Israel launches $55 million plan to strengthen Jewish identity worldwide

The Israeli government has approved a NIS 200 million ($55 million) national initiative to dramatically expand Jewish education in Diaspora communities, calling it a strategic response to rising antisemitism and growing assimilation following the October 7 Hamas massacre.

The plan will focus primarily on North America, where roughly 1.8 million Jewish school-age children live but only a small percentage attend Jewish schools. The funding will help reduce tuition costs, expand access to Jewish education, support students with special needs, improve educational quality, and develop new digital learning platforms.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said antisemites seek not only to harm Jews but also to erase “our heritage, our culture, and our identity,” while Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli called Jewish education “the strongest antidote to antisemitism and assimilation.” The initiative will be carried out in partnership with the Jewish Federations of North America.