It’s been a few years since leaders in different sectors of Jewish education shared a state of the field. Much has changed since many of us first participated in these updates during the pandemic: the Oct. 7 attacks and the experience of rising antisemitism; back-to-back wars in Israel; and the overall polarized nature of politics and society today. 

As the school and programmatic year concludes, we wanted to share updates and our perspectives on Jewish education at this moment, with a focus on important advancements in our sectors since 2021 and the most significant challenges and opportunities each sector faces. You’ll see themes around artificial intelligence, Israel education, high-quality professional development and the financial burdens of education.

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We’re pleased to share the insights below from the following sectors within our field: early childhood education; adult learning; part-time Jewish education; Jewish camp; Jewish day schools; Israel education and college engagement; and Jewish community education.

The youngest classrooms, the biggest questions: Update on Jewish early childhood education

Orna Siegel, executive director, ElevatEd

For countless families, Jewish early childhood centers, which serve children from birth through age five, represent the first and most formative encounter with Jewish life. The past five years have revealed a field that is simultaneously more vital and more strained than at any point in recent memory.

The pandemic proved to be an unexpected catalyst for professional growth across the field. The disruption sparked grassroots organizing and the launch and evolution of organizations working across the full spectrum of field needs: educator recruitment and retention, professional development, curriculum, pedagogy, credentialing, capital investment and advocacy. Efforts to address compensation and professionalize the field through data collection and policy work have gained meaningful momentum. Research and practitioner experience confirm that these interventions improve educational quality and teacher retention, a genuine shift in a field where turnover is endemic and retraining cycles are costly. 

That investment is arriving in a remarkably diverse sector. Families are Jewish, interfaith and non-Jewish; a majority of newer educators do not identify as Jewish, either. Yet these centers are, without apology, Jewish-normative environments: places that celebrate Shabbat each week, run on the Jewish calendar and orient their work around Jewish values. Non-Jewish families and educators who engage meaningfully in these spaces become genuine allies, connected through shared experience in ways that matter deeply in a climate of rising antisemitism. 

The challenges are substantial and interconnected. Chronically low compensation drives high turnover and makes it increasingly difficult to attract formally trained educators. Meanwhile, classrooms have grown more complex, with children presenting a wider range of developmental and behavioral differences than ever before. When undertrained teachers face classrooms with diverse and demanding needs, burnout accelerates, children are not always effectively served — and families notice. 

Financial instability compounds the problem. Universal Pre-K, declining birthrates and shifting Jewish population geography have reduced enrollment among 3- and 4-year-olds, eroding tuition revenue while centers expand more costly infant and toddler classrooms to compensate. Security costs have nearly doubled in recent years, adding further pressure to already strained budgets.

The stakes extend well beyond the classroom. Research suggests that when families encounter Jewish life as welcoming and meaningful in these earliest years, they are more likely to deepen their Jewish engagement over time. That engagement may later show up in forms such as enrolling children in Jewish day schools, sending them to Jewish camp, seeking out religious school, joining synagogues and JCCs, volunteering, serving on boards and becoming donors. Jewish early childhood education is not simply one entry point among many; it is an important foundation on which the rest of Jewish communal life can be built. Communities and funders that invest seriously in this sector are not just supporting young children; they are investing in the long-term health and vitality of the Jewish community.

Opportunity for exponential impact: Update on adult Jewish learning

Rabbi Rachel Bovitz, executive director, Florence Melton School of Adult Jewish Learning

For adult Jewish educators inclined to see hope and opportunity in the wake of horror and heartbreak, “the Surge” identified by the 2024 Jewish Federation of North America study and explored by historian Jonathan Sarna points to a moment of real possibility. There are Jews who have been newly awakened to seek deeper connections to their heritage and the Jewish community. At the same time, more adults are turning to Jewish learning to gain the knowledge and confidence to engage in conversations with family, friends, colleagues and others about Jewish life and current events. Many are specifically seeking learning around antisemitism, Zionism and other urgent contemporary issues.

At a moment when so many Jews are grappling with anxiety, confusion and questions of identity, one might expect far more people to be engaging in Jewish learning. Yet adult Jewish learning often remains a “best-kept secret,” suggesting untapped potential to engage a wider and more diverse range of Jewish adults. 

Although some funders and community leaders increasingly recognize the value of adult Jewish learning in this moment, the field has not yet seen large-scale investment. Significant resources in two areas could have an exponential impact. 

First, larger-scale marketing and engagement efforts are needed to reach and inspire far more potential learners through social media campaigns, grassroots outreach, subsidized offerings and other creative strategies. 

