I hope other philanthropic families follow suit. I admire Chagit's enthusiasm for understanding the importance of Jewish identity. Jewish day schools do amazing work, but affordability is a major issue for most families, including the middle class. Hopefully, their work sparks interest in supporting these institutions. Catholic schools have always been more affordable. The time is now to make Jewish Day schools more affordable. Our future depends on it.
Orthodox Jewish Billionaire Lev Leviev’s family just announced a massive new $50 million initiative for Jewish education.
Chagit Leviev Sofiev announced that the Leviev Foundation will invest $50 million over the next five years to provide scholarships and educational grants for Jewish children from underserved and immigrant communities.
“Jewish identity should never be a luxury,” she said, recalling how a young Jewish boy once told her: “Don’t worry, no one in my school knows I’m Jewish.”
Her family’s story makes this mission even more powerful.
Her great-grandfather, Zevulun Leviev, was exiled to Siberia for teaching Jewish children aleph bet in the Soviet Union. Her grandfather secretly served as the region’s only mohel. And her father, Lev Leviev, went on to build more than 150 Jewish schools and institutions across the former Soviet Union and beyond.
Lev Leviev would always say:
“The real diamonds are Jewish children.”
An incredible investment in the future of the Jewish people.