This article presents the author's response to Jon A. Levisohn's article entitled "A Menu of Orientations in the Teaching of Rabbinic Literature." Levisohn's article provides educators with a comprehensive review of possible modes of studying and teaching rabbinic literature. His method of extensive consultation and dialogue with teachers of…

Long before the author answered the call to become a rabbi, he brought his passion to teach to the waterfront--that special place where the waters of a river or lake meet the dry land. Today, the author still imagines himself learning and teaching others how to swim, not in the water, but in the flows of global culture, to use the language of this…

The author observes that now many religious educators are grappling with the realization that forming persons in faith today necessitates teaching them "to be religious interreligiously." Yet, there is one inter-religious relationship that is absolutely fundamental to Christianity: its relationship with Judaism in both the past and present. The…

Using an environmental perspective that acknowledges the importance of places to an individual's sense of identity, this article examines the meaning of neighborhoods and their function for urban residents. Presents a brief case study of the Lubavitch Hasidim, a sect of orthodox Jews (Brooklyn, New York), to assess group affiliation and commitment…

This bulletin describes the interplay of demographic and sociopolitical processes in Israel since the state's founding in May 1948 and projects what it might be to 2015. Heavy Jewish immigration, especially during the "mass immigration" of 1948-51, has balanced the high natural increase of Moslems so that the proportion of Jews in…

Rabbi Seymour N. Siegel presents four theses in the main address entitled "American Jews and Political Life": (1) Jewish voters as a group are more liberal than the general voting public. (2) Jewish organizations generally represent the views of their constituencies. (3) The liberal orientation in the Jewish community is true neither to Jewish…

Child development in Israel takes place in a context of many unique influences. Influences which define the nature of family experience include religion, ethnic group membership, immigrant or non-immigrant status, and urban or rural living. All of these influences are situated within, and further influenced by, the continuous state of military…

Efforts to further education for peace through Buberian Learning Groups, which include Israelis and Palestinian Arabs, are discussed. Participants learn through a dialog that leads them to recognize distortions in their existence and to end their passive acceptance of problems. Organization of the groups and their successes and difficulties are…

This is a commentary on an article about an attempt to use Buberian Learning Groups to promote peace between Jewish Israelis and Palestinian Arabs (Haim Gordon, Jan Demarest, Teachers College Record, Fall 1982). A Muslim who helped evaluate the project discusses strengths and weaknesses of the Education for Peace Project in Israel.(PP)

Education has always been a cherished value in the Jewish tradition. For U.S. Jews, until the post-World War II period, the child was the principal focus of educational efforts. With an age shift in the Jewish population in the United States, the need for investigation of Jewish adult educational programs is strong. Most existing programs lack…

Jewish history and the dynamics of anti-Semitism should be incorporated into social work curricula, and students should explore their own ethnic identities and religious backgrounds. This self-exploration enables them to be open to new information and aware of misinformation. Role playing can help students practice responses to incidents of bias.…

There has been little empirical research on the gender role socialization of Jewish men. This paper explores Jewish male gender role socialization and provides a model by which gender and ethnicity may be studied. A description of the gender role socialization of Jewish men, with an emphasis on advantages and disadvantages of such socialization…

Three areas relative to the campus ministry are assessed: the discovery and nurture of the spirit, contemplation and action in higher education, and the ministries of faith communities. The collection of essays addresses the religious events happening within colleges and universities and the religious communities which have been formed within…

Discusses key concerns regarding issues of rationale, methodology, and resources when teaching about the Holocaust. Identifies 12 objectives and 5 content criteria for the topic. Includes five frequently asked questions about the Holocaust and their answers from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. (CFR)

Contends that teaching only about the 1933-1945 period of German persecution of Jews serves a very limited purpose. Argues that the foundations of anti-Semitic beliefs and practices have a long history and should be part of Holocaust education. Describes the origins, development, and key events in anti-Semitism in Europe. (CFR)