Second, many talented adult Jewish educators are stretched thin. Some balance teaching alongside other significant professional responsibilities, while others piece together multiple part-time roles to make a living. Greater investment could allow expert educators to devote more time to teaching while also cultivating a larger pipeline of skilled, passionate teachers.

Finally, we cannot speak about this moment without acknowledging the emerging role of AI. Most of us in the field are only beginning to explore its possibilities. While some may see AI as a threat, making information more accessible than ever, we know that meaningful learning depends not only on finding answers, but on asking the right questions. Just as generations of Jewish educators taught students to ask, “What difficulty is Rashi coming to answer?” we now need to help adults learn how to thoughtfully prompt and evaluate large language models, so they find answers that are accurate, relevant and meaningful.

While AI is an incredible resource, we know that successful adult Jewish learning goes far beyond the acquisition of knowledge. Practitioners in the field continue to witness how high-quality learning experiences create opportunities for personal meaning-making, spiritual growth, and deeper connections with other learners and the larger Jewish community. At a moment when so many Jews are searching for knowledge, belonging and purpose, focusing on adult Jewish learning is not simply an educational priority, but a communal imperative.

New world, new responsibilities: Update on part-time Jewish education

Rabbi Dena Klein, chief Jewish education officer, The Jewish Education Project

For decades, Hebrew schools, also known as supplementary, congregational or religious schools, have occupied an uneasy place in North American Jewish life. Too often caricatured as the school children tolerated rather than embraced, they were seen as secondary to public school and to the immersive experiences of camp or day school. Yet in 2026, in a post-pandemic and post-Oct. 7 world, Hebrew schools sit at the center of a vital communal question: How do we raise proud, resilient, joyful Jewish children in an age of uncertainty?

The scale alone matters. The majority of Jewish children in North America still encounter organized Jewish learning primarily through part-time settings. The Jewish Education Project’s 2023 Census of Supplementary Schools reports that approximately 135,000 children were receiving Jewish education in a part-time setting, accounting for nearly half of all non-Orthodox, non-day school students. Even amid demographic shifts, declining affiliation and changing family patterns, these schools remain the broadest gateway into Jewish life for children and their families.

But running these schools today is extraordinarily difficult.

The first challenge is emotional and ideological. Since Oct. 7, educators have been asked to teach Hebrew and holidays while also helping children and parents process fear, grief, antisemitism and hostile rhetoric about Israel and Jewish identity. Parents tell us they want their children to feel that they belong. In The Jewish Education Project’s soon to be released study of parents of Gen Alpha children, about three-quarters said feeling part of the Jewish community is a top goal. More than half also name antisemitism as a major worry. Teachers now hold the responsibility to educate around questions that many adults struggle to answer: Is it safe to be openly Jewish? How do we cultivate pride without defensiveness? How do we speak about Israel with honesty and care?

The second challenge is structural, and it is as much about identity as it is about institutions. American religious life continues to decline, and synagogue participation has not been immune. Even as Jewish engagement has surged since Oct. 7, schools still require sustainable enrollment and critical mass to survive. Congregations, however, are serving families whose Jewish identities are increasingly diverse and self-described in different languages. Our data suggests that families who identify primarily as culturally Jewish enroll at lower rates than those who think of themselves as raising children religiously Jewish. This is not a deficit in those families; it is a signal that our inherited models often presume a religious orientation and insider fluency that fewer households bring to the table. The structural challenge, then, is to evolve part-time Jewish education to reflect today’s complex constellation of Jewish identity by making multiple on-ramps, clarifying purpose, and building communities of belonging where more Jewish families can find themselves inside a shared Jewish story.

The third challenge is human capital. Jewish education faces a shortage of excellent educators at precisely the moment when excellence matters most. Teachers are expected to be mentors, counselors, content experts, experiential educators, and culture builders, often in part-time roles with modest compensation.

And yet there is reason for optimism. Across North America, Hebrew schools are reinventing themselves with creativity and courage. Programs are centered on belonging, meaning, relationships, music, storytelling, social action, Hebrew through culture and immersive experiences. Holidays remain tentpole moments, but they are not the only topics of learning. Teachers lean into values, traditions and texts that help children live Jewish lives every day. Learning extends beyond classrooms into camps, family education, retreats, cooking, art, technology, and partnerships. Many schools are recognizing that their greatest product is not simply literacy, but identity.

The future of Jewish life will not be secured only in elite institutions or exceptional moments. It will also be shaped every weekday afternoon and Sunday morning when educators help children discover that being Jewish is not merely something to defend. It is something deeply worth learning, living, and celebrating together, with courage, compassion and enduring hope.

