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The student commons area at Frankel Jewish Academy

INTEREST-FREE LOANS FOR

MICHIGAN JEWISH RESIDENTS

Day School Funding

APPLICATIONS OPEN

In an unprecedented move,
Frankel Jewish Academy forgoes two
annual allocations from Federation.

JULY 1

TO

JULY 31

COMPLETE AND SUBMIT ONLINE:

Keri Guten Cohen | Story Development Editor

jewishcollegeloansmi.org

I

WHAT IS THE WILLIAM DAVIDSON
JEWISH COLLEGE LOAN PROGRAM?

n a move without similar prec-
edent, Frankel Jewish Academy
in West Bloomfield has forgone
its annual allocation from the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
for the 2015-2016 fiscal year and for
2016-2017.
Until now, neither the school nor
Federation has mentioned this infor-
mation to the community or to parents
of FJA students, who will pay base
tuition of $22,500 in the coming aca-
demic year. The JN learned that the
school’s projected Annual Campaign
allocations for both years have been
covered by a donor who wishes to
remain anonymous.
The current allocation report for fis-
cal year 2016-2017, which is posted on
the Federation website, states (in Note
10): “Due to a generous contribution,
Frankel Jewish Academy has been able
to meet their financial strategic plan
for FY 2016-17, allowing funds to be
redirected toward vital community
needs.”
In 2015-2016, FJA’s allocation was
$141,817. After an equal contribution
was made to Frankel, that sum was
returned to Federation to be used spe-
cifically as part of a project to improve
security to Federation agencies,
explained Scott Kaufman, Federation
CEO.
“Right after the Sandy Hook shoot-
ings [where 20 children were slain in a
school in December 2012], we decided
there was no debate; we just had to
make everything safe,” he said of a
three-year Federation-funded security
project. In the fourth year, half would
be paid by Federation and half by
agencies.
“We were scrambling to fill that
hole. FJA made a donation to everyone

A Need-based, interest-free loan program for
Jewish Michigan residents who are U.S. Citizens.
•
Qualifying students must be enrolled in full-time
accredited colleges or universities in Michigan.
•
Free Application for Student Financial Aid (FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov)
to be completed for eligibility.
•
Financial need determination includes demonstrating
active pursuit of all available funding resources.
•
Post-application interview with a Hebrew Free Loan
WDJCLP staff member.
•
Two co-signers required.
•
While attending school, required annual loan repayments are $100.
•
No fee to apply.

ADMINISTERED BY

WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS

6735 Telegraph Road, Suite 300
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48301
248.723.8184
info@jewishcollegeloansmi.org

2083560

14 June 30 • 2016

else. We said thank you.”
The high school did not request an
allocation from the Annual Campaign
for 2016-2017. Funds that would
have gone to FJA in this fiscal year
were directed to day school scholar-
ships instead, said Linda Blumberg,
Federation’s director of planning and
agency relations.
Rabbi Azaryah Cohen, FJA Head
of School since 2015, told the JN that
FJA still will be receiving community
assistance.
Frankel, which had 220 students
for the 2015-2016 academic year
and expects about that many next
year, continues to receive dollars
from the Federation-administered
Shiffman Family Tuition Assistance
Fund. In 2015-2016, FJA was given
$297,065.
According to Blumberg, FJA’s
Shiffman allocation for 2016-2017
is $255,307. Schools also get funds
from the Jewish Education Trust, but
Blumberg said those numbers don’t
come in until September.
The only other time a Federation
agency returned funds was “when
Jewish Family Service gave part of
their allocation one year to JVS for
housing assistance and financial coun-
seling when JFS received additional
funds from FEMA for emergency
assistance, and JVS needed more fund-
ing for these urgent-needs programs,”
Blumberg said, referencing the major
flooding in various communities in
August 2014.
This instance seems to be in a dif-
ferent category. JFS returned a partial
allocation because of overfunding;
both years, FJA declined its whole allo-
cations because it says it was covered
by donor contributions.

continued on page 16

