Sep 16, 2013
Students Get Back to School With the Greater Miami Jewish Federation
Children and teens are back in school and the Greater Miami Jewish Federation/UJA Campaign continues to support formal Jewish educational opportunities from early childhood through high school across Miami-Dade County.
“A Jewish day school education not only strengthens our children’s Jewish identity, but it also secures their Jewish literacy, for the future of our entire community,” Mark Kravitz, Chair of the Federation/Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education (CAJE) Day School Committee, said. “That is why our Federation has always prioritized ensuring that our day school system remains open to as many Jewish students as possible and sustainable for years to come.”
According to Dr. Jack Wertheimer, the Joseph and Martha Mendelson Professor of American Jewish History at The Jewish Theological Seminary, about 40 percent of all students receiving a Jewish education in the United States do so in day schools. Moreover, former day school students are more likely to demonstrate a stronger sense of responsibility toward addressing the needs of the larger society by influencing social values, helping those in need and volunteering time to social change efforts.
More than 3,400 children in Miami attend Federation-funded day schools, continuing Federation’s priority of building a strong Jewish future. This year, more than $2.5 million dollars from the Annual Campaign was allocated to 12 Jewish day schools in Greater Miami.
Federation recognizes that tuition costs can be a challenge for many families, especially during times of economic uncertainty. This is why Federation also allocated $225,000 in hardship scholarships to funded Jewish day schools, helping send an additional 385 students for the 2013-2014 school year.
In addition to hardship scholarships, Federation allocated more than $150,000 in operating and direct scholarship support to Kesher L.D., which provides high-quality secular and Judaic education for children and teens with learning disabilities and developmental delays. The school empowers students to reach their potential and enables them to become full participants in the Jewish community. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Association of Independent Schools in Florida, Kesher is one of the largest programs of its kind in America. It is unique in the Southeastern United States in including its students on a day school campus, the Scheck Hillel Community School in North Miami Beach.
Parents who are looking for an alternative to Jewish day school can consider enrolling their children in a congregational school or early childhood program. Early childhood Jewish education is crucial for instilling a strong Jewish identity in children and their families. More than 20 congregational schools and early childhood programs in Greater Miami are receiving support for the 2013-2014 school year. For a full listing of congregational schools and early childhood centers in the Miami area, click here.
A strong partner in the success of Miami’s Jewish day schools, congregational schools and early childhood centers is Federation’s subsidiary agency, CAJE. Through professional development for teachers and administrators, learning networks and in-depth professional learning opportunities, CAJE offers many of the tools and resources educators need to provide high-quality school environments for Jewish students.
For more information on the many formal and informal educational opportunities in Greater Miami, please contact Federation’s Planning Department at [email protected] or call 786.866.8495.
