Beit Hillel offers alternative model

A new Jewish primary school is set to open in Melbourne in January next year.

The school’s founders, Adam Hyman and Elinor Hasenfratz, have designed Beit Hillel as a non-denominational Jewish institution.

“It’s a core vision of the school not to be affiliated with a denomination or religious affiliation or a political movement,” Hyman said.

“I think mostly those things don’t have such a place in primary schools.”

The school will use a subject-specialist teaching model, where students are taught by different teachers for each subject rather than having one classroom teacher.

“Instead of a normal primary school model, where you have just one teacher teaching students, you have subject specific teachers for all your classes, which builds teacher expertise, it reduces teacher workload, and it means you’ve got a range of teachers all working together with every single student,” Hyman explained.

Beit Hillel will open with students from prep to grade 3, starting with approximately 20 children and growing to accommodate about 10 students per year level, for a total school population of 50-60 students.

The school’s approach includes one non-academic day per week featuring excursions and workshops, and communal meals where students help prepare and clean up shared kosher vegetarian food.

“We sit down and eat together in a not particularly formal setting,” Hasenfratz said.

“I think it’s really important that we share food as human beings.”

Annual fees for 2026 will be approximately $15,000, with scholarships available for families requiring financial assistance.

Hasenfratz emphasised that Beit Hillel aims to complement rather than compete with existing Jewish schools.

“We have nothing but the highest respect and admiration for our Jewish schools,” she said.

“We feel like we are offering something that is genuinely different and genuinely not available in the community.”

The school is named after Rabbi Hillel, whose teachings the founders believe are particularly accessible to young people.

The school is conducting its final parent information sessions in August, with the next session scheduled for August 24.

Families can find more information on the school’s website: beithillelschool.com