It’s expensive to teach our kids. And vastly more expensive not to.

For the Jewish community in Chicago, and worldwide, Jewish day schools have been critical to conveying Torah and our traditions, beliefs, and values to the next generation, and generations beyond them. And they are essential to developing our future leaders.

Over the past decade alone, JUF has provided more than $50 million to Chicago-area Jewish day schools that span the denominations. This year’s allocation totaled nearly $3.2 million to 15 schools, with another $1.5 million coming from the Jewish Day School Guaranty Trust Fund, a Jewish Federation endowment that has distributed nearly $19 million since it was created.

Beyond those dollars, JUF has nurtured relationships within and among the schools; provided resources that have significantly improved teacher training; streamlined administrative operations; created resources for students needing specialized services; offered training and facilitated grant requests to upgrade security; and administered some $80 million in loan guarantees that made new school buildings and classrooms possible, while reducing the cost of financing them.

“Day schools are vital to the continuity of our people and the Jewish community,” said JUF President Steven B. Nasatir. “And the unique partnerships we have here in Chicago, between JUF and the schools, and among our incredibly diverse schools themselves, has given us the precious opportunity to strengthen our schools, our community and, most importantly, the future of our children.”

Joel Schatz is the director of News and Information for the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago.