Thousands of Jewish families in New York have pulled their children from public schools and moved them to religious and Jewish schools since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, according to an investigation by the New York Post.
According to a report released by Teach Coalition in June, enrollment in Jewish schools across the state rose by nearly 2%, or about 3,100 students, in the 2025-2026 school year. From 2022 to 2025, enrollment rose by a total of 4.2% — more than twice the growth rate recorded in the preceding period.
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Pro-Palestinian demonstration in New York on the anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack in 2025
(Photo: Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images / AFP)
Paul Bernstein, CEO of Prizmah, a network serving Jewish educational institutions, said a new survey found that 60% of parents who enrolled their children in Jewish schools acknowledged that they would not have done so were it not for the war that broke out following the deadly Hamas terrorist attack. Many parents described a hostile atmosphere and a sharp shift in rhetoric and hostility toward Israel and Jews in public schools.
In one case, Deborah Uri, the mother of a student, said she pulled her son out of Townsend Harris High School shortly after the terrorist attack after he experienced "several disturbing incidents."
"After October 7, things changed at the school," she told the New York Post. "My son instantly lost his close friends. They would no longer touch or talk to Jews. Administration just kind of went silent."
The New York Post front page this week
The situation worsened following a series of incidents involving teachers in the city's public school system. The most recent prominent case involves Damien Neva, a Brooklyn teacher who, according to a lawsuit, posted "Long live Yahya Al-Sinwar" in a group chat in 2024 and is now under investigation by city education authorities.
At the same time, in September, George Trim, a social studies teacher, became embroiled in controversy after being accused of spreading antisemitic conspiracy theories surrounding the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
A July report by United Jewish Teachers documented at least 250 antisemitic or anti-Israel incidents in New York City public schools since the war began.