The start of a new year inspires us to dream — to envision a better future for ourselves, our families and our communities. We imagine ourselves settling into new jobs or perhaps fitting into old outfits (with resolutionists packing them, the gyms are perhaps an even tighter squeeze than those old pairs of jeans). We set personal and professional goals that are ambitious. It’s a time to imagine possibilities once thought impossible. In fact, hundreds of millions of people ring in the new year listening to John Lennon’s “Imagine.”

As we imagine what is possible in the new year, we also often marvel at the great things that happened last year and think about how we can build on or replicate them. The Jewish community can take pride in remarkable philanthropic achievements in 2024, including the fact that Jewish philanthropists gave the two largest gifts of the year: Ruth Gottesman’s $1 billion gift to Albert Einstein Medical School, and Michael Bloomberg’s similar contribution to Johns Hopkins Medical School, which made both institutions tuition-free for medical students. 

What if we imagine similar gifts that could transform the future of the Jewish people? Imagine the impact of tuition-free Jewish day schools. 

Jewish education has long been recognized as a cornerstone of Jewish identity-building, fostering deep affiliations and connections to the Jewish faith, culture and the State of Israel. Yet in the U.S., only about 20% of Jewish school-age children attend day schools, and 90% of those students attend Orthodox schools, according to a 2018-2019 census by the Avi Chai Foundation.

A primary barrier is cost. Jewish day schools are often prohibitively expensive, deterring families before they even consider enrollment — and for non-Orthodox families, the challenge is especially acute because they are less accustomed to the high costs of Jewish living and see public school as the default. While these children stand to benefit the most in terms of strengthening Jewish identity, financial constraints often lead them to choose public or secular private schools.

In Israel, all children enrolled in public or private schools learn Hebrew and about Jewish holidays and history, so it would be hard to glean much from any comparisons to the Jewish state. Within the Diaspora, however, there are Jewish communities that can provide inspiring models. 

In the U.K., for instance, where government subsidies support private education, 66% of Jewish children attend Jewish schools — up from 25% three decades ago — and the total number of Jewish pupils has continued to increase even as the overall Jewish population decreased. Furthermore, over 40% of non-Orthodox children attend Jewish schools. 

In Australia, 55% of Jewish children are enrolled in Jewish schools; in South Africa, that number jumps to 75%; and in Mexico, the figure soars to 95%.

Yet in the second-largest Jewish community in the world, American Jewish families face an overwhelming financial burden that limits access to this transformative education.

In the post-Oct. 7 world, Jewish parents are increasingly seeing the value of having their children in Jewish environments both to escape antisemitism and to better foster Jewish identity. At the same time, so much great work is being done by Prizmah, day school consortiums and new initiatives like the Lauder Impact Initiative to improve day schools. But many Jewish families never bother to inquire about Jewish schools due to their perceived unaffordability; and so many young parents who do go on an outstanding tour of a Jewish school are faced with sticker shock.

Even for the most committed families, attending day school is a major sacrifice. Many families are told by the schools that going on a vacation, or getting a new car, will make them ineligible for student aid. Other families stop having children because they are afraid, they can’t afford to pay for that future child’s tuition. Will the next great Jewish leader not be born because Jewish life was simply too expensive? Can we truly accept this?

Free programs may sound outlandish, but we know they work. Programs like Birthright and PJ Library demonstrate the power of free or subsidized Jewish initiatives. Birthright has brought nearly one million young Jews to Israel, and PJ Library has delivered Jewish books to over 670,000 families, nurturing connections to Jewish culture and tradition. Birthright’s accomplishments in just 25 years is especially remarkable when considering that the majority of Jews have not been eligible to participate (half of Jewry reside in Israel, numerous teens take other Israel travel trips that precluded them from Birthright, and a significant number of participants were already over the participation cut off age when the program started). These successes underscore the potential impact of similar investments in Jewish day school education.

There are other successful programs that we should seek to replicate. Numerous communities have middle-income tuition caps and incentive programs to encourage the switch to day school. Oorah, funded by Kars for Kids, is a national Orthodox outreach organization that gives significant scholarships to families that switch their children from public schools and commit to doing weekly Jewish learning. Imagine the non-orthodox community following this example and helping provide tuition grants in exchange for meaningful Jewish involvement. It could lead to both parents and their children finding deeper connections to the Jewish people. 

Achieving tuition-free Jewish day schools requires bold steps, broad coalitions and multiple funding streams. It is very unlikely that the U.S. government will ever subsidize religious education to the extent in the UK, but several states in America have developed voucher systems that provide significant funding, including a program in Florida where all students can access a $8,500 annual tuition voucher. Politics aside, we should embrace these programs and encourage their expansion across the country by lobbying our elected officials. But this will only get us so far. 

Philanthropy must play the leading role, and the good news is that there is tremendous untapped Jewish giving potential. Half of America’s 25 most generous philanthropists are Jewish, but few donate significantly to Jewish causes; and nearly 90% of money given by Jews goes outside the Jewish community.

According to the Jewish Future Promise, over the next 25 years Jews are projected to give $13 trillion to charity. The stated goal of the promise is to encourage at least half of that giving — $600 billion — towards Jewish and Israeli causes. The Jewish community needs to set a bold vision in order to capitalize on the immense opportunity.

In these challenging times, with Israel under attack and antisemitism rampant, there is a compelling case to make to encourage philanthropists to channel a greater share of their support towards Jewish education. And when one bold philanthropist makes the decision to establish the first tuition-free day school, like Dr. Gottesman did for Einstein Medical School, others will follow their lead.

Imagine the possibilities: families choosing Jewish day schools without fear of financial ruin; children more deeply connected to Israel; immersed in Hebrew language, Jewish history and tradition; and a stronger, more vibrant Jewish community for generations to come.

Imagine a brighter Jewish future, made possible by a generation of proud and educated Jews. It’s easy if you try.

Will Eastman is a Jewish communal professional and, together with his wife, recently switched their eldest child to a Jewish day school.