March 30, 2026

Whereas studies consistently show that Jewish day school education in the United States improves the chances of a lifetime commitment to living Jewish values and mitzvot, strengthens Jewish identity and connection to the Jewish people, and serves as a key entry point to serving the Jewish community as clergy, educators, professionals, and volunteer leaders; and

Whereas affordability is a major concern that deters families from enrolling their children in Jewish day schools; and

Whereas the Rabbinical Assembly continues to support strong public schools, and have opposed voucher programs or policies that directly reduce funding for public school education; and

Whereas the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) of 2025 enabled the establishment of Scholarship Granting Organizations, regulated by each state, to allow federal tax credits of $1,700 per individual tax payer in return for equivalent donations to Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGO’s) for the purpose of reducing the cost of private education, which would include Jewish day schools; and

Whereas this new law allows for the creation of Scholarship Granting Organizations that would have the potential to collect and distribute collected funds for scholarships to lower Jewish day school tuition costs; and

Whereas under the stipulations of the law each individual taxpayer/donor may donate up to $1,700 to an SGO and receive the full amount back as a tax credit – not a charitable deduction – in their taxes, resulting in no net expense; and 

Whereas individuals may choose to direct their contributions to the Scholarship Granting Organization that best aligns with their priorities, whether supporting Jewish day schools, other faith-based schools, charter schools, or even public schools, in accordance with applicable law and state regulations; and

Whereas such funds would have a massive impact on the ability to recruit, enroll, and retain  many new students in Jewish day schools in the United States, who might not otherwise be able to attend,1; 

Therefore be it resolved that the Rabbinical Assembly supports efforts by the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and local Jewish schools and organizations to establish Scholarship Granting Organizations; and

Be it further resolved that rabbis, synagogues, and other community organizations will encourage their members and donors to generously support those SGO’s; and

Be it further resolved that the Rabbinical Assembly will advocate for and call upon the Jewish community to advocate for regulations at the state and federal level to ensure that SGO’s avoid all forms of discrimination and bias in their administration and distribution of their funds; and

Be it further resolved that the Rabbinical Assembly will continue to advocate for quality public education, ensure the safety Jewish students, and advocate for curricula and environments that are free of antisemitism.

[1] JFNA’s 2024 Surge data indicates that parents are actively evaluating different school enrollment options, including Jewish day schools

Comments

Submitted by misrael on Thu, 03/05/2026 - 11:13

In the final be it further resolved clause replace the words the words "quality public education" with "full-funding for quality public education for all Americans." While the words "for all Americans" is implied within public education, given the rest of the resolution (including the rest of that clause) are focused on Jewish issues, I think it is worthwhile emphasizing the point that it is for everyone.

Submitted by mja216 on Fri, 03/06/2026 - 08:45

Please change to: whether supporting Jewish day schools, other private schools, charter or other public schools

Submitted by misafra on Wed, 03/11/2026 - 13:09

I appreciate the way this resolution offers a creative way to support Jewish day school education without entering the political binary of public vs. private education. Regardless of one's position on the value of public vs. private education, the law presents an opportunity to support Jewish education - something we value; and it feels unwise to "leave money on the table." Feels like the mirror image of governors refusing Medicaid expansion for political/ideological reasons even though they understood the rational argument that the federal government was offering money they desperately needed. I support the resolution, as I believe our movement and its values would benefit from Our RA (and other movement institutions) explaining the value of financial instruments and opportunities like this.

Submitted by mja216 on Wed, 03/11/2026 - 13:55

your analogy to Medicaid expansion is perfectly framed. Thank you. I hope it passes without dissent

Submitted by Karen Medwed on Fri, 03/13/2026 - 13:13

Michael and others - I am following up because I am concerned about this understanding of "leaving money on the table". While this supposed support is being positioned as "leaving money on the table" that is a disingenous way of viewing this, as may be seen in the Teacher Union opposition to this tax credit. While b'diavad perhaps one might want to leverage this credit, l'hatkhila, it is taking funds out of public schools and expanding the power and reach of religious and charter schools. Transportation, special education, supplies, OT/PT specialists and more will continue to be funded by public schools to students in systems other than, and especially to schools promoting values with which we, as rabbis, fundamentally disagree and believe undermines the democratic nature of our civic world. That is a serious budget cut to each individual school district, funded through a tax credit and not supported in either state nor federal budget ammendments. So yes, there are consequences and they are real. The challenge in this resolution is that we are placing significant support into a realm which will undermine the very partners of public education with whom we are simultaneously craving to deepen allieship. Is the tax credit we, as rabbis, will see in day schools significant enough to be worth the public facing statement of resolution in a realm where the mar'it ayin of such a position is both partisan and includes significant funding and ideological damage to the public school system? Can we not support our day schools in a tax credit at local levels rather than draw attention at a national level to this? I question the wisdom of this.

Submitted by Jan Caryl Kaufman on Wed, 03/11/2026 - 16:53

Add an addendum or another clause indicating that JFNA needs to embark on a major (maybe multi-billion campaign aimed solely at reducing tuition. I would suggest a dollar amount to no more than $5000 per student

Submitted by Karen Medwed on Thu, 03/12/2026 - 11:22

As an elected Trustee of a public school board I find this resolution not only troubling in its reductionary approach to education writ large in the US but also with regard to Jewish education. First, do not allow yourselves as rabbis to accept the absolutely partisan perspective that this pathway is not moving tax dollars out of public schools. It is doing so to scale and will render some districts bankrupt. Furthermore, do not create a narrative that parents do not choose to not attend day school solely because of costs. In so many communities across the United States those parents are not seeking a college prep private school, which is the nature and culture of our current day school systems. As rabbis we deserve a resolution that captures real nuance about the financial needs for sophisticated content rich Jewish education in modals that surpass the limited capacity and nature of Jewish day schools, nuance about the needs for the small margin of families who will ever enter Jewish day schools for their affordability, and nuance about the real dangers of these legislative funding propositions that threaten the democratic Civic minded public schools across our nation.