THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS — Friday, June 5, 1959-40

al•

Education Survey Recommends Pupils' Longer
Stay in Schools, Improved Teaching Methods

Proposals Made at Convention
of AAJE Now in Progress in N. Y.

AAJE executive director,
education has changed for the port incorporates a lengthy re-
said in recent years there has
better during the past 40 years." view of the accomplishments of
The report notes a sudden the Library of the Detroit United
been "the almost complete
congregationalization of the
drop in enrollment of boys 12-13 Hebrew Schools. This lengthy
years old (17.7% ) and those excerpt from the UHS librarian's
American Jewish commun-
over 13 (3.8%). "This finding report shows the remarkable ity."
In his comments, Dr. Pilch
is verification of the well known Progress of a well-managed and
fact that for many boys Bar widely used school library. pointed out:
"The shift of Jewish popula-
Mitzvah is the terminal point of Thus, the "promotion of Jewish
their education. Efforts must be libraries" by our schools similar tion, the decline of the Jewish
made to counteract the terminal to Detroit's is encouraged in the proletariat, the ongoing pro-
cesses of acculturation, which
character of the Bar Mitvzah report.
The report recommends the in many a case stop just short
ceremony, possibly by changing
the framework of the education formation of a National Associa- of complete abandonment of
tion of Jewish Parents, similar the Jewish way of life, the im-
given during those years."
"The dramatic increase of to the American Congress of pact of the religious revival —
were important factors in :he
Jewish Day Schools indicates Parents.
"If Hebrew and the Hebrew rise of the new synagogue. The
that they have met a deeply
felt need for more intensive Bible are to be taught to our socio-psychological need for be-
Jewish education by groups in children adequately," the report longing to one's own group, en-
the community," it is re- recommends "heroic efforts" in hanced by a vague kind of Jew-
ish consciousness on the one
these directions:
ported.
hand and the social barriers of
Emphasis is placed on the
"(a) to improve the teach-
Gentile - Jew relationships on
fact that "the holding power of ing of Hebrew through scien-
the other. the conditions of life
the schools is not good," that
tific laboratory analysis and
in suburbia, where each indi-
"the average American Jewish through directed classroom
vidual has to be identified as a
child attends about three years experimentation,
member of some group—where
in a Weekday Afternoon School
"(b) to increase the amount
additional causes of the phe-
or about four years in a Sunday
of time required weekly,
nomenal growth of the new
School."
"(c) to lengthen the num-
American synagogue. Another
"Most of the children—six
her of years of study?"
important motivation in the
out of ten—like their Jewish
school and would go to it if The responsibility of federa- tremendous increase in mem-
given free choice," the report
tions to encourage Jewish edu- bership of the temples and
continues. But the fact that a
cational efforts is strongly em- synagogues was the parents'
large minority "feels mega-
phasized, and in this connection concern with the Jewish"ess of
tively about the Jewish the report incorporates the fol- their children. -Even those who
school is a continuous chal- lowing excerpt from the address kept away from Jewish institu-
lenge to teachers and com- delivered at the CJFWF Gen- tional life as they have known
munity leaders." eral Assembly in Washington it in the old Jewish neighbor-
More Jewish children are re- last November by Mandel L. hood, seek now to re-establish
ported liking their public Berman, who is slated to be the some kind of relationship to the
school more than the Jewish next president of D e t r o i t's Jewish group for the sake of
their children. This quest for a
school; many Jewish children United Hebrew Schools:
Jewish upbringing for their
refer to the atmosphere of the
"The Federation has to assure children resulted in their join-
Jewish school as one in which
they "rarely or never have fun." itself that it can in fact live up ing the synagogue."
to its responsibility. as it does
It was reported at the con-
"The children in Orthodox in other fields. It can do so only
vention that American Jewry
schools have a more positive
with reference to a communal spends over $60.000.000 a year
attitude toward their schools
school with which it has the for the education of children in
and studies than do the children same relationship as with other the
community.
in other schools." In this con- communal agencies. The accept-
Leighton Rosenthal. of Cleve-
nection, the study conducted by ance of such responsibility by
land, was honored by the dele-
Engelman in Detroit showed the
Federation in turn brings it the gates as "Teacher of the Year."
following replies:
respect
and
loyalty
of
the
Jew-
Do you like your Hebrew School
very much? — "Orthodox" 41'; ish population which has the
Yes; other schools 18.5 -; Yes.
security of looking to it for this Jewish High Schools
Do you like your Hebrew School
little or not at all? — "Orthodox" service as they do for other
Attract Mere 12%
31 1 7 ; Yes; other schools 46.6';.
service.

