Yes - most of the yeshivah day schools are church-exempt organizations that do not file 990s. While I don't know whether that would total more than Israel-giving - it certainly changes the numbers drastically - as yeshivah day schools are the largest group of Jewish day schools in the country.

Wow, I am truly shocked at the responses here. I am an ardent follower of education reform and jewish day school affordability efforts, and these sound like the shoot-from-the-gut responses of those who are ill-informed and totally politically motivated.

First, I recommend you all take a couple hours to watch "Waiting for Superman"- by the filmmakers of "An Inconvenient Truth" about educational reform in the public school systems throughout the US. Regarding the comment from Canada- different system entirely.

Now that you are all sitting on your political high horses, I would like you to ask yourselves how fair it is to subject low-income families or religious families who do not want their children in the public schools they're districted in because - it's politically expedient and democratic. I believe part of the sentiment we all share is truly that we all want an excellent education for all kids growing up in our great country. Now, if you're districted to a drop out factory, or your lifestyle is incompatible with the culture of a public school, why is it not to the benefit and responsibility of the citizens of our country to still be directing a portion of the money you pay to better and sustain this country to the secular education of your child? These parochial schools actually educate students with a better graduation rate than their public counterparts. And a better acceptance to college rate.

The gov't can't give money to the religious schools directly, but they can and should be giving it to the parents of students whose needs are not met by their public schools to be used to attend schools that do. The opposite would be: the gov't controls where you go to school unless you're wealthy enough to opt out. Well, that sounds a little elitist now doesn't it? The poor folks don't get a choice? Is that what you're recommending? They're stuck in the system with no out. And you're aiding and abetting that.

I hope your political high horse raises you above feeling lousy about that. It wouldn't for me. Cuz those are people with dreams for their kids and you're shooting them down as an amorphous political position thinking you're helping them, when they just wished you'd shut up and let them take less than the state pays for their kids' failing public education and send them to a successful, inexpensive Catholic school. Charter schools? There aren't enough seats for all the families trying to get their kids out of their districted public schools.

Please get your heads out of the clouds and try to help more than your agenda - try to help the kids.

Wow, I am truly shocked at the responses here. I am an ardent follower of education reform and jewish day school affordability efforts, and these sound like the shoot-from-the-gut responses of those who are ill-informed and totally politically motivated.

First, I recommend you all take a couple hours to watch "Waiting for Superman"- by the filmmakers of "An Inconvenient Truth" about educational reform in the public school systems throughout the US. Regarding the comment from Canada- different system entirely.

Now that you are all sitting on your political high horses, I would like you to ask yourselves how fair it is to subject low-income families or religious families who do not want their children in the public schools they're districted in because - it's politically expedient and democratic. I believe part of the sentiment we all share is truly that we all want an excellent education for all kids growing up in our great country. Now, if you're districted to a drop out factory, or your lifestyle is incompatible with the culture of a public school, why is it not to the benefit and responsibility of the citizens of our country to still be directing a portion of the money you pay to better and sustain this country to the secular education of your child? These parochial schools actually educate students with a better graduation rate than their public counterparts. And a better acceptance to college rate.

The gov't can't give money to the religious schools directly, but they can and should be giving it to the parents of students whose needs are not met by their public schools to be used to attend schools that do. The opposite would be: the gov't controls where you go to school unless you're wealthy enough to opt out. Well, that sounds a little elitist now doesn't it? The poor folks don't get a choice? Is that what you're recommending? They're stuck in the system with no out. And you're aiding and abetting that.

I hope your political high horse raises you above feeling lousy about that. It wouldn't for me. Cuz those are people with dreams for their kids and you're shooting them down as an amorphous political position thinking you're helping them, when they just wished you'd shut up and let them take less than the state pays for their kids' failing public education and send them to a successful, inexpensive Catholic school. Charter schools? There aren't enough seats for all the families trying to get their kids out of their districted public schools.

Please get your heads out of the clouds and try to help more than your agenda - try to help the kids.