5 Crucial Ways That MEF Spends Donor Money

Last year, the Chabad community worldwide entrusted the Menachem Education Foundation (MEF) with 1.2 Million dollars to elevate Chabad Chinuch, and we are now in the midst of a Charidy campaign with the goal of raising a million more. As a responsible donor, you may be asking, how did we spend your money last year, and how will your donation today be put to use?

The answer is that your contribution at charidy.com/mef  goes a long way in taking responsibility for Chabad Chinuch, and here’s how:

1) By taking responsibility for empowering teachers and leaders, the keepers of the keys to successful Chinuch. Last year, we:

• Hosted a combined 77 school leaders for two days of collaboration, training and empowerment at the Chabad School Leadership Retreats, for men in Coral Springs, FL and for women in Bais Chaya Mushka, LA.
• Held two Chabad Chinuch Conventions in the summer – a Kinus HaMechanchim with 324 in attendance and a Kinus Mechanchos Chabad with 554 in attendance – with two days of workshops and inspiration.
• Re-launched monthly, online farbrengens for Mechanchim and Mechanchos for the third year.
• Provided individual and group coaching to 49 teachers and principals to unlock their Chinuch success.
• Provided niche training webinars to math teachers, school fundraising teams and more.

This year, our goal is to grow and expand all of these programs, with the addition of monthly webinars on timely Chinuch topics for all demographics of Mechanchim and Mechanchos to make teacher training more accessible than ever before.

2) By taking responsibility for recruiting and training a healthy pipeline of passionate new teachers. Last year, we launched the pilot cohort of Teach for Lubavitch, placing 11 exceptional seminary graduates in 3 schools around the country, while providing rigorous training and mentorship to facilitate their success. This year, our goal is to:

• Springboard off of the pilot year’s success by recruiting and training at least 20 teachers in 5 schools around the country through Teach for Lubavitch.
• Recruit and train talented Mechanchim through Kadima Lechinuch, training a second cohort of at least 20 Crown Heights yungeleit to successfully enter Chinuch.

3) By taking responsibility for providing students with high quality learning opportunities and providing teachers with resources to free their energy to do what they do best. Last year, we:

• Launched the new and improved ZekelmanStandards.org with hundreds of resources alongside easily navigating standards and benchmarks for teaching Chumash.
• Launched the Chabad Curriculum Database launches with over 145 curricula listed, spanning preschool through high school and covering dozens of subjects.
• After a 2 year pilot, launched the highly anticipated Project Tomim curriculum for emotional development through Torah and Chassidus into 12 schools throughout North America. 

This year, our goal is to:

• Launch a comprehensive Chumash curriculum for 2 grade levels, based on the Zekelman Standards Chumash.
• Publish comprehensive learning standards for Kriah, Ksiva, Mishna and Gemara. 
• Expand Project Tomim social-emotional curriculum, with 4 units (50 lessons) published and used in 20 schools around the world.

4) NEW! By taking responsibility for community engagement in Chinuch. This year, our goal is to:

• Gather community members for Chinuch awareness and education.
• Hold Chinuch webinars on relevant topics for parents.
• Launch the Everything Chinuch podcast.

5) By taking responsibility for transferring Jewish children out of public school and into Chabad Day Schools. Last year, we launched year 5 of Our Heritage with 129 former public school students enrolled in 21 Jewish Day Schools for the new school year. This year, our goal is to enroll an additional 150 new students (bringing the total to 850).

In these 5 crucial ways, MEF strives to take responsibility for our kids, our Chinuch, and our future. (You can find out more about MEF accomplishments last year in our Annual Report.) But a successful Chinuch is only possible with a community that takes responsibility, too – and that’s where your contribution comes in. You made it possible last year – but the responsibility for Chinuch only grows. Please join us in making these improvements possible this year by donating TODAY at Charidy.com/MEF.