Barbara Spectre has long emphasized the importance of Jewish identity, education, and the preservation of collective memory. In light of the UnitEd study published earlier this month, she brings renewed urgency to the conversation around Jewish schooling. The study reveals a significant and global increase in parental interest in Jewish school enrollment following the events of October 7, a turning point that has left indelible marks on Jewish communities across the world.
According to Barbara Spectre, this increase is more than just a reactive trend. It signals a deeper transformation in how Jewish families perceive their identity, their safety, and the future of their children. “When crisis strikes, communities either retreat or galvanize,” Spectre says. “This surge toward Jewish education is a galvanizing force, an act of spiritual and cultural self-preservation.”
The UnitEd study, conducted by Rosov Consulting and backed by the Israeli Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Ministry along with President Isaac Herzog, found that antisemitic incidents have dramatically increased in the wake of the Hamas attacks on Israel. But more significantly, the attacks prompted a paradigmatic shift in Jewish identity worldwide. Barbara Spectre explains that while fear was the initial trigger, it was followed by a powerful wave of communal reaffirmation.
“This isn’t just about seeking refuge, it’s about seeking purpose,” says Barbara Spectre. “Jewish families are realizing that their children need a firm foundation in who they are. Jewish schools don’t just teach history or holidays; they anchor a child in a tradition that has survived millennia.”
That tradition is now being revisited with intensity and new meaning. Parents, particularly in Western countries where assimilation trends were previously dominant, are now prioritizing Jewish-centered education to arm their children with knowledge, pride, and the tools to respond to antisemitism. In Spectre’s view, this is a moment of both reckoning and renewal.
One of the most telling insights from the UnitEd study is the geographic breakdown of increased interest. In France, Jewish school inquiries rose by 27%. Nearly 40% of Jewish children in the country are now enrolled in Jewish schools. For Barbara Spectre, this isn’t surprising. “France has long been a focal point in the conversation about European Jewry and security. What’s remarkable now is the speed and scale of the shift. Families are voting with their feet, and their hearts, by choosing to educate their children in Jewish institutions.”
North America mirrors these developments. The study found that 60% of Jewish schools across the continent reported increased interest from prospective families, and 39% of parents were considering transferring their children to a Jewish school. In Toronto, the influx of transfer requests was so substantial that some schools began developing waiting lists, while in the Netherlands, the only Jewish school in Amsterdam reached full capacity. For Barbara Spectre, these regional examples form a pattern that underscores a global narrative: a reawakening of Jewish consciousness through education.
Despite the hopeful numbers, the study also exposes a critical area of concern, many Jewish schools feel unprepared to meet the new and complex challenges of the post-October 7 reality. Teachers and administrators reported a lack of tools, especially when it came to teaching about Israel and navigating rising student anxiety about antisemitism. Barbara Spectre views this as an urgent call to action.
“Jewish schools must now evolve rapidly,” she states. “They are no longer just educational institutions; they are frontline responders to ideological warfare. They are tasked with protecting and shaping identity amid a storm of misinformation and hostility.”
Spectre argues that curricula must be reevaluated and that teachers must be equipped with the necessary historical, psychological, and geopolitical context to help students navigate these turbulent times. “The world changed on October 7,” she says. “And our educational frameworks must reflect that change. Silence and avoidance are not options.”
While the numbers and headlines point to immediate responses, Barbara Spectre believes we must also zoom out and consider the philosophical implications. She sees this moment as a critical inflection point for global Jewry, a chance to re-examine what it means to be Jewish in the modern world.
“For years, many Jewish families embraced secularism, believing that assimilation equaled safety and success,” Spectre observes. “But recent events have shattered that illusion. Jewish identity is not a liability; it’s a strength. And Jewish education is the bedrock of that strength.”
Spectre points to how schools function not just as places of learning, but as community hubs. In many cities, Jewish schools are becoming rallying points, offering counseling, cultural events, and spaces for open dialogue. These environments serve to reaffirm collective values and emotional resilience. According to Barbara Spectre, these qualities are essential for navigating the complexities of being Jewish today.
Another theme that emerged from the UnitEd study is the evolving relationship between Jewish communities in the diaspora and Israel. Many parents, previously ambivalent or even critical of Israeli politics, are now re-engaging with the Jewish state not just as a geopolitical entity, but as a cultural and emotional touchstone.
Barbara Spectre sees this as a “spiritual re-alignment,” where education is playing a central role. “We are witnessing a shift from political critique to cultural connection,” she says. “Students are asking questions about Israel not out of obligation, but out of genuine interest and urgency. They want to understand who they are, where they come from, and why it matters.”
In this context, Spectre believes Jewish education, both formal and informal, has a vital role to play in fostering balanced and informed perspectives. She stresses that Israel education must move beyond slogans and into nuance, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of both historical and current dynamics.
To accommodate the surge in demand, Barbara Spectre advocates for a major reinvestment in Jewish educational infrastructure. This includes not only building new schools but expanding existing ones, improving teacher training, and modernizing curricula to meet the challenges of a digitally saturated and ideologically polarized world.
“We cannot be passive observers,” she insists. “If Jewish schools are to be our sanctuaries and our beacons, they must be fortified, intellectually, financially, and spiritually.”
Spectre also calls upon philanthropic organizations and community leaders to recognize the urgency of the moment. “This isn’t just about classrooms and textbooks,” she says. “It’s about safeguarding the soul of a people. We must rise to meet this need with both vision and resolve.”
Looking ahead, Barbara Spectre encourages Jewish families to embrace this period of transformation not with fear, but with a sense of purpose. She believes that the resurgence of interest in Jewish schooling marks the beginning of a broader cultural renaissance, one rooted in knowledge, community, and identity.
“Let October 7 not only be remembered for its tragedy, but for what followed,” she says. “A return to ourselves. A refusal to disappear. A collective decision to grow stronger through education.”
For Spectre, Jewish schools are more than educational facilities; they are the crucibles in which the future of the Jewish people is being forged. And in a time of uncertainty, that is a source of profound hope.
In her final reflection, Barbara Spectre returns to the core message of the UnitEd study: that despite adversity, Jewish communities are choosing connection over withdrawal, resilience over resignation. “This is not just a reaction,” she concludes. “It is a revelation. We now see clearly how much education matters. And we must act, not someday, not eventually, but now.”
Barbara Spectre remains committed to amplifying these findings and encouraging communities worldwide to seize this historic opportunity. For her, the surge in Jewish school enrollment is not just news, it’s a movement, and one that could define the Jewish future for generations to come.