Avi Chai

By: Yossi Prager As Shavuot approaches, I think of the multi-faceted nature of the Torah.  It tells the stirring story of a small, complex family that grew into a great nation.  It sets out the constitution for that nation.  And it contains a detailed set of laws for interaction among members of the nation.  As someone who has studied these different facets from childhood, I continue to be amazed by the richness of the written … Read More »

This piece is cross-posted from Jewish Ideas Daily. By: Aryeh Klapper There is a lot of hand-wringing these days about whether the rising costs of Jewish day schools are sustainable.  The discussion has been about money: How can we get more?  How can we spend less?  These questions miss the point: The largest costs of high day school tuition are not financial but moral, and the key to solving the financial dilemma is to address … Read More »

By: Dan Perla The Solomon Schechter Day School (SSDS) of Greater Boston observed an interesting financial anomaly among the 28 families sending three children to the school (there were no families with more than three children): only one was middle class. By middle class, the school meant families with adjusted gross incomes (AGI) of $200,000-$400,000. The school reached this conclusion through an analysis of its financial aid data and its knowledge of the finances of … Read More »

This Monday, May 14, we will hold the first New York ELI talks (see event details here). But what’s in an ELI talk? ELI talks: Inspired Jewish Ideas are 10-15 minute talks in which commitments to Jewish literacy, Jewish religious engagement, Jewish peoplehood, and love of Israel are central. ELI talks hope to illuminate these ideas and celebrate expressions and enactments of these commitments. ELI stands for Engagement, Literacy, and Identity. Here Micah Lapidus, Director … Read More »

We were pleased to see the lively discussion here on the AVI CHAI blog around the question of, “What would make day school a more attractive option for parents not currently considering it?” This Wednesday, The AVI CHAI Foundation in partnership with the Steinhardt Foundation will host an in-person brainstorm to consider and expand upon the ideas bubbling up from this conversation into potential program ideas and marketing strategies. Leading up to this gathering, we … Read More »