Q: What do you hope to
accomplish through NNJKIDS?
Q: Why a
kehilla fund?
Q: Who conceived of
NNJKIDS and who is operating it?
Q: What schools are
included in NNJKIDS?
Q: How are the monies
to be allocated?
Q: Will the NNJKIDS
solve the day school tuition crisis?
Q: Who are you
approaching to fund NNJKIDS?
Q: Why should people
contribute to NNJKIDS, particularly if they do not currently children in our day
school?
Q: How much is each
individual or family expected to give?
Q: What are JEFG’s
Plans for the Future?
Q: Why is day school
education so costly?
Q: Over what time
period is the obligation to NNJKIDS made and paid?
Q: Are contributions
NNJKIDS tax deductible?
Q: Will my school be
upset with my giving to your fund instead of giving directly to its scholarship
fund?
Q: Will I find out how
the fund is progressing?
Q: There are so many
charities and needs in our community and in Israel, why should we focus on
Jewish education?
Q: Why is our
community ideal as a model for other communities also dealing with issues of day
school affordability?
Q: What do you hope to
accomplish through NNJKIDS?
A: Northern New Jersey
Kehillot Investing in Day Schools (NNJKIDS) has two primary objectives:
1) to support our
schools, and
2) to reduce the financial
pressure on our families.
It is intended as a crucial
first step in a broader initiative to assure that all our
children and future generations have access to a rich, high quality, dual
curriculum, encompassing Judaic and secular studies.
-Top
Q: Why a
kehilla fund?
A: The operative word in the
description of NNJKIDS above is “our.” These are our kids and
our families and our schools... and this is the essence
of a community… sharing responsibility. While raising money is essential,
the method by which the kehilla fund accomplishes this objective is
equally important. The kehilla fund is specifically designed to reinforce a
sense of communal responsibility, premised on the understanding that the
spiritual and academic foundation provided to our children in our
day schools assures the strength and continuity of our community as a whole.
-Top
Q: Who conceived of NNJKIDS and who is operating it?
A: A broad coalition of
educators and rabbinic, organizational and lay leaders has been meeting
regularly to address the tuition crisis. This includes the leadership of all our
local day schools. The group, formally named Jewish Education for Generations
(JEFG), seeks to develop far-reaching, transformational solutions to ensure the
future viability of our schools. They have researched programs implemented by
Jewish communities across the country, which are grappling with these very same
stresses and affordability issues.
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NNJKIDS represents their first project, and ensuring the success of this fund
will be the coalition’s primary focus in the next few months. JEFG will continue
to operate the kehilla fund. However, they recognize that this is only the
beginning of their work.-Top
Q: What
schools are included in NNJKIDS?
A: The participating
elementary schools are: (in alphabetical order): Ben Porat Yosef, Gerrard
Berman, The Moriah School, The Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey, Sinai School,
The Solomon Schechter Day School of Bergen County, Yavneh Academy and Yeshivat
Noam.
-Top
Q: How are the monies to be allocated?
A: NNJKIDS is a unified effort that includes day schools of all denominations in
the Northern New Jersey area. Orthodox synagogues and schools are launching this
program initially but we hope other denominations will soon follow. To
strengthen the synagogue to school affiliation, funds collected from the members
of synagogues will be allocated to schools in that denomination, unless
otherwise indicated by donor. Funds will be allocated on a per capita basis,
based on the number of preK-8 students in each school residing in Northern New
Jersey. Distribution will occur quarterly.-Top
Q: How do you plan to encourage donations to NNJKIDS?
A: Synagogues across Bergen
County have committed to participate in this community-wide effort. Our Rabbis
and lay leadership will reach out to their congregations and stress the
importance of this campaign. Our local schools, likewise, will be promoting this
message. The OU has assisted our community, as it will with other communities
across the country. In addition, we assume that many will turn to this website,
just as you have done. -Top
Q: Will the NNJKIDS solve the day school tuition crisis?
A: Not on its own. But it is
an essential first step in a comprehensive solution. Through establishing a
sense of unity and working together toward a community response to this
community issue we will be able to progress toward a long term viable solution.
The individuals involved in JEFG are committed to achieving this level of unity
in order to harness the strength of our community, establish momentum for change
and encourage others nationally to follow suit. We hope our actions will serve
as a model that one day soon will serve to foster a national network of support
for day schools. This show of unity and strength is vital in order to effectuate
meaningful change.
-Top
Q: Who are you approaching to fund NNJKIDS?
A: We are asking each and
every Jewish individual residing in the Northern New Jersey area to participate
in this community-wide fund.
-Top
Q: Why should people contribute to NNJKIDS, particularly if they do
not currently children in our day school?
A:
Each and every person should contribute
to NNJKIDS, if for no other reason than he or she is a member of this Jewish
community and because his or her contribution is a vital investment in its
future.
-Top
If you have school-age children, you should contribute because this
is the first step in a broader movement to change the way day schools are funded
in the future and an immediate step to make day schools more affordable and
accessible to all.
