These schools have long been a safe haven for non-Christian families. A Hindu mom told me, “I went to a Christian-ish school in India. My mother and grandmother went to Catholic schools. We all remain scrupulously observant Hindus.”

One key appeal is that Catholic and Christian schools are not as expensive as NYC’s independent schools – costing in the area of $20,000 a year versus $65,000 – and offer merit scholarships on top of that. They are also more traditional in their approach to education.

“The ethos of the Jesuit schools is AMDG – men for others, go out and set the world on fire,” Manhattan mom Janie Hwang shared. “As a Buddhist, this sounded hokey, but the school community weaves this philosophy through its curriculum, sports programs and service missions. This creates a strong identity, a sense of community, and a straightforward curriculum.”

Jewish parents, however, have been historically reluctant to send their children to Christian or Catholic schools. Even when public school academics were substandard, even when private school price tags were steep, they’d still try to wrangle an education without resorting to non-Jewish, faith-based schools.

More about why that’s changing at: https://www.families4newyork.com/p/why-nyc-jewish-families-are-choosing