This past Friday night Natan Scharansky told a few of us sitting around the Shabbat table with him that he had found in his travels to North American college campuses that Jewish students were uninformed as well as scared to speak up for Israel, scared that if they were to actively defend or speak positively about Israel it would impact negatively on their academic career as well as their future professional career. This morning in a discussion I had with the head of a major Jewish Foundation I was told that during a visit she recently had at a very large Jewish high school, she found the students preparing for an internal school debate on the topic, Israel: Is it an apartheid state? In an informal discussion she had with several students at the same school, she was told by them that they love Israelis but do not like Israel. This evening I read a piece in the JTA concerning the vote taking place this week at Princeton University on whether to ask the university's dining services to provide an alternative brand of hummus. Why? Because the current brand being offered is Sabra, which is half-owned by The Strauss Group, which has publicly supported the IDF and provides care packages and sports equipment to Israeli soldiers. We all know of many similar examples. I am mentioning these because they all occurred in just the past few days. This post is not an invitation to debate political issues related to Israel. Rather, we are very interested in learning how Jewish high schools and junior high schools of all stripes are educating their students regarding Israel. It seems particularly important during this period in which there is increasing delegitimization of Israel. How much time do schools invest in this critical issue that all of their graduates will face on college campuses? Is it dealt with in a serious and systematic way through formal and informal educational programs? Where does it fit into your school program? What does your school do? We are hoping that through the Lookjed list the Center can raise consciousness of and attentiveness to this issue and that the thousands of subscribers to the Lookjed list can learn about the different efforts and programs that are being implemented in schools. This question, of course, touches on how we prioritize what is included in our school programs and how schools allocate and divide up the time that is available. That itself is an important question for reflection and deliberation by school principals and teachers. All schools make choices regarding what is in and what is out? Where does this issue fit in? Stuart Zweiter Director, the Lookstein Center http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19209#msg-19209 Thu, 20 Jun 2013 03:16:42 -0600 Phorum 5.2.19 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19363#msg-19363 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19363#msg-19363
The article you sent focuses mainly on the arts, but a tangential insult to our entire profession cannot go unaddressed. I may be overstating the skill level of myself and my peers, but some of us were at one point considered "the best and the brightest" and chose Jewish pedagogy regardless. I may be a great many things, but I strive daily as a teacher to avoid being "distressingly average." I expect many others feel the same way.

a.]]> Aliza Libman Baronofsky Lookjed List Archive Sun, 23 Jan 2011 15:03:59 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19359#msg-19359 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19359#msg-19359
As a former American day school teacher and a current parent of children in the Israeli educational system I cannot deny that there is a kernel of truth to his statement, although I am reluctant to paint either side with a broad brush. Leaving aside my own anecdotal observations, I was struck by this recent assessment of the differences between the two groups that appeared in the Jerusalem Post under the title: "US Orthodoxy and fear of the arts - How can a society that crams the classes of law schools and medical schools barely yield a single poet or painter?"

Excerpt:
<<
Understandably, Orthodox parents steer their children into lucrative professions rather than encouraging them to do what they love (and I include the sciences as well). The word “muse” is not part of their vocabulary. Even the rabbinate and Jewish pedagogy are spurned by the best and brightest, as these do not pay enough to make Jewish life affordable. It shows in the quality of American rabbis and day-school teachers who, with a few noteworthy exceptions, are distressingly average.
>>

See it in full at [www.jpost.com]

Shalom Z. Berger
The Lookstein Center for Jewish Education
Bar-Ilan University]]> Shalom Z. Berger Lookjed List Archive Sun, 23 Jan 2011 03:34:14 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19358#msg-19358 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19358#msg-19358 well as Americans (as a native Israeli who served as a community Rabbi
in Israel, working with dozens of youth and who has taught American
students for the past 18 years, first in gap-year programs in Israel
and today in the United States) - it appears to me that the problem
raised by Rabbi Yosef Blau is deeper and more fundamental than he
portrays.

I believe that an analysis of the situation of the growing disparity
between students in Israel and the Diaspora, points to two main issues
beyond what was presented by Rabbi Blau:

1. The Torah World -

Over the past decade or two, the National Religious camp in Israel has
nurtured an independent Torah community that is not identified with
the ultra-Orthodox world. This community has developed its own Torah
leadership, debates on philosophy and Jewish law particular to the
community and even disagreements that define, and are of particular
concern, to the National Religious world.

In the 1970s and 80s, were one to have asked a youngster from the
National Religious community which were the Yeshivot that were the
main support for the Torah world, it is reasonable to assume that he
would have responded by mentioning Hevron or Ponevezh. If you were to
ask the same question today, the answer would be Mercaz HaRav or Har
HaMor. This is true with regard to Torah leadership, as well. The
acceptance by the National religious camp in the 1970s and 80s of the
leadership of the ultra-Orthodox world as the Gedolei HaDor is no
longer the case among National Religious youth. Those who viewed Rav
Shlomo Zalman Orbach and Rav Moshe Feinstein as the epitome of Torah
leadership, would now see Rav Ariel, Rav Tau, Rav Lichtenstein or Rav
Aviner as its leaders. When there is a need for members of this
community to turn to a spiritual leader for direction in areas of
halakhah, it is most naturally done with Rabbis who identify with the
National Religious movement.

In the United States and in Yeshiva University, the situation is
entirely different; it is much more similar to what existed 20 years
ago. In the Modern Orthodox world, the true Torah world is that of
the ultra-Orthodox, which does not view the values of Modern Orthodoxy
as ideal. Many YU graduates, and in particular YU students who study
for Rabbinic ordination, see the Torah world as one that revolves
around leadership figures whose roots are in the ultra-Orthodox world
and who studied in those yeshivot. Their paradigm of a true ben Torah
is someone who studied in Lakewood - with the black hat and everything
that it symbolizes. Although there are certainly exceptions to the
rule - mainly alumni of Yeshivat Har Etzion - they are in the
minority. They are certainly the minority among students who are
entering the Rabbinate or who teach in gap-year programs for Americans
in Israel, but also among YU kollel members and graduates.

I would like to emphasize that I am not attempting to determine which
approach is correct. I cannot state unequivocally that the separation
between these two worlds of Torah is a negative thing (it is possible
that as part of the historical process this division is necessary so
that a National Religious Torah world can play the role of one of the
branches of the etz Yosef and etz Yehudah that become merged into one
in the hands of the prophet - See Yehezkel 37:16-19). While I am
pained by the lack of a vibrant National Religious Torah world in the
United States, that is not our current issue, but if we want to
understand the gap between Jewish youth in Israel and the Diaspora, it
is essential that we clarify this issue.

