Touro College is a Jewish-sponsored independent institution of higher and professional education, founded by Dr. Bernard Lander. The College was established primarily to enrich the Jewish heritage, and to serve the larger American community. Over ten thousand students are currently enrolled in the various schools and divisions of Touro. Touro College is accredited by the Commission on Higher education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. The College derives its name from Judah and Issac Touro, leaders of colonial America, who represented the ideals upon which the College bases its mission. Inspired by the democratic ethos enunciated by George Washington at Newport, Rhode Island when he visited Touro Synagogue in 1790, the Touro family provided major endowments for universities, the first free library on this continent, community health facilities in the United States, and pioneering settlements in Israel. The College experience, however consists of more than classroom instruction. Touro seeks to foster an atmosphere of warmth, in which close faculty-student relationships, student camaraderie and individualized attention are nurtured in many ways.