THE CHALLENGE
For centuries, Jewish education formed the backbone of our civilization and our culture. It’s what kept us together as a people throughout the Diaspora. Doesn’t it deserve some attention? This Pesach, help us as we work to spark a sea change in the way we teach our kids!
Jewish education is fundamentally different from general studies education. We want our kids to use math, know grammar and understand science. But we want them to LIVE Jewish. What message does it send when we give a child a C in Jewish studies? How can we expect her to find meaning and purpose in our tradition if we tell her she isn’t that good at it?
That’s where the Jewish Education Innovation Challenge (JEIC) comes in. We offer grants at $50,000 each for pilot projects at Jewish day schools willing to try a new approach. And we award them based on the results of a competition judged by leading educational and Judaic experts.
Want to build and app that teaches Talmud? We’re there. Want to take the IB framework and use it to teach Jewish values? Cool. Us too. We’ve funded both.
Students at Bi Cultural Day School on April 18, 2016. (Image by Johnathon Henninger/ For JEIC)
HOW YOU CAN HELP
All this work is critical to the future of the Jewish people, but it’s also expensive. We need your help to make sure it can continue. The Mayberg Foundation is the primary sponsor, and they’ll match any contributions up to $1,000.
When you give to JEIC, you are giving to all children who attend a Jewish day school. You are giving to the future. You are ensuring Jewish continuity – and for every student we impact, the rewards are endless.
Students at Manhattan Day School, April 19, 2016. (Image by Johnathon Henninger/ For JEIC)
OUR PROCESS
We have a rigorous grant application process, and the top educational experts select the plans that are the most well-thought out and innovative. Every program we test is easily measurable and has the ability to be replicated across any Jewish day school – no matter the affiliation. When a school is awarded a $50,000 grant, they enter into a relationship with us, and we help them to implement the program over a two-year period and achieve success.
Every grant we give has the potential to revolutionize the way we teach Judaism – but we can’t do this alone. Be a part of the revolution, and help us change Judaism from a school subject to a way of life.
