Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School

What Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School does

Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School (PPDJDS) is a private, non-profit independent Jewish day school located in Toronto, Canada, operating under the legal name Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School and founded in 1998 by Cynthia Lazar with an initial cohort of 10 students. The school delivers a JK to Grade 8 education that integrates Jewish studies (Hebrew language, Tanakh, rabbinics, holiday observance) with the Ontario secular curriculum (Math, Science, Language Arts, French, Social Studies) and serves approximately 200 students drawn from across the Greater Toronto Area. It is the only Jewish day school in Toronto's downtown core, distinguishing it from suburban alternatives. The school is housed within the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre (MNjcc) at 750 Spadina Avenue and in 2026 opened a dedicated 10,000 sq ft Middle School facility at 720 Spadina Avenue for Grades 6-8.

The school's product surface includes core academic programming in both Judaic and secular subjects, differentiated Hebrew language instruction across proficiency levels, arts-enhanced curricula, athletics via the Jewish Day School Sports League, theatre and music, student council, the Shinshinim Israeli ambassador program, and field trips including an overnight Ottawa trip for Grade 6. The technology stack is consumer-grade and centered on Google Workspace for Education, Chromebooks, Veracross for admissions, and a curated set of free educational content platforms; the school offers no proprietary software, AI capability, or mobile application. Operational support includes before and aftercare via the MNjcc partnership, a school social worker, executive functioning advisory at the middle school level, and a digital learning space for hybrid instruction.

PPDJDS generates revenue primarily through annual tuition of $19,800 CAD per student plus a $500 non-refundable application fee, supplemented by before/aftercare fees, charitable donations processed through CanadaHelps, and recurring fundraising events. The go-to-market motion is community-led and direct-enrollment, relying on open houses, parent ambassadors, social media (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube), and referral networks rather than paid acquisition. The school is governed by a Board of Directors, holds CAIS accreditation, is supported by UJA Federation of Greater Toronto through tuition subsidies, and is positioning for a leadership transition with Rena Markus named Interim Head of School effective July 2026 following Dr. Amy Platt's departure to TanenbaumCHAT.

Name

Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School

Legal name

Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School

Website

https://djds.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School is a non-profit, CAIS-accredited JK to Grade 8 Jewish day school in downtown Toronto serving approximately 200 students with an integrated Judaic and Ontario secular curriculum, housed at the MNjcc and a new 2026 Middle School facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-8 Jewish Day School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAJABAC

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/Private & Independent K–12 Schools

SECONDARYEDALAHAI

Campus Spiritual & Religious Life

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Student Activities, Clubs & Campus Life

Keywords

• Private Jewish education
• K-8 day school
• Dual-curriculum schooling
• Hebrew language instruction
• Independent primary school

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Annual tuition is the primary revenue source at $19,800 per student for JK to Grade 8. The school offers a non-refundable application fee of $500.
2. Before and Aftercare Fees: Beforecare and aftercare programs provided through partnership with MNjcc generate additional revenue for extended day services.
3. Donations and Charitable Support: The school relies on charitable donations and annual fundraising campaigns to bridge the gap between tuition income and operational spending. Donations are processed through CanadaHelps.
4. Fundraising Events: School events including carnivals, donations via Echoage birthday parties and Mabel's Labels generate additional funds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School is a private JK through Grade 8 Jewish day school located in downtown Toronto, Canada. The school delivers an integrated dual curriculum that combines a full secular academic program (Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, French) with daily Hebrew language instruction and Judaics studies (Tanakh, Jewish holidays, prayer and ethics). Beyond academics, the school provides arts-enhanced programming, physical education/athletics, before- and after-school care, and a range of extracurricular activities for enrolled students.

