RAVSAK: The Jewish Community Day School Network recently unveiled a new business plan that responds to the opportunities created by the growth in numbers and strength of Jewish community day schools. In recognition of RAVSAK’s leadership in the day school world and its potential, The AVI CHAI Foundation has awarded a four-year, $2.35 million grant to RAVSAK for organizational capacity building.
RAVSAK’s new multi-year plan is designed to build the Jewish community day school field, develop strong knowledgeable Jewish leaders, amplify Judaic program excellence and galvanize appreciation and support for day schools. The business plan projects that RAVSAK will grow from a current budget of $1.9 million to a budget of $3.6 million in 2015-2016, substantially increasing its educational programs and leadership development opportunities. The AVI CHAI capacity funds, together with new funds to be raised from others, will enable RAVSAK to invest in new key hires and an expanded infrastructure, strengthen its leadership and expertise, expand its philanthropic pipeline, and implement a series of new educational initiatives that respond to the growing needs of the field.
Arnee Winshall, RAVSAK’s board chair noted, “RAVSAK’s growth from grassroots startup to field leader has been largely due to the visionary leadership of Dr. Marc Kramer, the involvement of lay and professional leaders from member schools, and the strategic involvement of key philanthropic partners like The AVI CHAI Foundation. Energized by the plan, we welcome the opportunity to expand our collaboration with our current organizational and philanthropic partners and to engage with new partners to invest in the unique and critical role that day schools play in ensuring our future as a Jewish community.”
“AVI CHAI has long supported the impressive work of RAVSAK in advancing Jewish literacy, religious purposefulness and Jewish peoplehood throughout North America. This capacity building gift to RAVSAK is part of our strategy to help build strong organizations to support day schools now and beyond our sunset. This grant demonstrates our trust in RAVASK’s Board and staff and their ability to achieve impact across the community day school field,” said Yossi Prager, AVI CHAI’s executive director.
Dr. Marc Kramer, RAVSAK’s executive director, says, “RAVSAK’s deep relationship with The AVI CHAI Foundation grows from our shared vision of the profound importance of Jewish education to ensuring a vibrant Jewish future. We are delighted and humbled by AVI CHAI’s trust in our ability to transmit that vision and help our schools educate a new generation of knowledgeable, proud, engaged Jewish youth.”
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RAVSAK strengthens the Jewish life, leadership and learning of community day schools, ensuring a vibrant future. There are 125 RAVSAK member schools worldwide, serving 25,000 students. Jewish community day schools are those schools independent of any particular denomination that seek to education Jewish children from across the spectrum of affiliation and observance. www.ravsak.org
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