In the Summer of 5780, Our Heritage, a project of the Menachem Education Foundation was born. The idea was simple: provide a grant to 10 Jewish day schools, enabling them to enroll 10 new public-school students and offer them a strong Jewish education. The innovative program exceeded everyone’s expectations as families switched from public school to private Jewish schools in record numbers.
In its first year, Our Heritage partnered with 13 Chabad day schools across the United States to enroll a total of 183 Jewish students who had formerly attended public school.
This summer, the program is relaunching for a second year, and is dedicating the entire program in honor of founding donor, Shneur Hirsch, A”H. Shneur, along with his wife Devorah Leah YLT, were early believers in the potential of the Our Heritage project and it was Shneur’s direct encouragement and generous support that brought the successful program to fruition.
“This is a chance to change the course of a Jewish child’s life,” Shneur shared with MEF in the summer of 2020, when Our Heritage was in its earliest stages. “Instead of going to a public school they can attend a Yeshiva and receive an authentic Jewish education. These children will grow up and lead Jewish homes based on Torah and Mitzvos. There is no greater investment in our future.”
Unfortunately, Shneur did not get to see the full growth and success of the program, with nearly 200 public school students enrolled, as he passed away on כ”ז תשרי after a nearly two-year battle with an illness. This summer, the Our Heritage Program has officially been renamed in his memory, recognizing the key role Shenur played in the success of the program. With his guiding light as inspiration, Our Heritage will continue to seek out more children to enroll in Jewish education and ensure that Jewish children across the country can access their birthright of Torah.
An end-of-year survey from the beneficiaries of the first-year’s grant showed that enrolled students have a 74% retention rate for the upcoming school year, even as public schools reopen their doors to in-person learning. “We are confident that we can continue to build on the momentum and keep growing,” Rabbi Zalman Shneur, founder and director of the Menachem Education Foundation.
Our Heritage is now entering Phase 2 of its program in the 2021-2022 school year. This year, the program aims to grow its partner schools to a total of 20 schools, bringing hundreds more children to Jewish Day Schools. Applications for the coming school year are now open.
Each of the 20 schools will each receive a $25,000 matching grant, contingent on enrolling at least 10 new students per school.The grants can be utilized by each school to support the increased enrollment in whatever way they deem necessary: subsidizing tuition for newly enrolled students, hiring a school liaison to accommodate the needs of new families, additional hiring, etc. Applications close 18 Elul ~ 8/26. To apply for the grant for your school today, visit mymef.org/OurHeritage.
May the Torah learning of these Jewish children be a Zchus for שניאור זלמן בן יבלחט”א גימפל אברהם.
Our Heritage is a project of The Menahcem Education Foundation. To learn more visit Mymef.org