(Continued from Page 1)
knowledge through stud y;
especially if that knowledge
education into the realities of
is to be in the Hebraic sources
curriculum and teaching."
and forms of our culture."
"2. There should be followup
The summary declares that
activities in research by the
AAJE - research department in "parents and community lead-
ers
must come to understand
Many unfinished tasks of the
that they cannot project an
study.
"3. Through the Council of `image' of Jewish education and
Jewish Federations and Welfare yet accept conditions which
Funds. the American Associa- make the realization of that
tion for Jewish Education image impossible. If they really
should promote the trend for desire their children to be Jews
federations to undertake more who have Jewish knowledge.
direct and generalized responsi- then they must provide at least
bility for nlanning and develop- four basic conditions leading to
ing .Jewish education as they the achievement of that desire:
"(1) arrange for their chil-
do in other areas of community
dren to give more time to
work.
Jewish study;
"4. The AAJE should take
"(2) help them continue in
the lead in getting congrega-
Jewish
school beyond Bar-
tional and communal leaders to
Mitzvah
or Confirmation, dur-
agree on what can be done
realistically to overcome the ing the crucial years of adoles-
smallness. divisiveness and in- cence;
"(3) insist that their chil-
stability of schools which make
dren be taught by full-time,
weekday Hebrew education so
well trained knowledgeable
full of difficulties, with the aim
Jewish teachers; and
at, arriving at a plan of shared
"(4) provide in the homes
educational responsibility in
and in the community an
which the large and adequate
atmosphere of respect and
congregational schools are to be
desire for Jewish culture and
attached as such to the com-
munity system of week d a y learning?'
Of the 1,560 community lead-
schooling, and the small inade-
quate schools should be consoli- ers who were asked to state
dated on an intercongregational their views of Jewish D a y
Schools, '75 per cent opposed
basis.
"5. Through its National Com- them and 25 per cent approved
mittee on Teacher Education them. The report states that
and Welfare and through its "the Jewish Day Schools are
wide community contacts, AAJE not viewed as 'parochial': in-
should press for the reduction deed, the majority (77%) are
and eventual abolition of part `noncongregational' school s."
time Jewish teaching in the The fact that a fourth of the
weekday schools, and urge the community does not oppose
appointment of full time teach- Day Schools "should have bear-
ers at adequate salaries: their ing ... in determining the place
schedules of work, beyond class- of the Day School in commun-
room teaching, to include the ity organization," the report
many necessary extra-classroom says.
A striking similarity is re-
educational services to pupils
ported in guiding principles of
and parents. . . .
"6. As one way to extend Orthodox. Conservative and Re-
-Jewish education beyond Bar form schools—"all three official
you go to Hebrew School
Mitzvah, AAJE should encour- curricula stress the teaching of if Would
you had the choice? — "Orthodox"
"In Detroit parents have the
age the establishment of Jewish Jewish knowledge as the sine 76.4''; Yes: other schools 66.3'; Yes
Do you like your Hebrew teachers assurance that a Jewish school
Junior High Schools for ages 11 qua non for achieving the other
very
much?
—
"Orthodox"
48.7"
-- will serve them long after it is
to 15. These should become Bar desired values."
Yes; other schools 39.6"; Yes.
It is declared in the -report
Do you like all the subjects in I economical to maintain a school
Mitzvah Bible Schools in which
Hebrew
schools?
—
"Orthodox"
45.4';
in a changing neighborhood.
that "the isolationist char-
the study of Hebrew Bible is
other schools 27.77; Yes.
They are assured that when
acter" of congregational or- Yes:
to be the central subject of the
Do you like some subjects In
they move from one neighbor-
Hebrew
School?
—
"Orthodox"
ganizations "make the objec-
curriculum. together with re-
other schools 86.9 Yes.
hood to a new neighborhood.
tives of official curricula dif- Yes;
current public reading of the
How is chumash study liked in
ficult of realization," and it various schools? — "Orthodox 55"; their child can continue in the
Bible in synagogue during and
Yes; other schools 31.9"; Yes (Com- same school system—that he can
is advocated that "they should
after Bar Mitzvah, and culmi-
munity) 39.3 -;, Yes (Conservative)
move together with commun-
Do you find Hebrew School hard- progress from elementary to
nating in some ritual ceremony
er than public school? — "Ortho- high school to a college of Jew-
ity
agencies."
such as Ratan Torah and the
dox" 40.57; Yes; other schools 617';.-
ish studies within an integrated
"Quantatively speaking," the Yes.
Ratan Bereshit on S i m h a t
educational program."
An interesting revelation in
Torah for the graduates of the report states. "the great major
the report is the attitude of
Junior High School. Summer ity of parents do want and do
The commission of disting-
Jewish high school students
camping in Hebrew speaking provide some sort of Jewish
uished educators who directed
as
to
their
likes
or
dislikes,
education
for
their
children."
the study was headed by Profs.
camps. and student pilgrimages
"In 1958 there were 553.600 the students having "pointed
Oscar I. Janowsky and Milton
to Israel, should be planned as
to the content of their studies
R. Konvitz.
integral parts of the junior high Jewish children and youth (age
as the chief reason for their
5 through 17) enrolled in Jew-
school program.
The r e p o r t's implications
liking it and to poor teaching
"7. As partial solution of the ish schools. The proportion of
as their chief reason for dis- were discussed by Philip W.
need for more intensive Jewish pupils to the total population
Lown who was re-elected presi-
liking it?'
education for some children. was 10.5% for Jewish schools
Small schools are urged to dent of the AAJE. Detroiters
AAJE should advise Federa- as compared to 22.4% in the
who participated in workshop
tions and Bureaus to accept general schools." It was esti- consolidate. Congregations are discussions at Thursday morn-
among the schools which they mated that 80% of the Jewish encouraged to limit one-day ing's session of the convention
support or 'service,' those Day children "receive some Jewish schooling to primary grades included Albert Elazar. superin-
Schools that are modern in schooling at some time during (ages 5-7) and to require all tendent -of' the United Hebrew
children thereafter to . attend Schools; Mrs. Carl Schiller, who
character and which comply school age."
"Evidently," it is summar- Weekly Afternoon Schools.
with objective standards of
headed -the Detroit committee
The report declares: • "For that
school management and general ized, "Jewish educators are
handled the survey ques-
the
convenience
of
the
chil-
right
in
insisting
that
o
u
r
education."
tionnaires, Sol Drachler, direc-
dren
and
for
the
better
man-
problem
is
no
longer
that
of
Prepared by Dr. Alexander
tor of the Detroit Jewish Wel-
agement of the schools, com-
getting our children to Jewish
M. Dushkin and Dr. Uriah Z.
fare Federation's education
munities should organize com-
schools, but rather of having
Engelman, two of American
division; and Dr. Norman
mon transportation systems,
them stay in the schools long
Jewry's most prominent edu-
Drachler, newly-appointed ex-.
such as developed in Detroit
enough to make that educa-
cators, the summary of the
ecutive administrative assistant
and elsewhere." The report
tion valuable."
Report for the Study of Jew-
in charge of school relation-
The old Hadarim and Melam- contains a lengthy analysis of
ish Education in the United
ships and special services for
the functions of the bus
States declares that the mini- dim have disappeared and "in
the Detroit Board of Education
system of the United Hebrew
their place there is an increase
mal number of hours pres-
and principal of the Temple
Schools of Detroit, and the
in the proportion attending one-
ently allocated for Jewish
Beth El Religious School.
system and its effective func-
day school at one end and Day
studies. although they "have
Commenting on the sur-
tioning are highly com-
Schools at the other. Evidently.
value in attempting to incul-
vey's implications and on the
mended.
despite many shortcomings and
cate certain ritual practices
changing patterns in our
Attaching importance to "ef-
or doctrinal beliefs," do not
basic difficulties, the over-all
schools, Dr. Judah Pilch,
pattern of American Jewish fective school libraries," the re-
provide "the way to acquire

