By Jeremy Miller, , Seattle
John Rothschild offers a provocative perspective on the financial issues faced by the Jewish Federation (Letters, June 26). He suggests eliminating funding of the Seattle Hebrew Academy, the Chabad Cheder and Northwest Yeshiva High School because of their definition of a Jewish child based upon halachah.
This suggestion sidesteps a central point — one that all Jewish communal institutions must place emphasis on: The survival and vitality of the Jewish people and our traditions from this generation to the next and beyond; l’dor v’dor.
It is a well-documented fact that children raised and schooled in the traditional (Orthodox and Chabad) communities have a significantly higher rate of marrying a Jewish spouse and raising Jewish children and grandchildren. Contrast this with the also well-documented rate of intermarriage and mixed religious parenting and grandparenting in the other Jewish movements.
Given the centrality of Jewish continuity, it makes sense that organizations like the Federation continue to fund, among many worthy organizations, day schools which include the Seattle Hebrew Academy, the Chabad Cheder, and Northwest Yeshiva High School.