And, as Rabbi Blau mentioned, these are the issues that come to the
fore regarding our children's education. While in Israeli high schools
the classroom educators are usually teachers who identify with the
National Religious values and ideals of their schools and students,
this is far from being the case in American Modern Orthodox schools.
And every educator knows that when the teacher perceives his students'
religious beliefs as be-di'eved, the expectations that he has from his
students are low, and the religious achievements will be lower, as
well

2. Educating towards ideals -

It is important to recognize that National Religious students are
educated towards moral and ethical values. The fact that all high
school graduates are expected to perform national service (army,
volunteer work or, perhaps extended Torah study), requires the
educational curriculum to deal with ethical dilemmas and actively seek
to impart values.

This is in addition to the security/political reality that exists in
Israel. Every young person in Israel has a well-thought out political
position and knowledge of current events is part of the daily reality
of every student. Invariably, high school students are forced to
grapple directly with existential questions of good and evil because
of the unique circumstances of Israeli society. A teacher has no
choice but to clarify - together with his students - what life as a
Jew in Israel in the modern age means, and focus on these issues on a
daily basis.

In addition, the youth movements that play a central role in the
National Religious community in Israel have a major impact on their
participants and their Weltanshaung. Thus, a student in the
educational system in Israel deals with questions of values and ideals
every single day.

On the other hand, the main goal of Modern Orthodox schools in the
United States is to prepare their students for college. This impacts
on virtually every aspect of the educational program and interaction
between the school and parents. The immediacy of college following
graduation forces high schools to view themselves as primarily places
that impart information and grades. Concern with values and ideals is
of only secondary importance.

This difference will impact on any interaction between youth, and -
beyond the societal differences that already exist inherently between
different cultures - is the cause of a wide disparity in the "final
product" of the American Modern Orthodox educational system as opposed
to the Israeli National Religious system.

If we take the example mentioned by Rabbi Blau, the reason that
National Religious students take the concept of Reishit Tzmihat
Ge'ulateinu - that Israel is a harbinger of the ultimate redemption -
so seriously, is because no Israeli student can remain apathetic to
the question of the religious status of the modern State of Israel.
This is in clear contrast with American students who need not lose any
sleep if they do not have a clear concept of Israel's religious status
and significance (so long as they know their academic standing
vis-à-vis the college that they hope to attend).

It is true that addressing this situation demands much thought and
hard work, but a clear understanding of the problem is a first,
necessary step in that direction.

Rav Chagai Raviv
Rosh Yeshiva, Fuchs Mizrachi School
Cleveland, OH

[Translated by Shalom Berger]]]> Chagai Raviv Lookjed List Archive Sun, 23 Jan 2011 03:28:51 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19357#msg-19357 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19357#msg-19357
I’m guessing not.

There is so much more to criticize in the anti-Zionist position than in the Zionist position that a critical [Shalom, could you try not to lose my italics for a change?] thinker would have no trouble choosing sides and defending his position (at least in his own mind). And being reflective doesn’t mean being introverted, so a reflective Zionist should be aware of both Israel’s shortcomings and the vastly shorter comings of its enemies.

No, I’m afraid what we’re witnessing isn’t Judiciousness Gone Wild. It’s the kids’ fear of seeming injudicious, or parochial, or partisan. That’s what prevents them from saying “Your facts are demonstrably false and inherently inconsistent, your attitude is evil, and anyone who walks away convinced doesn’t have the good sense that God gave a Scientologist.” I’ve said this many times – though Shalom tends to edit it out, for reasons he knows best: The kids are motivated by a desire for social acceptance and self-acceptance, not by a thirst for Truth, and in the society and self-image to which these particular kids aspire they’d rather be lumped with Noam Chomsky than with Sarah Palin.

Michael]]> Michael Berkowitz Lookjed List Archive Sun, 23 Jan 2011 01:58:31 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19321#msg-19321 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19321#msg-19321
I would like to suggest that, ironically, this may be partially a result of a different success of ours. Schools today like to trumpet that they are teaching their students to think critically, and many parents search for schools that will do just that. Well, thinking critically cuts in all directions. When done well, it trains the mind to approach any situation with a broad perspective, looking for explanations and alternative theories to what might be immediately assumed. Applied in the context of learning Gemara, it can result in lomdus. Applied to the learning of history, it can result in revisionism. Applied to a variety of morally difficult and confusing situations, it can result in moral relativism.

So, what happens? Our students arrive on campus, well-educated and decently informed. They know that they support Israel, but they also might know that there is a value in being able to be self-reflective about Israel and its "flaws." Then they run into people who care not about critical thinking or moral relativism. Rather, they are 100% confident that their position is the only position and no amount of reason or logic will shake them from such beliefs. They value indoctrination over subtlety. And, as such, our students are doomed to failure when dealing with such people, since our students want to be able to see both sides while simultaneously favoring one, while their opponents are taking a black-and-white approach.

In other words, I am suggesting that our students are shocked not by the opposing position of the facts themselves, but rather by the fact that on a supposedly open-minded campus, open-mindedness tends to be in short supply. I am not saying that we should switch from teaching critical thinking to simply indoctrinating our students, but perhaps we should let them know that there are times when we have to stand up for those things that we hold most dear.

Thoughts?

Aaron Ross
Yavneh Academy. Paramus, NJ]]> Aaron Ross Lookjed List Archive Thu, 13 Jan 2011 00:22:43 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19313#msg-19313 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19313#msg-19313
(1) Hebrew. Our kids are illiterate in the language. While that might not impair closeness with Israelis, most of whom speak English to a greater or lesser extent, it closes off Americans from Israeli society.

(3) The gap-year. One of my sons went to Maale Gilboa, a primarily Israeli yeshiva, where he had three Israeli suite-mates, in whose homes he spent many Shabatot. By the end of the year, he not only spoke Hebrew perfectly, but understood Israeli politics and culture. Gap-year programs that are "American" should at least make an effort to teach their kids Hebrew. And don't start writing about your wonderful ulpan programs. I haven't seen any in those programs that work. Of course, the Tzahal machal program is the best way of integrating American kids and their Israeli counterparts (dati and non-dati), but that's only for a select few.

(3) High school. This is the time to try to increase American kids' knowledge and identification with Israel. It is amazing that with today's technological resources, our schools aren't doing more in this area. How hard would it be to watch the same TV programs as that dati leumi kids watch (like the Israeli version of The Office)? How hard would it be to "twin" a day school here with a day school there?

There's a famous saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Well, it's broke.

