Builders of Jewish Education

What Builders of Jewish Education does

Builders of Jewish Education (BJE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1937 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It serves as the central educational infrastructure organization for the Los Angeles Jewish community, working with more than 133 Jewish day schools, supplementary schools, and educational programs across the region. BJE's core services include teacher professional development, curriculum support, school consulting, community-wide educational programming, teen and family learning initiatives, and the administration of federal Title funds on behalf of member schools. Its Title Funds Consortium currently channels approximately $1.57–1.95 million in federal funding to 27 schools, functioning as an administrative and fiscal intermediary. The organization has 11–50 employees (approximately 20 professional staff) and is funded through foundation grants, federation allocations, individual donations, and government grants.

BJE's product portfolio spans consulting and direct services for schools, community-wide programmatic offerings (including the BJE Teen Coalition and early-childhood / family engagement work), and grant-funded capacity-building initiatives. It does not sell a packaged technology product; instead, its "platform" is a curated set of educational content, trained educators, convenings, and an administrative infrastructure that connects funders, schools, and learners. In 2023 the organization restructured its operations into three institutes — the LEV Institute (early childhood and day-school excellence), the Jewish Family and Teen Learning Institute, and the Institute for Sustainable Excellence — each led by a dedicated director, signaling a shift from program-by-program work to a more disciplined institute-based operating model.

Revenue mechanics are typical of a large Jewish communal nonprofit: annual federation allocations, multi-year foundation grants (including a landmark $12.7 million award from the Jim Joseph Foundation in 2009), government pass-through funding administered through the Title Funds Consortium, and individual donor contributions. The customer base is effectively the LA Jewish educational ecosystem — schools, families, and educators — rather than a paying commercial customer set, which shapes both growth levers (donor cultivation, foundation relations) and constraints (geographic concentration, dependency on federation and foundation cycles).

Name

Builders of Jewish Education

Legal name

BJE: Builders of Jewish Education

Website

https://bjela.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Builders of Jewish Education is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) founded in 1937 that supports more than 133 Jewish schools through consulting, teacher development, teen and family programming, and federal Title funds administration via a three-institute operating model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Jewish Education Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Educational Services (611)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ)

Keywords

• Jewish education services
• Professional development programs
• Community education nonprofit
• Family education resources
• Teacher training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: BJE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Fed. ID 95-4280178) that relies on donor support to fund its programs and services. They accept donations through their website, DAF contributions, ACH, stock, securities, and checks. All gifts are tax-deductible minus the fair market value.
2. Government and Foundation Funding: BJE accesses federal funds through ESEA/Title programs on behalf of affiliated schools. For 2024-25, the BJE Consortium for LAUSD represented 28 schools accessing over $1.723 million. The organization also receives grants from foundations like the Jim Joseph Foundation, AVI CHAI Foundation, and others.
3. Institutional Funding Partners: BJE receives funding from institutional partners including Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, Jewish Community Foundation, Milken Family Foundation, and others that help make quality Jewish education possible.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Builders of Jewish Education (BJE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1937 that supports Jewish education across greater Los Angeles. It delivers professional development for educators, networking and resource services for Jewish day schools and preschools, family education programming, teen experiential programs such as March of the Living, and a concierge service (JKidLA) connecting families to Jewish educational opportunities.

Product overview

BJE: Builders of Jewish Education offers a portfolio of interconnected programs and services supporting Jewish education across greater Los Angeles. The core offerings include JKidLA (a comprehensive web resource and concierge service for families seeking Jewish educational opportunities), the BJE March of the Living (an annual teen experiential education trip to Poland and Israel), and BJE Impact/Teen Service Corps (service learning programs). The organization operates through three new institutes: the LEV Institute for Teaching and Leadership (professional development hub for educators), the Jewish Family and Teen Learning Institute (family and teen programming), and the Institute for Sustainable Excellence (strategic support for schools and systems). Supporting programs include the Bebe Feuerstein Simon Early Childhood Institute (annual ECE conference), educator awards (Milken, Lainer, and Smotrich programs), the Title Funds Consortium, professional networks for educators, and various grant programs. The organization serves early childhood centers, day schools, religious schools, and yeshivot across the Jewish religious and cultural spectrum.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• JKidLA: A web resource and concierge service for Jewish educational opportunities for tots through teens in Jewish LA, providing information on schools, camps, activities, and personal guidance.

