Leo Baeck Education Center

What Leo Baeck Education Center does

Leo Baeck Education Center (מרכז חינוך ליאו באק) is a private nonprofit Jewish liberal-progressive educational institution headquartered at Derech Tzarfat 90 on the French Carmel in Haifa, Israel, with additional elementary and junior high campuses in Haifa. Founded in 1938 by Rabbi Dr. Meir Elk as the 'Hillel' kindergarten, it was renamed in 1947 after Rabbi Dr. Leo Baeck (1873–1956), spiritual leader of German Jewry and later President of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, to which the school has been affiliated since 1950. The center operates a full educational continuum from kindergarten through high school serving approximately 2,500 students, alongside an integrated ecosystem that includes the Ohel Avraham Reform synagogue, a community center (operating as Mitan Leo Baeck), the Abraham Ofman Sports Center serving approximately 25,000 Haifa households, an alumni community established in 2023, and a Living Together intercultural program for Jewish-Arab coexistence.

The operating model combines Israeli municipal/ministry-supported tuition with donations from domestic and international supporters (WUPJ, Jewish Federations, JDC, URJ, NFTY, Matan, Friends of Leo Baeck in Germany, and individual philanthropists such as Lori Lokey). The institution is approved as a public institution for donations under Section 46 of the Israeli Income Tax Ordinance. Distinctive program components include communication classrooms integrating students with autism spectrum disorders into mainstream education, an Arabic-language requirement introduced in 1947, a documented model for Ethiopian immigrant absorption, and international student exchange delegations spanning the USA, Germany, England, Poland, Australia, Argentina, Mexico, and Thailand. Communication and go-to-market rely on community-led, event-driven engagement — open houses, Kabbalat Shabbat welcoming ceremonies, summer transition camps (120 ILS per student), and direct enrollment through school secretariats — supported by Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, YouTube, and a newsletter. Governance is led by a Board of Directors with Rabbi Gabi Dagon and Rabbi Noa Dafni Klen at Ohel Avraham, principal Lulee Stern for the Elementary School Division, and director Dani Fesler (since 1998).

Name

Leo Baeck Education Center

Legal name

מרכז חינוך ליאו באק בע"מ

Website

https://leobaeck.org.il

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Leo Baeck Education Center is a Haifa-based nonprofit Jewish liberal-progressive institution offering kindergarten-through-high-school education to approximately 2,500 students, alongside a community center, Reform synagogue, sports club, and interfaith programs serving about 25,000 households.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Jewish Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

NGO/Nonprofit Education Programs & Service Delivery (EDADALAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Center Education Programs (EDAAAFAB)

Keywords

• Jewish education services
• Progressive K-12 education
• Special education programs
• Community center services
• Interfaith coexistence programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Haifa

HQ country

Israel

HQ region

Middle East

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and School Fees: Revenue from tuition payments for educational services across kindergarten, elementary, junior high, and high school divisions. Funded partially through municipal education budgets and parent fees.
2. Donations and Philanthropy: The center receives donations from domestic and international supporters. It is authorized as a public institution for donations under Section 46 of the Income Tax Ordinance. Bank transfers accepted with documented donation infrastructure.
3. Community Center Services: Revenue from community center membership fees, cultural programs, sports center activities, and various community services offered to approximately 25,000 households.
4. Summer Camp and Enrichment Programs: Fees for summer transition camp programs (120 ILS for summer transition program), enrichment activities, and special educational programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Leo Baeck Education Center is a private nonprofit Jewish liberal-progressive educational institution in Haifa that delivers a full K-12 academic continuum (kindergarten, elementary, junior high, high school) to approximately 2,500 students, alongside a Reform synagogue, community center, sports club, and special education communication classrooms serving approximately 25,000 households across Haifa. Tuition and municipal education funding are supplemented by donations and grants from international Jewish organizations. The center also operates intercultural coexistence programs, youth transition programs, and international student exchanges.