David Gleicher]]> David Gleicher Lookjed List Archive Tue, 11 Jan 2011 04:43:04 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19297#msg-19297 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19297#msg-19297
Very few American day schools stress Hebrew language skills and the students are fully at home in American society. Israel is only a small part of the students' Jewish identity. Most think about political issues through the prism of Western democracy.

The Israeli Dati Leumi world, with significant but minority exceptions, takes "reishit tzmichat geulatenu" literally and views the state of Israel as transforming Jewish identity. Serving in the Israeli army is an integral part of life. For many it has led to a rejection of modern universalistic ethical concerns as not authentically Jewish.

As a striking axample of the gap, the rabbinical edict prohibiting selling or renting homes in Israel to non-Jews made no sense to American modern Orthodox rabbis.

Without a common language or mentality the two communities will drift furthet apart. While this is only a fraction of the general distancing of Israel and American Jewry it impacts directly on the world of the Jewish educators who participate in Lookjed.

Yosef Blau]]> Yosef Blau Lookjed List Archive Tue, 04 Jan 2011 00:53:47 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19295#msg-19295 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19295#msg-19295
I like Rabbi Joel Cohn’s ideas of utilizing modern technology to connect Jews to the daily life in Israel. I went to his website and was impressed by the variety of programs he offers.

When I was Principal of a day school in Winnipeg, I connected my students with students from a Teachers College in Jerusalem, making a virtual “Big Sister” program which was very beneficial to both sides of the connection. Not only did my students’ Hebrew improve immensely but they also were exposed for the first time to the daily life in Israel but even more to the way that the holidays are celebrated in Israel, where Jews are the majority and the chag atmosphere is there for everyone to feel. Not less important, the students in Israel were exposed to life in the Diaspora (click here [db.tt] to view or download a presentation about this connection).

Israel has many chessed organizations and many legitimate needs to support. It is very important to support these causes and there is even a tour guide who takes tourists to needy places to help them decide where to channel their tzedakah (see here - [www.aolnews.com] ). While this is a big Mitzvah and should not be ignored, I think it is important to think of the message we want to give our students:

We don’t want their only connection to the people of Israel to be one of a “rich uncle” helping his poor relatives but we want the connection to be a partnership – both sides can contribute and practice chessed equally.

That is why I suggest partnering with an Israeli school and volunteering together at a needy institute. This can also be enhanced by studying together about chessed.
The idea of experiencing chagim in Israel is a very good one. I think it can be made more meaningful when celebrated together with their peers in Israel. See here (http://bit.ly/hPYcoK) a post about a recent joint Hanukah celebration and candle lighting by pairs of school in Israel and around the Jewish world.

You can see more examples on our website and Facebook page – www.facebook.com/israelconnect

I am happy to discuss off-list possible collaborations and on-list any comments and additions you might have.

I am looking forward to connecting,

Amihai Bannett
Educational Director – Israel Connect
מנהל חינוכי – מפגש תפוצות
amihai@melitz.org.il www.melitz.org.il
www.israelconnect.org]]> Amihai Bannett Lookjed List Archive Sun, 02 Jan 2011 06:51:28 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19274#msg-19274 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19274#msg-19274
Ultimately the relevancy of the state of Israel to the Jews who live in the Diaspora and vice versa will become more pronounced as the Jewish students become less knowledgeable and more vulnerable to vicious and malicious propaganda which is designed to achieve an inner quarrel among the Jews themselves and among all the potential supporters of the Jewish people and the state of Israel.

Unfortunately, anti Jewish and anti Israeli propaganda is gaining steam in many parts of the world as it is reaching, in many places, willing accomplices, who do not need too much of convincing and who would not care about the accuracy of the information, due to the existing undercurrent of traditional anti Semitism. The other important groups will include the naive and those who are propelled by misguided ideology.

Neither of these groups will care about the level of the assimilation of the Jews into the local population or about their dissociation from the Jewish community in Israel or in the Diaspora, the same way that the German Nazis did not care about the totally secular and assimilated Jews of Germany. The fact is that the radicals targeted already Jews and Gentiles indiscriminately, in New York, London, Paris, Madrid and even in Sweden etc.
Therefore, when we put a major effort into teaching historical facts as they relate to Jewish History, Current Events and about the importance of building bridges among Jewish communities in Israel and in the Diaspora, we must include the understanding that each student and his family have "a skin" in the game. This fact by itself, will greatly increase their commitment to become more educated and as a consequence to get more involved in educating others about this most important issue.

Their ability to know the historical fact and to identify the malicious undercurrents, will improve their own chances to make the world into a better place, to the benefit of all people of good will.

Dr. Shmuel Katz
Bal-Harbour, Florida]]> Shmuel Katz Lookjed List Archive Mon, 27 Dec 2010 08:43:30 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19269#msg-19269 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19269#msg-19269
Since my Aliyah in 2005, I have sought avenues to deliver that education to classrooms in North America. Now that video conferencing is becoming mainstream, the opportunity to introduce students to the “real” Israel is something that can be done with relative ease. A group of former North American educators has teamed up to produce learning modules that will introduce students to two aspects of Israeli life, chessed, and Chagim.

Israel is blessed with an endless stream of Chessed Organizations. As a Jewish state, Israeli citizens do not allow the welfare of the needy segments of society to be farmed out to the government. Be it our poor, our soldiers, our deaf, our blind, our hungry, etc., Israeli citizens feel compelled to provide options and opportunities for them. The amount of volunteerism, especially by the youth, is both astounding and impressive. We must make Jewish students around the globe aware of this ideal in Israeli society.

Shabbat and Chagim are celebrated uniquely in Israel - by the country as a whole. While around 25% of the country is observant, these special days permeate almost every sector of Jewish society. Whether it be Shabbat in Tzahal, or that Asarah Betevet is mentioned on Reshet Bet (the main radio network), the pulse of the country revolves around our calendar and our holidays. This is a feeling that enhances Jewish identity and connectedness to Israel regardless of background or affiliation.

The magic of video conferencing allows students to taste the uniqueness of Jewish life in Israel, and to be taught by experienced faculty who are living the “yom yom” of the Medinah with all of the positives and the challenges.

I urge you to visit our website at www.ieducatefromisrael.com for more information.

Rabbi Joel Cohn
Jerusalem]]> Joel Cohn Lookjed List Archive Sun, 26 Dec 2010 01:24:43 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19268#msg-19268 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19268#msg-19268
First of all, it seems I was not sufficiently clear; perhaps my anecdotes led one to think that I was specifically “advocating advocacy”, but I was intending to advocate education, particularly education that includes understanding of the issues from different perspectives. I chose those introductory anecdotes simply because I experienced them that week. I also believe that in each case, more than anything else, those anecdotes reflected a fundamental misunderstanding or ignorance of the issues.

