As we have been advising our readers these past weeks, GAJE is now approaching the final stage of our single-purposed effort to help make day school education affordable to as many families as possible.
Ontario is the only province that fully funds the education of the adherents of one faith alone within its public education system. Moreover, it is the only province outside Atlantic Canada that does not contribute any funding whatsoever to the general studies portion of its independent schools. And so, GAJE has retained a superb team of lawyers headed by the renowned human rights advocate and constitutional law specialist, David Matas, to try, finally, to bring an end to Ontario’s discriminatory educational funding policy. The team will attempt to have the court re-assess and reconsider the 1996 Supreme Court decision on which Ontario relies to justify its antiquated, unfair funding.
Much has changed in Ontario since 1996, indeed in Canada itself, regarding educational funding. Polls suggest a majority of Ontarians are in favor of more choice in their children’s schooling. There have also been subtle changes in the development of the law that suggest an attempt to re-examine the 1996 decision is worthwhile.
Our lawyers are donating much of their time and expertise. The cost for prosecuting the case, from the trial phase to the end of an appeal in the Supreme Court is in the range of $250,000. Thus far we have raised about a quarter of the funds needed. We need your help to raise the rest. We know that you are frequently called upon to contribute to worthy causes. Our request, however, is not simply another worthy request in the constellation of other worthy requests. It is a foundational request aimed at ensuring the permanence of all the schools and thereby improving the lives of our families for all time. Moreover, it is a one-time request to cover legal costs, as we have stated, through to the outcome at the Supreme Court of Canada.
Please join us in making this happen! And please tell your friends to join in our effort.
This is our generation’s opportunity to correct the educational funding injustice that has wounded so many families in Ontario for more than 25 years. If we do not try to end the injustice, who will? Charitable receipts for donations for income tax purposes will be issued by Mizrachi Canada.
To donate to this important cause, please click here.
If you wish to obtain further information, please contact Israel Mida at imida1818@gmail.com
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We thank and acknowledge…
…with deep gratitude the Boards of Directors of the Bnei Akiva Schools, Leo Baeck Day School, Eitz Chaim Schools and Netivot Hatorah Day School for distributing our letter to day school parents, appealing to them directly for assistance in our legal effort. It is our fervent belief that the struggle for educational affordability is the cause of the entire community. Substantively and symbolically, however, it is the parents who are in the vanguard of this struggle. And as we wrote above, if it is not we who try to end the injustice, who will do so for us?
Again, we thank these four schools.
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Be safe. Be well.
Thank you.
Shabbat shalom.
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education (GAJE)
July 2, 2021
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education 