.

of 335,000 Youth

PITTSBURGH (JTA)—Of the
335,000 .Jewish boys and girls
of high school age in the
United State s. only about
42.000, some 12 per cent, a re
getting some kind of Jewish
education. it was reported here
at the 33rd annual conference
of the National Council for
Jewish Education.
Of those receiving Jewish
schooling, half study only one
day a week. The remainder
attend afternoon Hebrew high
schools and all-day schools.
These figures were submitted
by Prof. David Rudaysky, of
•New York University. and
Samuel H. Dinsky, of the Jew-
ish Education Committee of
New York. There was a doubling
of enrollment in the last. 10
years in the Hebrew high
schools, they reported.
. They presented recommenda-
tions for intensifying the studies
of those presently attending and
for. special programs to be set
up for the 85 per cent of Jew-
ish teen-agers not now receiving
any Jewish secondary education.
A. Hillel Henkin. of New
Haven, in his annual presiden-
tial message. urged that the
Hebrew teaching profession be
elevated economically; that .Jew-
ish education must be made
more intensive; and that Juda-
ism be brought into the Jewish
home.
Samuel J. Borowsky, general
secretary of NCJE, urged that
all organizations of Jewish edu-
cators, irrespective of ideologies,
unite in behalf of the greater
good for Jewish education.