We are writing to update you—our community—about an exceptional announcement that was made at the TanenbaumCHAT graduation ceremony yesterday. 

Jewish education is a crucial foundation upon which Jewish life is built. It shapes identity, deepens belonging, and prepares the next generation to lead.  Now, a monumental new investment will help many more Jewish students across Toronto access the power of Jewish learning. 

Through a transformational $25 million donation, Kaelen Sherman has established the Honey and Barry Sherman Jewish Education Fund, in honour of her parents’ extraordinary legacy. This landmark gift is the largest ever made to TanenbaumCHAT. 

Facilitated by UJA and housed within the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto, the Fund will be dedicated to sustaining and expanding tuition assistance at TanenbaumCHAT, Toronto’s community high school, in perpetuity. This is a gift that will have a far-reaching impact for our community, and we are deeply grateful to Kaelen for this pivotal investment in Jewish youth today and for decades to come.  

This initiative is a fitting tribute to Honey and Barry’s legacy. As community leaders who grew up in modest homes, Honey and Barry always approached their leadership with the belief that everyone who wants to be a part of the community should be welcomed in, without facing financial barriers. The strong and vibrant community we are today is thanks in no small part to their visionary philanthropy, a legacy that will continue through Kaelen’s landmark investment in Jewish high school education.  

This comes at a time of incredible promise for our Toronto Jewish community. While the past few years have tested our collective resilience, they have also revealed a wave of Jewish pride, engagement, and a growing desire to participate in community. It’s clear that Jewish education is at the core of our community’s strength—and it is essential that we open the doors of Jewish learning to every family who wants it. 

The skyrocketing day school enrolment we have seen builds on years of growing momentum, the result of increased tuition assistance from UJA and the continued excellence of our partner schools. TanenbaumCHAT has been at the very centre of this success story, pioneering affordability measures that have catalyzed growth across our day school system. Today, nearly 1,500 students are enrolled at TanenbaumCHAT—an extraordinary number that represents almost one-third of the total enrolment across all Jewish high schools in North America. 

By opening more doors to Jewish learning, this investment will help strengthen this essential foundation of our community. It will empower more students to build strong Jewish identities, deepen their connection to community, and become the next generation of leaders who will shape Jewish Toronto for years to come. 

Sincerely,