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Who are we losing in Jewish day schools?
Confirmed
In Short: Mitchell Daar, head of Perelman Jewish Day School, announced he will leave in June 2026 for a role he considers irreplaceable.
Mitchell Daar, head of Perelman Jewish Day School since the 2022–23 school year, announced earlier this month that he will be leaving the school at the end of June 2026 for what he called the “one job on the planet that [he] would leave [Perelman] for.”
While the Perelman community is sad to be losing its headmaster, the school and Daar are working together to ensure that the transition will be as smooth as possible.
Daar expressed his commitment to the school, stating, “I’m not leaving for 15 months. [Thinking about] what I’m going to miss about Philadelphia — I’m not even there yet.”
Daar emphasized his role in preparing the school for the future, saying, “I know the board is going to be incredibly well positioned to find a great next leader of our school. And I want to ensure that they have a proper runway to do that. Fifteen months is certainly a lot of time to be able to find the next head of school here.”
Daar also pledged to support the recruitment process, stating, “I said I would be chief recruiter and cheerleader, and I will certainly tell anyone that is interested in the role what an amazing place this is.”
Under Daar’s leadership, Perelman Jewish Day School has seen significant achievements, including increased enrollment, the establishment of the Geographic Scholarship Program, and the launch of a robust after-school program. The school also built the Horowitz Family Center for Innovation & Imagination, a space where students can explore and push boundaries.
Daar highlighted the school’s mission, saying, “Bringing a community through the tragedies of Oct. 7, I think everyone that was a part of our school felt really at home in our community.”
Amidst these achievements, Israel’s Diaspora ministry is planning to invest about $40 million into training educators at Jewish schools in the United States and Canada, citing a major crisis in Jewish education.
Israel’s minister of Diaspora affairs, Amichai Chikli, announced the initiative, called “Aleph Bet,” aimed at increasing enrollment in Jewish day schools and training teachers and principals.
Despite the initiative, details on how the funds will be allocated and when they will be available to North American Jewish schools remain unclear.
North American Jewish schools have received varying levels of Israeli government support for years, and staff members of day schools are optimistic about the additional funding.
The Perelman Jewish Day School community remains grateful for Daar’s stewardship, and he remains excited about the school’s future plans.
What this adds
The initiative by Israel’s Diaspora ministry to invest in Jewish education is a response to concerns about declining enrollment and the need for better-trained educators.
What's confirmed
- While the Perelman community is sad to be losing its headmaster, the school and Daar are working together to ensure that the transition will be as smooth as possible.
- Under Daar’s leadership, Perelman Jewish Day School has seen significant achievements, including increased enrollment, the establishment of the Geographic Scholarship Program, and the launch of a robust after-school program. The school also built the Horowitz Family Center for Innovation & Imagination, a space where students can explore and push boundaries.
- Amidst these achievements, Israel’s Diaspora ministry is planning to invest about $40 million into training educators at Jewish schools in the United States and Canada, citing a major crisis in Jewish education.
- Israel’s minister of Diaspora affairs, Amichai Chikli, announced the initiative, called “Aleph Bet,” aimed at increasing enrollment in Jewish day schools and training teachers and principals.
- Despite the initiative, details on how the funds will be allocated and when they will be available to North American Jewish schools remain unclear.
- North American Jewish schools have received varying levels of Israeli government support for years, and staff members of day schools are optimistic about the additional funding.
- The Perelman Jewish Day School community remains grateful for Daar’s stewardship, and he remains excited about the school’s future plans.
What's still developing
- “It’s been an incredible gift to those families and those students and enabled some people to be here that otherwise wouldn’t have,” he said.
- “There’s quite a lot of chatter. People are excited by the fact that the State of Israel really sees the importance of Diaspora education, and is recognizing that the strength of the Diaspora is integral to [a] strong Israel and strong relationships,” Bernstein said.
- He has said repeatedly that children who do not attend Jewish day schools are at risk of being lost to the Jewish people.
- “Jewish education in private schools is very expensive, and at times out of range for the average family,” he told Hamodia, a haredi publication, in April.
- But the pandemic saw Conservative, Reform and nondenominational day schools grow as well, according to a survey by Prizmah, following more than a decade of decline.
- The survey found that schools have maintained those enrollment gains even as the pandemic has ended.
- “The biggest problem Jewish people in the Diaspora face today is Jewish education and lack of a high level of teachers for Judaic studies,” Eitan Chikli said in January.
- “Irrespective of all that’s going on in the world, that is a very positive and important long-term development.” Chikli, whose father is a Jewish educator in Mexico, had previously indicated that he sees Jewish day schools abroad as an important destination for Israeli aid.