It would be marvelous, as one writer comments, if Jewish students knew the basic facts about Jewish claims to Israel, about the history of Zionism and about the Arab-Israel conflict. But it seems that most do not, even those coming from some of the finest Jewish high schools (certainly there are exceptions). Of course, educators must be honest and thorough and encourage critical thinking in all subjects, particularly Israel education. It would be wonderful if that were the case. To accomplish this will require significant discussion and learning among educators and a great deal of professional development.

I believe that Israel education should begin with an awareness that Israel is a central part of one's communal and personal Jewish identity and therefore should be an important part of a Jewish high school educational program. Could anyone who is honest with tradition and honest with sources truthfully argue that Israel is not a central component of Judaism? That in itself should make it a central component of a Jewish school program. The details of the program, each school needs to work out for itself, with the recognition of age, time and content appropriateness and prioritization.

More than thirty years ago, in the summer of 1979 Gerald Blidstein speaking about the dismal rate of Aliyah from America wrote:" …it is much more likely that we are witness to a skewering of Jewish spirituality itself. If this is the case, the all-but-effective elimination of Israel from the personal agenda of today 's American Jew is a symptom of destructive forces cutting away at our people 's roots. Israel, today, is the single most significant issue facing the Jew. The response to this opportunity is perhaps more crucial to the Jews of New York and Los Angeles than it is to the Jews of Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv." Let us forget about Aliyah for now, that is not the topic of this discussion; but thirty years later, his words terrifyingly resonate regarding the importance Israel has altogether today in the identity of Jews, the education of Jews, the political views and stands of Jews in America and Europe. What responsibility then do Jewish schools have in addressing this frightening reality?

A comment regarding the broader issue of addressing the challenge of which content and which approaches can be part of a school program. When I was a high school principal, I strongly believed, and do so more strongly today, that high school students should be exposed to as broad a range as possible of topics and approaches while they are within the walls of a Jewish high school. That includes serious and systematic Israel education, it includes traditional Bible study but also engagement with the idea of a Deuteronomist and a Priestly Code et al, it includes a strong grounding in tradition, philosophical issues and Jewish history. It depends on what a school decides is important. What they deem important will be allotted time in the schedule and will be addressed through the formal, informal and hidden curriculum. What is important will permeate the culture and climate of the school. As I have written previously elsewhere, when we assign select content in any course or program we are indicating what is most important and creating in a student's mind the perception that this is what is most important to know. That is always to some extent going to be misleading. Because whatever we select cannot paint the entire richness of the subject or the issue we are trying to cover. This is so in any course and regarding any issue. I believe it should be of particular significance to our selection of content to be studied in Jewish Studies and Israel education. To borrow from Bell Hooks, certainly writing in a completely different context, "what is true is that we make choices, that we choose voices to hear and voices to silence."

No high school student will leave high school a talmid hakham, or an expert in Tanakh , whether learned traditionally or as literature or using the critical method, but they should be introduced at the appropriate time to all of this, with experiences that concretize the learning. Is there any more effective way to bring about commitment to Zionism or to tradition or to the centrality of textual study, or to Jewish communal life than through education and experience? Is it not true that the ultimate success of a Jewish high school is for its students to be determined to continue what they just started there?

Stuart Zweiter
Director, The Lookstein Center]]> Stuart Zweiter Lookjed List Archive Sun, 26 Dec 2010 01:22:33 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19264#msg-19264 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19264#msg-19264
I imagine the experience for many of these students is like being mugged, for which most people are unprepared regardless of innate courage, martial skill or prior consideration. I assume that people can be trained to deal with these things effectively, and if you think it worth the investment then by-all-means do so; I’m simply skeptical that Zionist history or emotion is the proper training.

Michael Berkowitz]]> Michael Berkowitz Lookjed List Archive Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:48:34 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19262#msg-19262 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19262#msg-19262 [www.thejewishweek.com]

<<
Israel Education For Today
Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Tuvia Book

The simple fact is our schools have neglected to transmit the narrative of the miraculous modern -day triumph “to be a free people in our land.”

I have been active in Israel education for many years, having written an internationally utilized Zionism curriculum “For the Sake of Zion: A Curriculum of Israel Studies” (Third edition, Jewish Agency For Israel: 2010) and served as a JAFI Education Department shaliach (emissary) in greater New York, a Tour Guide for many groups, including Birthright, in Israel, and currently completing a doctorate in Israel education.

It never ceases to amaze me that, in the words of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, “our children know about the Holocaust, about how Jews died, not how they live. They know about Israel, but that is somewhere else, not here.”

Most mainstream Zionist day schools in greater New York do not even have a separate “Zionist/Israel studies” program for their students (with notable exceptions, such as HAFTR and the Yeshivah of Flatbush). So, it should not be surprising that once Jewish students leave the protective bubble of school, home or intimate social group and enter the “real world” of a mixed college campus, sometimes hostile to Jews and Zionism, they often find themselves uncomfortable, on the defensive and unable to speak about Israel, in part, because they lack the passion and knowledge for Zion.

In order to respond effectively, with a sense of self-respect and to be proactive, students need a sense of commitment and pride, as well as knowledge and tools. This will only come about if our day schools realize the vital importance of providing a strong curricular foundation for the understanding of Zionist history, Zionist ideology and the State of Israel.
Also, it is important to acknowledge that with all of Israel’s incredible successes in many fields since its creation, there are issues that Israel continues to grapple with.

Contact e-mail: tuvia8@hotmail .com
>>]]> Fran Ellner Lookjed List Archive Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:39:58 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19258#msg-19258 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19258#msg-19258
Tani Foger]]> Tani Foger Lookjed List Archive Mon, 20 Dec 2010 14:02:42 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19253#msg-19253 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19253#msg-19253
I read with interest the discussion on connecting and educating students to Israel and Zionism.

Another way of achieving a real life connection with Israel is to connect your school with an Israeli school.

My experience as a teacher and Principal in both Canada and Israel has taught me that a real connection with Israel starts with a connection with the people of Israel. When the connection is not only with the ideal of supporting Israel but also with an Israeli friend – it is much more lasting and meaningful.

That is why we have been running Israel Connect, a Melitz program dedicated to facilitating an inter-personal two-way connection between students from Jewish schools around the world and their peers in Israel.

This connection can encourage students on both sides to explore their own connection to Israel and the Jewish people and help strengthen their commitment to Judaism.
We develop a curriculum for each pair of schools which matches their goals in connecting to each other and facilitate communications between the two groups in order to make the connection meaningful.

