A group of Wexner Foundation fellows has launched a fund to support survivors of sexual violence as members of the prestigious alumni community continue to grapple with Jewish philanthropist Les Wexner’s decades-long relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Called The ASHRU Fund (Advocacy for Survivors, for Healing, Repair and Understanding), the first $100,000 raised will be donated to World Without Exploitation, a coalition focused on ending sexual trafficking, and the National Survivor Network. The fund’s name, “ASHRU,” is also a Hebrew word coming from a biblical quote in which the prophet Isaiah commands Jews, “ashru hamotz,” which has also been translated as “aid the wronged” or “advance the cause of those who are harmed.”

“There’s been a lot of discussion among the fellowship community, about what does this mean for us, and how are we potentially implicated and what is Les’ own culpability? Ultimately, those are legal questions to get played out and everybody comes to different conclusions,” Rabbi Josh Feigelson, president and CEO of the Institute for Jewish Spirituality and a member of the group behind ASHRU, told eJewishPhilanthropy. 

“What I think everybody can get behind is the idea that we should be supporting the Epstein victims, that that is an important act of Tikkun [repair]… and that the cause of sexual exploitation and violence, preventing that, is a cause that also all of us can take action on,” said Feigelson. 

Wexner — the 88-year-old billionaire who made his fortune by founding and leading retail conglomerate L Brands — employed Epstein as a financial advisor for many years and is often credited with helping Epstein amass his fortune and his many business connections. Their relationship eventually soured, however, with Wexner accusing him of stealing tens of millions of dollars from him and taking advantage of his properties. Wexner has also consistently denied any awareness of Epstein’s sexual crimes. The release of some of the Epstein files in November and Wexner’s subsequent testimony before a House committee in February have reignited scrutiny of their relationship. In response to the controversy, the Wexner Foundation has been facilitating conversations with former fellowship participants. 

Asked about the launch of the ASHRU Fund, a spokesperson for the foundation refrained from commenting on the development, telling eJP: “We are proud of our Wexner alumni network, which constitutes a diverse and deeply committed group of leaders making major contributions to Jewish life across North America and in Israel.” 

According to Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, another organizer of the fund, the idea to approach the controversy by creating a fund for survivors of sexual violence came from Rachel Faulkner, the senior director of national campaigns and partnerships at the National Council of Jewish Women, and a Wexner Field Fellowship alumna. The Wexner Field fellowship, one of three fellowships run by the Wexner Foundation, is among the most popular in the Jewish world, training a slew of prominent lay leaders and Jewish nonprofit professionals. 

Alumni of Wexner fellowships hold a range of opinions about the extent to which Wexner is culpable for Epstein’s crimes, and how they should respond. A small number, including Ruttenberg, have publicly distanced themselves from the fellowship. Many believe that Wexner was unaware of Epstein’s abuses, and others fall somewhere in between, feeling that while Wexner may not have known about Epstein’s crimes, he nevertheless enabled them.

“I hope, first and foremost, that people who have been looking for an outlet and a way to do something now feel like there’s a constructive way to do something,” said Feigelson. 

Though the option to donate is open to the broader Jewish community, the link to the fund was intentionally circulated first among members of the Wexner fellowship community. Organizers have particularly urged “stakeholders in Wexner Foundation programs” to donate. One day after its announcement, the fund has reached $31,000 towards its initial $100,000 goal ($10,000 of which was donated prior to the announcement).  

“We benefited through financial resources, and so it makes sense that we can offer repair, restitution and be part of the solutions through financial resources,” Ruttenberg told eJP.  

According to Ruttenberg, the fund’s organizers are having ongoing conversations about where to direct additional funds should the money raised exceed its $100,000 goal.