Directory listing — not editorial research
Jewish Day Schools in Chicago, Illinois (21 schools)
We confirm 21 Jewish day schools operating in Chicago, Illinois as of our most recent data refresh. Grade ranges and community labels come from school websites and federal records where they're publicly available. Start our matching quiz to narrow the list.
9 elementary schools · 9 high schools · 2 combined k–12 schools · 1 other jewish schools
Overwhelmed by the list?
Tell us your child's grade and what matters most — we'll match you with schools that fit.
Schools in Chicago, by level
Scroll to the level that matches your child’s age. Within each level, schools are grouped by whether they serve boys, girls, or co-ed classes.
Elementary Schools (K–8) · 9 schools
Schools serving kindergarten through grade 8 — some K–5, some K–8, some starting at preschool and ending in 8th grade.
Co-ed
Boys
Girls
Joan Dachs Bais Yaakov Elementary School
K-8·Girls
NCES 2023-24
See if this school fits your family →Philip and Rebecca Esformes Cheder Lubavitch Hebrew Day Girls School
Grades: Pre-School - 8th·Girls
Public record
See if this school fits your family →Gender mix not specified
Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School
PK-8
NCES 2023-24 · IRS 990 FY2023
See if this school fits your family →Yeshiva Ohr Boruch/The Veitzener Cheder
Grades: K-8th
Public record
See if this school fits your family →High Schools (9–12) · 9 schools
Schools serving grades 9 through 12, including yeshivas, mesivtas, Bais Yaakov high schools, and Modern Orthodox and community high schools.
Boys
Yeshiva Gedola of the MIDWEST/YESHIVA Eitz Chaim
9-12·Boys
NCES 2023-24 · IRS 990 FY2023
See if this school fits your family →Girls
Bais Yaakov High School of Chicago
Grades: 9th-12th·Girls
Public record
See if this school fits your family →Bnos Rabbeinu High School
Grades: 9th-12th·Girls
Public record
See if this school fits your family →Gender mix not specified
Lubavitch Boys' High School/Mesifta
Grades: 9th-12th
Public record
See if this school fits your family →Combined K–12 Schools · 2 schools
Schools that serve students from kindergarten (or preschool) all the way through grade 12 under one roof.
Co-ed
Pathways Academy for Special Education
PK-12·Co-ed
NCES 2023-24 · IRS 990 FY2023
See if this school fits your family →Gender mix not specified
Other Jewish Schools · 1 school
Schools in our directory where we don't yet have a structured grade range on file.
About Jewish education in Illinois
Illinois hosts a long-established cluster of Jewish day schools on Chicago's North Side and in the northern suburbs (Skokie, Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Highland Park). The Chicago Jewish community spans yeshivish, Modern Orthodox, Conservative, and community/pluralistic models.
Other cities in Illinois with Jewish schools
Skokie (9) · Deerfield (2) · Northbrook (2) · Northbrooke (2) · Aurora (1) · Buffalo Grove (1)
Common questions about Jewish day schools in Chicago, Illinois
What's the difference between a Jewish day school and a yeshiva?
Both teach a dual curriculum combining Judaic studies with general academic subjects, but "yeshiva" typically refers to schools in the yeshivish or Orthodox tradition with a heavier Torah-study focus. "Jewish day school" is the broader umbrella. See our guide to how Jewish schools differ.
Do we need to be religious to send our children?
No. Many Jewish day schools — particularly community and pluralistic schools, Conservative-movement schools, and Modern Orthodox schools that accept all affiliations — serve families across the full observance spectrum. Some schools require synagogue membership or minimum observance; most don't.
Is the posted tuition what we'll actually pay?
Usually not. Almost every Jewish day school has a financial aid program, and the "collected average" tuition across the cohort is typically 30–40% below the posted rate. Our analysis of how yeshiva tuition really works walks through the three funding engines — staff benefits, tuition committee assessments, and donor underwriting — using IRS 990 data from 98 schools.
How do we pick the right school for our family?
The practical fit factors are grade range, religious orientation (hashkafa), community character, distance from home, and what the tuition actually comes to after aid. Our matching quiz asks about each of these in about five minutes and produces a shortlist of schools that fit your family specifically.
Not sure which school fits?
Answer five questions about your child's grade, your location, and your community preferences — we'll show you the schools that match in Chicago, Illinois.
Start the matching quiz →Related reading
- →How Yeshiva Day School Tuition Really WorksThe funding model behind posted tuition — IRS 990 data from 98 schools.
- →What Is a Jewish Day School?A plain-language guide for families new to Jewish education.
- →Types of Jewish SchoolsHow to tell the main types apart — Modern Orthodox, yeshivish, Chabad, pluralistic.
Data sourced from the federal NCES Private School Survey and IRS Form 990 filings where available. We do not publish street addresses, phone numbers, enrollment counts, or our internal classification data. Research methodology · Missing a school?