This article investigates the use of the contextual orientation to the Bible--which seeks to understand the Bible as a product of its time, and in the context of historical-critical biblical scholarship--as a deliberate, significant aspect of a teacher's overall approach to reaching Jewish adults in their 20s and 30s. Through classroom observation…

Building on insights of Seymour Fox, I explore the often-decisive role of "good timing" in the introduction of potentially powerful innovations (ideas, practices, etc.) into practical domains like education. After examining key readiness conditions that make for good timing, I argue that the field of Jewish education is in many ways now ready to…

This article posits Michael Fishbane's Judaic scholarship as a prime resource for Jewish education. The link between the two fields can be made through a translation of the theological underpinnings of Fishbane's insights into Judaism to educational purposes and practices. Initial work with Jewish educators on establishing this link encouraged…

The author summarizes current thinking about signature pedagogies in "learning to profess" and explores the extent to which these ideas apply to Jewish education. Three signature pedagogies for Jewish education are proposed: the d'var Torah, "chevruta", and pedagogies of argumentation ("machloket"). (Contains 1 figure.)

The literature on curricular integration in Jewish education has tended to focus on two basic paradigms. In the first paradigm, the integration of Jewish and general studies curricula represents the aspiration that the graduates of the institution will likewise integrate Jewish and general studies (or "Americanism" or "modernity") in their lives.…

Drawing on discourse analysis and critical literacy, this study calls into question prevailing assumptions about integration by examining talk in English and "Humash" classrooms as windows into the two worlds of a Modern Orthodox high school. The study found that the two subjects presented very different models of teaching and learning. "Humash"…

This article explores the complex dynamics that take place in ultra-Orthodox schools as they attempt to maintain a contra-acculturative stance toward secular knowledge, while providing students with the necessary tools to become functioning members of society. Using two case studies, this article looks at how the recent practice of using Rabbeim…

Following Bennett Solomon's suggestion of the "integrating individual"--one who possesses the skill and interest to incorporate new knowledge into a larger and unified life-picture--this article explores how recognizing the coupling of the affective and cognitive can influence Jewish education. Emotions help construct our daily perceptions and our…

This article presents the author's response to Joseph Reimer's article titled, "Beyond More Jews Doing Jewish: Clarifying the Goals of Informal Jewish Education." Reimer's essay on the goals of informal education is a welcome contribution to discussions about whether and how Jewish education may contribute to the continuity of Jews and Judaism…

This article presents the author's response to Joseph Reimer's essay titled, "Beyond More Jews Doing Jewish: Clarifying the Goals of Informal Jewish Education." Joseph Reimer states that the challenge for informal education is to move beyond socialization to clarify and achieve "deeper" educational goals. Distinguishing between…

This article provides a qualitative analysis of the chapters of the forthcoming "What We NOW Know About Jewish Education" (to be published by Torah Aura, Spring 2008). The findings of this analysis outline an agenda for further research by highlighting a number of emergent themes pertaining to the practical and conceptual challenges that lie…

This article presents the author's response to Joseph Reimer's essay titled, "Beyond More Jews Doing Jewish: Clarifying the Goals of Informal Jewish Education." The author focuses his response on Reimer's notions of challenging advocates of informal Jewish education to "go deeper" into the learning processes they envision. The…

This article employs the qualitative research method of portraiture to describe, analyze, and interpret the challenges involved in teaching rabbinical students at a liberal seminary. The portrait of Dr. Neil Gillman, a professor of Jewish thought at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City, explores some of the ideological and educational…

Why has it been so difficult to define the goals of Jewish informal education? Often informal educators define their work in terms of the goals of Jewish socialization. Those terms have worked to attract funders' support, but also limited the educational creativity of this field. This article argues for a dual defining of goals: socialization and…

Questioning-asking has not only long been seen as a central component of Jewish educational practice but has also been thought to be part of a broader culture of Judaism. In this article, we apply cognitive-developmental theories to advance the discussion of the use of questioning in Jewish education. Such theories allow Jewish educators to more…