Sarah and her husband worked tirelessly to ensure their children received a Jewish education, proudly sending them to Jewish day schools from kindergarten through 12th grade in Los Angeles where they live. But this commitment came at an immense cost. Sarah and her husband poured their savings into tuition, never able to save enough for a home of their own. The financial strain was overwhelming.
As Sarah explained, “Because of day school tuition costs for four kids, we were not able to save any money. That is the truth. And unfortunately, I know so many people who are in that position.”
Meanwhile, across the country, a family of five in Teaneck recently left the public school system for Jewish day school. A day school graduate herself, Eva witnessed the financial strain that Jewish day school tuition put on her parents growing up, and it left a big impression on her. So while she felt a strong connection to her Judaism, she did not want that same struggle for her family and opted for a public school education for her children.
However, after Oct. 7, Eva began to realize that her children were missing something important — the opportunity to connect with their Jewish identity in a meaningful way at school.
As she shared, “It was a wake-up call to realize that the further my children got into the system, the more disconnected they might feel from their heritage.”
Thankfully, Eva and her husband found an option for a Jewish education that was right for them — Tenafly Chabad Academy — a member school of Teach NJ, that was able to work with the family to ensure it was affordable for them.
Just a few months since making the change, Eva is thrilled. “They just have so much more joy when I pick them up. My kids are surprising each other with knowing the same songs around the Jewish holidays. It is bringing me joy that I didn’t even realize I was missing.”
Teach Coalition, a nonprofit that advocates for equitable funding for yeshivas and Jewish day schools, is working to ensure that Eva’s story, not Sarah’s, is the future for families. By fighting for critical legislation, including tax credit scholarships and funding for local schools, they are helping create a reality where all Jewish children in this country can have access to a Jewish education without heavy sacrifice or burden on their families.
This month, as a part of its Imagine campaign, community members have the opportunity to help build that future by supporting Teach Coalition and its efforts to make safe, affordable, quality Jewish education accessible for all. And through the month of December, all donations will have a 2x match thanks to a generous donor.
Jewish continuity in this country is more critical than ever before — and the best way to ensure the future is by providing a strong Jewish education for our children.
As Orite Rubenstein, principal of the Tenafly Chabad Academy, expressed, “Can you imagine how much stronger Am Yisroel would be if all of our children received a Jewish education?”
