Jewish Education (CIJE)

THE JACOB RADER MARCUS CENTER OF THE AMERICAN JEWISH ARCHIVES MS-831: Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation Records, 1980–2008. Series C: Council for Initiatives in Jewish Education (CIJE). 1988–2003. Subseries 5: Communication, Publications, and Research Papers, 1991–2003. Box Folder 46 7 Press clippings, 1995-1996. For more information on this collection, please see the finding aid on the American Jewish Archives website. 3101 Clifton Ave, Cincinnati, Ohio 45220 513.487.3000 AmericanJewishArchives.org UA5HINGTO H JEUISH UEEK WASHINGTON, DC WEEKLY 21, GOO JAN 5 1995 13 HR .l<C'i! . 'l , r ( Keep a high wall of separation why federations support day Republican majorities m the £310 schools. House and Senate but also a by Yosef I. Abramowitz In November at the Gen dangerous streak of selfish Spec13I to WJW eral Assemply of the Cotl6cil ness into the mainstream of of Jewish Federations, phi society's deliberations. Under here is a small religious lanthropist Edgar Bronfman presidents Reagan and Bush group in Florid-0 that called for universal Jewish it would have been u naccept~ Tsacr ifices antmals. a day school education regard able to talk about orphanages practice Jews gave up nearly less of cost. Many federations and cuttmg off food money 2,000 years ago. Yet if some are looking for ways to raise for poor children who were federation leaders had their more money to support this born out of wedlock. way, the Jewish community vital aspect of the conunuity But now we are witnessing would advocate that the gov agenda. the abandonment of even the ernment should subsidize the most vulnerable members of religious education of the our society, all in the name sect's children. of smaller government and a Of course, no Jewish leader middle class tax cut. The mo has called for animal sacri Don't ask government mentum of greed and self I fice. But the initial stages of interest will lead to painful a re-evaluation of the com to subsidize day reduction in social services, ) munity's advocacy of a strict including education. separat ion of church and schools Is thts the time to under state is underwav. And it mine the public school sys could lead to gover~rnent dol tem? Jews mav not need to lars gomg to Jev.rish ~ support public schools by tUUL .. and to the Nation of sending their children there, but depriving the public Islam. white supremists, But many federations, in cults and animal sacrificers school system of our tax dol cluding Boston's and New lars when it is moSl. vulner if they open schools. ' York's, are looking for a The re-evaluation of the able is morally mdefensible short-cut: they want the U.S. and a public relations night Jewish communitv's tradi government to foot part of tional opposition· to gov mare. the bill. ernment support of religious But it is not only bad tim education is motivated by a While there are obviously ing that makes government smcere desire to see more short-term benefits to having support of the religious edu Jewish children e nroll in Uncle Sam su bsidize pricey cation a bad idea; it is also J ev.rish day schools, it is not the principle. The U.S. Su Jewish day schools. Study preme Cou rt has ruled that after study demonstrates---ihe in the long-term interests of the Jewish commurutv. the animal sacrificers in Flor exceptional Jewish contmuicy ida have the right to wor ship benefits of a day school edu The recent mid-te~m elec the way chey do. The court cation. This is one reason tions have not C1nly ~wept in ,,.... S ee WALL. oaee Hi cess would be do::termined b; a political process. the srnaUer or more vulnerable religious groups might be left out. Re member, Jews comprise less than 2.5 percent of the U.S. population. America was founded by re ligious people who wanted e.overnment to staY.. ? ul of their _.. ......... ~- tlf.lJ '(l)lll' Jf. II ['.;II wrr Ii 11ru 'rn1~1.• 11, wrrn ,. un,ou,, J()H 6 1995 B @(.J.€.l,,..f£ff 1.:.0 ( .:.;." ....,____ _ ___ ,. I . I If They Could See Us Now Hebrew school educators at White Plains conference say·the wonderful strides they're making are going unnoticed. '1-"01 1.p . - JUDITH NAOMI FISH JEWISH WEEK CORRESPONDENT oolcie MarkhofI has a ready response for those who cla~ple mentaiy Hebrew schools arcn \.ful filling .the needs of the Jewjh population. , C"'They ought to come here and see wha s going on," said the president of the Westch ester Association of Temple Educators, or WA1E. Markhofl was referring to the recent annual in-service conference for 380 Jewish educa tors that she co-chaired. For the second consecutive year, the Westchester Asoociation of Hebrew Schools. or WAHS, which represents Conservative, Or thodox and Reconstrudionist synagogues, and the ~form's WATEjoinyd with the New York Board of Jewish Edud!tion to present