Day Schools Fortify A Child’s Jewish Future

September 19, 2016 Rochelle C. Eisenberg

With two children at Krieger Schechter Day School (KSDS) and two high schoolers at Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School (BT), Randy Getz, along with his wife, Stacey, understand the importance of providing a day school education to their children. They see it as a chance to provide their kids with Jewish values, a love of Israel and a passion for their Jewish heritage, without compromising on academics.

But Getz also knows that for many who share the same values, a day school education may not be affordable. And he also worries that others may not appreciate the many benefits of a Jewish day school education.

That’s why he co-chairs The Associated’s Day School Commission, which advocates for day schools, supports initiatives to strengthen school operations and approves funding for the day schools to use for financial assistance.

Many studies demonstrate the importance of day school education to the long-term commitment to Judaism. A 2007 Brandeis survey shows that 70 percent of non-Orthodox college students who completed at least six years of day school were committed to Jewish life. Only 45 percent who didn’t attend day school felt that way.

And other studies show that day school, Jewish camp and trips to Israel are the three pillars that create Jewish identity in kids.

“We’ve made it a priority to get young people to Israel.” says Getz. “But we also need to make day school education a community priority across the denominational spectrum.”

Recognizing the impact of Jewish day schools to the community’s Jewish future, The Associated has a long-standing commitment to providing Jewish day schools with the resources for success. In addition to providing allocations to the day schools, The Associated has worked closely with these schools to create long-term sustainability.

In 2012, with a lead gift from the Russel family and a matching grant from the AVI CHAI Foundation, The Associated launched the Russel Generations Day School Endowment Project to help six participating schools establish their legacy and endowment program. Creating endowments ensures that day schools will offer affordable and excellent education well into the future.

“Jewish students from diverse populations have many choices,” says Michael Friedman, senior vice president of The Associated. “Not only are they looking for affordability but they want a high-quality, academic experience and other amenities available at the finest independent schools. The Russel Generations Project allowed us to create a culture of giving, annually and long-term.”

“The Associated recognizes that Jewish day schools are an integral part of providing Baltimore’s future leaders,” say Janine Frier, who sits on The Associated’s Day School Commission.

Frier should know. Her four children graduated from KSDS.

“The Schechter graduates are highly sought out,” she says. “My children received an excellent secular and Jewish education, infused with strong values. They were encouraged to become their best selves both academically and personally. And the community became as important to us as family.”

Allison Magat, who also sits on the Commission, is a mother of two boys who graduated from BT. She sent her boys to day school because she wanted her children to be knowledgeable and comfortable with their Judaism.

“As parents, my husband and I will never have to wonder whether our sons know how important it is to us that they live a life with Jewish values and traditions,” she says. “Our Jewish communal future depends on the next generation knowing and caring about Judaism and its values. What better way to support that goal than prioritizing day school education, especially in the segment of our community where it is under-utilized,” says Getz.