August 7, 2012
Dear Supporters and Friends,
This September, Yeshivat He’Atid will provide Jewish communities nationwide with a groundbreaking new model for high quality, affordable Jewish day school education. We’re re-imagining the Jewish day school classroom of the 21st Century. Opening with 110 students in our first year, Yeshivat He’Atid will save the community an astonishing $600,000 this year alone! When fully built out, Yeshivat He’Atid is estimated to save the community $5 million annually. We have hired a principal, teachers, and staff; ensured our facility is student-ready, and put in place the tools and curriculum to support our blended learning model.
Yeshivat He’Atid benefits the entire community. Since Yeshivat He’Atid came on the scene, several schools have lowered tuition and others increased the hours children spend in school. The schools in our community continue to make efficiency strides, and blended learning is on the rise. We take pride in these accomplishments; our mission has always been to advance the community.
The school’s impact transcends this community. Lay leaders and educators across the country are watching our progress with much enthusiasm. Yeshivat He’Atid’s goal has always been to see its model replicated in other Jewish communities. We are in contact with 10 Yeshivat He’Atid-style Jewish schools that are in the planning phases in places such as L.A., San Antonio, and Boston.
National organizations are taking notice. Yeshivat He’Atid is grateful for early support from The Avi Chai Foundation to hire blended learning experts to develop our educational model. We are thankful to the Orthodox Union for providing seed funding to develop blended learning Judaic studies curricula. Our efforts have also inspired a group of philanthropists to form the Affordable Jewish Education Project, whose mission is to help schools like us grow to a point of sustainability.
We need your support. Launching a new school necessitates significant start-up costs. We salute the many donors who have recognized the importance of this groundbreaking initiative and have generously contributed $1.3 million to date. We now ask the broader community to join our efforts to revolutionize Jewish day school education while also making it affordable. Please help us raise additional funds to continue to build out our blending learning model and help other schools replicate our efforts. Your tax-deductible donation will be matched dollar for dollar, ensuring that the community provides our children with educational excellence that is sustainable.
With gratitude, The Board of Directors, Yeshivat He’Atid
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Your Contribution Will Make A Difference – Every Dollar Counts
Every year, the Jewish community spends $2 billion on Jewish education. Our goal is to enhance Jewish day school education while simultaneously lowering costs.
Checks can be mailed to:
Yeshivat He’Atid
139 South Washington Avenue
Bergenfield, NJ 07621
You may also donate online with a credit card:http://www.yeshivatheatid.org/donate.html
Hoof · 659 weeks ago
Guest · 659 weeks ago
How are they saving the community $600,000 this year? How will they be saving the community $5 million when built out? These numbers don't mean anything? It seems they have actually cost the community $1.3 million in "start up costs" that wouldn't be needed if these 110 students were absorbed into the 5 other schools.
They have fundrasied roughly $12,000 per student . The cost of tuition is ~$8995. They are spending over $20K per student. How is this model more efficient or more sustainable than the other schools? As a new & growing school they will have large start up costs for the next 10 years. These can't be considered separate and really are just regular operating expenses. In 2 years they will need a multi-million dollar building.
It is crazy that schools are already being modelled after a school that has done nothing other than create hype about sustainable education. They have not taught one child or had one budget year to recap. In reality they just seem to be good fundraisers who are having the general community subsidize the cost of their students' education.
CJ Srullowitz · 659 weeks ago
You do raise one good point: that among their other qualities they are "good fundraisers who are having the general community subsidize the cost of their students' education." What's stopping every kvetcher in Bergen County from doing the same. Kars 4 Kids has raised close to $30 million dollars with a silly radio jingle - and many (perhaps most!) of their donors have no clue what they are donating towards.
It's high time, someone (any volunteers) started raising funds at the national level to be distributed among the day schools throughout the US.
Miami Al · 659 weeks ago
Most Day Schools follow the poor Shul on the Lower East Side model... look, we're broke, we can't pay our electric bill, please give us money.
He'atid is trying the high end charity model: look at all the good work we do, look at what good use we put your donation to. Give us money, and we'll make even more good things happen.
We shall see whether it succeeds or fails.
Stunned · 659 weeks ago
When Yavenh says they have cut some line items and successfully raised funds to keep tuition stagnant or decrease it $100, people say, it still costs lots of money, just others are paying for it. Now, He'Atid is doing the same thing. Our cost average is well over 20k a student, but we need more to continue.
If average tuition is $5,000 more than He'Atid in Bergen County, did He'Atid really save the community $550,000? Well, if other schools were able to absorb the 110 children, make educational strides along the way, and the $1.3 million went to Tomchei Shabbos, terror victims in Israel, etc...perhaps we are actually costing the community a lot of money.
How dare they ask for more money now when they have not even opened their door!!!
Yeshiva_Dad 69p · 659 weeks ago
Assuming that their donations would have gone to Tomchei Shabbos or Terror Victims in Israel is as realistic as saying that the money they are saving tuition payers will be given to those charities. And dividing all the start-up costs among the 1st year class to come up with a cost per pupil is BS as well.
