Beyond Ivy League Dreams: Nurturing Jewish Identity

Harvard Students & Faculty lighting the Menorah before Harvard’s Widener Library

You may have heard the anecdote of three mothers sitting in a park, debating when life truly begins.

The first says, “Life begins at conception.”
The second counters, “No, life begins at birth.”
The Jewish mother shakes her head and says, “You're both wrong—life begins when the child gets their college degree.”

This humorous story encapsulates the worldview of millions of Jewish Americans over the past century. Education—especially at prestigious universities—was regarded as the golden ticket: a gateway to opportunity, success, and societal acceptance.

At the start of the 20th century, the majority of Jewish children in the United States attended public schools, as Jewish immigrants prioritized integration. Jewish education, meanwhile, was often supplementary, provided through afternoon or weekend Hebrew schools.

For a minority community that never constituted more than 2% of the U.S. population and was only a few generations removed from the hardships of the Old World, education—especially at renowned universities—was viewed as the key leading to endless possibilities.

In the early 20th century, surveys showed modest numbers of Jewish students at major American universities: 400 at Cornell, 325 at the University of Pennsylvania, and 160 at Harvard from 1911 to 1913. By 1967, however, Jewish students made up 40% of the student bodies at Penn and Columbia, and 25% at Yale, Harvard, and Cornell.

This newfound acceptance into high society and academia along with the promise of prestigious careers came at a steep price. Alongside the prioritization of secular education and integration into broader American culture, intermarriage and assimilation have risen to unprecedented levels. While intermarriage rates were less than 5% in the early 1900s, they now unfortunately exceed 70% among Jews in the United States.

Jewish philanthropists have historically invested billions of dollars into Ivy League institutions, viewing them as engines of progress and economic prosperity. However, these investments have often had unintended consequences. Over time, many of these elite universities have produced generations of students who are increasingly antagonistic toward the essential values and morals that have contributed to the greatness of both this country and the Jewish people.

Simultaneously, the percentage of Jewish students at elite universities has plummeted. For example, currently, just 9 percent of Harvard's undergraduate enrollment and 12 percent at Yale are Jewish. The relationship between the Jewish community and elite universities has been deteriorating for years, and tensions exploded in the aftermath of the October 2023 massacre in Israel.

More importantly, public schools & universities today often present challenges to Jewish identity. High intermarriage rates, hostility toward Israel, and pressures to assimilate make it increasingly difficult for Jewish students to maintain their heritage.

The time has come for Jewish parents, students, and donors to reconsider their commitments. As Jewish parents, we must ask ourselves: Are we equipping our children to thrive as proud Jews, or are we sending them into environments that challenge their very identity?

For much of the 20th century, elite universities provided two indispensable assets: knowledge and accreditation. A degree from a prestigious school once guaranteed a pathway to success. Yet the rise of the tech industry and alternative education platforms—has upended this model. Major companies like Google, Apple, IBM, and Bank of America no longer require degrees, devaluing traditional accreditation.

We must redirect our resources toward Jewish education and cultivate a deep love for Jewish learning and practice in ourselves and future generations. With the advancements of modern technology, an abundance of Jewish educational resources, classes, and personalized study programs is now readily accessible at our fingertips.

Instead of focusing solely on secular education, it's time to build Jewish educational institutions that reflect Jewish values and ideals—places where our children can excel academically while experiencing the relevance and joy of embracing our own Jewish heritage.

In this week's Torah portion, we learn about Joseph's emotional reunion with his brothers after a series of dramatic events. When Joseph invites his family to resettle in Egypt, Jacob sends Judah ahead to prepare. The verse states: “He sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph, to direct him to Goshen” (Genesis 46:28). 

The Midrash explains the unusual inclusion of the phrase "to direct him" (Hebrew: להורת לפניו), which shares the same root as the word הוראה (to teach). It interprets this as Jacob instructing Judah to establish a Jewish school—an institution from which direction and inspiration would emanate in anticipation of their arrival. 

Jacob understood that without Jewish education, there would be no Jewish future. This timeless lesson underscores the centrality of Jewish education to Jewish continuity.

Throughout history, tyrants and anti-Semites—from Pharaoh to the ancient Greeks during the story of Chanukah, to Communist Russia—sought to ban Jewish education as a means of eradicating the Jewish people. Yet our commitment to Torah study, mitzvot, and Jewish education has ensured our survival.

The Jewish people, one of the oldest nations, have endured diverse and challenging conditions over centuries, scattered worldwide, speaking different languages, and absorbing various cultures. Yet, the constant factor preserving our people through all challenges has been our commitment to our spiritual heritage through Torah study, observance of Mitzvot, and providing a Jewish education to our children.

Our resilience doesn't stem from land, language, culture, race, or genetics; rather, it's our dedication to our Jewish values and teachings. This commitment has enabled us to withstand assaults on the Jewish body and soul by dictators and tyrants throughout history.

Jewish day school attendance has proven to be a critical factor in reducing intermarriage and assimilation. According to a recent Pew Research study, children who attend Jewish day schools are significantly more likely to marry Jews, maintain a strong Jewish identity, and raise Jewish children.

Let us strengthen that commitment today. Spend a few extra minutes each day furthering our own Jewish education and teaching our children the fundamentals of Judaism while instilling within them a love for their heritage. Enroll them in Jewish schools, Hebrew schools, and vibrant home-based learning experiences. The secret to Jewish resilience lies in our dedication to Jewish education—both for ourselves and for future generations.

Together, through investing in Jewish education, we will usher in the golden era of Redemption for all mankind. As Maimonides states:

“In that era, there will be neither famine or war, envy or competition for good will flow in abundance and all the delights will be freely available as dust. The occupation of the entire world will be solely to know G-d.

Therefore, the Jews will be great sages and know the hidden matters, grasping the knowledge of their Creator according to the full extent of human potential, as Isaiah 11:9 states: "The world will be filled with the knowledge of G-d as the waters cover the ocean bed."