The Israeli government approved on Wednesday a NIS100 million ($31.5 million) plan to strengthen Jewish education in the Jewish communities in North America, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
The project was formulated by the PMO and representatives of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), following the government’s decision from June 28.
The aim of the plan is to strengthen Jewish identity and the connection to Israel among the future generation of diaspora Jewry.
“The future of the Jewish people depends on our ability to ensure that future generations know their heritage, connect to their Jewish identity, and maintain their deep connection to the State of Israel,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who initiated the plan, according to the PMO.
Netanyahu described the project as an “investment” in the North America diaspora, adding that together with the Jewish communities it will ensure that “our heritage and values are passed on with pride from generation to generation.”
The initiative recognizes that both the Jewish state and Jewish communities in the diaspora share responsibility for the “ongoing erosion of formal Jewish education… among the younger generation,” the PMO said.
Israel will allocate $31.5 million toward executing the plan, which will be complemented by additional funding equivalent to at least 50% of the project’s cost, raised by the Jewish Federations and other non-governmental entities.
The plan will be dedicated to increasing the number of students enrolled in Jewish educational frameworks, against the backdrop of rising antisemitism in the world since the Hamas-led invasion into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the PMO said.
This wave of antisemitism poses challenges to Jewish communities and the initiative seeks to provide them with long-term, practical solutions, the statement added.
US Jews increasingly conceal identity due to rising hatred
A majority of American Jews experienced antisemitism over the past year, with many changing their behavior out of fear, according to a survey released in July by the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary.
The survey, commissioned by CAM’s Antisemitism Research Center, found that 57% of Jewish Americans reported experiencing antisemitism in the past year, equivalent to an estimated 3.3 million Jewish adults and approximately 250,000 Jewish children living in affected households.
The findings also suggest that rising antisemitism is prompting many Jews to conceal their identity. Thirty-eight percent of respondents said they now hide items that identify them as Jewish, 32% avoid posting Jewish-related content online, and 23% said they have skipped Jewish events or observances because of safety concerns.
“These findings are a stark reminder that antisemitism is a lived daily reality for Jewish Americans,” said Alyza D. Lewin, CAM’s president of U.S. affairs. “The more openly Jewish you are, the more likely you are to experience antisemitism. Unsurprisingly, as a result, Jews are changing their behavior and thinking twice about how openly Jewish to be.”