an as sortment of workshops for ,professional growth. From Art to prarer, values; to learning the- . .. , . ...... _ .... _ CIJE: FEATURE Cl£'l8.N<O JEWISHNEWS/F£llRJAAY 17, 11195 COVER MARCY OSTER Staff Reponer and figures 10 1011 him abou1 the s1ate of Jewish educa- auended some fonn or fonnalized Jewish education·nl 1ion here when he co-chaired a s1udy on behalf or the some point in 1heir lives, 1post found 1he experience iule Jcrcmcy can'I read - Hebrew, 1ha1 is. And join1 Fedcra1ion/Congregationnl Plenum Commission "poor" or were simply borc-d, he says. Rachel is so bored 1ha1 she can '1 wail un1il 1he on Jewish Continuily_ Released in December 1988, the The Cleveland s1udy als,o found 1ha1 in I 988 as in day af1er her ba1 mitzva so 1ha1 she cun qui! s1udy acknowledged officially lhe problems tha1 Jew Sunday school. the lhree cities in the recenl CUE study, most s~pple ish communi1y leaders and parenls already knew abou1 mcn1ary schools were s1affed with "avocalional 1cach £One reaso n for lhese dis1urbing trends can be found onecdo1ally. crs," and only lhrce of 11,e ihen-15 congregational in a l 994 survey conduc1ed by lhc .Council for lni1ia- "Our produc1 wasn'I adequale," RalnGr told the 19h09I$ emp!9ycd fyJJ-timc $Choo! dJrmors, Parents 1ives in Jewish Educa1ion (CIJE). The survey found CJN. Even !hough 80% of Jewish children in Cleveland did not gel involved in 1he.ir children's suppleme!llary 1ha1 80% of Jewish educaiors lack professional train Jewish educ11ions and loc• I day schools were half the ing in ei1hcr educa1ion or Jewish sludies or bolh, and size they are loday. they receive liulc in-service training 10 overcome 1his Seven years ago Cleveland embarked on a long-lenn, lack of background. three-pronged plan 10 improve Jewish education here . When lhe_policy brief on 1hc background and profes Their goals were to build the profession; involve the sional 1r>1mng of 1eachers in Jewish schools was re whole family in Jewish education; and provide more in leased lasl November. Jewish communal professionals fonnal Jewish educa1ional experiences. ond lay people across lhe counlry raised 1heir eyebrows This was not lhe fim lime Cleveland tri"2 to im al 1h_e Cinclings in the three ciiies surveyed (A1lan1a, prove its Jewish educa1ion, nor the first time inade• Oalt,more and Milwaukee). They also raised 1heir commi1mc n1 10 s1udy and improve the quality of Jewish educators in their communities. "We would never stand for this Bui parc-nlS of Jewish children in religious and day schools do n'1 need a cosily study to 1ell them 1hat kind of teacher profile In our lhcir children arc 1uning ou1 or daydreaming their Jew children's secular education," ish education away. The s1udy confirmed wha1 1hey al - Charles A. Ratner, presldeat, JECC ready knew from ialking wi1h t.heilr sons and daugh1ers and watchiing the lack of enthusiasm in 1heir s1ep when ii is 1ime for religious schooling. quuc !cacher training has been identified as a problem. Jewish leaders in Cleveland were not surprised by Indeed, Rainer carries wilh him the minu1es of a I 925 1hc CIJE s1udy's findings, eilher. Nearly seven years meeting of the Bureau of Jewish Educalion (forerunner ago, a loca.l sludy poin1cd oul lhe problems of Jewish of IECC) headed by Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver. n ad cduca1ion in Cleveland, and Jc.wis.h educators here bc dresses issues sue~ as !cacher !raining, reaching lhe un g3n making plans 10 tackle 1hese issues. Today, pro affil ia1ed and improving congrega1ional religious schools. More recent reports can be found in lhc CJN's grams are sending veteran cduca1ors back 10 1hc class room for ~ddi1ional 1raining and iraining young new files. The years may differ. bu1 lhe issues and the prob educators. as well. lems art stlll the same. Cleveland hos come • long way in upgrading Jewish Rat~er hopes !he CUE educalors study will be a call education here, say local and nalional Jewish educa1ion lo acuon on behalf of Jewish educalion, much like 1he professionals. Out un1il 1he impacl- is fell uniformly in 1990 ~ati~nal Jewish Population Survey was. (The the 1renChC$ - by s1uden1S and parcnls in lhe classroom survey 1nd1ca1cd lhat more 1han 50% of American Jews and a1 home - 1his communi1y sii II has a long way 10 were in1ermarrying.) go. The Teacl1er Resource Cenlet at the Jewish Educatlon ~ler "We hope ii will wake up 1hc communily 10 1hc foci Charles A. Ratner, president of 1he Jewish Educa ol Cleveland provides creative leactwlg tools IOI area educators.· that:lhcre is • crisis in Jewish education," Rainer soys: We:,would never s1and for lhis kind or 1eachcr profile tion Center of Cleveland (JE:CC); did not need ram Pictured are·centei'ilirec!~ ~ Cahall and Rabbi Joel Chazin.

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