For groups who also come to Israel, we also facilitate the face to face meeting, as the next step in their connection and joint learning.

You can have a look at the links below to see some examples or contact me directly.

All the best from Israel,


Amihai Bannett

עמיחי בנעט Amihai Bannett
Educational Director – Israel Connect
amihai@melitz.org.il www.melitz.org.il
www.israelconnect.org Twitter | Facebook]]> Amihai Bannett Lookjed List Archive Sun, 19 Dec 2010 14:42:52 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19248#msg-19248 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19248#msg-19248
First, I think we should distinguish between imparting debating skills, which in the best case would allow our kids to hold campus anti-Zionists up to public ridicule and cause bystanders to throng to the Zionist cause, and imparting a solid Zionist education, which would somehow prevent them from themselves being swayed by attacks on Israel. I have nothing to suggest regarding the former – I can’t remember the last time I convinced anyone of anything, and while I’m sure that others are more talented, I rather suspect that it’s a difficult thing to teach and to practice.

Regarding the latter, I’m just plain confused, because I have no idea why anything more than a cursory knowledge of Israel should be necessary. How many of the kids don’t know that the Jews have historical ties to the land? How many of them don’t know that the surrounding Arab states declared war on Israel from the very start, and that the dispossession of the Palestinians overwhelmingly occurred in the context of that ongoing war. How many don’t know that Israel is a Western-style democracy? How many don’t know that the Arab governments, including the PA, are not? How many believe that Israel sends its soldiers to wantonly murder Arab civilians? How many don’t believe that the Arabs send their soldiers to wantonly murder Israeli civilians – in fact, civilians of all kinds?

These are the kind of basic facts that even the New York Times can’t obscure completely. They’re not jingoistic; they don’t foreclose on the possibility of making concessions to the Arabs; they don’t refer to – and therefore don’t deny – the problems of keeping a hostile Arab populace in check with minimal interference in their lives. They don’t deny the difficulty of Israel’s surviving without having made peace with its neighbors – if anything, they highlight it.

They should, however, incline any normal person hearing that Israel should be subjected to a boycott to say “Excuse me?” All these kids have enough information to know that anybody claiming that Gaza is a big concentration camp is either evil, stupid or nuts (I would not discount the possibility of more than one). They have enough information, in general, to realize who are the Good Guys in this story, which should cause them to wonder about those people on campus making them out to be the Bad Guys.

Therefore, it seems to me that if the kids are actually being swayed by anti-Zionist rhetoric, it’s evidence of a problem more fundamental than not knowing Jewish History or not being emotionally tied to Israel. Deal with that problem – whatever it is – and Israel advocacy will take care of itself.

By-the-way, I think it equally weird that there are kids who hit campus thinking that Israel is a “city on a hill” and then do an about-face on finding that it’s not true. It’s weird they should think that in the first place, and even more weird that once their eyes have been opened they think the anti-Zionists make sense. Maybe it’s like Chesterton’s statement that when a man stops believing in God he doesn’t believe in nothing – he believes in anything.

Michael Berkowitz]]> Michael Berkowitz Lookjed List Archive Sun, 19 Dec 2010 07:01:43 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19247#msg-19247 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19247#msg-19247

I would also like to share an inspiring story about "commitment" that I heard this weekend. This past shabbos I was fortunate enough to be an advisor for students on the Yeshivah of Flatbush High School Junior Seminar. The shabbaton was being held at a hotel in Stamford Connecticut. All the students and most of the faculty had made it to the hotel early that Friday. Due some car accidents and heavy traffic on the highway, some of the faculty members and advisors that were driving up were forced to leave their cars alongside the road because shabbos was starting. After walking 8 miles to the hotel, one of the faculty members shared his experience with the whole group. As shabbos was rapidly approaching he decided to leave his car and other possessions alongside the highway, hide his car keys, and walk the 7-8 miles to the hotel. As he was walking, he met another family in the same situation that was walking to their destination. The other family had not hid their keys yet and were deciding what to do with them. They finally decided that they would knock on the door of a random house and ask if they could leave their keys with the owners until after shabbos. After knocking on a random door they were greeted by a non-Jewish older gentleman. After explaining their situation with the awkwardness of explaining what shabbos is and the restrictions pertaining to it, the gentleman gladly agreed to hold onto the keys. As they were leaving the house, the gentleman said to his son, that was sitting on the couch, "That's what I call commitment." We are not always faced with these dilemmas; but I hope that if and when were are, we will have the skills, knowledge, and of course commitment to deal with them.

David Galpert
DGalpert@gmail.com
www.twitter.com/dgalpert]]> David Galpert Lookjed List Archive Sun, 19 Dec 2010 06:59:33 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19245#msg-19245 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19245#msg-19245 nextleveljewisheducation.blogspot.com]. Here is a comment posted there...

transplantednorth said...

I have taught hebrew school on and off since 2001. I have participated in my city's Partnership 2000 program and have hosted teachers from Modi'in and have visited Modi'in. When it comes to teaching Israel, lots of kids have no tools of previous knowledge about Israel's history, or Israel's current contemporary culture. So when they see Israel through the narrow lens of conflict on CNN, they question "how can Israel be so mean to a people who have no land?"

I have taught the Etgar Zionism unit to seventh graders, explaining and debugging the misnomer that Zionism = racism. Kids came away from that lesson unit with an understanding of the Jews' special need for a homeland, and the risks early zionists took (Shochat, A.D. Gordon, Herzl) to fulfill the dream for future Jewish generations.
I have written about Israel advocacy on my blog,my post on this was called a Blessing and a Curse: Israel Advocacy through social networking which I will attach here.
December 16, 2010 4:03 PM]]> Ira Wise Lookjed List Archive Fri, 17 Dec 2010 13:03:56 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19242#msg-19242 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19242#msg-19242 wmg14@optonline.net
To: lookjed@mail.biu.ac.il
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2010 3:24 PM
Subject: How well are we preparing students?

As an adjunct to the discussion about Zionist education I would like to raise an issue that has been bothering me for some time. When our high school graduates spend a year or more studying in Israel, they are for the most part, not exposed to the Israel around them. Most probably never even get to Tel Aviv. They do not read the newspapers, they are not aware of political issues, they have little interest in what's happening around them, and they might as well be learning in Gateshead , Brooklyn or Lakewood. They may attend a rally here and there and they may get some history from tiyullin but a nuanced approach to Zionism is lacking.

