UBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" Studying Judaism Wednesday, June 2, 2010       20 Sivan, 5770        -- create JPOST.COM your Home Page       -- --   Home | Headlines | Iranian Threat | Jewish World | idea | Trade | true Estate | Local Israel | Blogs | Arts & Culture | Français  | Classifieds  Israel | Middle East | International | Health & Sci-Tech | Features | go | Cafe Oleh | Magazine | Sports | Christian World | Subscribe | Services Archives JP Toolbar Christian World Youth Magazines RSS Feeds News Ticker More Services JPost Store Israel Hotels Vacation Rentals Philanthropy Green Israel Israel Real Estate Car Rentals Learn Hebrew Israel Guide JPost Mall Links aid Israeli Children Advertise on JPost Media Kit לימוד אנגלית Astrology Sitemap      Breaking News     JPost.com Opinion Editorials   .large_body p, .large_body span { font-size: 18px; } .small_body p, .small_body span { font-size: 12px; } Photo by: Courtesy Studying Judaism By JPOST EDITORIAL 05/09/2010 22:31 Bible is central to Jews' connection to Israel. Talkbacks (14)     “If there is no flour, there is no Torah; if there is no Torah there is no flour.” Ethics of the Fathers (3:22) The first half of this saying, coined by Rabbi Elazar Ben Azaria, who lived in the first century CE, has been the subject of much media attention in recent months. A wave of caustic criticism has been heaped on the haredi population for stubbornly clinging to an educational system that enjoys extensive funding from the state, yet that is producing an ever-growing number of Talmud scholars who lack the basic skills needed to earn a living.However not much attention has been given to the second portion of the ancient rabbi’s pithy statement: The sorrowfully inadequate level of Jewish studies provided to our nation’s secular schoolchildren.Our founding fathers understood the centrality of the Bible to the Jewish people’s connection to the land. In 1937, for instance, David Ben-Gurion told the British Peel Commission, saddled with the job of ending conflict the between Jews and Arabs, that the Bible was “the Jewish people’s mandate” for the land of Israel.Israel policy makers, educators and IDF commanders have approach to appreciate the strong correlation between a solid Jewish education and patriotism. Religious convictions aside, without a strong Jewish identity, Israeli citizens cannot be expected to make the necessary sacrifices demanded of them in a Jewish state surrounded by foes. Nor can they hope to create an replace with Jewish culture.But despite the appreciation for Jewish learning and Jewish identity, the reality today is far from ideal.fair two hours a week of Bible studies are required by the Education Ministry. According to minutes from a Knesset Education Commission meeting in March, many secular state schools teach even less, sometimes as tiny as one semester throughout all of the last three years of high school.Often this is the first subject to be abandoned when time constraints arise. Bible teachers lack proper training and the requisite passion needed to bring to life the ancient text. Meanwhile, other Jewish subjects, such as Mishna and Talmud or Jewish philosophy, are completely optional.All this is despite the recommendations of the 1994 Shenhar Commission, which explicitly called for more state-financed Jewish studies in the state school system. We fright that a new commission appointed by Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar and headed by Prof. Binyamin Ish-Shalom will face a similar fate.Meanwhile, privately funded initiatives such as TALI, a Hebrew acronym for Tigbur Limudei Yahadut (enhanced Jewish studies), and the Hartman Institute are filling the vacuum, proving once again that private initiative always beats state-funded projects. TALI, with an annual budget of just under $2 million, funded principally by North American Jews, works in cooperation with 40,000 households and hundreds of teachers to introduce a pluralistic, liberal version of Judaism and prayer into the secular state school system on the preschool and elementary school level, while Hartman works with 50 junior high and high schools.The only education minister who agreed to fund TALI was the late Zevulun Hammer (National Religious Party), who argued that a little liberal Yiddishkeit is better than no Yiddishkeit at all. Previous and subsequent ministers have distanced themselves from TALI, either since their secular sensibilities led them to oppose any form of Jewish particularism or since of their own or their coalition members’ Orthodox parochialism. Dr. Eitan Chikli, executive director of TALI, says that the fund, with 90 elementary school and 70 preschool members, is stretched to its limit. Supply cannot catch up with demand. accurate, some secular schools are ideologically opposed to the teaching of Judaism. But many secular Israelis who reject Orthodoxy are nevertheless open to liberal approaches to Judaism, as is clear from the rising interest in non-Orthodox educational frameworks for adults, such as Alma Hebrew College, Bina Center for Jewish Identity and Elul, all of which are privately funded. An absurd situation has been created in which the State of Israel funds haredi schools that produce graduates who lack the occupational skills and the Zionist ethos to integrate into Israeli society, while it refrains from enriching secular schools with Jewish studies. This counterproductive policy must end.       Rate this article         Talkback Add a Talkback describe Abuse Read all Talkbacks 14. Let them study Jewish literature Author:   Mosheh Wolfish State:   05/13/2010   00:59that is universally accepted as representing the Jewish people before any divisions arose - TaNaKh, Mishna, Talmud. The British have their Shakespeare, USA the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, Greece its Science and Philosophy, Rome its Wars and Emperors, China its History, etc. This is our culture and literature. It should be part of obligatory, pre-university education. It will be the basis through which we will be reunited amongst ourselves.

