According to the latest census conducted by the AVI CHAI Foundation, total enrollments in U.S. Jewish day schools increased from 184,000 children in 1998 to 255,000 in 2013, as many parents sought to strengthen the Jewish identity of their children in the course of educating them. In Boston, three anonymous families plus the Ruderman Family Foundation gave $45 million in 2004 to improve the 14 Jewish day schools operating in that metro area. Over the previous 15 years, the number of day-school students in greater Boston had more than doubled, and this grant aimed to improve teaching, curriculum, and educational excellence.
Subsequent grants from Ruderman improved the quality of instruction and care for special-needs students at these same schools. This allowed placement of a dedicated staff of 12 special educators at 12 of the region’s Jewish day schools.
- Boston Globe reporting, boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2004/10/10/jewish_day_schools_given_45m_gift?pg=full
- AVI CHAI 2014 census, avichai.org/knowledge_base/a-census-of-jewish-day-schools-in-the-united-states-2013-14-2014