Hebrew charter school to open in N.J.

New Jersey has given final approval to open the state’s first Hebrew-language charter school.

The state’s Department of Education in a July 6 vote gave permission to open the Hatikvah International Academy Charter School in East Brunswick, according to The New Jersey Jewish News.

The school, which will open next year with 108 students in kindergarten through second grade, had to ensure that 90 percent of its students came from East Brunswick. The rest will be chosen by lottery.

Hatikvah will open in rented space but plans to build a permanent site in East Brunswick.

Hebrew charter schools, which offer non-religious but Hebrew-focused curricula, are being looked at across the country as less-expensive alternatives to Jewish day schools.

Several of the schools exist in New York and Florida.

Hatikvah received start-up grants of $35,000 and $50,000 from Michael Steinhardt’s Areivim fund to help build a Hebrew charter school movement.