The school at the center of it all

The Tamim Academy Model

A nationwide network of 19 schools with affordable tuition rates, a proven operating framework, and a curriculum that integrates general studies with Jewish learning.

Five students showing the stone candlesticks they made at a school craft project
  • 2020 Founded
  • 19 Schools in the network
  • K–8 Grades served

History of Tamim Academy

Founded in 2020 by nonprofit executive and education expert Holly Cohen, Tamim Academy was created to bridge the significant gap in day school education for unaffiliated and cross-denominational Jewish families. While there are over 1.6 million Jewish children in the US, fewer than 300,000 attend Jewish day schools.

Tamim Academy developed a “school-in-a-box” network model to ease the burden of opening individual K-8 Jewish day schools. Today, Tamim Academy provides operational support and an academic framework for excellence for a growing network of 19 schools across the United States and abroad.

A Strategic Partnership

Over the past several decades, Chabad emissaries have successfully fostered thriving Jewish communities where all Jews are welcome regardless of their denomination and level of observance. And, while Chabad emissaries operate over 180 preschools nationwide, prior to their partnership with Tamim Academy, they typically lacked the capacity to create and manage the next level of basic education — elementary schools.

Tamim Academy solves this challenge by providing a turnkey infrastructure — curriculum, benchmarks, and hiring processes — that enables local communities to offer a superior academic model that incorporates Jewish learning at a modest private school tuition rate for grades K-8.

For Philadelphia’s Jewish community, this opportunity will allow residents to send their children to a local Jewish school rather than having to transport their children to suburban locations or needing to relocate their entire family.

Pedagogical Concept

Tamim Academy redefines the Jewish day school experience by moving beyond the traditional model that separates “Jewish studies” from “general studies.” Instead, the curriculum is deeply interwoven, allowing students to explore academic concepts — from mathematics and literature to science and history — through the lens of Jewish religion, values, and culture.

Tamim’s “whole-child” approach prioritizes academic, spiritual, and social-emotional growth, creating small classroom environments where individual attention allows each student to nurture their unique purpose and potential. Borrowing pedagogical concepts from Reggio and Montessori education, Tamim creates unique learning environments that cultivate critical thinking, leadership skills, and the resilience necessary for children to navigate and thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Tamim administers the MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) test — a rigorous assessment used by leading private schools nationwide — to track individual student growth and ensure academic excellence.

School-in-a-Box Model

Every Tamim Academy benefits from a “school-in-a-box” model that provides a rigorous, proprietary operational framework. From governance and hiring practices to extensive teacher training, ongoing coaching and comprehensive curriculum development, Tamim’s headquarters ensures that every classroom maintains a standard of excellence regardless of location.

This model allows for a smaller administrative overhead at each location, creating more affordable tuition rates than comparable private schools.

  • Governance

    Board structure and operating policy, ready on day one.

  • Hiring

    Vetted processes and role definitions for every position.

  • Teacher training

    Extensive onboarding plus ongoing coaching all year.

  • Curriculum

    Comprehensive, integrated, and centrally developed.

A Jewish Day School for Philadelphia

With over 75,000 Jewish households in Greater Center City, Philadelphia is ripe to have a Jewish Day School. The growing population has increased the demand for Jewish schools and families with children at Center City Jewish Preschool are eager to have a day school that continues to lay the foundation for lifelong Jewish pride, resilience, and leadership.

The Center will also house the CKids after-school program, welcoming children ages 5–13 with academic enrichment and Jewish values education.

Next

The building that will bring it to life

Eleven classrooms, an auditorium, a gym, a kosher kitchen, and a roof deck — all in one place, creating a home for learning, gathering, celebration and community.

The Project Plan The Community Center

Stay connected

Campaign milestones, construction updates, and invitations to community events — a few times a year, never more.