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Jerry Silverman Gives Gateways a Shout-Out in His Letter to the Editor of The Jewish Daily Forward

Thanks to Jerry Silverman, president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, for his shout-out to Gateways in his letter to the editor of The Jewish Daily Forward, published on July 8, 2011.

Please see below for Jerry's letter and Gateways' response.

 

Caring About Jewish Education

Letters to the Editor

Originally published on Forward.com

The Forward’s June 14 opinion piece “Hebrew Language Charter Schools Are a Bad Bargain” fails to mention that Jewish federations maintain an unwavering commitment to hundreds of educational programs across North America, dedicating millions of dollars toward the future of our children.

In fact, despite continued economic challenges, many federations are expanding their support of Jewish day schools, which remain a cornerstone of Jewish education. The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, for example, established a Jewish Day School Guaranty Trust Fund to ensure that every Jewish family has the opportunity to choose a day school education, regardless of financial ability or religious commitment.

In Boston, Combined Jewish Philanthropies has partnered with the Ruderman Family Foundation since 2005 to improve programs for students with special learning needs in Boston-area Jewish day schools. More than $4 million has already been distributed for school-based grants, professional development, and support of Gateways, a regional Jewish special education agency. An additional $3 million will increase the number and range of students with special needs served in area Jewish day schools by 2015.

In New York, UJA-Federation last year provided $1 million in tuition for Jewish day school and yeshiva students through its Rose Biller Day School Scholarship Fund and assisted with health care benefits for thousands of Jewish day school and yeshiva teachers.

Meanwhile, The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh recently launched a program through its Centennial Fund for a Jewish Future to provide free tuition for the 2011-2012 school year for students grades 3-11 who are new to Jewish day schools.

Federations big and small are adapting new programs across our movement. The PJ Library, an initiative of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation that provides families with free Jewish children’s books, is operating in more than 135 communities. Federations, through Taglit Birthright and Jewish camps, also provide transformative experiences that engage young Jews.

In short, Jewish federations are deeply involved in growing Jewish education for our community.

Jerry Silverman
President and CEO
Jewish Federations of North America
New York, NY

 

Arlene Remz Responds

JFNA President and CEO Jerry Silverman rightly points out that the Jewish federation system is a strong and unwavering advocate for special needs education in Jewish day school settings. (The Forward, July 8).

In particular, the Combined Jewish Philanthropies in Boston was a central catalyst – along with The Ruderman Family Foundation – in the creation of Gateways: Access to Jewish Education five years ago. The continued support of the federation, the Ruderman family and other philanthropists have helped make a Jewish education for students with special needs – and a Jewish gateway for them and their families – a reality.

While Gateways works within the Boston metro area to ensure a Jewish education is accessible to a variety of special needs students, our model is one we hope will be replicated in other communities. We have been privileged to counsel colleagues in such places as Chicago, Florida and Philadelphia who agree that inclusion of students with special needs not only empowers and equips them with quality education and a Jewish consciousness, but also enhances and strengthens the entire Jewish community.

We thank JFNA, CJP and our other philanthropic partners who have joined us in making a Jewish education for children and youth with special needs possible, and for standing with us as we make our mission part of the communal conversation here and nationally.

Arlene Remz
Executive Director
Gateways: Access to Jewish Education