This report on Jewish day school alumni on campus shows in numbers just what a difference attending Jewish day school makes in the lives of young Jewish college students. This data provides us with more concrete evidence of what those of us in the field already know: Compared to peers who did not attend Jewish day school, Jewish day school alumni consistently report stronger ties to their Jewish identity, a deeper connection to Israel, and greater participation in Jewish life during their college years. Simply put, these are the building blocks of our Jewish future, and Jewish day school is where these students learn to build. Here’s the data:
- Day school alumni are more than twice as likely (81%) to say Jewish identity is very important to them compared to those who did not attend day school (35%)
- Fifty-six percent of Jewish day school alumni feel “very close” to the Jewish community right now, compared to 19% of Jewish college students who did not attend Jewish day school
- Jewish college students who attended Jewish day school (61%) are four times more likely to feel a strong connection to Israel, compared to those who didn't attend Jewish day school (16%)
- Twice as many Jewish day school alumni engage in Jewish life on campus regularly (53% compared to 23% who didn’t attend day school)
This report, a reanalysis of a large-scale research survey reaching over 2500 Jewish and non-Jewish students, serves as a companion to the anecdotal evidence we have witnessed in the past 18 months as so many campuses have become “ground zero” for virulent antisemitic and anti-Israel campaigns. On diverse campuses, time and again, the positive voices speaking about antisemitism and Israel from a place of wisdom and nuance come from day school alumni.