Manashe Khaimov’s SAMi Joins OU Impact Accelerator as First Bukharian Cohort Member

On Oct. 7, 2026, the Orthodox Union announced that eight emerging Jewish nonprofits had been selected for the seventh cohort of the OU Impact Accelerator. Among them is SAMi—the Sephardic American Mizrahi Initiative—founded in 2021 by Manashe Khaimov of Hollywood, Florida.

According to the OU and The Bukharian Times, Khaimov is the first Bukharian Jew chosen for the program, and SAMi is the first Sephardic and Mizrahi organization in the cohort. The group was picked from 77 applicants through applications, interviews, and a pitch night before OU leadership.

SAMi works with Sephardic and Mizrahi college students through leadership development, Jewish education, and culturally rooted campus programming. Khaimov, born in Samarkand, has previously been recognized as the first Bukharian recipient of the Covenant Foundation’s Pomegranate Prize (2025) and as a Wexner Field Fellowship selection that same year.

Founded in 2018, the OU Impact Accelerator offers a seven-month curriculum in nonprofit management, strategy, operations, marketing, and fundraising, with monthly Zoom workshops, three in-person summits, mentorship, and early-stage grant support. Since launch, the department has allocated $430,000 to 33 ventures.

“Being accepted into the OU Accelerator is an honor that extends beyond me…I truly believe that Sephardic communities have so much to offer and so much to learn,” Khaimov told The Bukharian Times.

OU Impact Accelerator Director Tamar Frydman said cohort leaders are “turning bold ideas into meaningful action.” Fellow Cohort 7 organizations include Gemara Bootcamp, HODU, Jewish Latin Connection, Master Your Life, Pillars, Torah App, and Unite Programs.

Sources: Orthodox Union; The Bukharian Times. AI-generated editorial illustration accompanying this report; not a documentary photograph or official promotional image.