Products and services

• JKidLA Concierge for Jewish Education A free concierge service that helps families in greater Los Angeles find and connect with the right Jewish educational opportunities, including preschools, day schools, supplementary programs, and summer camps. Designed for Jewish families navigating schooling options.
• March of the Living An annual experiential program that brings Los Angeles Jewish teens to Poland and Israel to study the Holocaust and the birth of the State of Israel. Targets high school-aged students across LA's Jewish community.
• LEV Institute for Teacher Leadership Professional development program for Jewish day school educators, offering workshops, coaching, and leadership training to improve teaching practice. Designed for teachers in Jewish day schools across Los Angeles.
• Title Funding Consortium Administrative service that helps Los Angeles Jewish day schools access federal Title I, Title II, Title III, and Title IV funding. Designed for Jewish day school administrators.
• Center for Excellence in Day School Education A BJE initiative supporting Jewish day schools with strategic guidance, accreditation, and best practices. Designed for Jewish day school leaders, heads of school, and administrators in the Los Angeles area.
• Jewish Family Learning Programs Educational programs designed for families to learn Jewish content and practices together. Targets Jewish families across greater Los Angeles.
• Preschool Network Services Resource and networking support for Jewish preschools in Los Angeles, including professional development, curricular guidance, and community connection. Designed for Jewish preschool directors and educators.

Quantifiable outcome

• Schools accessing $1.57-1.95 million in Title funding annually through BJE consortium
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Child Development Institute (CDI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025BJE and JFEDLA partnered with Child Development Institute (CDI) to provide professional services for the Infant/Toddler Initiative. CDI provides individualized consultation including on-site observation/coaching and workshops for BJE-affiliated ECCs serving children under 2 years old.
• PrizmahcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrizmah is a national partner for Jewish day schools, collaborating with BJE on Generations LA endowment initiative and professional development programs.
• CAIS (California Association of Independent Schools)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccreditation partner for BJE-affiliated day schools undertaking self-study and accreditation processes.
• CAPSO (California Association of Private Schools)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBJE represents Jewish day schools on CAPSO, which represents and speaks on educational and public policy issues of common concern to private schools in California.
• WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccreditation partner for BJE-affiliated day schools undertaking self-study and accreditation processes.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• BBYO (B'nai B'rith Youth Organization): National Jewish teen movement that BJE's concierge previously worked with and that serves overlapping teen populations. Regional player — provides teen programming that complements BJE's March of the Living and Teen Service Corps programs.

Broad incumbents

• Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles: Major regional Jewish communal funder and BJE's primary financial partner. Broad incumbent — provides umbrella funding and infrastructure across the LA Jewish community; BJE is structurally and operationally adjacent rather than directly competitive.

Emerging players

• AVI CHAI Foundation: Philanthropic foundation supporting Jewish day schools, camps, and Israel education. Emerging player — BJE receives AVI CHAI grants and collaborates on the Generations LA endowment initiative, making it a partner that also shapes BJE's strategic direction.
• CAIS (California Association of Independent Schools): Statewide accreditor and convenor for independent schools including BJE-affiliated day schools. Emerging player — provides accreditation and policy advocacy for schools BJE serves, with partially overlapping constituencies.

Direct peers

• Jewish Education Project (JEP): NYC-based Jewish education nonprofit that convenes, trains, and supports Jewish educators and families. Direct peer — operates an analogous model in a different major US Jewish market, providing inspiration and competitive comparison for BJE's LA work.
• Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools: National network supporting Jewish day schools through professional development, thought leadership, and advocacy. Direct peer — BJE is listed as a Prizmah partner and both organizations serve overlapping day school constituencies with similar convening and capacity-building models.

Others

• Milken Family Foundation: Foundation sponsoring BJE's Jewish Educator Awards program since 1990 with $18,000 prizes. Not a peer in service delivery — a major funding partner that co-brands educator recognition awards at BJE-affiliated schools.
• Jim Joseph Foundation: Major Jewish education funder that provided BJE's $12.7M High School Affordability Initiative grant. Not a competitor — functions as a key BJE funder and strategic partner, but its funding priorities and grant structure materially shape BJE's programs.
• Jewish Education Service of North America (JESNA) / Lippman Kanfer Institute: National Jewish education think tank focused on innovation and systems change. Not a direct peer — operates at a national level and provides strategic research and convening that shapes the broader field in which BJE operates.
• Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles: Major LA Jewish philanthropic foundation supporting BJE initiatives. Not a direct peer — operates as a grantmaking institution that funds BJE and complementary Jewish education programs across the region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/manage/videos/837701903
• Facebookfacebook.com/BJELosAngeles
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bje-builders-of-jewish-education
• Instagraminstagram.com/buildersofjewisheducation
• Xx.com/bjelosangeles

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Builders of Jewish Education