Since the year in Israel is unfortunately regarded by many as the fixer upper for all that is wrong in the prior twelve years of day school education, I tried to remedy this situation about ten years ago. After Natan Scharansky's trips to American campuses I approached and had many meetings with his chief of staff. I had a funder who was willing to undertake an experimental program of Zionist education in the yeshivot and seminaries. Knowledgeable presenters would offer lectures once or twice a week so that these students would finish the year armed with information that was intended to give them the background they needed for their college experience. It was not intended to be indoctrination and different points of view would be expressed. The initiative had Scharansk's support but the yeshivot and seminaries were not interested.

Today, some of the newer schools do try to teach some Zionism, but the problem still exists.

Wally Greene]]> Wally Greene Lookjed List Archive Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:42:19 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19238#msg-19238 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19238#msg-19238
No one can read Stuie Zweiter's narratives and not be pained or worried. The challenges he describes are both very real and in many ways much worse than he describes. He alludes as well to what I think is the more central question -- where do we put this on our list of priorities? Should we not also be preparing kids for their encounters with the Documentary Hypothesis as discussed previously on this list? And what of the incessant conflicts with yom tov and Shabbat observance, or kashrut, or roommates, or philosophical and values differences that our kids all come into contact with on most college campuses? In short, how much are we preparing them for life after high school? And in our desire to teach them about "relevant" issues, what will happen to Torah and gemara and all of the other things we are also supposed to teach?

I sometimes think the real question is how much can we really prepare them for? Are there not limits? And how efficacious is such preparation? High school kids cannot necessarily see the relevance of things we teach until they actually confront some of these issues firsthand in "real life." Once they finally do, I believe they fall back upon the commitment they have even if they do not have the knowledge they need at the moment. The commitment will ultimately lead them to seek out the knowledge and with far more enthusiasm and detail than when they were sitting in a high school classroom.

And so I would respectfully suggest that rather than focus on the "Israel advocacy" aspect of Stuie Zweiter's question, we focus more on what it means to nurture a Zionist commitment to the State of Israel at this point in history for this particular generation of students. That is what should permeate our teaching in all grades and in all areas of school life. If we, as an educational community, could better resolve this question, then Israel advocacy on campus will in some sense take care of itself.

Rabbi Jay Goldmintz, Ed.D.
Headmaster
Ramaz Upper School]]> Jay Goldmintz Lookjed List Archive Tue, 14 Dec 2010 12:59:11 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19237#msg-19237 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19237#msg-19237 Yosef Blau]]> Yosef Blau Lookjed List Archive Tue, 14 Dec 2010 07:43:27 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19228#msg-19228 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19228#msg-19228
I'm responding to Stuart Zweiter's question about, "how Jewish high schools and junior high schools of all stripes are educating their students regarding Israel." For the last two years a research team from the Melton Centre for Jewish Education at Hebrew University has been engaged in studying precisely this question with support from the AVI CHAI Foundation, and also from the Jim Joseph and Schusterman Family Foundations through the iCenter.

Howie Deitcher and I have completed a number of reports and papers about this work, links to which are included below. At February's day school conference, in a keynote session, we will also be presenting data from video-interviews with high school sophomores.
* A summative report, based on a quantitative and qualitative study of Israel education at some 300 schools can be found at [melton.huji.ac.il]
* A report of what we found from analyzing some 70 Israel education curricula can be found at [melton.huji.ac.il]
* A searchable database of curriculum for teaching about Israel can be found at [virtualmelton.huji.ac.il]
* A synthetic discussion of the research findings was published in Journal of Jewish Education 76(1), 52-73., at [www.informaworld.com]

While we found evidence of outstanding practice in a number of settings, we summarize our findings as follows:
"Israel education in day schools lacks clear educational purposes; is undermined by poorly coordinated and fragmented practices; is distorted by an over-reliance on informal educational experiences that are often sub-contracted to external providers; and is bombarded by a confusion of initiatives that purport to solve the disconnect between American Jewish youth and the State of Israel."

You will note that we don’t say that the field needs new curriculum. We actually think that it is overprovided to that extent. The challenge, we suggest, is not to write new materials, but to better deploy those that already exist.

Howie Deitcher and I would be happy to share more of our work, with anyone who is interested.

Alex Pomson apomson@mscc.huji.ac.il
Melton Centre for Jewish Education, Hebrew University]]> Alex Pomson Lookjed List Archive Sun, 12 Dec 2010 00:05:28 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19222#msg-19222 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19222#msg-19222
With all due respect to the Jimmy Carter school of history, I would hope that it is self evident that any school that debates whether Israel is an apartheid state isn't aligned with the classical definition of Zionism.

I think there are at least three areas of Israel related curriculum every school must address, the null curriculum, the hidden curriculum, and the overt curriculum.

The null curriculum is the most subtle. Basically students may develop a negative instead of neutral opinion about any topic left undiscussed by adults around them in school. The logic is basically if it were that important someone would be discussing it with them so they conclude it must not be that important.

This means leaving Zionism out of the curriculum and/or the discussions that regularly take place in school could inadvertently lead to the interpretation of what Israel is all about based on Wikipedia, the White House, or in the New York Times. This could be the vacuum that apartheid state debates will fill if we don't interpret Israel data for students.

The hidden curriculum is the subtle or not so subtle symbolic communication of the Israel component of the mission and philosophy of the school that should permeate the background of all areas of school including secular studies whenever possible. Hatikva is sung along with the pledge of allegiance every morning, both the American and Israeli flags are presented at the entrance to the school, etc.

Simply put our school's mission statement espouses fealty to the State of Israel unapologetically. Aligning the school with that mission requires us to give clear direction to all staff about the expectations of an employee in this area. If teachers can't overtly support the Zionist mission of a school at the very least they shouldn't undermine it.

In the overt curriculum broad and deep knowledge about Israel's history and Religion is woven into the curriculum whenever possible. Modern Jewish History and multiple years of Ivrit are not elective courses. Positive or at least balanced news reports about current events, literature choices such as Chaim Potok's The Chosen help tell the heroic story of the struggle and development of the modern State of Israel, non-revisionist history texts such as Paul Johnson's History of the Jews, countless Torah topics in Parsha and Judaic studies, and many other choices are made partially through the lens of Israel education.

For example, if someone has a problem with Israeli occupation of captured lands, it is incumbent upon the school to educate our community about how and why we support the Israeli people and government. This doesn't mean that diverse views on prisoner exchanges or land for peace discussions are off limits, it just means they should be expressed respectfully and in a tone supportive of Israel in a general sense.

