More than half (52%) of diaspora Jewish schools funded by the Yael Foundation registered increased student enrollment over the past year, according to an analysis published on Wednesday by the philanthropic fund.

The data were collected from 48 countries across a global network of 145 educational institutions.

“The story of Jewish education today is far more hopeful than many people realize,” said Chaya Yosovich, CEO of the Yael Foundation, an initiative that promotes Jewish education and was founded by Cyprus-based Uri and Yael Poliavich.

“We are witnessing something remarkable. Across dozens of countries, parents are making a conscious decision to invest more deeply in their children’s Jewish identity through education. That tells us Jewish education has become a source of confidence, resilience and continuity,” added Yosovich.

The analysis further found that 26% of its Jewish education centers have retained the same number of students.

In addition, grants were expanded from 110 to 147 in the past year; the total investment has risen from €7,136,361 ($8,184,514) to €9,571,972 ($10,977,855); the Yael Summer Camp registered an increase from 400 to 600 participants, drawn from 23 countries; and several schools participating in the foundation’s initiative received teacher salary increases this year, according to the foundation.

Data showing growth was collected from countries such as France, Germany and Brazil, as well as Estonia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Norway and Portugal.

Furthermore, over half of the schools that could be considered to be in survival mode are nevertheless maintaining or increasing enrollment, including several inside war-torn Ukraine, the organization said.

“Antisemitism has become one of the defining forces shaping Jewish education globally,” according to the foundation.

“While some schools reported that security concerns discouraged families from visibly Jewish institutions, many others described exactly the opposite effect, with parents increasingly viewing Jewish schools as places that provide identity, belonging, security and community during uncertain times,” the statement continued.

Foundation COO Naomi Kovitz was cited in the statement as saying, “Education has always been the engine of Jewish continuity. The encouraging message from these findings is that Jewish families understand this. The challenge now is to move beyond preservation to expansion, innovation, and ensuring every family that wants a Jewish education for their children can access one. Our responsibility is to ensure these schools have the resources, teachers and capacity to meet growing demand.”

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