Hebrew Public

What Hebrew Public does

Hebrew Public (incorporated as the National Center for Hebrew Charter School Excellence) is a nonprofit charter management organization founded in 2009 that operates a national network of public charter schools providing K-8 education with daily Modern Hebrew language instruction to children of all backgrounds. The organization directly manages four schools — Hebrew Language Academy (HLA) in Brooklyn, HLA2 in Brooklyn, Staten Island Hebrew Public, and Philadelphia Hebrew Public — and supports an affiliate network spanning New Jersey (Hatikvah), Washington D.C. (Sela), Minnesota (Agamim), and California (Lashon, Kavod), serving approximately 4,000 students total with a 10:1 student-to-teacher ratio. Its core instructional approach is a communicative/proficiency-based Hebrew immersion model delivered by native Hebrew-speaking teachers, layered with an Israel Studies curriculum, social-emotional learning via Responsive Classroom, and Science Dimensions for science. Differentiated programming includes an 8th-grade Israel Capstone trip, an annual DC Summit leadership program, and the Atidim alumni association offering virtual Hebrew lessons and Israel leadership experiences for grades 11-12.

The organization generates revenue through per-pupil public charter funding flowing to its schools, fee arrangements with affiliate schools for centralized services (curriculum, professional development, coaching, site visits, recruitment), private philanthropy, and government grants, most notably a five-year, $4.9 million US Department of Education grant awarded in 2021 to expand in New York City. Its talent pipeline is structurally privileged by the Arbel Fellowship, a joint initiative with Israel's Ministry of Education and the Israel Center for Education Innovation that places Israeli teachers in U.S. public schools, supplemented by the TALMA summer professional development program in Israel. Founded by Sara Bloom with backing from Michael Steinhardt and the Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life, Hebrew Public is governed by an independent board and is expanding via new school development (OLAM Stamford opening 2027, OLAM Charlotte opening 2028, Kesher Academy in Henderson, NV opening 2026, Lashon West Valley in 2026). Measurable outcomes include the 2025 National Blue Ribbon School designation for affiliates Sela PCS and Hatikvah International Academy and NY State Reward School recognition for HLA.

Name

Hebrew Public

Legal name

National Center for Hebrew Charter School Excellence

Website

https://hebrewpublic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hebrew Public is a nonprofit charter management organization founded in 2009 that operates and supports a national network of K-8 public charter schools teaching Modern Hebrew to ~4,000 students via immersion instruction by native speakers across 11 schools in 7+ states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-8 Charter School Management and Hebrew Language Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111), Educational Services (611), Language Schools (611630)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter School Networks (Multi-Site) (EDAJACAC)

Keywords

• K-8 charter schools
• Hebrew language immersion
• Charter management organization
• Global citizenship education
• Public school education

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Per-Pupil Public Funding: As a charter management organization operating free public charter schools, Hebrew Public's primary revenue comes from per-pupil government funding allocated through charter school agreements. Hebrew Public's services to network schools, including technical assistance, consulting, site visits, recruitment, professional development, and curricular resources, are made possible by private philanthropy and fee arrangements with network schools.
2. Private Philanthropy and Grants: Hebrew Public receives funding from private philanthropists and grants. The organization was awarded a five-year, $4.9 million grant from the US Department of Education to expand reach in New York City. The Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life, founded in 1994, has disbursed over $100 million to educational causes including Hebrew Public.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Hebrew Public accepts donations through its website (donorperfect.net), Amazon Smile program, and direct giving. The organization's formal incorporated name is National Center for Hebrew Charter School Excellence.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Hebrew Public is a nonprofit charter management organization (CMO) that directly operates and supports a network of free public charter schools teaching Modern Hebrew to children of all backgrounds. The network includes four directly managed K-8 schools in Brooklyn, Staten Island, and Philadelphia, plus an affiliate network across NJ, DC, MN, and CA, serving approximately 4,000 students. Beyond classroom instruction, Hebrew Public offers supplementary programs including the Arbel Israeli teacher fellowship, the TALMA Israel professional development program, an 8th-grade Israel Capstone trip, the DC Summit leadership program, and an alumni association.

