“We are standing in the Ritz-Carlton of Jewish day schools.”
That’s how one teacher at Brandeis Hillel Day School described the $10 million building that opened a few weeks ago in San Francisco.
Parents and friends of the school dug into their wallets to make it happen. But they aren’t finished yet. They still need to raise about $2.5 million to reach the $10 million mark.
Also, another $10 million to $12 million must be found to build additional classrooms, a cafeteria and a performing-arts complex on the campus.
Unfortunately, fund-raising for Jewish day schools is no easy task. Foundations generally put their money into what they consider to be more glamorous projects. That means the day schools have to work doubly hard, seeking one small donation after another unless they find a major benefactor — as did the Jewish Community High School of the Bay.
It took a long time for Brandeis Hillel, which also has a San Rafael campus, to build a new structure in San Francisco. Certainly, the need was there. Toilet facilities were sadly lacking. The teachers’ lounges were in the steam room and storage closets.
A teacher who has been at the school since 1980 told our reporter, “It was sort of like being a gourmet cook and working out of a trailer.”
For many years, Brandeis Hillel — now in its 40th year — and San Francisco’s Orthodox-run Hebrew Academy were the Bay Area Jewish day schools.
Times have changed. We now have two Bay Area high schools besides Hebrew Academy plus a number of Jewish day schools in the East and South Bay.
Apparently there is a need. One father of a Brandeis kindergartner explained that despite doing as much as he can to preserve Judaism at home, he doesn’t “have all the tools” and feels more confident knowing his son is enrolled in a school that can “fill any missing gaps.”
With fine report cards from parents, students, alumni and community leaders, it’s no wonder that enrollments in Jewish day schools are growing. But while teaching is at the core of these educational institutions, we also have to ensure that the schools are well-equipped, from classrooms to lunchrooms to rest rooms. And that takes money.
It’s the future of our Jewish youth we are talking about here. We must do whatever it takes to provide for them.