The conflict in Gaza reverberates around the world, with increased focus on Israel in the media, demonstrations in numerous cities and an alarming rise in antisemitism. Many Jews, including those who have attended Jewish schools, feel torn between their own attitudes towards Israel and the generally negative portrayal of Israel in the media; others feel ill equipped to answer the many criticisms of Israel and the IDF. Although the Israel education provided by Jewish schools has the potential to address this issue by providing people with the knowledge and research skills to better understand the conflict, most Jews do not attend Jewish educational institutions. This is particularly true of non-religious Jews, who comprise the overwhelming majority of Diaspora Jewry.  So, no matter how wonderful an education Jewish schools provide on the subject of Israel, most Diaspora Jews will remain entirely untouched by such efforts.

In the United States, home to the largest Jewish community outside Israel by some margin, enrolment in Jewish day schools has increased over the last few decades. However, this rise is entirely a result of demographic growth within the Orthodox community. Virtually all children raised as Orthodox attend Jewish day school and the Orthodox community is growing, due to a combination of high retention rates and fertility. Similar trends can be found in countries such as the UK and Belgium.

Among American Jewish children raised in Conservative and Reform homes, as well as in families that are not affiliated with any religious denomination, there has been a decline in the number of children attending Jewish day schools over the last decade. The same is true of supplementary schools, that offer Jewish educational programming in the afternoons or on weekends for those who do not attend a Jewish day school and are seen as the traditional alternative to costly Jewish day schools. Even with according to the highest estimates of attendance at Jewish educational frameworks, over four-fifths of non-Orthodox American young people are not exposed to formal Jewish education of any sort.

It is important to remember that Jewish learning is a lifelong endeavor, and that Jewish education does not end at age 18. Innovative Jewish educational programs such as Taglit-Birthright and Limmud have demonstrated the demand for Jewish learning among adults. However, given that adult and childhood Jewish education are not competing, but complementary offerings, it might be worthwhile trying to understand what influences parents in their decision whether to send their children to Jewish schools. Data from the 2018 EU Fundamental Rights Agency survey of antisemitism in twelve European countries offer an understanding of parental Jewish school choices across the continent. Among the commonly-cited factors affecting school choice are issues such as cost, convenience and developing Jewish identity.

Antisemitism is another factor that influences many parents’ thinking about schools. For a minority, concerns about anti-Jewish racism causes them to perceive Jewish schools as dangerous, as exemplified by the 2012 attack at the Ozar Hatorah school in Toulouse.  However, most parents are more concerned about possible antisemitism within a non-Jewish school environment. Overall, those parents who cite concerns over antisemitism as a factor in their school choice decisions are much more likely to select a Jewish school for their child. Given the link between antisemitism and increased likelihood of sending to Jewish schools, it is likely that there will be increased demand for Jewish educational frameworks in Europe. Similarly, in the US, data from the recent Prizma survey confirm that the increase in interest in Jewish day schools in the last few months is in part motivated by concern over anti-Jewish racism. This may provide Jewish educators the opportunity to reach additional young people, whom they can equip with the tools that they would otherwise be lacking in understanding the complexity of Israel’s geopolitical situation.

Dr. Nadia Beider is a Lecturer of "Social Sciences and Jewish Education" and "Renewing the Practice of Israel Education" in the Melton Centre's Master's Degree in Education specializing in Jewish Education.