voices

Preschool teachers at
Jewish schools
remain underpaid
despite awesome
responsibilities.

nizing that salaries are less than
issue as we try to attract more
ideal. "The issue is a citywide,
young people to the field,"
statewide
and probably nation--
Firestone said. "Instead of being
wide
issue,"
said Marlene Thav,
a second salary for a few years
director of Temple Beth El's
until they have children, it
nursery school, "It's certainly not
becomes a salary somebody
unique to Temple Beth El.
wants to support themselves on.
Temple Beth El certainly does
They may be thinking of making
support the nursery."
Jewish preschool education a life-
"I think they [salaries] are low
long career, one in which they
DIANA LIEBERMAN
because
parents can't or won't
can advance as the years go by."
Staff Writer
pay more. It's a lot to ask of
As public school districts such
them," said Rena Amit of Oak
as West Bloomfield, Birmingham
v hold in their hands the
Park, director of Congregation
and Bloomfield Hills build and
future of Judaism.
Beth Shalom's Can Shalom pre-
expand their preschool programs,
They are entrusted with
school in Oka Park.
there is more competition for the
our most valuable possession
"People who have a bachelor's
best teachers.
— our children — at a time
degree
can make so much more
Low salaries for Jewish educa-
when they are the most impres-
in
industry,
and they have a lad-
tion professions remains a prob-
sionable and ready to learn.
der to climb. The sad thing is, if
lem throughout the United
Then why are teachers at
you want a career in education,
States, said Harlene Appelman,
Jewish preschools paid only
and you want to progress to
director of Federation's Alliance
$1.6,000 a year?
more recognition or higher pay,
for Jewish Education.
According to a survey pub-
you have to get out of the class-
"We've been grappling with it.
lished last year by the Jewish
room."
It's on our agenda, she said.
Federation of Metropolitan
There's a light at the end of the
Leora Isaacs, vice president of
Detroit's Alliance for Jewish
tunnel, if Jewish educators can
program and organizational
Education, that's the average full-
convince the community of the
learning at the New York-based
time yearly salary for preschool
value of the Jewish preschool
Jewish Education Service of
teachers in the Jewish communi-
experience, said Dr. Ronald
North America, said teachers and
tY
NIMfsori, director of the Whizin
administrators in Jewish
This salary is roughly equiva-
Center for the
preschools are frequent-
lent to the salary they would
Jewish
Future at the
ly "highly qualified but
receive with comparable educa-
University
of
pitifully paid, especially
tion in any other preschool sec-
Judaism in Los
when you consider how
tor other than public schools,
Angeles.
important their services
said Dr. Joan Lessen Firestone,
"I've been around
are."
preschool consultant for the
long enough to
Tuition at Jewish
Oakland Schools and secretary o f
remember when
preschools exceeds that
the Alliance board.
rabbis were not paid
at most private pre-
"But the certification they're
a
living salary. They
school programs,
required to have for Jewish day
frequently had no
Firestone said, with
preschool positions — an ele-
benefits and had to
Jewish preschools charg-
mentary teaching certificate with
live in a home sup-
ing, on average, about
Dr. Ronald Wotan
an early childhood endorsement
plied by the corn-
25 percent more.
— would also enable them to
MUD
ity
Isaacs commented: "It's trou-
teach kindergarten, first grade or
"We managed to turn that
bling that preschools charge
in a public school preschool pro-
around and now we can attract
exorbitant fees when the educa-
gram like Head Start or
the best and brightest into rab-
tors are paid so little."
Michigan School Readiness,"
binic careers," said Wolfson, who
Locally, Jan Ernmer of
Firestone said.
also is co-founder of Synagogue
Farmington Hills, who teaches at
And in public schools, she
2000, a national project whose
Temple Beth El's nursery school in
said, preschool teachers earn
goal is to make Jewish religious
Bloomfield Towship, said she felt
about the same amount as any
organizations
more relevant and
to
salaries are not high enough
other contracted teachers.
accessible.
attract young people to the field.
Depending on the individual
"There's no reason why, with
"I don't think temples, in gen-
school district, teachers usually
all the wealth in the Jewish com-
eral, feel preschools are so impor-
start at $32,000. They also
munity, we can't afford to pay
tant. They are not high on their
receive benefits, a rare commodi-
our teachers what they're worth,"
list priorities."
ty in Jewish preschools.
Wolfson said.
Teachers are not alone recog-
"This becomes more of an

Th e

of

Li

communal leaders
have anything
against preschools.
Instead, said Arthur
M. Horwitz, presi-
dent of the Agency
for Jewish
Education, the
Harlene Appelman
operations arm of
Federation's Alliance,
it's a matter of many worthy projects
competing for the same dollars.
"Whether we like it or not, it costs
money to provide our children with
quality education, whether it's within
the Jewish community or in private
schools outside the Jewish communi-
ty," Horwitz said. "I think it is a very
worthy goal to attempt to make
Jewish educational opportunities,
including preschool, available to those
who seek them regardless of income."
Horwitz pointed to the Millennium
Campaign for Detroit's Jewish Future
established by
Federation's Alliance
as a possible source
for future preschool
scholarships.
Through these
endowment funds,
contributors of $1
million or more
direct the proceeds
of their contribu-
tions to a specific
educational project.
Dr. Loan Firestone
Several Millennium
funds provide schol-
arships to Jewish day schools.
However, none so far includes any
provision for families of preschoolers.
"Perhaps someone new will step up
to the plate to help us out,"
Appelman said. "You can't always go
back to the same people who have
been so helpful.
"This is not a criticism. This com-
munity is truly the most splendid
Jewish community in the United
States. But this [scholarship funding]
is a primary need."
Ilene Vogelstein, director of the
Baltimore-based Jewish Early
Childhood Education Partnership
(JECEP), sent out an informal survey
concerning preschool scholarships to
the organization's members. The e-
mails she received, although not a sci-
entific sampling, suggest that the only
funding for preschool families avail-
able today is on a -school-by-school
basis.
The Dallas Jewish Federation does
not provide preschool scholarships,
wrote a Jewish educator from that
city. The e-mail continued, "There