This also includes hiring and training teachers and students who can debate Israel bashers via guest speakers and training programs like the David project where Camera resources are shared with students. They need to learn how, as one of our local representative from the Israeli embassy's ( which is a great resource for pro-Israel speakers) guest speakers to our school put it, "to get away from the rhetoric and look at the facts on the ground" when someone screams that Israeli soldiers are baby killers. We work with national organizations like JNF when they are doing programming in the vicinity and send students to participate. We send students to rallies on behalf of Gilad Shalit.

The last two points I have to make about experiential Israel education are practical. It is vital to have our students and families visit Israel both as tourists and as learners. Gap years, class graduation trips, Bat and Bar Mitzvot as well as holidays should be encouraged and whenever possible be held in Israel. Aliyah should be applauded and celebrated when students and families move to Israel.

On the other hand it is important for Israeli educators to personally do shlichut outside of Israel to serve as educational ambassadors for the State of Israel. I almost wept when I visited a large Modern Orthodox synagogue in Israel while celebrating our daughter's Bat Mitzvah on Succot. I was very discouraged to see a veritable who's who of superstar anglo educators now living in Israel who are not currently having any direct impact on the diaspora. Colleges have scholars in residence for a year or two, why shouldn't Jewish schools.

Shalom,

Elisha Paul
Atlanta]]> Elisha Paul Lookjed List Archive Wed, 08 Dec 2010 23:52:38 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19220#msg-19220 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19220#msg-19220
Regarding Natan Sharansky's comments, I think what he says was very true a few years back, but I also think it is different today. Students are more organized, better educated and certainly more willing to stand up and express themselves on Israel. A few weeks ago, in response to a mock checkpoint set up at Columbia University by Students for Justice in Palestine, a number of Jewish student organizations and Jewish students, among them some of my former students, participated in a quickly organized and quite effective counter demonstration. They were not scared, they were not intimidated and were not afraid of what would happen to their academic careers. (see: [vimeo.com]). While the sentiment expressed by Natan is true on some campuses, that is certainly not the case where students are better educated, better motivated and better prepared. Also, while some campuses are "hotbeds", others are basically quiet, even though the occasional anti-Israel demonstration or event often brings a panicked reaction from outside organizations. One former student of mine bemoaned the fact that some of these organizations create an unnecessary ruckus in places where the vast majority of students are personally (albeit often silently) pro-Israel.

Having said that, it is still apparent that many students are uncomfortable with the task of "defending Israel" and have difficulty understanding what that is. For many with Orthodox backgrounds, they were taught to believe that anyone who promotes a political solution that recognizes Palestinian Arab rights, thinks about ceding territory or admits that aspects of the 'occupation' are problematic is essentially not "pro-Israel". For many with more liberal inclinations, the fact that Israeli policy may not follow all the principles and ideology associated with progressive liberal thinking makes it a less than perfect entity and one that cannot always be supported.

Both these approaches are developmentally naive and show a lack a sophistication that is required when dealing with what Israel is today. Students who are taught romantic notions of Israel, complete with mantras of "advocacy training" are being cheated out of an education that delves into the real predicament of modern Jewish life in Israel. Students who are not taught about the religious-secular divide, the dilemmas of human rights, the challenges of a Jewish democracy and a Jewish state and other modern day issues are being cheated out of a real education and are getting a version of Israel that is based on Bible stories or notions of the film "Exodus" and flag waving at the Salute to Israel Parade. When they are then exposed and see things that are not so flattering that involves Israel, they tend to be embarrassed and resort to the "I like Israelis but not Israel" line.

On the issue of education, I am still amazed at the phenomenal lack of basic knowledge some students have regarding Israel after high school. I often need to spend several sessions teaching students the difference between Haifa and Bethlehem and Tel Aviv and Nablus-Shechem (they usually see no difference and don't understand that "Israel" is not necessarily "Eretz Yisrael"). They almost never are able to differentiate between an Israeli Palestinian Arab and one who lives under the PA. They have little to no preparation related to the notion of Israel as "Jewish" state. And they inevitably have an awakening when they begin to realize that many of the social and political dilemmas that find expression in the media and on campus are issues that we Israelis deal with all the time.

A mature and intelligent approach to Israel education must start from the understanding that Israel is a real county with real problems, dilemmas, challenges and issues related to civil society. Not all these problems and challenges can be attributed to the continuing concern we have with our Palestinian Arab neighbors and not everything can be explained away as having to do with defending oneself and security. Unfortunately, while this approach would be educationally honest, it would not meet the unique framework of Jewish political correctness present in many Jewish schools. It would also require teachers who are prepared to handle these topics, something that is apparently sorely lacking.

What often results is the type of student I see at the beginning of their post high school year. Bright, inquisitive and very loyal to Israel, but dumbfounded and confused once when they realize that the Israel they thought they knew is not the Israel that really exists. Once educated however, they inevitably feel stronger in their beliefs and what results is the type of student, such as those that participated in the Columbia counter-demonstration, who can intelligently and confidently discuss Israel on campus.

irwin j (yitzchak) mansdorf phd
director
program in israel-arab studies
midreshet lindenbaum
jerusalem]]> Yitzchak Mansdorf Lookjed List Archive Wed, 08 Dec 2010 23:45:40 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19218#msg-19218 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19218#msg-19218
Stewart, in the stories you shared and in your questions, I heard a general sense that students should be more prepared for challenges they may face in college while at the same time a recognition that many/some day school students already in high school, do not have a positive view of Israel. It would seem to me that the objective of preparing students for what they may face in college misses the boat. Anyone who has access to the internet can encounter potentially difficult news about Israel.

You asked the question, "How much time do schools invest in this critical issue that all of their graduates will face on college campuses?"
I wonder if you could flesh that question out for me more. What specifically is the critical issue that you speak about? Is it just "Israel" - that itself is the critical issue or are the questions more specific. I would like to add to your list of questions, What are the goals of your school's Israel curriculum?
I would imagine that some schools still teach aliyah as the end goal. Others want students to like or feel good about Israel.

Brainstorming some questions that i think Israel curriculum could deal with:

What is the Jewish contribution to the project of statehood?
What are the possible ways to interpret Jewish State?
What does it mean to be sovereign?
In what ways are Jews aloud to exert power as a nation?
What role does Israel play in an American Jewish life?
What role do American Jews get to play in Israel?
Does your school talk about occupation?
What do we do with/ How do we talk about Palestinians?

There are a couple of new resources that are being worked on right now. The Hartman Institute has recently written a new curriculum not necessarily for schools although it could be adopted with people like Gil Troy, Yossi Klein HaLevi, Tal Becker, Rachel Shabbat Beit-Halachmi called Engaging Israel (as is the cool thing to do these days)
[www.hartman.org.il]

Another interesting group is the Community of Practice Israel Educators group that encounterprograms is running with its alumni. Encounter brings Rabbis and educators to Bethlehem to hear from Palestinians and then facilitates inter-Jewish conversation about those very strong encounters. They are working on creating civil conversation among Jews about the conflict. I think Benj Kam
benj@&#8203;encounterprograms.&#8203;org is running that group.

