‘No Alternative to Day Schools’: An Exchange
Source: Forward
In their December 11 issue, the Forward published an opinion article from Rabbi Irving Greenberg titled “There Is No Alternative to Day Schools.” Lamenting what he sees as an increasing tendency in the Jewish community to look beyond day schools in favor of less expensive educational alternatives, Greenberg wrote: “I, too, wish there were a cheap, effective alternative to day schools — but there is not.”
“Only day schools offer the tools to make a mature embrace of Judaism plausible for many of our young people,” argued Greenberg, former president of the Jewish Life Network and founding president of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership. He urged the Jewish community to step up its financial support for day schools and tuition-assistance in order to make day school education universally affordable and accessible.
The Forward invited a diverse group of scholars and Jewish education specialists to respond to Greenberg’s essay. They are published — along with a response from Greenberg.
Among the responses:
Meeting Families Where They Are - By Helene Z. Tigay
The Public Option - By Deborah Dash Moore and Mac Moore
The Publicly Funded Option - By Peter Deutsch
Not by Charity Alone - By Jack Wertheimer
Public and Private Interests - By Richard D. Kahlenberg
Rabbi Irving Greenberg Responds