A charity campaign has been launched to cover the estimated annual£7 million cost of supporting Jewish studies in schools in north-west London.

Chomesh L'Chinuch, instigated by members of Golders Green Beth Hamedrash, is urging people to earmark 20 per cent of their charity donations for Jewish education.

The initiative - meaning "a fifth for education" - distributed its first grants amounting to nearly £50,000 to more than 10 local schools on
Sunday.

Its organisers point out that Jewish schools face significant shortfalls in meeting the cost of high quality Jewish education. They hope their campaign will encourage other congregations to follow suit.

Jacqueline Rashbass, a trustee of Hasmonean High in Hendon and Mill Hill, said "the extra funds will make a real difference to our students' lives".

Donors are being asked to increase contributions for Jewish studies

Rabbi Yisroel Meir Greenberg of GGBH, popularly known as Munk's, said that "schools are the foundation of our community and our future. A serious financial crisis threatens our ability to provide the best chinuch [education] for our children. This campaign is designed to make a meaningful impact on the shortfall."

Chomesh L'Chinuch joint founder Eli Katz said that research had indicated that while the local Jewish community was generous, most people gave less than 10 per cent of their charity to schools in the area.

If gifts were upped to 20 per cent, "this would solve the £7 million shortfall without costing the community one extra penny".

Fellow founder Emanuel Meyer was delighted that "a significant number" of Munk's members had backed the initiative.

Allan Becker, chairman of Menorah Grammar School in Edgware, said the founders had "spearheaded something incredible - and GGBH is a fine example for the rest of the community to follow". Shelley Kelaty, governors' chair of the Noam Primary in Wembley, said the campaign "could not have come at a better time for us".

Chomesh L'Chinuch is concerned that many teachers are not paid "a Jewish living wage" for north-west London - and that some receive their salary two or three months late, causing serious hardship to their families.