When it comes to education, many families want the same opportunities for their children: excellent academics, caring teachers and avenues for growth. For Jewish families, however, school can carry an added weight. As the Jewish community faces daily threats of hate, creating safe spaces for children to learn without fear and receive a strong education is essential.
As part of its mission to secure a vibrant Jewish future, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia takes a holistic approach to Jewish education. The organization invests in the security and safety of students and provides funding to ensure day schools are able to offer exceptional and accessible education. To do this, the Jewish Federation offers Jewish schools security trainings, assessments and grant writing support, provides operational funding, and expands access to scholarships for Jewish students through Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program, facilitated by the Foundation for Jewish Day Schools.
As incidents of antisemitism have risen in recent years, ensuring children’s safety at school has become more vital than ever. According to the Anti-Defamation League, incidents in K-12 schools have surged by more than 400% since 2020 — a reminder of why the Jewish Federation’s work is so critical. Parents want the reassurance that their children can learn in safe, supportive environments, and that is exactly what the Jewish Federation is working to provide.
To help ease those fears and to prepare teachers and administrators for the current school year, the Jewish Federation facilitated 86 security trainings through its partnership with the Secure Community Network (SCN), the official safety and security organization of the Jewish community.
Led by the Jewish Federation’s Security Director Scott Kerns and Deputy Security Director Cortney Voorhees of SCN, these trainings prepared staff with practical tools — from Stop the Bleed to lockdown procedures — so they feel confident and ready to protect students in any situation.
“We take a comprehensive approach to school security,” explained Kerns. “Our trainings and security assessments are based on a combination of preparedness and updated procedures, as well as hardening school buildings.”
Through this partnership, more than 2,000 faculty, staff and community members received training, helping to protect children in Jewish day schools across Greater Philadelphia.
“We are thankful to the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and SCN for providing this training,” said Amy Foster, chief operating officer at the Kaiserman JCC. “With their guidance, we can create a safe and welcoming environment where children and families can thrive.”
As Jewish families factor in safety when selecting schools for their children, many may also seek an inclusive space where kids can be proud of their heritage while receiving a strong education.
“Choosing a Jewish day school means gaining all the benefits of a rigorous secular education, while also giving your child the irreplaceable gift of Jewish values, a love for Israel and a strong, confident Jewish identity,” said Rabbi Isaac Entin, head of school at Morris and Rose Caskey Torah Academy, a grantee of the Jewish Federation. “In today’s world, that foundation is not only precious, it’s essential.”
But, the overall cost of a private Jewish education can be expensive. To help strengthen school programs and resources, the Jewish Federation has provided about $2 million in general operating aid in the last two years. For the 2023-2024 academic school year, the organization provided nine Jewish day schools with funding that served 2,328 students.
This funding has allowed students like Lia Seiden, a former eighth-grader at Abrams, to participate in programs such as the school’s Israel trip.
“On this trip, I felt connected to our homeland and our people in a way that no classroom experience alone could fully provide,” Seiden explained. “My classmates and I were able to turn our learning into living. We didn’t just talk about Am Israel — we felt part of it. We went to the Nova Festival Memorial and Yad Vashem [Israel’s Holocaust Memorial], and we saw pictures of the hostages displayed in every city that we visited. Experiencing Kabbalat Shabbat at the Kotel was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. We didn’t just study Jewish history, we stood in it.”
Still, tuition remains a challenge for many families. Programs like EITC help to make Jewish day school more affordable by providing scholarships to students. Facilitated by the Foundation for Jewish Day Schools — a nonprofit created in 2001 by the Jewish Federation and six Jewish day schools — individuals and businesses can redirect state tax dollars to scholarships and receive a 90% tax credit.
“These scholarships are not just for low-income households,” said Daria Barkai, program officer at the Jewish Federation. “In fact, over 50% of families are receiving scholarships to attend a Jewish day school.”
For the 2025-2026 academic year, 1,200 Jewish day and pre-school students received $14 million in scholarships through the EITC program in partnership with the Foundation for Jewish Day Schools.
“The EITC program is one of the most effective ways to help families access an education that best fits their needs,” said Elliot Holtz, chair of the Foundation of Jewish Day Schools. “In today’s world, with antisemitism on the rise, it is so important for Jewish students to have a safe place where they can learn, and feel comfortable and proud of who they are. Through the Foundation, we continue to make a very real and lasting difference.”
While scholarships keep Jewish day schools affordable, for students, a Jewish education can mean so much more.
“Since Oct. 7, we’ve seen hate spread quickly. We’ve witnessed how easily lies can be told, how fear can silence voices and how hard it may be to speak up. But, we are not powerless,” continued Seiden. “The education that I received at Abrams, which culminated in our amazing trip to Israel, helped [my classmates and me] to stand tall, to respond to hate with knowledge and to defend Israel, not out of obligation, but out of love. Attending a Jewish day school didn’t just give me a foundation, it gave me my Jewish identity. And I know that it will always be a part of me.”
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The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia is committed to investing in immersive experiential programs to create profound connections to Judaism and provide access to quality education for all children. You can support the work of the Jewish Federation: jewishphilly.org/donate