The National Committee for Furtherance of Jewish Education (NCFJE) is celebrating a remarkable milestone: 100 children who attended public school during the 2025–2026 school year have gone on to enroll in yeshiva or Jewish day schools for the 2026–2027 school year.

For many Jewish children, going to public school can sometimes feel isolating. They may be the only Jewish child in their classroom, have difficulty explaining why their family celebrates different holidays, or simply wonder why they are different from their classmates. At a time when antisemitism and anti-Jewish hostility have increasingly entered school environments, that sense of isolation can be even more painful.

Under the leadership of Rabbi Sholem Ber Hecht and the NCFJE’s Executive Committee, the Released Time Program provides a powerful connection. Every Wednesday, Jewish children leave their public school for one hour and enter a Jewish environment where they learn Torah, daven, and experience the joy and pride of being Jewish.

“Released Time gives Jewish children a place where they can be Jewish without feeling different,” said Rabbi Shimon Hecht, a member of the Executive Committee. “That one hour gives a child the confidence, connection, and love for Judaism that can ultimately change the direction of their life.”

Recently, Released Time received a letter from Mrs. Hana, sharing how her children’s experience with the program changed the course of their life.

“My children attended public school in the early 2020’s and initially struggled to understand why our family lived differently,” Mrs. Hana wrote. “After participating in Released Time, my nine-year-old son, Avraham, came home with an unexpected request: ‘Please sign me up, and my sister too, for yeshiva next year.’”

“I will never forget that moment,” Mrs. Hana continued. “I cried for two days, thanking Hashem for Released Time and for answering my prayers.”

She described how Released Time helped her children understand the beauty of Torah, Shabbat, kosher, prayer, and their Jewish identity. Today, Avraham has graduated from elementary school and is moving on to yeshiva high school, while his two sisters continue their Jewish elementary education.

“Thank you for helping our children discover the beauty of being Jewish,” she wrote. “The impact you have made on our family will stay with us forever.”

Over the summer months, Released Time invests its time and resources into helping families make the transition from public school to Jewish education. And, B’ezras Hashem, with the support of many friends, partners, and foundations, 100 children are now calling yeshiva their home.

The success of these transfers demonstrates that Released Time is far more than a weekly Jewish education program. It is a bridge that takes a Jewish child from feeling alone in a public school to finding a Jewish community, a Jewish education, and a lifelong connection to their heritage.

As Released Time celebrates this milestone, it is also gearing up for another incredible year of programming and education, beginning with a teachers’ conference on Labor Day. The conference will welcome the rabbinical teachers from 770 and prepare them for the upcoming school year, ensuring they are equipped and inspired to provide another year of meaningful Jewish education to thousands of children.