As Jack Wertheimer documented in his November essay, American Jews—already a group distinguished by its high levels of charitable giving—demonstrated extraordinary generosity in donating money to Israel following the October 7 attacks. In addition to contributions that went directly to Israel, there have also been various efforts to combat anti-Semitism and anti-Israel propaganda. But have these efforts done any good?
An even better question might be: what are the most effective ways to use charitable donations to preserve American Jewry? Will Eastman has an idea:
Jewish education has long been recognized as a cornerstone of Jewish identity-building, fostering deep affiliations and connections to the Jewish faith, culture, and the state of Israel. Yet in the U.S., only about 20 percent of Jewish school-age children attend day schools.
A primary barrier is cost. Jewish day schools are often prohibitively expensive, deterring families before they even consider enrollment—and for non-Orthodox families, the challenge is especially acute because they are less accustomed to the high costs of Jewish living and see public school as the default. While these children stand to benefit the most in terms of strengthening Jewish identity, financial constraints often lead them to choose public or secular private schools.
In the UK, [by contrast], where government subsidies support private education, 66 percent of Jewish children attend Jewish schools. . . . In Australia, 55 percent of Jewish children are enrolled in Jewish schools; in South Africa, that number jumps to 75 percent; and in Mexico, the figure soars to 95 percent.
Why not, Eastman, asks, make day school free for all American Jews? He makes the case that it’s far from a pipe dream.
Read more at eJewish Philanthropy
More about: American Jewry, Day schools, Jewish education, Philanthropy