TORONTO — Inspired by Henry and Julia Koschitzky’s recent commitment to provide $1 million a year for at least four years to help a dozen Jewish elementary schools that provide tuition subsidies, Toronto philanthropist Gabi Weisfeld, left, has donated $500,000 to assist with subsidies at Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto.
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto is matching the Koschitzky funds, and Weisfeld’s gift will provide part of the matching grant for the portion of the Koschitzky donation that goes to Associated, based on the amount of tuition subsidies the school provides. Weisfeld’s gift will be used over a three-year period retroactive to the current school year.
The Koschitzky gift and federation’s matching grant can be used by each school at its discretion, according to federation spokesperson Howard English. However, he noted in an e-mail to The CJN, “the intent is two-fold – to ease the financial burden borne by Jewish day schools and to assist with tuition subsidies.”
Weisfeld – who was born in Germany, grew up in Palestine and fought in Israel’s War of Independence – said in a phone interview that “the seeds” for her gift had been there all the time.
A retired Hebrew teacher who worked at United Synagogue Day School and Beth Tzedec Congregational School, she became involved on the board of Associated after her retirement. Her late husband, Louis, who died in 1996, was instrumental in Associated’s development.
“It was always at the heart of all his philanthropy. To him, Jewish education was a very important thing,” said Weisfeld, whose first husband died in 1967.
Mark Smiley, educational director of Associated, said the school has almost 570 students whose tuition is subsidized, the largest number among Toronto Jewish schools. “We are delighted by the gift,” he said.
This type of funding helps “make day schools accessible,” he added. Both Smiley and Weisfeld expressed the hope that all Jewish day schools in the community would have the same opportunity.
Weisfeld, who has four grandchildren in the day school system, said she hopes her gift will give more children “the opportunity to have a Jewish education, and an all-round education. Jewish education is not just learning to read and write Hebrew. It has values, and outlooks, that make you a better person, period.”
Just looking at the school’s budget has had an impact on her, she said. “It makes you feel… if you’re blessed, you have to share your blessings.
“I hope other people will follow suit.”
