Having published several articles related to the affordability of Jewish schools as well as the Free Jewish Education Movement, we know that there are many readers interested in options concerning ever-increasing school fees. While many people would be aware of the internal fee assistance programs run by the individual schools, many may not be aware of the following external program, the Werdiger Family Jewish Education Assistance Grants. Galus Australis: Tell us a bit about the history of the grant scheme?…
It’s that time of year again. Not Chanukah; not Christmas; not New Year; but VCE results time. That time of the year when the Jewish schools are able to quantify their success and be judged among the top schools in the state. Let me declare my specific interest this year. Our oldest child has just completed his VCE, and this has been a very new experience for my wife and me (yeah, and for him too). He didn’t get…
Earlier this week, we published an article by Almoni calling for the abandonment of the private school system. David Werdiger has written a strident reply. We present the two views, side-by-side: Almoni’s view: It is time to reconsider the rationale for not only Jewish schools, but all forms of private schooling in Australia which exist to support particular religious or ethnic boundaries as a guard against ‘assimilation’ or intermarriage. This includes mainstream Protestant, Catholic, Islamic,…