Education Bulletin Message – November 2006

Faith is an abstracted concept. Although we do not have the tools with which to measure faith, for many of us it comprises a major component of our identities. As an Israeli, I explored my faith only after having moved to America. It took me a while to recognize the fact that Judaism is a part of my identity. In Israel Judaism was a part of my nationality. I defined myself as an Israeli and not as a Jew. In America I discovered that being Jewish is in many ways much more complex than it is in Israel.

I realized that there is a major different between the Jewish communities in America and those in Israeli when I began to work with children in American-Jewish religious school settings. I noticed that Jewish children in America speak freely about God, traditions, and their religious beliefs. On the contrary, I don’t remember myself or my peers discussing these issues as children. My relationship with the Jewish faith has developed later in life than those of the Jewish schoolchildren who I was teaching.

The differences in religious experience I had as a child growing up in Israel and those of my Jewish-American students have resulted in a personal search for answers to the following questions: How does faith develop? What is the role of the family in developing a child’s faith? What is the role of the school and religious education in developing a child’s faith? And how is faith connected to a child’s development of identity?

I didn’t realize the importance of being Jewish until I experienced an unpleasant encounter during my travels in Mexico a number of years ago. I was searching for a hotel room, when I found myself turned away by a European receptionist at a hotel. Although the only hint at my religious affiliation was my Israeli passport, I was told that I couldn’t check-in because I was a Jew. It was then that I had an epiphany. All my life my Jewish identity had been overshadowed by my Israeli nationality. I defined myself first as an Israeli and then as a Jew – the same went for my friends and family. But now my “Jewishness” had been brought to the forefront of my identity.

Religious education aids the child in moving through faith development, as it teaches him/her the faith’s values, attitudes, and beliefs. The school provides the child with the opportunity to express his/her spiritual needs which change with age. The religious school setting is also the right environment for the child to develop social interactions with other children of the same or similar religious backgrounds. The Jewish educator fills the role as promoter, endorsing Judaism to his/her students. The child’s positive attitude regarding any religious matter, such as prayer, Hebrew, holidays, etc., is dependent, though not exclusively, on the experiences that his/her teacher provides in school.

Moreover, the family plays an essential role in the child’s Jewish life. By building trust and providing the basic knowledge, the family helps the child develop a positive mindset regarding his/her faith. The child’s home serves as a protective place in which he/she may freely examine family traditions and religious ideals. One of the goals of Jewish education and in our Hebrew school must be to focus on bridging the gap between the values a child acquires at home and those he/she learns in school.

Therefore, I have adopted the task of encouraging our families to take part in their children’s religious educations. Connecting these two entities will help children overcome confusion and aid in the creation of concrete Jewish identities. In providing meaningful experiences, creating cohesive groups for teens, and welcoming our families to the school, we can assist the next generation in its formation of Jewish identity.

I personally encourage our families to take part in our family and adult education programs, so together we may fulfill the mitzvah of “From Generation to Generation”.

B’shalom,

Eran Vaisben