Norman provides a grant to the YMHA — continuing a family commitment to one of New York’s most cherished Jewish institutions.

The Young Men’s Hebrew Association (YMHA, Norman grantee 1959) was founded in 1874 to serve the social and spiritual needs of New York’s Jewish community and help immigrants assimilate. In 1927 — years before the Assistance Fund was incorporated — Aaron Norman and his wife Lottie contributed $15,000 to the YMHA’s building fund, supporting the construction of a new building at Lexington Avenue and 92nd Street that still stands today. By the 1950s, the organization merged with the Young Women’s Hebrew Association, becoming the YM-YWHA, and had grown into one of New York City’s most vibrant cultural and community institutions, offering its Poetry Center, chamber music and dance programs, adult education, and extensive social programs for youth and families. Norman’s 1959 grant supported the launch of the still-ongoing Noar After-School Program that provides flexible childcare and a range of after-school activities and enrichment to this day.

In 1972, the YM-YWHA rebranded as the 92nd Street Y, and continues to be one of New York’s most celebrated cultural institutions, presenting world-class arts programming, talks, and community events to audiences across the city and around the world.

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