- What do you hope to accomplish?
- How do you plan to accomplish this?
- Who are you approaching to fund this campaign?
- How much are you expecting us to give?
- Over what time period is the obligation made and paid?
- Are the contributions tax deductible?
- I don't have children in the system - so why should I contribute?
- What schools are being funded with my monthly donations?
- How are the monies to be allocated?
- Shouldn't I be giving my extra charity dollar to my school rather than to a communal fund?
- Can I earmark my contribution to particular schools?
- But what if I don't want my money to go to a specific school that you're funding?
- Will my school be upset with my giving to your fund versus paying more tuition?
- If people give to the Kehillah Jewish Education Fund, will school fund-raising activities be hurt?
- Will I find out how the fund is progressing?
- What other efforts are being made to help the fund reach its goal?
- I already give to the JUF, which supports Jewish education. How is this different?
...and the most fundamental question...
- Why is funding Jewish education so important?
Q: What do you hope to accomplish?
A:
The Kehillah Jewish Education Fund of AFTA aims to make an authentic Jewish education - coupled with an excellent
secular education - available and affordable to all Jewish families in our community. We intend to fully raise one-third of the cost of Jewish
education. This subsidy will facilitate smaller tuition increases for all families, better paid teachers, and better-educated children, as well as
encourage many Jews to choose the Jewish Day School system as a viable alternative to public school and enable schools to offer more
scholoarships for those that simply cannot afford it.
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Q: How do you plan to accomplish this?
A:
We aim to do this by encouraging 100% communal participation in our fund-raising campaign. This will be done through the efforts of your
synagogues, schools, and the rabbinic and lay leadership of Greater Chicagoland. This campaign provides an opportunity for the entire
community to unite as one, just as Jews have done throughout the ages in ancient Israel and in Europe in support of Jewish education for all
our children.
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Q: Who are you approaching to fund this campaign?
A:
We are asking every single Jew living in the metropolitan Chicago area, young and old, single or married, with or without children, observant
or non-observant, synagogue affiliated or not, to participate in this community-wide fund.
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Q: How much are you expecting us to give?
A:
Whatever you can afford. Our goal is to reach $1,000,000 annually by June, 2008. Each person is asked to make an honest reckoning
and to give according to one's financial ability. Right now, we are more interested in 100% participation. We believe that if we do the best we
can do, G-d will join our efforts and the money will follow.
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Q: Over what time period is the obligation made and paid?
A:
Your pledge can be monthly, quarterly, or yearly and may be paid either by:
- An automatic debit from your bank account. (This is the least expensive and most efficient collection method for us.)
- by recurring credit card charge
- by post-dated checks or
- as a lump-sum payment
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Q: Are the contributions tax deductible?
A:
Yes, your contributions are 100% tax deductible.
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Q: I don't have children in the system - so why should I contribute?
A:
You are blessed to be living in a Jewish community that takes care of each other. All the beautiful acts of kindness you witness are a product of
the Jewish values we acquired through the Torah educational system. So supporting that educational system is a reasonable price to pay for both enjoying
our Jewish way of life and assuring that it continues to thrive for years to come. By contributing to the Kehillah Jewish Education Fund
of AFTA you can take pride in knowing that you are playing a vital role in shaping our children's lives, the future of the Jewish People.
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Q: What schools are being funded with my monthly donations?
A:
The elementary schools we're funding are ( in alphabetical order): Akiba-Schechter, Arie Crown, Gesher Hatorah, Hillel Torah North Suburban,
Joan Dachs Bais Yaakov / Tiferes Tzvi, Keshet, Ptach, Seymour Abrams Cheder Lubavitch Girls' and Boys' Schools, and Shearis
Yisroel. These nine schools are under the guidance of the Associated Talmud Torah school system.
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Q: How are the monies to be allocated?
A:
The Kehillah Jewish Education Fund of AFTA disburses the funds collected on a per capita basis every month. For example,
if a school has 250 students, which is 10% of the total elementary day school population of 2500, it receives 10% of the collected funds.
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Q: Shouldn't I be giving my extra charity dollar to my school rather than to a communal fund?