Cultivating pride and belonging: Update on Jewish camp

Jamie Simon, CEO, Foundation for Jewish Camp

A pandemic that nearly closed many camps, the long aftermath of Oct. 7, 2023 — these past five years have tested camp communities again and again. They have also sparked an opportunity to reflect and rethink how we approach Jewish education at camp.

Out of that rethinking, real advancements have emerged. Camps have grown clearer about their core values, especially around Israel education and community expectations. We’ve seen increased demand for and investment in staff training, curriculum development, and Israel-focused educational programming. Last summer, Foundation for Jewish Camp provided grants to 70 camps to hire dedicated Israel educators as part of our Teaching Israel at Camp initiative, building on the connections that Israeli shlichim (emissaries) already create. The field as a whole has embraced peer learning, networking and shared resources as key parts of professional development. 

Camps are also increasingly seen as places that can provide refuge and resilience-building for young people. Our Yedid Nefesh initiative has funded and placed mental health professionals at 102 camps over the last six years. And campers and staff alike benefit from being in a rare screen-free environment where they can disconnect from technology and social media and engage more deeply in community, connection and reflection.

Even amid these advancements, challenges remain. Camps face uncertainty around Israeli staffing, rising security and operational costs that pull dollars away from programming and growing polarization among families, funders, staff and boards over Israel and Jewish identity. Seasonal staff arrive bearing the weight of campus antisemitism and need more preparation to lead as educators. And camps are less insulated than in the past, as programming decisions quickly become visible and contested online.

The opportunities ahead are larger still. Camp’s immersive environment can deliver meaningful, values-based Jewish education and help a generation shaped by algorithms build healthier relationships with technology and information — in part by deepening partnerships with guest educators, Israeli artists and collaborative learning networks that bring fresh curriculum and perspectives. 

Jewish camp cultivates pride and belonging as a Jewish individual and educates young people to navigate disagreement, lead with kindness and carry Jewish values into every room they enter. Ninety-five percent of parents say camp fosters their child’s Jewish pride, and 93% (from FJC Camper Satisfaction Insights Survey) say camp helped their child grow and try new things. It’s why I believe that the future of Jewish education runs through the amphitheaters, bunks, dining halls and lakefronts where young people find their place in Jewish life. 

Investing in excellence: Update on Jewish day schools

Paul Bernstein, CEO, Prizmah

Over the last six years, Jewish day school enrollment has grown consistently year after year (as Prizmah’s forthcoming report will show). The question is no longer whether our schools are good enough; increasingly, Jewish day schools are competing with the best independent and public schools in their communities. Alumni are visible as leaders in government, business, and across Jewish communal life. Dan Senor recently observed that when he meets the “remarkable” Jewish student leaders shaping campus Jewish life, they almost always share one formative experience: they attended Jewish day school.

The data bear this out: Among Jewish college students, Jewish day school alumni are four times more likely to feel a strong connection to Israel than their non-day school peers and twice as likely to say Jewish identity is central to their lives.

Investing in Jewish education is the most meaningful response to antisemitism, and visionary philanthropists are increasingly acting on that conviction. The Samis Foundation’s Day School Affordability Program in Seattle has driven a 25% increase in enrollment, while affordability initiatives continue to expand in Atlanta, Chicago, New York and elsewhere. In Cleveland, local philanthropists and schools mobilized around the Mandel Foundation’s $90 million challenge grant. Chicago is investing in an innovative educator pipeline initiative. And in communities such as Miami, Tampa and Toronto, where demand exceeds supply, new schools are emerging.

The challenge to building a thriving Jewish community in the wake of Oct. 7, 2023, is not a lack of resources, but whether we direct those resources toward deep and transformative Jewish education. As Bret Stephens argued, the goal should be “to make high-quality Jewish day school education available and affordable to every Jewish family that wants one.”

Affordability remains a significant barrier. Many schools still struggle to meet the needs of current and prospective families. Yet for U.S. schools, the upcoming Federal Tax Credit for education presents an unprecedented opportunity for schools, and mass participation in the tax credit by the entire Jewish community will dramatically expand access to Jewish education.

At the same time, sustaining growth depends on educational excellence. Too many schools still lack the resources to invest sufficiently in outstanding teaching and leadership. The late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks reminded us that “teachers are the unacknowledged builders of the future,” and lasting change depends on attracting, training and mentoring, as well as retaining exceptional educators.

A Jewish day school education delivers strong academic outcomes but is ultimately about far more than academic achievement. Our schools build the Jewish and general foundations for a lifetime’s success, based on this promise: “If you know who you are, you can be anything.”

