Ravsak

What started as a peer group for a dozen heads of day
schools is now a burgeoning network of more than 112 post- denominational schools, representing 35,000 students across the United States, Canada and Mexico. RAVSAK produces a quarterly newsletter about trends in day schools, hosts an annual conference, provides consulting services to its members, and links schools so that one does not have to reinvent the wheel when another has recently tackled a particular organizational challenge. 

In an era when more and more people define their Jewish identities by their behaviors and not by a collective identity, RAVSAK is also unique in that it is necessarily post- denominational, although some Reform and Conservative day schools seek out RAVSAK for the exemplary services it offers. 

RAVSAK represents “innovation on a traditional model.” It is worth watching even for non-day school funders because RAVSAK claims that 70% of the children in its schools are from families with no other ties to the Jewish community. If that is the case, day schools have a unique opportunity not only to teach the children but also to engage the parents.