A:
Yes, you should be giving most of your charity budget to the local institutions that most directly affect you. The main idea here is to
show the support of a communal fund. Being a 'member' of the community means that the education of all children is of
paramount importance. Even if you are only able to make a small monthly contribution because of your other obligations, giving on any
level declares the principle of kol yisrael areivim zeh lazeh, that we are all responsible for one another. You show others you care
by participating, and that brings others, who may be of greater means, aboard.
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Q: Can I earmark my contribution to particular schools?
A:
Not right now. The fund is only set up to allocate all donations to all our day schools on a per capita basis as explained
above. But, in the future, it may be possible to earmark your contribution to a specific school.
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Q: But what if I don't want my money to go to a specific school that you're funding?
A:
The Fund is based upon the premise that Jews should fund Jewish education for all Jews, as long as the philosophy taught is halachically based.
There is a crucial communal need for each flavor of school, and we all benefit from the variety. To take away any one of our schools would leave
a gaping hole in our overall system. Neither we, nor our children fit into one "cookie-cutter mold." We come from varied religious
and cultural backgrounds and place our emphasis accordingly. If anything, we need more schools to meet the needs of those Jews
not currently giving their children a much-needed, full-time Jewish education.
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Q: Will my school be upset with my giving to your fund versus paying more tuition?
A:
Absolutely not! Go and ask your school. You will find that they will even encourage you to join as they are already being helped
greatly by this campaign. The smaller contributions of the many families on scholarship inspires other people of more substantial financial
means to join the cause with significant contributions. In the end, both your school and our children win.
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Q: If people give to the Kehillah Jewish Education Fund, will school fund-raising activities be hurt?
A:
No. Though some people may decrease their contributions to other fund raising activities by supporting the Kehillah Jewish Education
Fund of AFTA, it is our expectation that there will difinitely be an overall net gain. The concept of communal giving will prompt many who never
gave to anything before to start giving. Young singles and pre-child married couples will now give to the fund. Senior members whose children have long
ago graduated will now give to the fund. In fact, people will replace the small donations they've been giving with a substantial contribution to the Kehillah Jewish Education Fund of AFTA.
With G-d's help, new and significant funds will be raised.
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Q: Will I find out how the fund is progressing?
A:
Yes. We will advertise periodic reports that will be posted in every shul and this website showing how the community is doing as a whole.
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Q: What other efforts are being made to help the fund reach its goal?
A:
We're trying to attract larger, corporate contributions. We're also approaching lawyers, accountants, and other financial advisors, asking them to counsel
their clients to participate in this vital community effort. Anyone you know and can contact would also make a big difference. We are going to need everyone's help for this to succeed.
Remember, this is a communal effort. And YOU are the community. We all benefit from the fruits of Jewish education
- our children - who are the community of the future.
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Q: I already give to the JUF, which supports Jewish education. How is this different?
A:
The Jewish United Fund is a wonderful organization that supports many varied efforts helping Jews locally, in Israel, and all over the world
and deserves your support. Seven of the nine elementary day schools supported by the Fund received a JUF subsidy of $1.35 million
for the 2005/2006 school year. The schools' operating expenses were approximately $17 million. While we sincerely appreciate the
Federation's help, we need $3 million more to provide scholarship aid to needy families. We also need to be able to increase teacher salaries.
We're losing too many good educators who just can't support their families on current salaries. We must replace both outdated books and other teaching tools. The schools
also need an additional $5 million plus to repair their buildings and expand infrastructure allowing for increased enrollment. The Kehillah Jewish Education
Fund of AFTA is the answer to raising those needed funds. We focus exclusively on Jewish education and will spend all of your donation on it.
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Q: Why is funding Jewish education so important?
A:
A thorough, serious Jewish education is the foundation for a Jew to appreciate one's Jewishness and play his/her vital role in society. A Jewish
education is as basic to one's Jewish identity as a secular education is to success in one's career. We understand that 'the best defense is a good offense'.
And intensive, thorough Jewish education is our offense and is our best defense against long-term assimilation and the destruction of the Jewish identity.
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