I mention those two initiatives because both are trying to move beyond the advocacy model. Finally, for another view of the college Jewish world, take a look at Rabbi Lisa Goldstein's, Executive Director of San Diego Hillel, piece in Haaretz.
[www.haaretz.com]]]> joshua Ladon Lookjed List Archive Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:21:25 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19214#msg-19214 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19214#msg-19214 1) We created an “Israel” course (as part of the Hebrew history track). The purpose of the course was to familiarize people with all aspects of Israel including its foundation, current status etc.
2) We hired Israeli teachers for two years at a time to teach Hebrew subjects
I believe option #1 is doable in any High School. I have heard of other schools using option #2 but there is a cost involved.

Russell Jay Hendel, Phd ASA
Dept of Mathematics
Towson University, Md
[www.Rashiyomi.com]]]> Russell Jay Hendel Lookjed List Archive Tue, 07 Dec 2010 23:50:12 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19211#msg-19211 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19211#msg-19211
I attended a Modern Orthodox Yeshiva high school, where "Zionism" was a full year course, generally taken by the majority of students, usually in Junior year. The curriculum had essentially three components: books and excerpts, a Zionist history written by the teacher, and free-flowing lecture on his experiences in Israel.

The goal was to inculcate students with a specific ideology vis a vis Zionism. The roots of the movement were found in Tanach and the early leaders were Alkali, Kalischer and Hess; Forged in Fury was required reading; and the teacher served for a time in the IDF, and occasionally suggested in a Brooklyn accent that "if the Arabs want to rumble, let's rumble."

Yet if the goal of the class was to deeply ingrain ("brainwash") the students with the desired Zionist ideology, it failed. Simply put, teenage students cannot be force-fed ideas. Facts can be memorized, but a path into one's own heritage is not available through 50-minute periods, four times a week. The class was greeted with general apathy, learning for the test, and papers directed to the teacher's biases.

This was precisely what a Zionist education should not do: It should not be rigid, rote, or committed to a particular strain of thinking. Rote breeds contempt and boredom, the sense that the topic is of the same quantity as European History. The specific ideology of the class (in this case an Ichud Le'umi/National Union position) repels the non-political and those with distinct ideological stances. And rigidity meant there was no space for a discussion.

A Zionist education should begin with certain principles. First, Zionism broadly defined means "Jewish Nationalism." Second, that Zionism is a living movement. Third, that Zionist education is an exploration of the student into his or her own identity. Fourth, that the first three points can be disagreed upon without being disagreeable.

The four principles above are obviously a marked departure from the typical high school class, as well as from typical Zionist education. The teacher should begin with an honest presentation of the class and institution as "Zionist," but explicitly allow for the airing of opposing views. Zionism should be presented as a flowering and living movement, not merely a foil for the Israeli-Arab conflict. Debate and argumentative writing should be the major thread leading through the class. For example, an early writing assignment should be "Zionism is Just," followed by a paper "Zionism is Unjust." Moreover, right vs. wrong dichotomies should share space with considerations of costs and benefits.

Yet critical thinking should be the thread running through three broad units: History, Theory, and Present and Future. My high school teacher made a two-fold error: these three units became one, all without an analysis of the issues by the students. Thus, a balanced curriculm is needed, where a voice is given to opposing actors, and even anti-Zionists. This is because certainty is a fragile thing: an untested Zionism is like a toddler with an ice cream, likely to drop the entire cone at the slightest nudge, or at least lose some of the deliciousness to melting.

Imagine my surprise to arrive in my first Middle Eastern studies class, and to begin the history of modern Palestine with the King-Crane Commission (run to Google, brave reader), rather than the Peel Partition plan! Or to hear "sh'tehei reisheit s'michat ge'ulatenu" for the first time in T'fila L'shlom Ha'Medinah! Where was I? I could not get my good 'ol fashioned Religious Zionism anywhere!

Zionism as Hasbarah comes through training. But it is not the high school classroom is not the place for it. Indeed, the classroom is not really the place for exploration of Jewish identity. But done correctly, would students not leave with a faith in themselves, as well as a commitment to the Zionism they have found personally meaningful?]]> OnceInHS Lookjed List Archive Tue, 07 Dec 2010 20:18:43 -0700 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19209#msg-19209 http://lookstein.org/lookjed/read.php?1,19209,19209#msg-19209 around the Shabbat table with him that he had found in his travels to
North American college campuses that Jewish students were uninformed
as well as scared to speak up for Israel, scared that if they were to
actively defend or speak positively about Israel it would impact
negatively on their academic career as well as their future
professional career.

This morning in a discussion I had with the head of a major Jewish
Foundation I was told that during a visit she recently had at a very
large Jewish high school, she found the students preparing for an
internal school debate on the topic, Israel: Is it an apartheid state?
In an informal discussion she had with several students at the same
school, she was told by them that they love Israelis but do not like
Israel.

This evening I read a piece in the JTA concerning the vote taking
place this week at Princeton University on whether to ask the
university's dining services to provide an alternative brand of
hummus. Why? Because the current brand being offered is Sabra, which
is half-owned by The Strauss Group, which has publicly supported the
IDF and provides care packages and sports equipment to Israeli
soldiers.

We all know of many similar examples. I am mentioning these because
they all occurred in just the past few days.

This post is not an invitation to debate political issues related to
Israel. Rather, we are very interested in learning how Jewish high
schools and junior high schools of all stripes are educating their
students regarding Israel. It seems particularly important during this
period in which there is increasing delegitimization of Israel. How
much time do schools invest in this critical issue that all of their
graduates will face on college campuses? Is it dealt with in a
serious and systematic way through formal and informal educational
programs? Where does it fit into your school program? What does your
school do? We are hoping that through the Lookjed list the Center can
raise consciousness of and attentiveness to this issue and that the
thousands of subscribers to the Lookjed list can learn about the
different efforts and programs that are being implemented in schools.

This question, of course, touches on how we prioritize what is
included in our school programs and how schools allocate and divide up
the time that is available. That itself is an important question for
reflection and deliberation by school principals and teachers. All
schools make choices regarding what is in and what is out? Where does
this issue fit in?

Stuart Zweiter
Director, the Lookstein Center]]> Stuart Zweiter Lookjed List Archive Tue, 07 Dec 2010 10:34:31 -0700