13. Judaism is not lies Author:   Squall Country:   France05/11/2010   15:40Dear JMK, there are a lot of evidences for an israelite presence in Egypt, an exodus and a conquest. One must gaze at the Middle Bronze Age II (MBA II) and not the Late Bronze Age (LBA). As for the Genesis narrative, I do not hold it litteraly but I follow the approach of Dr Schroeder which tries to recouncile beautifully Science and Bereishit. And as another talkbacker noted, from King David onwards archeology comes pretty close to Tanakh. I judge saying "all is trash" or "God certainly do not exist" is also fundamentalism juste like haredism.

12. Studying Judaism Author:   Max Country:   05/11/2010   10:51Questions regarding the Divine origin of the Torah or of its archeological veracity are really beside the point. In typical Israeli fashion the reactions here are divided along the lines of "all or nothing". Either the Torah is a totally true historical narrative or it is worthless. Surely a more nuanced approach which seperates Near Eastern mythology (Creation, Noah etc..) from reliable albeit tendentious historical narrative (later chapters in Sefer Melachim) is in decree. Bottom line - even if Abraham did not exist, surely Isaiah and Jeremiah did. That's enough of a claim for me.

11. #6 Belcher, Strawman logic? Author:   JMK Country:   USA05/11/2010   06:44You are censorial, dictatorial, authoritarian, disrespectful and just plain incorrect. The archeology of Ugarit, Ras Sharma which predates any Jewish settlement worshipped the god EL, sound familar, so did Jews, the tablets found were written in canaanite, very similar to hebrew which is now recognized a canaanite dialect. Bronz age settlements in Judea and Samaria were very few and ever immensely expanded through the iron age I and iron age II, sharing the same cultural traits as the canaanite culture which went into decline, transition, no exodus, no conquering the land, no Moses,no Joshua, but many proto-Jews.

10. Judaism Author:   Norman Gellman Country:   Israel05/11/2010   05:05Teaching “Judaism” is extremely necessary. Young Israelis have no idea what being Jewish means. Teaching Judaism is more than just studying the written works. The teachers have to be properly instructed and should not push the “pill pull” of the orthodox approach, but must hold to the enormous picture. True the Bible gives a basis but Jewish ethics must also accompany bible study.

9. humorous Author:   yuli Country:   05/11/2010   03:34as jmk states, archaeological evidence suggests that very little of the torah (or any other religious texts, no matter the religion...) is true. exodus? the garden of eden? the great flood? none of it happened. in fact the prevailing evidence suggests that judaism began in canaan itself, as an offshoot sect. that means that jews were technically in israel before even the torah says that they were. isn't that enough? why must we try to justify our presence there with myths?

