Religious Purposefulness Hayidion: the RAVSAK Journal Is a Publication of RAVSAK: the Jewish Community Day School This Issue: Network
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The RAVSAK Journal HaYidion סתיו תשס “ ח • Autumn 2008 Religious Purposefulness HaYidion: The RAVSAK Journal is a publication of RAVSAK: The Jewish Community Day School this issue: Network. It is published quarterly for distribution to RAVSAK member in schools, associate members, and other Jewish and general education organizations. No articles may be reproduced or distributed without express written permission of RAVSAK. All rights reserved. Religious Purposefulness in Jewish Day Schools Executive Editor: Dr. Barbara Davis • by Dr. Michael S. Berger, page 6 Editor: Elliott Rabin, Ph.D Design: Adam Shaw-Vardi School as Shul: Day Schools in the Religious Lives of Parents • by Dr. Alex Pomson, page 14 Editorial Board Jason Albin, Milken Community High School, Los Angeles, CA An Approach to G-d-Talk Ahuva Halberstam, Abraham Joshua Heschel High School, New York, NY • by Dr. Ruth Ashrafi, page 16 Namee Ichilov, King David School, Phoenix, AZ Patricia Schwartz, Portland Jewish Academy, Portland, OR Robert Scott, Eleanor Kolitz Academy, San Antonio, TX Jewish Identities in Process: Religious Paul Shaviv, Tanenbaum CHAT, Toronto, ONT Purposefulness in a Pluralistic Day School Judith Wolfman, Vancouver Talmud Torah, Vancouver, BC • by Rabbi Marc Baker, page 20 The Challenge of Tradition and Openness Contributors in Tefillah Dr. Ruth Ashrafi, Rabbi Marc Baker, Dr. Michael S. Berger, Rabbi Achiya • by Rabbi Aaron Frank, page 22 Delouya, Rabbi Aaron Frank, Tzivia Garfinkel, Mariashi Groner, Ray Levi, PhD, Rabbi Leslie Lipson, Dr. Alex Pomson, Rabbi Avi Weinstein. Goals and Preparation for a Tefillah Policy • by Tzivia Garfinkel, page 25 Advertising Information Please contact Marla Rottenstreich at [email protected] or by phone at A Siddur of Our Own 646-496-7162. • by Ray Levi, PhD, page 26 From Minyan to Cheshbon HaNefesh RAVSAK • by Rabbi Leslie Lipson, page 27 120 West 97th Street New York, NY 10025 Teaching Mitzvot: Challenges, p: 212-665-1320 • f: 212-665-1321 Opportunities, and Questions e: [email protected] • w: www.ravsak.org • Interview with Rabbi Achiya Delouya, page 32 RAVSAK would like to thank our associate members: Remember to Light a Fire • by Mariashi Groner, page 36 The David Serving the Reluctantly Jewish Student Project Center for Jewish Leadership • by Rabbi Avi Weinstein, page 42 www.davidproject.org Jewish Genetic Disease Consortium JGDC A Word from the Editor, page 3 • President’s Message, page 4 • Annual Leadership Conference, page 18 • Project SuLaM Summer Institute and Phase 2, page 35 • Project ROPE Launches in Five Schools, page 38 • Training Institute in Jewish Social Justice, page 43 • RAVSAK Launches SuLaM Alumni Network, page 44 • Bookcase, page 46 • Re/Presenting the Jewish Past, page 46 הידיעון HaYidion • HaYidion [2] From the Editor ¿ by Dr. Barbara Davis have always enjoyed the academic calendar, because ing to our lead article, Dr. Michael it has a defined beginning and ending. I have always Berger’s fascinating essay on our theme, “religious purposefulness.” The authors wondered how one could do a job that never finishes, whose responses are included, as well as but continues for fifty weeks or so, is interrupted by a other articles on the topic, will undoubt- couple of weeks of vacation, and then resumes an end- edly give you much to ponder and dis- less flow. When working in a school, no matter what cuss at the start of the new year. For my own part, I intend to order extra copies kind of year you might be having, you know that it will of this RAVSAK journal to distribute to end, and that there will be a new beginning in the my faculty, board, and members of our fall. The fact that the Jewish calendar parallels the community, to foster greater understand- ing of the critical and central role of the school calendar has always been a special plus for me. Un- community day school movement in cre- like the secular calendar, which places the new year in the ating a Jewish future. dead of winter, the Jewish calendar sees fall not as Dr. Barbara Davis autumnal but as a beginning, the head of the year, is the Secretary of RAVSAK, almost like a second spring. Editor of HaYidion and Head of School at the Syracuse He- brew Day School in Dewitt, These thoughts arose as I, like you, prepare to reopen my school to our won- NY. Barbara can be reached derful students, their families and their teachers. My inspiration comes also at [email protected]. from reviewing the articles in the present issue of HaYidion. This issue rep- resents something of a departure for us from our normal examination of the basics of Jewish education—the structures, challenges and curricular issues with which I am sure you will also find much food for we all must deal. Instead, it presents us with a philosophical framework for our work, thought in this issue, and I invite you to an