Transforming Lives Through Torah: How Our Jewish Children Is Building Jewish Futures One Student At A Time

More than 1,500 Jewish children have entered yeshivot through the efforts of Our Jewish Children since its founding. This year alone, the organization is helping approximately 370 students receive a Torah education, opening doors that many families once believed were beyond their reach.

That mission was the focus of a recent gathering at Congregation Nachalas Yitzchak in Kew Gardens Hills, where supporters, community members, and families came together to hear from renowned speaker Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser and Our Jewish Children founder Rabbi Avraham Dovid Garber.

Founded by Rabbi Garber and his wife, Susie, Our Jewish Children was established to help Jewish families overcome one of the greatest barriers to yeshivah enrollment: tuition.

Rabbi Garber explained that while many organizations help identify families and connect them with schools, the financial hurdle often remains the final obstacle.

“When a family moves from public school to yeshivah, the first year can be overwhelming,” he said. “Parents who have never paid tuition suddenly face costs they never imagined. Our role is often to provide that final push that helps make the transition possible.”

Drawing on the story of Rus and Naomi, Rabbi Garber spoke about the power of influence and environment. He noted that a child’s surroundings often shape their future as much as formal education itself, underscoring the importance of providing children with a Torah-centered environment in which they can grow.

The evening’s keynote address was delivered by Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser, who described helping a child receive a Torah education as one of the greatest mitzvos a person can perform.

“There is no greater mitzvah than helping another child learn Torah,” Rabbi Goldwasser said. “We have no idea what that child may become.”

He shared the story of a young boy he once encountered sitting alone in a synagogue, immersed in learning. Hours later, Rabbi Goldwasser returned and found the boy still there.

After speaking with him, he learned the heartbreaking truth: due to family circumstances, the child was not enrolled in yeshivah. Instead, he spent his days learning by himself in the synagogue because he longed to be part of a Torah environment.

Rabbi Goldwasser said the experience left a lasting impression on him.

“Who knows how many children are waiting for that opportunity?” he asked. “Who knows how many are dreaming of having a rebbi, a morah, and a chance to grow?”

One of the evening’s most moving moments came when Sara, a Kew Gardens Hills resident whose family benefited from Our Jewish Children, shared her personal journey.

When she first arrived in America, her children attended public school because that was the only educational path she knew. Through the encouragement and assistance of Rabbi and Mrs. Garber, along with the support of generous donors, her children were able to enroll in Jewish schools, including Bais Yaakov, Shevach, YCQ, and Central.

The impact extended far beyond the classroom.

Sara described how her family’s connection to Judaism deepened as her children grew in their Torah education. She became more observant, strengthened her commitment to Shabbos and Jewish life, and watched her family embrace a more Torah-centered path.

Today, her children are raising families of their own, and her grandchildren attend Orthodox schools in New York and Florida.

Looking back on that journey, she thanked the organization’s supporters for making it possible.

“You are not only helping children go to school,” she said. “You are building Jewish generations.”

The evening also highlighted the growing demand for assistance. Rabbi Garber presented research showing that graduates of Jewish day schools consistently demonstrate stronger levels of Jewish engagement, synagogue participation, and connection to Jewish life than those without a formal Jewish education.

That demand continues to grow. Applications for the upcoming school year have already surpassed current enrollment levels. Today, Our Jewish Children assists students attending 83 schools across 15 states and provinces, including large populations in New York and Florida.

Rabbi Goldwasser concluded with a powerful analogy. Just as a Sefer Torah is incomplete if even a single letter is missing, every Jewish child is an indispensable part of klal Yisrael.

“When one child is missing from Torah education,” he explained, “something is missing from all of us.”

As Our Jewish Children prepares for its June 16-17 fundraising campaign, organizers are encouraging community members not only to donate, but to become team leaders and partners in the organization’s expanding efforts.

With applications continuing to rise and more families seeking a path toward Torah education, community leaders say the need has never been greater.

For the hundreds of children already benefiting from the program—and the many more still waiting—the evening served as a reminder that a single opportunity today can help shape a Jewish future for generations to come.