Beyond content expertise: An update on Israel education and student engagement

Rabbi Ben Berger, senior vice president for education, community and culture, and Adam Lehman, president and CEO, Hillel International

At Hillel, some of the most meaningful educational experiences emerge not from one-time events or high-profile speakers, but from sustained relationships between students and trusted professionals. Seven years ago, Hillel launched two signature Israel education initiatives: one focused on students, the other on professionals, and both grounded in the belief that if we wanted students to engage with Israel in meaningful and enduring ways, we needed to invest deeply in the educators and professionals who guide them. We understood then, as we do now, that effective Israel education requires more than content expertise alone. It requires professionals with the pedagogical skill, relational engagement and intellectual confidence to foster curiosity, hold complexity and create opportunities where students could ask questions without fear. In other words, we need to invest both in the “what” of Israel education and in the “how.”

That commitment has shaped our work through initiatives like Masterclass: Israel, which focuses on developing Hillel professionals as informed Israel educators positioned to build long-term educational relationships with students. Too often, Israel engagement in the Jewish communal sector depends on individual initiatives or advocacy-oriented programming that can feel performative, ideological or disconnected from students’ lived realities. We believed that students were far more likely to engage meaningfully through trusted educators who knew them well and could accompany them through complexity over time.

We doubled down on that approach after the Oct. 7 attack, when the strength of the educational relationship between campus professionals and students became even more critical. Those relationships create the possibility for shared learning that is both deeply connected to the Jewish People while also committed to honest inquiry and authentic engagement with Israel.

Beginning in January 2024, we launched Sipuurim to bring cohorts of Hillel professionals to Israel with the understanding that educators themselves needed to see how Israeli society had changed after Oct. 7. As one participant reflected afterward, “Sipurim did something no article, no book, no research ever could. It brought me to the places where these stories belong. To the homes. To the streets. To the silence. It took the stories off the page and made them real, human and impossible to forget.” 

The past several years have reinforced for us that sustainable Israel education is fundamentally relational and developmental. Today’s Jewish college students are not looking for simple answers; rather, they are looking for trusted relationships, authentic conversation and educational communities strong enough to sustain both honesty and belonging. 

The soul of the Jewish People is at stake: Update on Jewish community education

Miriam Heller Stern, CEO, Builders of Jewish Education in Los Angeles

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were numerous calls to set aside covering content in Jewish schools and focus more on connection and belonging. Now, six years into a decade that is proving to be a watershed in Jewish history, we grasp for the knowledge that could have prepared us for this moment.

Jewish education should not be reduced to rote knowledge or performative belonging, nor should we focus solely on rehearsing the lines to defend our people and combat antisemitism. Jewish education must produce an informed stance of self-love, self-awareness and a commitment to learning, because learning is the foundation for Jewish community and creativity.

To achieve this aim:

1. Jewish education needs to illuminate Jewish subject matter that helps us navigate wisely and soulfully through a volatile time in history. The stories of the Torah, Talmud and history provide mirrors into our own experiences, leading us to be deeply reflective about who we are and how we live.  
2. Jews need to be learning — wherever they can, whenever they can. Jewish day schools and camps can provide the most immersive laboratories for developing the habits of being self-nourishing, learning Jews, but Jewish learning can thrive beyond those spaces. We need to create robust opportunities for family and multigenerational learning where stories are shared, perspectives are developed and memories are made year-round. Make the kitchen, dining room and family trips immersive spaces for experiential Jewish learning and give parents and grandparents the facilitators’ guides. Invite parents and grandparents to join the journeys of sense-making with their children and grandchildren.
3. Transformative Jewish education begins with transformative educators. We need a historic shift in investment in our educators’ professional learning, salaries and status if we hope to meet the demands of our day.
4. We must develop and implement multi-pronged strategies to achieve extraordinary education and sustain it. Beyond “affordability,” we need to manage the cost of quality with a combination of philanthropic investment, government funding and commitment to cost-saving collaboration and systems-building.

As a collective, what should we be aiming for in the years ahead, across every sector of Jewish education? Not “educated” Jews, not “learned” Jews, but learning Jews, constantly adapting in a fraught world. We have the spiritual tools and texts to navigate the 21st century wilderness — from Torah, to middot, to poetry and recipes, to rituals from every moment from birth to death, and so much more. Great educators know how to make big, deep ideas accessible to any Jew at any age. BJE: Builders of Jewish Education is building the infrastructure to power this vision across the ecosystem, with Los Angeles as our laboratory. 

The neshama of the Jewish people, its collective soul, is grieving, exhausted, traumatized and craving the time to heal. At the same time, it is also alive and seeking, learning to live with conviction and courage in the face of uncertainty and threat and to approach the world with ingenuity, nuance and fortitude.

The neshama of the Jewish people needs oxygen, and that oxygen is Jewish education. It is time to start investing in the wisdom that generations need to breathe together as a people, the teachers to teach it and the systems to deliver it.