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Hidden
Treasure

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ous. The tuition subsidy process is, as it
should be, confidential, but we know that
recipients are friends and neighbors. Still,
the school concluded, with a heavy heart,
that these measures are critical to ensur-
ing the integrity of the tuition assistance
program and to position Farber for the
greatness to which it strives, for the benefit
of the entire school (and indeed the entire
Detroit Jewish community).
We, of course, are diligently working to
raise more money, as every school is, so
that we can further invest in the educa-
tion offerings and student well-being.
One such endeavor is the school’s
annual tuition assistance fundraiser,
Lead the Way, to be held Sunday, Sept.
18. An invitation to the event, received
by mail on Monday, indicated that “for
the 2016-2017 academic year, 55 percent
of Farber families receive tuition assis-
tance, 35 percent of which receive over
80 percent tuition assistance. The total
amount of assistance provided exceeds
$1.2 million.”

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PARENTS RESPOND
Farber officials did not explain why
parents were not informed about their
tuition aid awards until two weeks before
the start of classes, a factor that generat-
ed several complaints from families who
might have made other arrangements if
they had been given more notice.
One parent, who asked to remain
anonymous, described the situation as
“punitive and exclusionary” because
the timing prevented families from
applying to programs in Israel or
elsewhere that may have been more
affordable. For families who live in
less-than-desirable public school dis-
tricts, it is too late to apply for out-of-
district attendance.
“I don’t know if I’d be as upset if
they hadn’t waited so long,” said the
parent, who has two children enrolled
in the school.
While Farber increased the amount
of aid after the parent appealed the deci-
sion, the family’s obligation for two chil-
dren is still double last year’s amount.
Another parent compared Farber
to Frankel Jewish Academy in West

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248.385.0100

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 10am-5:30pm Thursday, 10am-7:30pm
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Bloomfield, where families who
had applied for tuition assistance
were informed of their financial aid
awards last March.
A parent sent the JN a link to the
Farber website, highlighting this por-
tion in the FAQ section: “We do not turn
away any child for financial reasons …”
The website also outlines the confidential
process for obtaining tuition assistance.
“If no one is turned away for financial
reasons, I don’t understand why students
are being forced to leave the school,” the
parent said.
One family considering alterna-
tive schools because of the tuition aid
reduction said her children would
be “heartbroken” if they could not
return to Farber. All of the parents
interviewed spoke highly of the school,
praising its family-like environment,
the excellent curriculum and the
devoted staff members.
At press time, the JN had confirmed
two families whose children were not
returning to Farber because of finances;
another parent said he believes the final
numbers will be higher. Other families
are concerned about next year when the
Gesher grants are no longer available.
“I’d be really sad if I didn’t get to go
anymore,” said a high school student
who has been attending the school since
nursery school.
Another family who received financial
assistance for the upcoming year was
still unsure at press time if their children
would be going back to Farber.
One other parent said, “It [the
tuition assistance award] was very
generous, but I still can’t do it,” adding
they had to use credit cards to pay off
their remaining balance from last year.
“What do we do? Our children don’t
want to leave Akiva.”

*

Farber Hebrew Day School will hold its annual
tuition fundraiser, started in 2010 by ninth-
graders who wanted to help ease the financial
burden for fellow students, at 10:30 a.m. Sunday,
Sept. 18, in a private home. The brunch requires a
minimum gift of $1,000. RSVP at www.farberhds.
org/giving/leadtheway or call Linda Pedder at
(248) 386-1625 Ext. 305.

A LOOK AT TUITIONS

2081500

Tuition at Farber Hebrew Day School in Southfield, where 55 percent of students
receive tuition assistance, is $18,000 for grades 9-12; $15,280 for grades 6-8;
$13,310 for grades 1-5; $11,420 for kindergarten; and nursery school varies from
$3,430 for three half days to $8,560 for five full days; before and after school care
is available for an additional fee.
At Hillel Day School in Farmington Hills, where 559 students from early child-
hood through eighth grade are currently enrolled, tuition ranges from $3,565
for three days in the Early Childhood Center program to $19,070 for grades 1-8.
Approximately 53 percent of Hillel students receive some form of tuition assis-
tance, according to the school.
At Frankel Jewish Academy in West Bloomfield, which has approximately 200
high school students, tuition is $22,456 per year, according to its website. A
multi-year flexible tuition program is in effect there.

14 August 25 • 2016