The fact is, they are making Yeshiva tuition affordable to middle class Jewish families. That's something to be proud of. Their fundraising strategies are working. People want to donate when they see that it's being put to good use, like tuition reductions, rather than additional expenses that aren't necessary.
Guest · 659 weeks ago
Then they should be upfront about it and not say they cover their costs with tuition alone and tout that their innovative education model allows for 9K tuition.
They haven't shown anyone "good use" . They haven't reduced operating expenses to reduce tuition, they have fundraised better. Who is to judge what additional expenses are "not necessary" and to say that He'Atid won't have any "unnecessary" expenses.
CJ Srullowitz · 659 weeks ago
Miami Al · 659 weeks ago
That is VASTLY different from setting a goal of providing a top notch education without regards to cost but without regards to ability to pay via an elaborate scholarship system.
Now, you don't believe in this mission, that's fine, don't give them a penny.
Personally, running an affordable cutting edge prep schools for families in the top 3% of American income can put 4 kids in private school while saving for retirement and taking vacations isn't high on my list of charitable causes, but I don't begrudge it's existence. People give money to Harvard, museums, performing arts centers, and plenty of other "causes."
I mean, people donate money to the Adrienne Arsht Center, which mostly seems to provide high brow entertainment to the well-to-do, but there are certainly plenty of people that consider it an important charity. I certainly don't scream "how dare they" when I see something about them, even if I occasionally take in a Broadway Across America musical and benefit from those donations.
But "how dare they" rants are being a bit of a drama queen, no?
thatguy · 659 weeks ago
exposed · 659 weeks ago
Are You Serious? · 659 weeks ago
And I've spoken to GD. The goal is to fundraise on an ongoing basis (as ALL the other schools do) so that they can bring tuition down even further!
thatguy · 659 weeks ago
Really?
I haven't gotten mail from the other schools unless I specifically put myself on their mailing list by donating in the past. Occasionally I get an invitation to the dinners when someone in my neighborhood or social circle is being honored, but I don't get cold-mailed solicitations for donations. I don't think I have ever gotten mail from most of the schools, let alone requests for money. Somehow He'atid found me and is asking me (with no kids in the He'atid age group, never having gone to a parlor meeting or made any connection to the school) for money. When BPY started, I don't recall being asked to pay. When Noam started I didn't get mail from them. SAR high school? Nope. But somehow I'm already on He'atid's radar.
CJ Srullowitz · 659 weeks ago
The schools don't do enough fundraising outside of their parent body. Big mistake. There are grandparents, alumni, and wealthy Jews all across the US who would send an $18 check if they got an envelope in the mail.
Guest · 659 weeks ago
Each year they will be adding 3-4 sections minimum, there is expense related to this ( furniture, staff training, curriculum, supplies, consultant fees etc). Will they be fundraising for these "start up costs" each year?
Miami Al · 659 weeks ago
To be honest, assuming you are one one or more lists as "Jewish" it's not hard to get your info. You can buy a database of postal addresses in a Zip code or area that are in an ethnic group.
Clearly, He'atid is much being much more aggressive about reaching donors. Direct Mail pieces like this are usually cost effective, because while they are unlikely to generate large donations, they usually cover their costs, if well written, and help you build a database of donors.
Plenty of people give a small donation when asked, and that gets them on a list for development to focus on cultivating.
Have none of you ever helped an organization you are involved with fundraise? Do neither you nor your wife sit on any non-profit boards? You guys are the cheapest, non-giving, self-serving rich people I've ever met.
CJ Srullowitz · 659 weeks ago
Wait a second · 659 weeks ago
Why would you say "you nor your wife". Are you assuming only males read and post on this blog?
I could understand that some of the $1.3 million is needed for "start up costs", but when someone posts that they spoke to Gershon and he said this is to LOWER tuition even more, it is basically saying tuition costs are not 8 or 10k, it is much higher, but we are just looking for permanently subsidizing said costs by others in the community. So, regardless of your ability to pay, we are attempting to get most of your tuition paid by outsiders.
The OU and others are trying to get "school vouchers" approved by the state legislatures, for at least lower income individuals that choose parochial school. He'Atid is saying, within community, we will set up vouchers for EVERYONE. That is very clearly their model - not lower cost, just subsidized cost. If that is the case, so be it, but I don't want to hear "yeshiva affordability" is our model...rather "subsidized yeshiva" is our model. Blended, technology or 21st century aside, it appears that this is simply a subsidized program.
Stunned - I dont know if $1.3 million would go to Tomchei Shabbat or similar programs had He'Atid not taken said tuition subsidies from the community, but clearly their marketing of lower cost yeshiva model is misleading - it is subsidized yeshiva program.
CJ Srullowitz · 659 weeks ago
BTW, am I the only one here who reads the Wall Street Journal. There was a piece today by Michael Gelernter about internet-based education.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443...
Here's a prediction: In ten years - wait, no, make it five - many if not most yeshivos will follow in he'atid's footsteps vis-a-vis online learning.