Product overview

Hebrew Public is a Charter Management Organization (CMO) operating a network of public charter schools that teach Modern Hebrew to children of all backgrounds and prepare them to be global citizens. The organization directly manages four core schools: Hebrew Language Academy (HLA) in Brooklyn serving grades K-8, Hebrew Language Academy 2 (HLA2) in Brooklyn serving PreK-6, Staten Island Hebrew Public serving grades K-4, and Philadelphia Hebrew Public serving grades K-7. The network also supports an affiliate schools network across New Jersey, Washington D.C., Minnesota, and California. Hebrew Public offers supplementary programs including the Arbel Fellowship (bringing Israeli teachers to the U.S.), TALMA partnership (professional development in Israel), Israel Capstone Trip (8th grade), DC Summit (leadership program), Atidim Alumni Association, and OLAM Enrichment Center after-school programs. The organization is expanding with new schools including OLAM Stamford (opening 2027) and Olam Charlotte (opening 2028).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Atidim: Hebrew Public Alumni Association providing virtual Hebrew lessons, alumni leadership experiences in Israel, volunteering, and internship opportunities for graduates.
• Arbel Fellowship
• Talma
• Pal2U

Products and services

• Hebrew Language Academy (HLA) Founding school of the Hebrew Public network, a free public K-8 charter school in Brooklyn, NY (Community School District 22) opened in 2009. Offers an academically rigorous curriculum with daily Modern Hebrew instruction taught by native Hebrew-speaking teachers. Recognized as a Reward School by the New York State Department of Education.
• Hebrew Language Academy 2 (HLA2) Free public charter school in Brooklyn (Gravesend neighborhood) opened in Fall 2017, serving grades PreK-6 and growing to PreK-8. Offers immersive Modern Hebrew instruction and received a five-year charter renewal. Located in a new building with full gymnasium, large cafeteria, smart boards, and climate-controlled spaces.
• Staten Island Hebrew Public Free public charter school in Staten Island (Midland Beach) opened in 2022, serving grades K-4 with expansion plans to K-5. Housed in a state-of-the-art environmentally friendly building with spacious classrooms and rooftop playground space.
• Philadelphia Hebrew Public Free public charter school in Philadelphia, PA opened in 2019, serving grades K-7. Provides instruction in Modern Hebrew and follows the Hebrew Public model of preparing students to be global citizens.
• Modern Hebrew Immersion Curriculum Communicative/proficiency-based Modern Hebrew language curriculum delivered by native Hebrew-speaking teachers. Students learn Hebrew for at least one hour per day through classroom immersion, with Hebrew spoken in the classroom and integrated throughout breakfast, lunch, and recess. Used across all directly managed and affiliate Hebrew Public schools.
• Israel Studies Program Comparative study of Israel implemented during Hebrew classes and specials. Israel is celebrated through school events, workshops, guest speakers, and hands-on experiences related to the history and geography of Israel. Integrated with the Hebrew Public curriculum across the network.
• Israel Capstone Trip Educational trip to Israel for all eligible 8th-grade graduates, where students put their Hebrew language skills to use in real-world settings. Broadens perspectives, promotes global self-awareness, and fosters independence.
• DC Summit Leadership Program Three-day leadership program in Washington, D.C. for students from Hebrew Public schools nationwide. Features visits to the Washington Monument, US Holocaust Memorial Museum, National Mall, National Museum of African American History, US Supreme Court, and Botanic Garden, along with leadership activities and peer networking.
• Atidim Alumni Association Alumni program for Hebrew Public graduates offering virtual Hebrew lessons, alumni leadership experiences in Israel, volunteering opportunities, and internships. Includes the Atidim Israel trip, a three-week leadership development journey through Israel for alumni in grades 11-12.
• Arbel Fellowship Two-year fellowship program providing exceptional Israeli teachers an opportunity to teach Hebrew in Hebrew Public's network of American public schools. Joint initiative of Israel's Ministry of Education, the Israel Center for Education Innovation, and Hebrew Public. Includes visa support, flight coverage, competitive salary and benefits, and professional development at Middlebury College.
• TALMA Partnership Program Partnership with TALMA - The Israel Program for Excellence in English, offering Hebrew Public network teachers an all-expenses-paid summer professional development experience in Israel. Includes immersive language exposure, collaborative classroom experiences with Israeli co-teachers, and cultural programming.
• OLAM Enrichment Center (After-School Program) After-school program offering various enrichment activities for students in grades PreK-6, including homework help (Lomdim program), sports (soccer, basketball), chess, gymnastics, and Mandarin language lessons.
• Affiliate Schools Network Support Network support program for affiliate Hebrew/Israel-themed charter schools across the U.S. Includes Modern Hebrew language instruction support, Israel Studies curriculum, school planning and startup assistance, board and leadership development, coaching, operating loans and grants, fundraising support, and legal support. Affiliate schools include Hatikvah International Academy (NJ), Sela PCS (DC), Agamim Classical Academy (MN), Lashon Academy (CA), and Kavod Charter School (CA).

