The Board of Jewish Education (BJE) of Toronto, Ontario is the education department of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, and is an administrative body that offers direction to the Greater Toronto Area's Jewish schools.
In 2007 The BJE was replaced by Mercaz, The Centre for Enhancement of Jewish Education.
On April 3, 2009, UJA Federation announced changes in the delivery of educational services, affecting the Mercaz and financial support for Jewish education. It is an approach that will substantially reduce overhead and increase financial support. It is also an initiative that is unrelated to currently poor economic conditions, for which discussions began before the current economic downturn.
The key changes that were announced are:
• Enhancing Financial Support for Jewish Education — UJA Federation will be increasing tuition subsidies by $500,000 over the next year and a half in addition to an extra $2 million in direct assistance for Jewish schools already provided last year, through the Julia & Henry Koschitzky Fund and matching allocations. That will bring the total formal education commitment to nearly $15 million. UJA will also maintain or enhance existing funding for special needs and supplementary education and set aside a substantial sum of money in reserve for Jewish education, depending on campaign revenue.
• Reducing Education Overhead Costs — The Mercaz, UJA Federations education department, will be restructured with a streamlined professional staff, supplemented by other UJA Federation professionals when required. All staff members who will no longer be part of the new Mercaz are being treated generously and sensitively.
• Strengthening Jewish Day Schools — UJA will be strengthening the capacity of affiliated Jewish day schools to provide direct education services, rather than receiving services supplied by the Mercaz. This philosophy, known as capacity building, meets the needs of contemporary, day school administrators and educators, who no longer require a central agency to supply services for them.
• Encouraging Innovative Educational Programs — UJA will work with all affiliated schools to develop a list of required educational services and programs for the community, including current programs, and then determine the best way to provide them. The process will be creative, collaborative, responsible and flexible, with the community's needs taking precedence.
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