CJ Srullowitz · 659 weeks ago
thatguy · 659 weeks ago
You don't know me or my finances or my tzedakkah giving habits. You don't know my experiences or even, it seems, the source of my frustration and the last point is truly shocking because it reflects a simple lack of reading comprehension. The question was not "how did they get my name" or "why would they send mail out to get money" but why would any school claiming a certain measure of fiscal responsibility take a step that other schools (accused of wasting their money) have not taken?
So, no, I don't currently sit on a board. I guess this makes me unable to ask a question about why I am getting solicitations from a school with which I have no affiliation. I know for a fact that they went through the lists and deleted certain people, but apparently, not others and that logic escapes me. Do you have any other assessments of my character and practices which you'd like to level?
Miami Al · 659 weeks ago
I know nothing, but your attitude on here shows a total ignorance of the basics of non-profit fundraising and even the most BASIC of CRM math.
What was the cost of sending you a solicitation? $0.50 - $2.50, depending on materials and postage. The cost of getting you on a list was already sunk when they bought or "borrowed" the list.
5 Minutes on Infousa.com generated 6,569 "leads" matching the following: Bergen County NJ, 30-54, $100k+ income, Married, Single Family home, Jewish
Assuming a once over to remove obvious problems to cull it down to 5,000 leads...
The entire solicitation campaign probably cost less than $10,000.
"How dare they indeed."
If they get a single student from the awareness campaign, or a few $250 donors, this is totally reasonable.
thatguy · 659 weeks ago
And, again, swing and a miss on the actual concern. Even if spending 10 grand on effectively blind fundraising is a reasonable option, the entire idea of blind fundraising which is an exception to the rule in this area seems to be more than just a bit misguided. Though I'm sure you know better because...um...why is that again?
Mark 50p · 659 weeks ago
I saw Yeshivat Heatid thank a parent named Kate Davis for producing the nice brochure. Sounds like those man-hours (actually woman-hours) were donated gladly by this concerned parent.
Miami Al · 659 weeks ago
Really? 90% of that letter looks like it would go to a targeting message, probably an upsell to small donors looking to raise more money.
They have materials for their other fundraising efforts. Adding the shot gun approach to rounding up more donors was an incremental cost.
At any rate, it's there money, they think it will work, you're just on here criticizing and complaining at any effort that is a deviation from the norm.
Upset · 659 weeks ago
That being said, it takes a tremendous amount of chutzpah to do this. My children do not attend this school. I do not appreciate being told that my donation is saving the tuition crisis. It is clear that there is a certain amount that is required to run a private school. Most yeshivas do it via tuition; Heatid wants tuition and the community. Why should I get hit on both ends.
Heatid is not being completely honest with the community. Blended learning keeps costs down bc it eliminates teachers and makes class sizes larger, a fact not being publicized. The jury is out if this approach works in elementary/middle school. And there is NO Torah curriculum for blended learning. The community DOES NOT have a responsibility to support this specific school any more than the legacy schools
Puzzled · 659 weeks ago
But in all seriousness, I think an exaplanation is needed. Are we supposed to understand that this $1.5m is one-time start-up costs? What can those costs possibly be? (That is the cost of a small building, which they have not bought.) Or are the expenses-per-student just as much as the other schools, despite having no special services, no chumash rebbi, and paying teachers a bit less? In which case, what has HeAtid accomplished? As a donor and supporter, that was not my understanding of the goal.
I would like to hear them please explain, as part of their pledged "transparency".
CJ Srullowitz · 659 weeks ago
(PS: I'm not sending my children to He'atid for other reasons)
CJ Srullowitz · 659 weeks ago
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443...
"The Friendly, Neighborhood Internet School" by David Gelernter
Puzzled · 659 weeks ago
thatguy · 659 weeks ago
exposed · 659 weeks ago
reality stinks · 659 weeks ago
1.3 million is enough for all 250k in startup costs and every student getting a full scholarship, ..yet we are still raising money?
Seems to me technology and larger classrooms may be waive of future...but clearly the promise of a selfsustained 9k program was at the very least highly misleading
Guest · 659 weeks ago
BINGO!!! every single thing He'Atid has done so far is misleading. It is benefiting 100 kids but has tainted the rest of the community's view on the other yeshivot and convinced everyone that they are being raped by the schools. Even their graph on tuition vs.educational expense that was in their mailing was completely misleading and directly knocked the area schools.
Now other schools are modelling after them? A marketing & fundraising extravaganza that has no proven educational backing and no educators on the Board.
He'atid is posting ins upport of the new "He'atid style" school in LI. Tiferet Academy. Their slide show is more on point with what this model is. It is completely different than what he'atid is claiming.
Puzzled · 659 weeks ago
Can anyone explain this?
Yeshiva_Dad 69p · 659 weeks ago
reality stinks · 659 weeks ago
Guest · 659 weeks ago
Yeshiva_Dad 69p · 659 weeks ago
-YD
Guest · 659 weeks ago
reality stinks · 659 weeks ago
outraged · 659 weeks ago
Many are wondering what other false representations were made.
Dan Fried · 647 weeks ago