Jewish literacy means familiarity with the basic texts and values of our tradition. Judaism’s distinctiveness and great strength lie in the accumulated wisdom contained in the Torah, from the Bible to the Mishnah and the Talmud, and then through the wide genre of rabbinic and non-rabbinic literature. Much of the literature, ancient and modern, is in Hebrew, and the acquisition of Hebrew language skills is an important part of becoming a fully literate Jew. In promoting Jewish literacy through day schools, AVI CHAI seeks to deepen the relationship Jewish children have with their own Judaism.
The successful transmission of Jewish literacy is due to the quality of the schools’ faculty. AVI CHAI sponsors programs to recruit, train and mentor teachers.