Why Jewish Education

Parents choose to share the gift of Jewish learning with their children for any number of reasons. For some, it is a matter of religious commitment. For some, it is a treasured sense of peoplehood. For some, it is a meaningful family legacy. For some, it is about sharing enduring, compelling values. For some, it is a sense of history and a vision of the future. If, however, a child is to embrace Jewish identity as his/her own, it must be grounded in personal knowledge and experience. 

Throughout the millennia, Jews and Judaism have emphasized the essential importance of Jewish education.  Classical Jewish texts abound in encouraging parents to share the Jewish narrative with their children. The Talmud relates that, only when—early in the first century—it became apparent that not all parents were capable of educating their children, were schools established as an alternative model. 

The capacity of Jews to contribute to the world as Jews is surely dependent on Jewish education. BJE is proud to partner with hundreds of institutional providers of Jewish education, thousands of educators, an ever-growing number of families, and community members who support its mission to enhance quality, provide access and encourage participation in Jewish education. Whatever your reason(s) for nurturing your child(ren)’s Jewish engagement, Jewish education is key to making Jewish identity integral to their lives. And, as Hillel taught: “If not now, when?”