Product overview

Leo Baeck Education Center is a comprehensive liberal-progressive Jewish educational institution offering a full spectrum of educational divisions from kindergarten through high school, serving approximately 2,500 students. The center operates as a multi-component platform comprising educational divisions (Kindergarten, Elementary School, Junior High, High School), religious and community services (Ohel Abraham Synagogue), community center facilities, sports club, alumni network, and special programs including communication classrooms for students with disabilities. Key programs include the Living Together intercultural coexistence program, international student exchange delegations, and the summer transition program for new junior high students. The center serves approximately 25,000 families from across Haifa through its various community facilities and programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• חטיבת הגיל הרך (Early Childhood Division): Kindergarten division for early childhood education
• חטיבת כיתות היסוד (Elementary School Division)
• חטיבת הנעורים (Youth Division)
• חטיבה עליונה (High School Division)
• אהל אברהם (Ohel Avraham)
• מרכז קהילתי (Community Center / Mitan)
• מרכז ספורט (Sports Center)
• קהילת הבוגרים (Alumni Community)
• חיים משותפים (Living Together Program)
• מרכז בינלאומי ללימודי יהדות (International Center for Jewish Studies)

Products and services

• Kindergarten Division (חטיבת הגיל הרך) Early childhood education program for children ages 3-5 in the spirit of Progressive Judaism, operating on the Leo Baeck campus.
• Elementary School Division (חטיבת כיתות היסוד) Elementary school education covering grades 1-6, currently serving approximately 300 students.
• Junior High Division (חטיבת הנעורים) Middle school education covering grades 7-9, including integrated communication classrooms for students with autism spectrum disorders.
• High School Division (חטיבה עליונה) Secondary education covering grades 10-12, part of a six-year school structure combined with junior high, preparing students for matriculation exams.
• Communication Classrooms (כיתות תקשורתיות) Special education program integrating approximately 100 students with communication disabilities / autism spectrum into mainstream education, including 13 classrooms spanning 8 years from grade 7 to age 21.
• Ohel Abraham Synagogue and Community (אהל אברהם) Reform synagogue with an active community, hosting Shabbat welcoming ceremonies, Pride Shabbat events, and serving as a community center hub.
• Community Center (מרכז קהילתי) Community center offering culture, leisure activities, community building, and volunteer programs serving families from across Haifa.
• Sports Club (מועדון הספורט) Sports facility serving approximately 25,000 families from across Haifa with external registration via rmsn.expo.co.il/sportlb/anaf.
• Alumni Community (קהילת הבוגרים.ות) Alumni network providing community, social, leisure, welfare, and professional development services to graduates of Leo Baeck.
• Living Together Program (חיים משותפים) Program promoting multicultural and interfaith coexistence through joint communities, Jewish-Arab women's community, community garden, Arabic-Jewish summer camp, and spoken Arabic courses.
• International Delegations and Exchange Programs Student exchange and delegation programs connecting with Jewish communities worldwide including USA, Germany, England, Poland, Australia, Argentina, Mexico, and Thailand, as well as non-Jewish communities.
• Summer Transition Program (מכינת מעברים) Summer transition program for students entering 7th grade, helping new students adjust to junior high school; priced at 120 ILS per student.
• Musical Shabbat Services (קבלות שבת מוזיקליות) Weekly musical Shabbat welcoming ceremonies held on Fridays at 18:00, featuring musical ensembles led by Barak Leseri, with free community participation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 26 students from Ethiopian aliyah wave completed full matriculation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• World Union for Progressive Judaism (WUPJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeo Baeck Education Center is affiliated with the World Union for Progressive Judaism. Rabbi Dr. Leo Baeck served as President of WUPJ after WWII. The school joined the union in 1950 and remains part of the Movement for Progressive Judaism.
• Jewish Agency for IsraelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for immigrant absorption programs. Received 'Dear Aliyah Absorption Award' in 2002 for successful integration of Ethiopian olim students. Active collaboration in welcoming and absorbing new immigrants to Israel.
• Haifa MunicipalitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partnership for public education. School joined Haifa municipal school network in 1950. Received municipal education awards in 2000 and 2002. Joint operation of educational facilities.
• Ministry of Education (Israel)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-recognized educational institution receiving Ministry of Education support. Participated in national education reform initiatives. Received State Education Award in 2002. Joint school experiment program.
• NFTY (North American Federation of Temple Youth)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth exchange programs since 1961. Dr. Samuel Cook led NFTY involvement in school development. 'Build for Leo Baeck' and 'From Prison to Paradise' projects enabled school expansion. Student exchanges with US youth.
• Christlich-Juedische Zusammenarbeit (Christian-Jewish Cooperation)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceived Buber-Rosenzweig Award in 1991. Partnership with German Christian-Jewish organization for interfaith dialogue and reconciliation work. Sponsored Friends of Leo Baeck Circle in Germany since 1980.
• American Reform OrganizationsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial and developmental support from multiple American Jewish organizations: Vera Wershaw (Canada), NFTY, NATE (Reform Teachers Organization), NFTPS (Reform Women's Federation), NFTB (Reform Men's Federation), JCS.
• German Sister CongregationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent and teacher exchanges with Christian congregations in Germany and other European countries. Funding for scholarships supporting exchanges.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ORT Schools (Israel): World Jewish Congress-affiliated network of science and technology schools in Israel. Provides a benchmark for the scale and operational sophistication of non-state K-12 Jewish education networks in Israel, though focused on STEM rather than religious identity.

