Education

Jewish tradition stresses the concept of tikkun olam, literally, “repair of the world.” New Orleans Jewish women applied this concept broadly in working to address the city’s educational needs. Although individual Jewish women arose independently as community leaders in such efforts, more often one generation of leaders under the auspices of the local section of the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), or other organizations mentioned here, trained the next. Most groups began by aiming at adult literacy and education. Yet programs to benefit children quickly became a priority, flexibly changing to meet emerging needs over the decades that followed. Improving access to high-quality education at all levels, especially in early childhood, remains paramount.