spent. I’m actually in awe of its ambition and it’s an incredible from a product perspective too!”

2023

Sefaria hits record-breaking traffic with more than 700,000 average monthly users from around the world visiting the library.

“One of the best things about @SefariaProject is that it is for every Jew and every kind of Jew.

They bring love, Torah, kindness, and access to every single person who encounters them.

This is a Sefaria appreciation post.”

— Rabbi Jeremy Markiz @rabbimarkiz

“I am an unaffiliated Jew who does not live near an active Jewish community. Sefaria has allowed me access to our library and to start connecting [to Judaisim] on such a deep level.”

— Sefaria User

Finances

In 2023, Sefaria officially embarked on our new Strategic Plan and secured major multiyear commitments from the William Davidson Foundation and the Jim Joseph Foundation to propel our growth. These foundations have supported Sefaria since day 1, and we are so grateful for their deep engagement and partnership with Sefaria’s work.

In sum, Sefaria accrued $12.58 million in revenue — including the aforementioned multiyear commitments — and Sefaria’s expenses for general operating and special projects totaled $6.89 million

Expenses

26% Education and Engagement

25% Library Acquisitions

29% Product Development

7% Operations and Organizational Management

13% Fundraising and Events

To learn more about Sefaria's financials, you can look at the latest IRS Form 990 at sefaria.org/ways-to-give or you can explore Guidestar.org

Fundraising

We continue to be inspired by the number of people in the Sefaria community who support our mission by making a donation. Donations come in at any amount and from all over the world — to celebrate learning milestones, thank a teacher or rabbi, or simply give back to the Sefaria library. Our community’s generosity plays an increasingly key role in helping Sefaria maximize its impact on the Jewish community and make Jewish learning accessible to all. Looking ahead, Sefaria will seek to increase the proportion by which this collective resource is supported by the community of learners it serves. We are blown away by our community’s willingness to pay it forward for future generations, supporting free access to Jewish texts now and forever. At

$1,119,972.91

Thank You

Thank you to our major supporters in 2023, including those who have chosen to remain anonymous

Founder’s Circle

Jim Joseph Foundation

William Davidson Foundation

Innovators

Raanan and Nicole Agus

Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family

Philanthropies

Crown Family Philanthropies

Sally Gottesman

Hilary and Mo Koyfman

Builders

Gary and Lois Claar

Rachel & Joshua Crane

Joshua and Dinah Foer

Partners

Koschitzky Family Maimonides Fund

Joshua Kushner

The Lucius N. Littauer Foundation

Micah Philanthropies

VitalTransformation

Walder Foundation

The Friend Family Philanthropic Fund

Tamar and Eric Goldstein

Samuel and Debra Moed

We are thankful to the following individuals and organizations for their generosity:

David Nimmer

Noah Leibowitz and Dechert LLP

Leading Edge

Mark Cohen and Pearl Cohen LLP

Learn

Learn with Sefaria. Join the 700,000+ people visiting Sefaria every month to learn Torah, build source sheets, and keep the great, millenia-old Jewish conversation going.

Share

Have you published or translated a text that you'd like to share on Sefaria? Reach out to our content team at hello@sefaria.org

Donate

Your support keeps our library open and free for all, forever. Join the thousands of people who contribute what they can to keep Sefaria going.

Sponsor

You can now make a more permanent mark by sponsoring a Day of Learning in honor or memory of loved ones, or in celebration of a lifecycle event or learning milestone.

Join a Giving Circle

Ensure a vibrant future for the Jewish textual tradition by joining a Giving Circle. Giving Circle members ensure Sefaria’s long-term sustainability and strategic growth. Each Giving Circle includes special opportunities to engage with our team, leadership, scholars, and educators at events and in custom learning sessions.

Stay Connected

Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, or sign up for our newsletter to keep abreast of our latest text releases, features, and updates. To get involved, email desiree@sefaria.org

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