examination of the day school movement in the context of the state of Judaism in enjoy the feast. May the year 5769 bring the 21st century in the United States and, to a lesser extent, in the Jewish communities our RAVSAK schools only good things, of Canada, Europe, and around the globe. recognition of the profound importance of the work we do, and joy and success in Our format is somewhat atypical also, in that many of our contributors are respond- all our undertakings. L’shana tova!. ¿ Small School Professional Development Scholarship The RAVSAK Small School scholarships to the 2009 RAVSAK Information on the 2009 Annual Lead- Professional Development Annual Leadership Conference in San ership Conference is available online at Scholarship will make the training, Francisco. Expenses covered by the www.ravsak.org/conference. networking and professional develop- scholarship include conference registra- ment opportunities of the RAVSAK tion fees, two night’s hotel stay and a The deadline for applications is Annual Leadership Conference accessi- travel. October 3, 2008. ble to educators from small Jewish day schools and small Jewish communities For more information and a copy of across North America. the application, go to www.ravsak.org, The Small School Professional Devel- or contact Robin Feldman, Director of opment Scholarship is made possible by הידיעון The scholarship program will provide Member Services at rfeldman@ravsak. a most generous grant from the Jacob up to 20 heads of schools with full org or 212-665-1320 x 303. and Hilda Blaustein Foundation. • HaYidion [3] From the Desk of Susan Weintrob, RAVSAK President ll of us are actively engaged in the beginning our new and contact information to register your school year, and I hope you are reaping the rewards of schools throughout the pages of this is- sue. your successful programs and activities. This is also a very dynamic time at RAVSAK. I am pleased to share You’ll notice as well that the RAVSAK with you some of the exciting developments tak- staff is growing by leaps and bounds. The ing place. Susan Weintrob I would like to welcome Dorit Zmiri as our new Judaic is the President of RAVSAK and the Head of School at Studies position to the RAVSAK Executive Board. This the Ronald C. Wornick Jewish position will help support our Hebrew Language and Ju- Day School in Foster City, daic Studies professionals and strengthen the network among these col- CA. Susan can be reached at leagues. Dorit is an experienced and talented educator. She is Boston Jew- [email protected]. ish Community Day School’s Middle School Director and Coordinator of Jewish Studies. Dorit has taught and supervised K-12 in both Hebrew and Judaic Studies. Her enthusiasm and leadership makes her a wonderful mentor and I know that she will add a tremendous amount to RAVSAK in this new Executive Committee welcomes three position. Dorit has a BA from Tel Aviv University and a degree in Jewish Studies new colleagues to the RAVSAK offices: from Hebrew College in Brookline, MA. Shaya Klechevsky, Assistant to the Ex- ecutive Director, Rachel Bergstein, High RAVSAK has been fortunate to receive grants from a number of foundations who School Coordinator, and Rafi Cohen, support the very important work we do in the field of Jewish education. Project Davidson Intern. Rope: Roots of Philanthropy Education, with a grant from the Jewish Teen Funders Network, provide opportunities to teach teens about the tzedakah’s value and im- The strength of RAVSAK is in our net- portance in Jewish tradition. As educators, we know the importance of learning ex- working—I know its membership and perientially; this project gives our high schoolers the hands-on learning experience of professionals have supported all aspects running a fundraising campaign for a cause in their local communities and in Israel. of my school’s programs and leadership. RAVSAK is leading the way in Jewish Through a generous grant, the Jacob and Hilda Blaustein Foundation is supporting education. We can all take pride in the professional development of our heads of school by establishing the Small School work of our executive director, Dr. Marc Professional Development Scholarship. The scholarship program will provide up to Kramer, our professional staff, and our 20 heads of small schools full scholarships to the 2009 RAVSAK Annual Leadership generous supporters. Conference in San Francisco. Applications will be available in September on our website. Because of this opportunity, our conference planners are planning new ses- As a new resident of the Bay Area, I look sions specifically for those from small schools and small Jewish communities. forward to seeing you at the San Fran- cisco Conference this January. We have also received a wonderful grant from the Jewish Funds for Justice. Support- ing our Middle School teachers, this grant will involve a training seminar in social B'vracha, justice education this fall, particularly relevant for this age group’s intense interest in fairness and peer group.