NYC Gazette

Straus Scholar Fayga Tziporah Pinczower recently shared her experiences from participating in The Tikvah Fund’s Beren Summer Fellowship. The program involved rigorous seminars and an independent project, where she collaborated with the Becket Fund and Jason Bedrick at the Heritage Foundation to advocate for school choice in New York.

Pinczower's research focused on comparing Education Savings Account (ESA) programs and voucher systems, particularly their legal and political implications. She noted that Jewish institutions often prefer vouchers as they direct funds to schools, whereas ESAs provide parents with more flexibility in fund distribution. This flexibility has sparked debate within Jewish communities due to increased competition among educational formats.

Her project included discussions with leaders from various Jewish organizations and schools operating in states with ESA or voucher programs. These conversations provided valuable insights into the policies' effects on education.

In New York, private schools face challenges due to stringent regulations, especially concerning "substantial equivalency" guidelines. Although these guidelines have been slightly revised, they still pose a threat to private school autonomy by mandating vague subjects and time allocations. Pinczower suggests that ESAs might offer a solution by shifting educational responsibility to parents, thus reducing regulatory burdens on schools.

During her research, Pinczower examined numerous Supreme Court decisions related to religious liberty and education statutes from several states including Arizona, Florida, Arkansas, New Hampshire, and West Virginia. She expressed gratitude towards the Straus Center for supporting her application to the Beren Fellowship and nurturing her interest in religious liberty.