The JFN Jewish Day School Affinity Group brings together funders committed to ensuring Jewish continuity and identity and strengthening Jewish community by elevating Jewish day schools as essential, high-impact institutions for Jewish life. Through shared learning, strategic alignment, and selective collaboration, the group seeks to elevate the field, improve educational quality and sustainability, and catalyze investments that no single funder could achieve alone.

The Affinity Group seeks to:

1. Build a trusted community of funders engaged in open learning and candid exchange.
2. Develop a shared understanding of the day school landscape, including challenges, opportunities, and funding flows.
3. Identify areas where collaboration adds value, rather than duplicating existing investments.
4. Move from learning to alignment to coordinated action, where appropriate.
5. Create tangible outputs and collaboration opportunities that can inform funder strategy.

Funders will engage around five system-level areas shaping day school vitality:

1. Affordability & Sustainability
   Tuition pressures, communal funding models, tax credits, hidden costs, and long-term financial sustainability.
2. Enrollment & Pipeline Development
   Strengthening the ecosystem from early childhood through high school and improving family engagement and retention.
3. Educational Excellence & Innovation
   Defining and supporting excellence in academics, Jewish education, and future-ready learning environments.
4. Teacher & Leadership Pipeline
   Recruitment, retention, professional development, and leadership sustainability.
5. Policy & Systems Levers
   Advocacy, tax credits, vouchers, and infrastructure solutions that influence the field at scale.

This group is open to both JFN members and non-members. Anyone interested in learning more about the Jewish Day School Affinity Group or exploring ways to get involved is invited to contact Amy Schlussel.