Jewish education and a Jewish day school are not the same thing
Jewish education is the transmission of a way of life: reading and arguing over texts, Hebrew, prayer, the calendar, ethics, and the habits of a Jewish home. For most of Jewish history, children learned this through family, a local teacher or tutor, and study houses, not through a graded school.
A day school is a particular institution built to do some of that work during the school day. Whether it fits a family depends on the child, the school and where you live.
Where the day school model came from
In the early twentieth century, most American Jewish children attended public school and studied Hebrew and Judaism in afternoon or Sunday classes. A few full-time Jewish schools opened in the 1920s and 1930s, such as the Yeshiva of Flatbush and Ramaz in New York.
The model spread after World War II. Torah Umesorah, founded in 1944, helped start yeshiva day schools across the country, the Conservative movement opened Solomon Schechter schools starting in the early 1950s, and non-denominational community day schools followed.
The format they used was the one American schools used at the time: students grouped by age into grades, a fixed daily schedule, a standard curriculum taught by subject, and Jewish studies and Hebrew added, in a Jewish environment, paid for by tuition. Many of today's schools still run this way.
The models you will find today
Most day schools still follow that format closely and are comparable to a conventional private school with Jewish studies. Some depart from it, with smaller classes, mixed ages, project-based or mastery-based learning, or more parent involvement. Those schools tend to be smaller or higher-priced, and they are easiest to run in the early grades.
When you visit a school, ask how the day is organized, not only what is taught: class size, how ages are grouped, how much of the day is Jewish learning, and how much choice a child has.
Other ways to educate a child Jewishly
- Homeschooling. Many Jewish families homeschool, and rules vary a lot by state. Some ask only for a notice; others require testing or set hours. See our Jewish homeschool guide and the communities in the states with the lightest rules.
- Co-ops, tutors and learning partners. Families pool teachers for Hebrew, Torah, Talmud or Jewish history, or hire a tutor for some subjects.
- Part-time and supplementary programs. Hebrew school, Sunday school and youth programs run alongside public or private school.
- Yeshivas and high schools. Full-time study programs for older students, with a wide range of approaches.
- The community around you. Children who live close to other Jewish families, a synagogue and an eruv, and who spend time with them every day, learn a great deal by being there. Where you live shapes who your children grow up with and who you share Shabbos with. Compare Jewish communities by cost, schools and eruv.
What it costs
Tuition at the Jewish day schools in our directory runs from about $3,000 to $60,000 a year, depending on school, grade and city. It is usually lower for younger grades. Many schools offer financial aid and some states have voucher or tax-credit programs; ask each school what it offers.
Public school is free; Jewish day schools copied its format and have to be paid for. Most schools set tuition family by family, through a committee that reviews tax returns and financial documents, so what a family pays depends on what the school judges it can afford. Schools generally do not publish how those amounts are calculated or what other families pay. Donations cover a large share of revenue, much of it from a small number of families, and working families in the middle tend to carry the most, since the cost multiplies with every child. Where staff children attend the school their parent works for, tuition is often part of the compensation package, and it is worth more with each child. Details vary by school. How Yeshiva Day School Tuition Really Works shows the numbers.
Estimate tuition after aid in your state → · Every way to pay less
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Frequently asked questions
Is a Jewish day school the only way to give my child a Jewish education?
No. Day school is one option. Families also homeschool, use tutors and co-ops, send children to part-time programs, or rely on the community around them. Many combine several.
What's the difference between a Jewish day school and Hebrew school?
Hebrew school is a supplementary program, a few hours a week alongside public or private school. A Jewish day school is your child's full-time school.
Can we homeschool and still be part of a Jewish community?
Yes. Many homeschooling families are active in their local community and join co-ops with other families. Look for a community with an eruv and several congregations close together, and check your state's homeschool rules first.
What if there's no Jewish day school near us?
This is true in much of the country. Some families homeschool, some drive a long way, and some move to a community with more options. Our community comparison shows what each place offers. If your area has limited options, tell us; we track unmet demand.
Do I need to be religious to send my child to a Jewish day school?
Not for every school. Policies on what is expected of families differ widely, so ask the school directly.