Quantifiable outcome

• Sela Public Charter School (affiliate) named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2025 — one of the highest honors for academic excellence in the US
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Pal2U (Ukrainian Refugee Peer Tutoring)minorOthers · 1 January 2022Pal2U is a peer-tutoring initiative founded by Sabina Cherner and Sonia Girshin (daughters of Ukrainian-Jewish refugees) to support Ukrainian refugee students in Hebrew Public network schools through English language tutoring and social/emotional support by connecting bilingual teens with refugee students. Hebrew Public serves as the backbone organization for this program.
• Israel Ministry of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Arbel Fellowship is a joint initiative of Israel's Ministry of Education, the Israel Center for Education Innovation, and Hebrew Public, providing exceptional Israeli teachers with a two-year teaching fellowship in American public schools.
• Israel Center for Education InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Israel Center for Education Innovation collaborates with Israel's Ministry of Education and Hebrew Public on the Arbel Fellowship, a two-year teaching fellowship bringing Israeli teachers to Hebrew Public network schools in the US.
• TALMA – The Israel Program for Excellence in EnglishcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHebrew Public partners with TALMA to offer network teachers an all-expenses-paid summer professional development experience in Israel. Fellows grow their teacher toolkit while collaborating with Israeli co-teachers, gain Hebrew language immersion, and experience Israeli culture. TALMA partners include Relay Graduate School of Education for PD sessions.
• Relay Graduate School of EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelay Graduate School of Education partners with TALMA to provide professional development sessions for Hebrew Public network teachers during their summer program in Israel, contributing speaker-series content such as 'Teaching Through the Noise' with Israel's 'Teachers of the State.'

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Mastery Charter Schools: Philadelphia-based CMO operating a network of charter schools. Directly comparable as the established Philadelphia charter operator that Philadelphia Hebrew Public must compete against for students, talent, and authorizer goodwill in that market.
• French-American International School: San Francisco K-8 immersion school focused on French language and global citizenship. Comparable as a non-public dual-language immersion school with similar global-citizenship mission, though fee-based rather than public charter.

Others

• Hatikvah International Academy Charter School: East Brunswick, NJ affiliate of Hebrew Public that operates under Hebrew Public's Hebrew-language model but is governed independently. Relevant as both an affiliate and a comparable peer demonstrating the network's distributed model in action.
• Sela Public Charter School: Washington D.C. Hebrew-language charter school affiliated with Hebrew Public and named a 2025 National Blue Ribbon School. Functions as both an affiliate and a peer demonstrating the network's academic outcomes in a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• Achievement First: Northeast charter network operating schools in Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island. Comparable as a multi-state CMO pursuing academic outcomes for underserved students; Hebrew Public's Managing Director of Network Operations previously ran operations for 40+ Achievement First schools.
• Aspire Public Schools: California-based CMO operating 36+ charter schools with a college-for-certain mission. Comparable as a multi-state CMO scaling charter school operations, with potential overlap in California footprint where Lashon Academy operates as a Hebrew Public affiliate.
• Uncommon Schools: Northeast charter management organization with schools in NYC, Newark, Boston, Rochester, and Camden. Comparable as a high-performing CMO with similar geographic spread, founder-era brand identity, and college-prep mission.
• KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program): The largest U.S. charter management organization, operating 270+ public charter schools across multiple states. Comparable as a multi-site CMO serving low-income families, though KIPP's model is general college-prep rather than language-immersion.
• Success Academy Charter Schools: NYC-based CMO operating 45+ charter schools with strong academic outcomes and lottery-driven demand. Highly comparable in geography (Brooklyn) and CMO scale; multiple Hebrew Public staff previously held roles at Success Academy, evidencing direct labor-market overlap.

Direct peers

• Internationals Network for Public Schools: NYC-area charter network specifically designed for recently arrived immigrant students with multilingual pedagogy. Most direct functional peer to Hebrew Public on language-immersion instruction and global-citizenship curriculum within a public charter framework.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hebrewpublic
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/HCSCHebrewCharter
• Facebookfacebook.com/hebrewpublic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hebrewpublic
• Instagraminstagram.com/hebrewpublic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hebrew Public