Dr. Sarah Levy, Director of Jewish Life and Learning for Denver Jewish Day School in Denver, published an article this week on eJewishphilanthropy.com entitled “Asking the Tough Questions: A Challenge to Jewish Day Schools”.
The author encourages school leaders, staff and lay people to ask questions aimed at improving the ability of schools to fulfill their important missions. In effect she urges individuals to ask questions if indeed the questions are “le shaym shamayim”, i.e., for the sake of arriving at the truth without any secondary agenda.
“We recognized that we have to strive to advance our organization and build capacity and be strategic,” Dr. Levy wrote. To achieve that purpose, she encourages all interested to ask pertinent and relevant questions.
In that vein, core GAJE members decided at the last monthly core group meeting that a true resolution of the affordability crisis in our schools must include an examination of the issues related to systemic costs. Affordability will be achieved not only by reimagining funding of the system, although this perhaps is the key.
GAJE will not attempt to substitute its judgment for the judgment of the administrative teams of the various schools that comprise the GTA system. Nor will it deign to micro-manage specific school situations. Rather, GAJE sees itself as another resource for the community in the vital campaign to make Jewish education affordable.
“Questioning is part of Jewish tradition,” Dr. Levy wrote, “and in the interest of our students, we must embrace questioning, and we must ask those tough questions.”
We agree.
GAJE will only ever ask questions for the true purpose of trying to ensure the permanent viability of the day school system in the GTA.
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Shabbat shalom.
GAJE
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education 