Product overview

Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School operates as a JK to Grade 8 Jewish day school offering an integrated, arts-enhanced curriculum that combines Jewish studies with secular academics. The school features a distinct Middle School program (Grades 6-8) opened in 2026 at a dedicated facility. Core offerings include Hebrew language instruction at multiple proficiency levels, Judaics (Tanakh, Rabinics, holiday study), and secular subjects including Math, Science, Language Arts, French, and Social Studies. The school provides extensive extracurricular activities including Athletics, Arts/Theatre, Student Council, Field Trips, and the Shinshinim Israeli ambassador program. Support services include before/aftercare through the MNjcc partnership, tuition subsidies via UJA Federation, health and wellness counseling, and a digital learning platform for hybrid education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• JK-Grade 8 Day School Program
• Hebrew Language and Judaics Curriculum
• Before- and After-School Care Program
• Arts-Enhanced and Athletics Program
• Dedicated Middle School Facility (Grades 6-8)

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration26 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre (MNjcc)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe school is housed within the MNjcc at the corner of Bloor and Spadina. MNjcc provides fitness and social activities for students and families, including access to gymnasium, pool, chapel, and theatre. The partnership includes shared facilities, coordinated security procedures, and joint programming including aftercare services.
• PJ LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPJ Library sends free Jewish children's books to families monthly. The school is a partner and major supporter of the Groove series of events.
• Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDue to the museum's proximity to the school, students access the ROM throughout the year for educational field trips and experiential learning.
• First Narayever CongregationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraditional egalitarian synagogue co-partners with the school on educational community events celebrating Jewish life in the downtown core. Classes visit the synagogue's sukkah annually.
• University of TorontominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe school shares University of Toronto School's large private field for recess and occasional school-wide outdoor events.
• Downtown Jewish Community SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with the Downtown Jewish Community School on the Shinshinim program bringing Israeli teen ambassadors to the community.
• The First Narayever CongregationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Shinshinim program along with UJA Federation and Downtown Jewish Community School.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TanenbaumCHAT: Toronto's primary Jewish community high school; serves as the primary feeder destination for Paul Penna's Grade 8 graduates and the institution to which Dr. Amy Platt is departing. Comparable as a Toronto-based pluralistic Jewish day school operator targeting the same family demographic.
• Associated Hebrew Schools: Large Toronto-area Jewish day school system offering JK-Grade 8 with multiple campuses. Competes for the same downtown-to-suburban Jewish family demographic with a broader geographic footprint.
• Netivot HaTorah Day School: Toronto Modern Orthodox day school (JK-Grade 8) offering integrated Jewish and secular education. Comparable size and grade range, directly competing for observant Jewish families.
• Leo Baeck Day School: Reform Jewish day school in the Greater Toronto Area serving JK-Grade 8 with a pluralistic approach. Directly competes for Jewish families seeking integrated secular and Judaic studies in Toronto.
• Robbins Hebrew Academy: Toronto Jewish day school (TK-Grade 8) affiliated with the Robbins family of schools. Directly competes for Jewish families seeking integrated Jewish and general studies with a similar grade range.
• The Toronto Heschel School: Toronto Jewish day school (K-Grade 8) offering a pluralistic, arts-integrated curriculum with a similar enrollment scale and focus on differentiated Jewish education.
• Bnei Akiva Schools: Toronto Jewish day school affiliated with the Bnei Akiva movement, offering K-Grade 8 with a Modern Orthodox orientation. Competes for the same pluralistic/modern-observant Jewish families in Toronto.

Broad incumbents

• The Bishop Strachan School: Leading Toronto independent girls' school (K-Grade 12), CAIS-accredited. Comparable as a downtown-located premium independent school competing for families willing to pay for private education.
• Upper Canada College: Prominent Toronto independent school serving boys in SK-Grade 12. Comparable as a CAIS-accredited premium independent school competing for the same downtown professional-class families, though non-Jewish.

Regional players

• Downtown Jewish Community School: Toronto-area Jewish day school that partners with Paul Penna on the Shinshinim program. Comparable in mission and target demographic but operates as a separate community institution rather than direct enrollment competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCU_y5wtPa6veVrX2me39eQA/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/PPDJDS
• Instagraminstagram.com/paulpennadjds
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paul-penna-downtown-jewish-day-school

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Paul Penna Downtown Jewish Day School