dear minyan gal charter schools are an abject failure and a plus for assimilation BTW I am very involved in Kiruv and of all people Rabbi Eric Yoffie of reform Judiasm agreed with me a small quote
” For some charter school enthusiasts, these difficulties may be acknowledged, but the argument is made that the Hebrew language is in any case the key element of Jewish instruction and is sufficient to create a lasting Jewish identity. As a lifelong lover, speaker and champion of Hebrew, I cannot agree. Hebrew alone cannot sustain Jewish life, and the power of Hebrew comes as much from unlocking the treasures of the Jewish religious tradition as it does from creating ties to Jewish culture and the Jewish state. One need only look at the experience of the more than half a million emigrants from Israel in America. Those who do not make religious connections and who hope to maintain their Judaism solely through Hebrew language are the first to assimilate.
The high costs of day school are a legitimate concern, but we should not give up on day schools and surely we must support those day schools that we have. If philanthropists and communal leaders are interested in finding additional vehicles to assure our Jewish future, I recommend turning to projects with a proven record of success. For example, we could undertake as a community to provide every Jewish child with two years of Jewish nursery school and two summers of Jewish camping. Reasonably priced and freed from the constraints of public financing, these educational experiences can do what charter schools cannot: they can deepen Jewish identity, strengthen Jewish peoplehood and produce proud, affirming, committed Jewish children.”
Rabbi Eric Yoffie is president of the Union for Reform Judaism.