Comments on: Toward Adult Jewish Literacy

By: Abbie Kenyon

Abbie Kenyon — Fri, 28 May 2010 22:08:57 +0000

Good news and information. If you want to attact persons without cars who travel by bus, have events around noon, or early evening, so we can get to the place and home again. Thanks. (Practical suggestions, so as also not disturb family and private time.)

By: Judy Mars Kupchan

Judy Mars Kupchan — Wed, 05 May 2010 21:54:17 +0000

Kudos to Elie Kaunfer for making the case for adult Jewish literacy. The need is greater than ever, and one “young” audience not yet mentioned deserves special attention: parents. When parents of school-aged children engage in high-quality Jewish study, they are “learning for two.” According to the research, the impact on families when one or more parents is involved in Jewish study is significant. Our new pilot curriculum from the Florence Melton Adult Mini-School called Foundations of Jewish Family Living focuses on teaching parents core Jewish values, with the goal of enabling them to “bring the conversation home.” We hope this and other Melton learning will help Jewish adults go deeper and further on their Jewish journey, and shape the Jewish landscape for the future.

By: Betsy Dolgin Katz

Betsy Dolgin Katz — Tue, 04 May 2010 20:31:56 +0000

Thank you to Elie for challenging the leaders and potential students of the next decade to take advantage of opportunities to expand adult literacy. The good news is that we have a strong base upon which they can build. In the last 20 hours, I’ve had the pleasure of participation in one way or another in a Spertus College Masters in Jewish Professional Studies course on “Working with Adults,” a Talmud class with fifteen other adults of various ages at NSSBeth El Congregation in Highland Park, a Florence Melton Adult Mini-School class made up of teachers from the Chicago Jewish community, and I met new directors of the expanding Melton program who come literally from one coast to the other! And yet I know these are only sparks reflecting the potential of light that can fill the Jewish world if funding, planning, marketing and passion all come together.

By: Patty Jacobson

Patty Jacobson — Tue, 04 May 2010 00:22:17 +0000

Jewish learning needs to be marketed like any other product.

Most people engaged in Jewish education at all levels are serious people, thinking about deep topics, and wrestling with mighty issues.

Even our language is challenging. It’s full of words and long words at that.

Often our product is excellent; we just can’t scare off the students before we get them in the door!

By: Jerry Kaye

Jerry Kaye — Mon, 03 May 2010 19:45:47 +0000

The expressed ideas in Rabbi Kaunfer’s essay are sure reflected in the minds of so many. Responding to this concern several years ago, we have created a variety of programs of adult learning in the camp\meeting center environment. These range from specialty programs dealing with music, Israeli folk dance all the way to quilting in a Jewish theme to summer long weekend programs teaching adults specifically. Hebrew, one of our keystone values, is the focus of a winter long weekend for adults who have some facility in the language.

All of these are substantial learning events that are different from the ongoing congregational and community kallot. For more information on these and other programs, please go to osrui.org in order to see something of the nature of such events during the summer and all year long.

As a Melton teacher for several years, I maintain that commitment to adult learning expands the community with depth and direction. It is also great for the teacher.

By: Daniel E. Levenson

Daniel E. Levenson — Mon, 03 May 2010 19:02:56 +0000

Rabbi Kaunfer is to be applauded for a clear, concise and well-thought out piece on the challenges facing the American Jewish community vis-à-vis Jewish literacy. As the publisher of the New Vilna Review, I have been working hard over the last three years to encourage the expansion of Jewish educational programs for young adults, increase access to Hebrew language learning opportunities and to counter the specious idea that in-depth Jewish learning is solely the province of Rabbis and Orthodox Jews. I strongly agree that every Jews ought to have the opportunity to learn to read, speak and understand Hebrew. Such an effort if carried out effectively, will allow a broader range of members of the Jewish community to engage with foundational texts in Hebrew ( the original language in which they were conceived of and committed to the page) and it will also help foster a stronger bond between Israelis and Diaspora Jews. The idea of Jewish education must be liberated from the notion that it can exist only in Jewish day schools, afternoon “Hebrew schools,” and Orthodox yeshivot.

By: Lisa Colton

Lisa Colton — Mon, 03 May 2010 17:12:41 +0000

Elie – This is a wonderful post, and this conversation is much needed. It dovetails with the “Designing Jewish Education From Scratch” discussion at the Empowered Judaism conference a week ago. There, participants discussed how many adults opt out of participating in Jewish education with the kids (“drop off syndrome”) because they feel like they don’t know enough, or aren’t welcome, or don’t belong. Hebrew literacy (or even just following along), when to stand or bow or sit down, etc.).

We do need to change the culture of Jewish learning from “I don’t know enough so I don’t belong here” to “I don’t know enough so this is exactly where I belong.” This has implications for program design, leadership, language, and the evolving role of a teacher (or coach or guide). And you’re right, we need to model it from the top down, as well as design for it from the bottom up.

By: Debbie B.

Debbie B. — Mon, 03 May 2010 16:52:55 +0000

I’m surprised that Rabbi Kaunfer neglected to mention another group:
Middle-aged or older people who are not Jewish professionals. You’re never too old to learn more.

In fact, Mechon Hadar’s Executive Seminar seems designed for that group. I can’t attend this year, but I’m hoping that it is successful enough that it will be offered again in the future.