Source: JTA
Toronto's Jewish education system stands out as a model at a time when communities across North America are struggling to keep quality Jewish education affordable during tough economic times. More than half of all Jewish children in Toronto receive some form of Jewish instruction at day schools or in supplementary classes.
One of the main reasons for this high enrollment rate is that UJA Federation of Greater Toronto allocates $13 million annually for day school education in Toronto, $10 million of which goes to direct subsidies. Roughly one-third of all children in Toronto's Jewish system are subsidized.
A 2007 federation committee found that between 2000 and 2005, enrollment in high schools affiliated with Toronto's Board of Jewish Education rose by about 15 percent. Even in today's tough economic situation, Federation officials expect no significant drop-off in enrollment this year.
There are 70 day schools and supplementary programs and 1,700 Jewish educators in the greater Toronto area serving about 180,000 Jews -- nearly half of Canada’s total.
Unlike Quebec, the Ontario Province does not provide subsidies for Jewish schools as it does for Catholic schools.