Introduction to Denver Jewish Day School’s Enrollment Surge

Denver Jewish Day School’s principal never thought he would spend so much time looking at school furniture catalogs. Jeremy Golubcow-Teglasi needed to turn a former workspace into a classroom for a middle school math class and occasional Hebrew classes. Between this and needing to increase the capacity in a few other rooms, he was in the market for new desks, chairs, and tables to serve the 37 new students who have joined DJDS over the past two years.

Causes of the Enrollment Surge

Enrollment in DJDS’ upper division, which is middle and high school, is 19% higher than it was two years ago. “Space has suddenly become a real constraint,” said Golubcow-Teglasi, who leads the upper school. “When you put 70 more people in a building that normally houses 120, you have to get creative about space.” Currently, the upper division has 189 students, an all-time high. He and others describe the growth as a reflection of the rise in antisemitism and increase in Jewish identity following the war in Israel, causing many families to seek a larger Jewish community for their children.

Nationwide Trend

As a result, enrollment in Jewish schools like DJDS has increased since Oct. 7, following a similar nationwide trend. Now Jewish schools across the country are having to suddenly adapt to surges in enrollment, causing schools like DJDS—where this reporter has been a student for the past 12 years—to hire more teachers, buy more furniture, and adapt their class offerings. Across the country, more than half of surveyed U.S. schools have seen an increase in students or families considering enrollment since Oct. 7, according to Prizmah, a network of Jewish day schools and yeshivas.

Statistics on Enrollment Increase

Additionally, 60% of the 72 schools it surveyed last school year, “identified new students who enrolled in Jewish day schools this school year as a result of the change in climate post Oct. 7,” according to a “Trends Update” released in February. Donna Klein Jewish Academy in Boca Raton saw an increase of 177 students the year following Oct. 7. Of those students, 35 families said they made the switch due to antisemitism or anti-Zionism. Similar to Donna Klein, 80% of families joined DJDS since the 2023-24 school year, citing Jewish Identity & Environment as influencing their decision to transfer.

Student Experiences

Few families cited antisemitism explicitly as a factor for transferring to DJDS, according to Golubcow-Teglasi, who said it was sometimes mentioned as a factor, but he was never entirely sold that Oct. 7 alone is driving DJDS’s enrollment growth. “But I think it’s a reasonable hypothesis.” Enrollment has increased in two distinct “surges,” Golubcow-Teglasi said. The first was after the Covid-19 pandemic, and the subsequent school year, when families were drawn to a small, largely in-person school. But that accelerated pattern of enrollment flattened out until the second “surge” hit following the Oct. 7 attacks.
The school year after the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, 21 new students joined the Upper Division. Annabelle Dennis and Hailey Lutz were among the new transfers. Dennis, a junior, transferred from a private Catholic school. “I really wanted a smaller school and community,” she said, “the kids were questionable — really just antisemitic.” Dennis struggled as many students came up to her and made hateful comments. “People have asked me why I don’t have horns, and people have told me I killed their Lord and Savior, and they can never forgive me,” she said.

Challenges and Opportunities

The school’s administration “could have done a better job,” Dennis said. She said that regarding most cases of antisemitism, the administration looked the other way, “sometimes it was handled, but most of the time, they did not handle anything.” Lutz, a senior at DJDS, transferred the school year after Oct. 7 because she was tired of her schoolmates constantly bringing up the situation in Israel and Gaza. As one of the only Jews at her school, she looked to transfer to a school where she could be herself. Students at her school “had a lot of questions on what was going on, especially with all the misinformation being spread on social media,” she said.
Holden Demain spent his first semester of 11th grade away from DJDS, the school he’s attended since Kindergarten, attending school in Washington, D.C. as part of the U.S. Senate Page Program. After returning to DJDS in the middle of the 2024-2025 school year, Demain noticed the changes at the school. “The hallways are damn crowded, which is great,” Demain said. “There is so much more opportunity to create different kinds of clubs.” Demain leads one such club, Zemirot, where students sing traditional Jewish songs.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Denver Jewish Day School is experiencing a surge in new students, with enrollment increasing by 19% in the upper division over the past two years. This growth is attributed to the rise in antisemitism and increase in Jewish identity following the war in Israel, as well as the school’s strong sense of community and academic offerings. While the surge in enrollment presents challenges, such as space constraints and increased workload for teachers, it also brings opportunities for new clubs, classes, and experiences for students.

FAQs

Q: What is the main reason for the surge in enrollment at Denver Jewish Day School?
A: The main reason for the surge in enrollment is attributed to the rise in antisemitism and increase in Jewish identity following the war in Israel, as well as the school’s strong sense of community and academic offerings.
Q: How many new students have joined DJDS over the past two years?
A: 37 new students have joined DJDS over the past two years.
Q: What are some of the challenges faced by the school due to the surge in enrollment?
A: Some of the challenges faced by the school include space constraints, increased workload for teachers, and the need to adapt class offerings.
Q: What are some of the opportunities brought about by the surge in enrollment?
A: Some of the opportunities brought about by the surge in enrollment include new clubs, classes, and experiences for students, as well as a more diverse and vibrant school community.
Q: How has the school adapted to the surge in enrollment?
A: The school has adapted to the surge in enrollment by hiring more teachers, buying new furniture, and adapting class offerings to meet the needs of the increasing student population.