We hope you and your loved ones are healthy and well.

Today, we are excited to announce the launch of UJA's new Generations Trust Scholarship, which will make Jewish day school more affordable for many families in our community.

We believe passionately that every community member who seeks to grow in their Jewish knowledge should have the opportunity to do so. Research confirms the power of a day school education to build future Jewish leaders – and ultimately to create a community defined by high levels of Jewish identity and connections to Israel. Our entire community is stronger when children benefit from Jewish learning.

Unfortunately, affordability can be a significant barrier to Jewish education, especially given the high cost of living in the GTA. The Generations Trust Scholarship will lower this barrier for many families and strengthen the sustainability of our community’s day schools.

While there’s much to say about this initiative, here are three things you need to know:

1. The Scholarship will help many families that do not currently qualify for tuition relief. UJA’s regular tuition assistance program continues to support many students. However, a growing number of families who were not previously eligible for tuition relief still struggle to afford day school. A 17-year decline in enrolment was only reversed this year thanks to the great work of day schools and UJA’s emergency scholarships in response to the pandemic. Generations Trust builds on this momentum.
   
   Through a very simple application, the new Scholarship caps the cost of tuition for qualifying families with up to three children enrolled in JK to grade 8. This is not a pilot program. It has been created for the long-term, beginning in the 2021-22 school year at nine UJA-funded day schools.
   
   It only takes minutes to estimate how much this program would lower tuition for your family, which is determined based on household income. Click here to use our quick, anonymous Scholarship calculator.
    
2. UJA is able to launch this program thanks to an endowment created by generous philanthropic leaders in our community. We are immensely grateful for this visionary investment, entrusted with the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto.
   
   At the same time, our top priority – in light of the pandemic – remains caring for the Jewish vulnerable and ensuring a strong community recovery. The fact that we can continue meeting the urgent challenge of the pandemic while addressing the long-term issue of day school affordability speaks to the incredible generosity of our donors.
    
3. Generations Trust is just the beginning. We’re starting with day school tuition relief because data reveals that this is where the affordability crisis is most severe. In the coming months and years, UJA will be working to ensure financial relief for a range of Jewish experiences, such as non-profit Jewish summer camp and Israel programs.
   
   While there’s much more to do to make Jewish life more affordable in the GTA, this is an exciting milestone for our community. We invite you to help us spread the word. If you or someone you know is considering Jewish day school but faces a financial challenge, we encourage you to explore a Generations Trust Scholarship.
   
   Thank you – and please don’t hesitate to be in touch at any time.

   Warm regards and Chag Pesach Sameach,

   Linda Frum
   ​Chair of the Board
   UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
   
   Adam Minsky
   President & CEO
   UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
   
   Daniel Held
   Executive Director
   UJA’s Julia and Henry Koschitzky Centre for Jewish Education