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To create a viable Jewish future. Jewish Day-School education is the single highest indicator of future Jewish involvement. “Education is the salvation of the American Jewry, even though it’s a slower salvation than all the other salvations we’re used to.” – Sinai Temple (Los Angeles), Senior Rabbi David Wolpe1 Because Israel needs a strong Diaspora community. In 2005, there were about 5,021,506 Jews in Israel, and about 5,914,682, in the US, or about 2% of the total United States population2. It is vital that our 2% of the US population remains active and strongly committed to the existence and support of Israel. An investment in Jewish day school education is a solid path to a committed and engaged American Diaspora community, who is committed to the existence of the State of Israel. Because our schools need help. Some schools provide scholarships to 50% or more of their student population. This places a huge burden on the school, as budgets are stretched to accommodate more students. Relief from financial pressures can provide schools with better tools to educate the next generation. Jewish schooling teaches morals & ethics. Barry Holtz, an associate professor of Jewish education at the Jewish Theological Seminary, says some parent s turn to Jewish schools in an attempt to shield their children from “sex, drugs, rock ‘n roll, and body piercing”. 3 Jewish schools have a “trickle-up” effect on Jewish families, strengthening identity and involvement. This leads to more-involved, committed families and communities. Parents “want their children to feel joy about their Judaism” says Braun, a mother of triplets. “And they want to feel it too. It’s about an identity”.4 To train future leaders. Jewish Day schools empower our future community leaders. In all denominations, and throughout the Jewish world, we need leaders who are educated, as well as passionate, creative and effective. While a Jewish day school education is not a requirement, many of our leaders are rooted in the solid foundation and continuous inspiration that a day school education provides. In an anti-Semitic world climate, Jewish day schools provide our children with a profound understanding of Jewish history, including seminal 20th Century events & the Holocaust. Without an understanding of who we are, and where we come from, how can we respond to anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist attacks? A broad-based Jewish education emphasizes the positive contributions of Jewish culture. Children learn about the joyful aspects of being Jewish, instead of being defined as a reaction to other’s ungrounded negativity. Jewish Day schools provide our children with the rich background and self-knowledge to compete in a multi-cultural, global economy. “Liberalism no longer means universalism and integration into a common society; rather, there has been a nationwide shift to ethnic particularism”.5 To increase accessibility. Jewish families are looking for the best for their children. Middle-class families are barred from the system due to high cost of entry (average $10,000-$15,000 per year, per student). Many more families would consider Jewish day schools if costs were not an entry barrier.6 Jewish day schools are a cost-effective way of transmitting a rich, 5,000 year old history and culture to the next generation. Nathan Sharansky, the noted Jewish refusenik-activist now politician, has stated: “Whether as individuals or as a nation, as long as we are Jews and part of our people we have a mission. Whether you feel it is a mission G-d gave to us or which we chose for ourselves, depending on your point of view – I don’t think this debate will ever be solved. But the mission is to connect the values of Jewish life to the values of being a free person, a part of the free world. And as long as you are making an attempt to be part of your people, you are part of this mission”.7 There is no conflict between supporting public education (through our government tax dollars) and private, religious schooling. The high cost of tuition acts as “birth control”, limiting Jewish family size to families who are already “in the system”. The American Jewish population is shrinking in percentage of general population and real numbers. Supporting Jewish education is a direct link to supporting children and families, which will support Jewish population stability. According to Jewish scholars, communal funding of education is an obligation based on Jewish law. Furthermore, it is moral responsibility of the greatest urgency. In Talmudic times, the great sage, Yehoshua Ben Gamla instituted a system of communal funding for Jewish day schools, and every Jewish community since that time has sustained a communal education system. It is only today, in the most prosperous Jewish community of all time, that Jewish families lack the communal support to education their children. The current “user-pay” model of day schools is at odds with Jewish thought and tradition. Day schools transmit cultural literacy. “…The day school is the best place for a young Jewish person to gain Jewish cultural literacy. There are lots of places where you can gain a Jewish identity, but in terms of cultural literacy – reading, writing, developing a comfort with Jewish texts – Jewish day schools are the best places.” – Carol Ingall, Forward, August 11, 2006 “Examing Day Schools, Author Finds Troubled Teachers.” (Dr. Carol K. Ingall is the Dr. Bernard Heller Professor of Jewish Education at The Jewish Theological Seminary. Her areas of expertise are curriculum and instruction, affording her opportunities to teach both theoretical and applied courses, which explore what constitutes effective Jewish education. Dr. Ingall's research includes moral education in Jewish schools, the history of Jewish education, and the synthesis of student-centered instruction and Jewish cultural literacy. ) The current funding model discriminates against the middle class. In the words of one Minneapolis parent who was interviewed by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, “The Jewish community has virtually disowned those of us of moderate income.” And Jonathan S. Tobin, executive editor of the Connecticut Jewish Ledger adds, “With more Jewish kids being left behind, that’s the greatest scandal I know of in Jewish life. The question is, what are we prepared to do about it?”8 Jewish day schools encourage celebration. As one parent excitedly reports, “With the first week of attending SJCS, she enthusiastically asked if we were having Shabbat dinner and who we would invite. Ever since that first week, she has not missed a week of excitement and inquiry about Shabbos. This is something she never asked about before. She has also learned so much more about all the Jewish holidays. In the past, although she enjoyed the Jewish holidays, she didn’t show nearly as much enthusiasm toward them as now... She also is challenged and engaged in her secular studies, and enjoys the caring attention of all her teachers and instructional assistants….”9 Day school education is spiritually effective. . “…Day school education is still the most effective way to create serious, committed Jews. There is a categorical difference between a child who has been educated through twelfth grade in a Jewish day school and one who has not. Every Jewish educator and honest lay person sees this immediately. The leaders of the future American Jewish community will emerge from those who have been blessed with this schooling. ” ---Eugene Korn, Judaic Scholar at Metro West (New Jersey) JCCs and Federation, and adjunct professor of Jewish thought at Seton Hall University 10 1“The Boom Years” by Robert Eshman, originally appeared in the Jewish Journal, California, reprinted in PEJE “Making the Case”. 2American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise, 2006, http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/jewpop.html. 3Why More Parents are Choosing Jewish Day Schools”, Rachel Blustain,, Moment Magazine, Feb 1997. Reprinted in “Making the Case for Jewish Day Schools, A compilation of Advocacy Writings”, PEJE, June 1998. 4“The Boom Years” by Robert Eshman, originally appeared in the Jewish Journal, California, reprinted in PEJE “Making the Case”. 5Ibid. 6In 1998-1999, Avi Chai Foundations’ Jewish Education Voucher Incentive program, designed to attract new families to Jewish day schools, provided a $3000 voucher per student per year for four years to subnet tuition at any local day school in Atalanta GA, and Cleveland OH. In the first year, 62 students were enrolled in Atlanta and 2 students enrolled in Cleveland through the program. In the 2nd year, numbers have increased to 90 in Atlanta, and more than 40 in Cleveland. Among those accepting vouchers, median incomes ranged between $75,000 and $150,000. All but a handful of recipients applied to non-orthodox Jewish day schools, even though both orthodox and non-orthodox schools were available. Consultation on Day School Tuition Subvention Programs, Summary Report, JESNA, 1999-2003. 7Natan Sharansky Interview, www.ajspirit.com, Spring 2006, page 20. 8“Making the Case”, volume 2. 9Parent testimony, SAMIS FOUNDATION TUITION REDUCITON PROGRAM, “Making the Case”, volume 2. 10 www.AJC.org – A statement on Jewish Education – Texts and Responses.” |