Direct peers

• King David School: Jewish day school in Melbourne, Australia serving K-12 with emphasis on Jewish values, academic excellence, and community engagement. Comparable scope and mission as a comprehensive Jewish day school with co-curricular and community programming.
• Solomon Schechter Day Schools: Network of Conservative/Masorti Jewish day schools across North America. Provides a useful peer benchmark for K-12 Jewish liberal education operating model, community engagement, and donor funding patterns similar to Leo Baeck's WUPJ/Reform positioning.
• Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School: Community Jewish day school in Baltimore, USA offering K-12 education with synagogual affiliation. Comparable as a community-anchored K-12 Jewish school with synagogue integration and similar multi-divisional structure.
• Akiba Hebrew Academy: Reform Jewish day school in Philadelphia serving K-12 students with integrated Jewish and academic curriculum. Directly comparable as a Reform Jewish K-12 institution in the diaspora with similar centrist liberal Jewish identity and college-preparatory mission.
• Moriah College: Progressive Jewish day school in Sydney, Australia offering K-12 education with an integrated community ethos. Comparable as an international Reform/progressive Jewish day school with combined academic, community, and Jewish identity programming.
• Leo Baeck Day School (Toronto): Reform Jewish day school in Toronto, Canada sharing the Leo Baeck name and Reform Jewish educational mission. Operates K-12 with community programming and donor-supported funding model comparable to the Haifa institution.

Regional players

• Hand in Hand Schools: Israeli bilingual Jewish-Arab school network operating multiple campuses. Directly comparable as an Israeli K-12 non-state institution serving mixed-population communities with a coexistence-focused mission, similar to Leo Baeck's Living Together program.

Others

• Reform Pesach Booklet / Israel Religious Action Center: Israeli Reform movement advocacy organization. Connected through the broader Israeli Progressive Judaism ecosystem but operates in policy/advocacy rather than direct K-12 education. Useful as a strategic ecosystem partner rather than a competitor.

Emerging players

• Hebrew Union College (HUC): Reform Jewish seminary and graduate institution affiliated with WUPJ. Operates in the same Reform Jewish institutional ecosystem as Leo Baeck and shares the WUPJ network partnership, though focused on rabbinic and graduate education rather than K-12.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/LeoBaeckEC
• Facebookfacebook.com/1MC4BPrMNT
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/leo-baeck-education-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/leo.baeck.education.center

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries9 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 Leo Baeck Education Center