every generation, every human being
should consider himself or herseif
as havingpersonally come out of Egypt"
from the Haggadah
This Passover,
as we v-ecall and iAelive
the ancient stiAtitggle fop' freedom/
le+ tits pledge to work
foN
fr eedom and jt4stice ih out day.
May this coming Year witness
the p ► tomise and blessing of peace.
Tka+ we may all one clay
shav-e ivy the feast of freedom.
3rom our families to yours, we wish you
a Passover filled with
many special memories.
riT
Diamonds
and Fine jewelry
Cr)
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C.1)
L1J
CC
F-
LU
LIJ
16
TUITION page 15
ping scholarships at $650,000,
eliminating the kindergarten
scholarship program and form-
ing an alternatives in education
committee to look at new op-
tions to raise money.
The changes have been made
in attempts to avoid huge tu-
ition hikes, maintain a balanced
budget and not add to the
school's deficit.
"By doing these things, we
started a course to maintain a
budget while offering a certain
kind of education to the widest
group possible," Mr. Gene said.
Teacher costs, utilities and
fixed contracts account for most
Hillel costs which can not be
controlled. Extra-curricular of-
ferings, such as theater, give
Hillel an edge over the basic
day-school education.
"If we were a fair institution
with no programs and fund
raising, we'd all write checks for
$6,900 (the true cost of educat-
ing each child for 1994-95) and
go home. But that's not reality.
We teach gemulut hasidim and
tzedakah here every day. I be-
lieve in those concepts. But I
don't believe if you give charity,
you should get it," Mr. Gene
said.
Akiva, which has four tuition
rates depending on grade level,
will see the highest jump in
kindergarten rates for 1994-95,
from $2,650 to $3,000.
Elementary grades will cost
$3,500, middle school $4,000
and high school $4,700.
Additional funds required are
not formally called "give or get."
The program, under that name,
was phased out in the 1970s
when Akiva stopped running
Bingo nights where parents
could volunteer to work. In-
stead, the school has a manda-
tory banquet assessment of
$300. Options to the dues in-
clude selling ad journals and
banquet tickets.
The mandatory assessment
has been in place for 10 years.
Akiva also requires a $1,500
donation per family toward a
building fund.
Barry Eisenberg, Akiva's ex-
ecutive director, said $425,000
was given out in scholarships
last year. No minimum pay-
ment exists as in Hillel's new
program.
"To my knowledge, we've
never lost a student due to a
scholarship quibble," Mr. Eisen-
berg said.
Last year, Akiva received
$203,000 from Federation,
about $576 per student.
Mr. Eisenberg, like all school
leaders, would like to see even
greater funding.
"We're hoping, since Federa-
tion has identified education
among its highest priorities,
we'll see more support through
allocations, to help us not deny
any child a Jewish education,"
Mr. Eisenberg said.
Federation has not yet de-
termined 1994-95 allocations
for beneficiary agencies. Pre-
sentations are not yet complete.
However, Douglas Bloom,
chairman of Federation's edu-
cation committee, repeated that
education, day school and sup-
plementary, is among the high-
est priorities.
Lay and professional leaders
of Yeshiva Beth Yehudah have
not yet determined 1994-95 tu-
ition rates. For the 1993-94
school year, lower grades ran
$3,750, upper grades cost
$5750. A family discount is im-
plemented depending upon the
number of students per family
"To my
knowledge, we've
never lost a student
due to a scholarship
quibble."
Barry Eisenberg
in the system, which includes
both the boys' and girls' (Bais
Yaakov) schools.
Of its $3 million budget,
about $1.1 million is brought in
through tuition. More than $1
million goes toward scholar-
ships. The school received
$300,000 from Federation for
the 1993-94 year, about $461
per pupil.
Yeshiva Beth Yehudah lead-
ers say it costs about $4,500 to
educate a child. A minimum tu-
ition line was drawn at $1,300
this past year to help maintain
a balanced budget. In unusual
cases of extreme hardship, the
executive committee may make
additional considerations.
To help offset rising expens-
es, Beth Yehudah last year im-
plemented a give-or-get
program. Parents either write
a check for $400 or may earn
credits equalling that amount
through volunteer work.
"We just started the program
this year, so we don't yet have
a complete picture of the re-
sponse. There has, however,
definitely been greater parent
attendance at our dinners and
some increased volunteerism,"
said Dr. Maury Ellenberg,
chairman of the board of direc-
tors of Yeshiva Beth Yehudah.
"We hope this, together with
other new programs, will raise
some additional needed funds
and improve participation in all
aspects of the school."
Darchei Torah is not a Fed-
eration beneficiary and does not
receive allocations. The school
has requested status to receive
dollars. To date, it has not been
approved. Calls to the school re-
garding tuition and scholarship
were not returned.
❑
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