8. Needn't be religious to be Jewish Author:   Yitzhak Country:   USA05/11/2010   00:12My secular Israeli friends living here in the US refuse to join the local Jewish population, did not send their children to any Jewish education, and now are wondering why their adult children are married to non-Jews and their grandchildren have Christmas trees. They thought Judaism was for the heredim, not their kids. They were Israelis by nationality; but not "Jews." Now, they are beside themselves -- their grandchildren are neither Israeli nor Jewish. This is the consequence of a society that refuses to recognize and embrace non-Orthodox Judaism lives a fake dichotomy of "dati/lo-dati."

7. Jewish history neglected Author:   David Country:   USA05/10/2010   21:21Agree 100% - schools should teach Jewish HISTORY. But the T'nach is not history, or rather it is history seen and bent through a theological prism. Schools should teach secular Jewish history - from antiquty to the present - which is fascinating - and leave the religious interpretations to religious studies.

6. No.4 JMK self proclaimed scholar Author:   BELCHER Country:   USA05/10/2010   20:11I see that JMK is a self proclaimed scholaar himself. When people give information, please back it up with your findings and studies. At least with the Torah, more and more information is dug up through archeaology, referred to in history, in other culture and so on. I work in the scientific field and army field and go on deployments. The one thing that is not respected among us in the field is that somebody that talk to much, or talk a lot of bulls--t, and talks as though he knows everything. At least being agnostic they admit they don't believe because they don't understand or have no desire to understand, but to talk or dismissed the whole concept of the Torah because it sounds smart is very ignorant.

5. Yes, study the Tanakh Author:   Observer in America Country:   USA05/10/2010   16:27The foundation of the people of Israel's correct to the land lies in the Tanakh, not in the Shoah. The Shoah is a warning and a tragedy, but it is Elohim's promises to Israel and Israel's descendants that gives the people of Israel their right to the land. Depending on secular arguments for the existence of Israel will fail, because those lead to seeking the approval of the nations rather than of Elohim. Seek HIS approval first, for if HE is for you, who can be against you (that is, what will it matter what men think)?

  Send big little Print part       Most Talkbacked IDF: Global Jihad links on flotillaFifty 'Mavi Marmara' riders tied to global jihad network.Talkbacks (136)06/01/2010 22:41'Equipment not in shortage in Gaza'Flotilla aid examined, sent to strip; 'Marmara' not inspected yet.Talkbacks (67)06/01/2010 22:00PM visits injured commandosFM tells ban UNSC resolution unacceptable, slams "double standards."Talkbacks (50)06/01/2010 15:53     Ethics Torah Judaism Elazar Ben Azaria Education Schools       Israel Focus   Feed HUNGRY ChildrenThousands of desperate Israeli CHILDREN needyour help NOW   Check out our unique deals!   Jerusalem Post LiteLight Edition of the Jerusalem Post for English improvement Travel   Tamir Rent a carCar rental in Israel, special prices   Archeological Guided Tours     Web JPost.com     JPosts Sites: The Jerusalem Report JPost Mall Philantropy Center Green Israel Jpost Edition Francaise Invest in Israel Christian World America's Voices Our Magazines Sites Of Interest: Car Rental Israel Car Rental in Israel Jpost Store Israel Hotels Vacation Apt. Rentals Sderot Dove KKL-JNF Learn hebrew Poalim Online Web Hosting Providers BreitBart.com Maps of Israel Fundraising Ideas Prom dresses & gowns Prom dresses Jovani Israel travel Israel tours Help Children in Israel Our Friends Services: JPost Toolbar JPost News Ticker JPost RSS feeds News JP Subscriptions JPost Archives Learn English JPost Guides: Israel Guide Tour Guides Israel Attractions Information: About Us Feedback Staff E-mails Privacy Statement Copyright Sitemap Terms of Use News Partners Media Kit   About Us | Advertise with Us | Subscribe | Contact Us | RSS   © The Jerusalem Post 1995 - 2010 © 2010 Inter-Media