If you are single, you should contribute because, with God’s help,
this fund will be operational and extremely successful when you are married and
have children who are ready to enter our local day school. You should also do it
for your nieces and nephews and all the wonderful kids in your neighborhood. And
if you are a graduate of one of our terrific day schools, you should contribute
to make sure others enjoy the educational opportunities that were available to
you.
If you are the parents of graduates and have already seen your
children through our local day schools, you have many reasons to
contribute. You should take a good look at how the how your children have
developed and donate out of appreciation. You should contribute because you want
our outstanding day schools to be thriving when your children are ready to
settle down and choose a school for your future grandchildren. Finally, you
should contribute because you, as well as anyone, comprehend firsthand the value
of quality Jewish education.
If you have no affiliation with a local day school, but you are part
of this community you should contribute because you recognize that a community
is the sum of all its parts and that the success of the greater Jewish
community, including Israel, rests with making certain that all members of our
community thrive.-Top
Q: How much is each individual or family expected to give?
A: We are asking everyone to
attempt to give $1 a day or $30 a month as a minimum donation. While we
obviously would like to maximize the success of this fund and assist our schools
and our children as much as possible, it is equally important to reach our goal
of 100% participation. Of course, each person and family should assess their
means and provide the maximum amount that they can contribute for this important
endeavor. Only if we come together as a cohesive community can we bring about
the changes necessary to guarantee our children’s future.
-Top
Q: What are JEFG’s Plans for the Future?
A: JEFG will
continue to meet to implement additional endowment programs and initiatives to
address the challenges our schools and our families are facing. This will
include implementing programs to save costs and raise revenue and achieve
greater budgetary efficiencies. JEFG will also continually seek potential
sources of support from local, state and federal government, as well as
corporations and non-profit organizations.
-Top
Q: Why is day school education so costly?
A: Schools have aggressively
been cutting costs to the extent possible. For the coming year, the schools, on
a combined basis, have reduced their budgets by over $1 million. However,
reducing costs is no easy task without sacrificing the quality of the education
that is necessary for our children to compete in an ever-changing and
competitive world. Roughly 80% of the budget of our schools is attributable to
faculty salaries and benefits. Much of the other 15-20% (mortgage, utilities) is
fixed in nature. Schools continue to look for every penny that can be saved and
will continue to do so regardless of the success of this program.
-Top
However, that does not mean that our schools are affordable, and that
is precisely why the kehilla fund (NNJKIDS) is being launched.-Top
Q: Over what time period is the obligation to NNJKIDS made and
paid?
A: Your may pledge monthly or
contribue a one time donation, either by:
1. An automatic debit from your bank account. (This is the least expensive and
most efficient collection method for us.)
2. by recurring credit card
charge
3. by post-dated checks or
4. as a lump-sum payment
-Top
Q: Are contributions NNJKIDS tax deductible?
A: Yes, JEFG is currently
designated as a non-profit organization registered as 501 (c) 3 entity. All
donations are tax deductible. Matching grants are welcome.
-Top
Q: Shouldn't I be
giving my extra charity dollar to my school rather than to a communal fund?
A: Yes, you should be giving
most of your charity budget to the local institutions that most directly affect
you. The main idea here is to show the support of a communal fund. Being a
'member' of the community means that the education for all children is of
paramount importance. Even if you are only able to make a small monthly
contribution because of your other obligations, giving on any level declares the
principle of kol yisrael areivim zeh lazeh, that we are all responsible for one
another. -Top
Q: Will my school be upset with my giving to your fund instead of
giving directly to its scholarship fund?
A: No. Your school principals
and the presidents of your Boards are among those who have put significant time
and effort in to create NNJKIDS and who will continue to work to make it
a success. Through the success of NNJKIDS, both your school and our
children benefit. This fund is not meant to replace individual donations to your
specific school of choice. Rather, it is intended to encourage many who have yet
to participate in such an initiative to do so and to begin to reformulate the
model for funding day school education.
-Top
Q: Will I find out how the fund is progressing?
A: Yes. We will post periodic
reports on this website showing how the community is progressing as a whole.
-Top
Q: There are so many charities and needs in our community and in
Israel, why should we focus on Jewish education?
A: Because Jewish education is
the lynchpin. It is the building block of any community and if we do not
maintain our day schools we will effectively open the way for a steady erosion
of Jewish communal life as we know it. Our rabbis have emphasized the priority
of supporting our local institutions.
Studies have shown that Jewish
education is the first line of defense against assimilation and inter-marriage.
Support from families in the day school movement is an essential component of
advocacy and support of Israel in the diaspora. Just look at the number of
students the day schools send to study for a year in Israel after high school
and the number of day school graduates who then promote Israel on college
campuses and beyond. Some of Israel’s greatest supporters nourished their sense
of Zionism and commitment to the State of Israel in our day schools.
-Top
We need those voices to speak
out loud and clear.
These are trends that we
cannot afford to diminish or reverse.
Q: Why is our community ideal as a model for other communities also
dealing with issues of day school affordability?
A: While other communities
have established similar funds, no other community has initiated such a project
with the level of broad-based support NNJKIDS enjoys. Our schools, our rabbis,
and our lay leaders have all demonstrated enthusiastically backed this endeavor.
-Top