Eight U.S. Synagogues will Open Jewish After-School Programs in Fall 2025
Mazel tov, Jewish After School Accelerator Cohort Three!
Eight U.S. synagogues will open Jewish after-school programs in the fall of 2025 as part of the Jewish After School Accelerator's (JASA) third cohort.
Synagogues selected for JASA cohort three include:
Adat Ari El in Los Angeles, CA
Congregation B'nai Emunah in Tulsa, OK
Congregation Beth Elin South Orange, NJ
Temple Shalom in Newton, MA
Congregation Beth Shalom in Northbrook, IL
Beth Shir Shalom in Los Angeles, CA
Congregation Har Hashem in Boulder, CO
Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia, PA
After-school programs include transportation from school and are open to the entire community.
Participants Receive Coaching, Collateral, Curriculum & Capital
Beginning in February 2025, each of these eight synagogues will receive expert guidance and collaborate with one another to recruit, train, and retain staff; structure transportation plans; customize JASA’s Jewish and Hebrew curriculum; and market their after-school program to families. They will receive matching grants of up to $100,000 over three years to offset start-up costs.
The selected synagogues competed with dozens of organizations for the coveted spots. Finalists convened in Atlanta in October 2024 and departed the information-packed gathering with specific tasks to demonstrate Jewish after-school viability in their community. Organizations that secured board approval, demonstrated local interest, obtained initial funding, confirmed licensure, and developed a program staffing plan by December 2024, were selected to participate in cohort three.
Jewish After-School Programs Go National Through JASA Program
As of February 2025, 18 U.S. synagogues are operating or preparing to operate Jewish after-school programs thanks to the JASA program.
Cohort three participants join 10 synagogues from cohorts one and two, which opened Jewish weekday afternoon programs in fall 2023 and fall 2024, respectively. This brings the grand total to 18 synagogues operating and preparing to operate Jewish after-school programs thanks to the JASA program. To date, the 10 JASA after-school programs currently running are serving 293 students and employing 35 staff.
JASA cohort one: Jewish after-school programs began in fall 2024
Temple Sinai of North Dade in Miami, FL
Temple B'nai Abraham in Livingston, NJ
JASA cohort two: Jewish after-school programs began in fall 2025
Congregation Anshai Torah in Plano, TX
Hamakom in Woodland Hills, CA
Temple Beth Sholom in San Leandro, CA
Temple Judea in Coral Gables, FL
Temple Kol Ami Emanu-El in Plantation, FL
Temple Ohabei Shalom in Brookline, MA
Temple Shalom in Naples, FL
Temple Sinai in Oakland, CA
About the Jewish After School Accelerator Program
Started in 2023 with a seed grant from The Marcus Foundation and early support from The Zalik Foundation, JKG’s Jewish After School Accelerator provides Jewish organizations across North America with tools, guidance, curriculum, and financial support to launch their own Jewish after-school programs for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. The program is grounded in the belief that infusing Jewish content into after-school childcare, an essential service families with young children already rely on, makes it easy for modern families to prioritize Jewish education.
Since its inception, more than 75 synagogues, community centers, day schools, and federations from 45 U.S. cities have applied to participate!
The reason? Modern family life is busy, Jewish families are more diverse than ever, and participation in traditional Jewish supplementary education during the school year continues to decrease. Add rising antisemitism to the mix, and it's more critical than ever for Jewish organizations to pursue convenient, flexible, welcoming, and accessible approaches to youth education that deliver the Jewish connection families want without adding stress to their already full schedules.
North American Jewish organizations: Apply now for future JASA cohorts
Jewish organizations interested in bringing Jewish after school to their communities should complete the JASA application here.
Funders: Make Jewish education accessible to modern families
The Jewish After School Accelerator requires additional philanthropic partners to bring Jewish after-school programs to communities across North America. Watch this video to see JASA in action and learn more about funding opportunities.
Research: Understand the case for Jewish after school
Jewish after school combines the essential weekday afternoon childcare modern families need with the Jewish learning and friendship families want. Read more.
