Jewish school enrollment in Diaspora said to rise amid uptick in antisemitism

In the face of rising antisemitism, enrollment in Jewish schools is growing across much of the Diaspora, according to new data released by the Yael Foundation.

Of the 145 Jewish educational institutions the organizations supports in more than 45 countries, 52% have seen enrollment numbers rise, while 26% maintained stable student numbers, the report says.

The findings indicate that many Jewish families are responding to the challenges that followed the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023 by placing greater emphasis on Jewish education and identity, the foundation says.

“The story of Jewish education today is far more hopeful than many people realize,” says Yael Foundation CEO Chaya Yosovich.

Growth is reported in major Jewish population centers like France, Germany and Brazil, as well as in smaller and often overlooked Jewish communities including Estonia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Norway, and Portugal, the report noted.

In France, none of the 23 schools in Yael’s network reported declining enrollment, and several have waiting lists. And more than half of the schools it considers at risk, including several in wartime Ukraine, maintained or increased enrollment, the foundation said.

“Parents are making a conscious decision to invest more deeply in their children’s Jewish identity through education,” Yosovich says. “That tells us Jewish education has become a source of confidence, resilience and continuity.”