The disbelief, shock and anger felt by Jews, as a result of the very public and very brazen manifestations of anti-Jewish, anti-Israel hatred, have generated consultations and group discussions in Jewish homes, synagogues, schools and office boardrooms at home and abroad. What is the best way to deal with the outrageous affronts to Jewish life?
Within the wide swath of opinions among professionals and “ordinary” folk regarding the path ahead, there is wide consensus on one preferred course of action as a rebuke to the anti-Semites. Lisa Popik Coll and Gail Norry, Prizmah Board Chair and Vice Chair, respectively, expressed it succinctly. “The best way to fight antisemitism is with Jewish pride and Jewish joy.”
Coll and Norry wrote this prescription in an article entitled, “The next billion-dollar gift” – discussed in this space two weeks ago – that urged philanthropists to try to make Jewish education entirely affordable, if not free, for families that seek it for their children. Their bold suggestion has attracted positive attention.
Rabbi Moshe Hauer, Executive Vice President of the Orthodox Union, agreed that Jewish education can indeed benefit by the boost that such “transformative philanthropy” would provide. (See “Transformational gifts for our schools and homes”, eJP, July 22)
In an essay that appeared on the eJP website last week,Rachel Mohl Abrahams, senior advisor for education grants and programs at the Mayberg Foundation, also placed her imprimatur of support upon the Coll, Norry proposal. In “Investing in transformational Jewish day school experiences”. But she went even further pleading for generous philanthropy to ensure access to Jewish schools as well as the best outcomes possible from those schools.
“Philanthropy plays a critical role in ensuring that students enter day schools, and that families can afford for their children to stay there…We need to [also] guarantee that the education provided, impacts students’ lives, and especiallytheir connection to Judaism.”
To be sure, Abrahams wrote about specific programs and approaches at the Mayberg Foundation where she is an advisor, in addition to buttressing the general importance, if not urgency, to bring as many children to Jewish education. She extolled certain dedicated teacher training programs sponsored by the foundation aimed at helping develop the best teachers possible.
“The best educators help students make Judaism applicable to their lives in engaging, contemporary and customizable ways, and advancing excellence in the field of day school education depends upon a vigorous commitment to ongoing professional growth of teachers and school leaders. If we want our classrooms to be places of relevance, acceptance and spiritual nourishment, we must invest in the people who have committed their lives to the holy work of Jewish education”, Abrahams wrote.
“Funders… can convey a clear expectation that Jewish education delivers a package of foundational wisdom, values and relationship building that empowers every student and builds positive Jewish identity, in addition to providing skills training and exposing students to Jewish texts. We need to partner with one another and with professionals.”
Abrahams reinforces the need to “raise” our children knowledgeable about their Judaism if they are to be able to stand up to the haters of Israel and of Jews. Raising our children Jewishly requires excellent Jewish education. And so, she urges the philanthropic world to invest in local and national Jewish educational infrastructure with educator training to create the best Jewish education possible.
GAJE shares Abrahams’ views. And that is why we call readers’ attention to her article. She has elegantly re-iterated the prescription for contending with the modern Jewish condition.
The Abrahams article is available at:
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The appeal by the Government of Ontario of Judge Eugenia Papageorgiou’s refusal last summer to throw out GAJE’s application for fairness in educational funding, was heard in early June by a panel of three judges. The court reserved its decision.
GAJE will publish the court’s decision as soon as it is known to us.
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If you wish to contribute to GAJE’s lawsuit for fairness in educational funding, please click here.
For further information, please contact Israel Mida at: imida1818@gmail.com
Charitable receipts for donations for income tax purposes will be issued by Mizrachi Canada. Your donations will be used for the sole purpose of underwriting the costs of the lawsuit.
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Shabbat shalom.
Am Yisrael Chai.
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education (GAJE)
August 9, 2024
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education 