*
Boris Smolar's
`Between You
• . . and Me'
Editor-in-Chief
Emeritus, JTA
(Copyright 1980, JTA, Inc.)
THE JEWISH SCHOOL SEASON: The Jewish
schools in the United States-. which began their current
semester last month have an enrollment of approximately
350,000 pupils. Five years ago the number of pupils in
Jewish schools was 400,000. Ten years ago the enrollment
was 450,000. In 1961, there were 600,000 pupils registered
in the Jewish schools.
It is estimated that more than 1,300,000 Jewish chil-
dren up to the age of 17 are eligible for Jewish education.
They represent a substantial proportion of the entire
Jewish population of close to 5,840,000. If only 350,000 of
them are enrolled now in Jewish schools, how many pupils
will be found in the Jewish school system by the end of this
century?
REASONS FOR DECLINE: Many reasons are given
for the continuous decline in the Jewish school system. But
the primary cause is the prevailing apathy among
thousands of parents toward Jewish education of their chil-
dren. Other reasons include:
• The low birth rate among Jews.
• The economic pressures that have become increas-
ingly prevalent within the Jewish community. Many par-
ents find themselves unable to pay tuition which is being
raised every year..
• Inflation: congregational schools have, due to the
sprialing inflation, merged into inter-denominational or
communal schools.
• The demographic patterns: many families are now
moving from one city to another, and do not look for a
Jewish school for their children in the new surroundings.
• Intermarriage: few intermarried parents send their
children to a Jewish school.
There are also other reasons which lead to the drop in
the number of pupils in Jewish schools. The escalating
number of Jewish divorces; the "one-parent family" where
the mother has to care for the child while busy trying to
earn a living. Parents in these categories neglect. the
Jewish education of their children. They satisfy themselves
with the education the children receive in public schools
where there is no tuition.
MODERN METHODS NEEDED: Even with the de-
cline in the number of supplementary Jewish schools and of
pupils in the Jewish school system, Jewish education is still
a "big business." It is estimated that about $300 million
will be spent this year on Jewish education which struggles
under constant deficits.
Any enterprise spending $300 million a year uses
modern aggressive methods of publicity to popularize its
product. The Jewish school system cannot afford the luxury
of the cost of such methods. It cannot even spend a million
dollars a year — a third of one percent of its budget — for
modern public relations. It still maintains the old-
fashioned propaganda methods with regard to stimulating
Jewish parents to send their children to a Jewish school.
These methods are to a very great extent obsolete in
modern times. They are not strong enough to combat the
mass indifference of parents and awaken in them the
necessity of giving their children a Jewish education. A
more massive and aggressive approach is needed to influ-
ence parents who ignore the existence of Jewish schools.
Federation
Annual Meeting
The Jewish Welfare Fed-
eration will hold its 1980
annual meeting Monday at
Cong. Bnai David.
The Fred M. - Butzel
Memorial Award for distin-
guished community leader-
ship will be presented
jointly to Phillip Stollman
and Mrs. Max (Frieda)
Stollman.
Also on the agenda are
Jewish Welfare Federation
President George M. Zelt-
zer's annual report and the
election of nine members-
at-large to the Board of
Governors.
The Bnai Brith Hillel
Foundation on the Wayne
State University campus
has arranged several activi-
ties for college-age indi-
viduals.
The foundation will spon-
sor a talk by Stephen Bryen,
executive director of the
Jewish Institute for Na-
tional Security Affairs, 11
a.m. Monday in the Hillel
lounge. He will speak on
"America's Options in the
Middle East."
At 11 a.m. Tuesday,
Charles Silow, head of
CHAIM — Children of
Holocaust Survivors As-
sociation in Michigan, will
discuss his experiences. At
noon, Russ Bellant
president of the Student-
Faculty Senate, will speak
on behalf of CARD, an
organization which opposes
peacetime draft registra-
tion.
Friday, October 3, 1980 29
NEW Teen Center
. Baby World's
BEDROOM FURNITURE FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES
by FAMOUS brands like . . .
(4,1310141ii
Schoolfield
%Weft
,
sot
-
‘44
•• ••••••••
•
a •
1111111 1111M.
PAY
11...
•
44/44twoosm
• altlagagEONI
■
B41BY WORbB TEENS
Do not anticipate trouble,
or worry about what may
never happen. Keep in the
sunlight.
126 E. 14 MILE RD, CLAWSON
1 MI. W. OAKLAND MALL
388-2333
34520 FORD RD., WESTLAND
2 BLKS. E. WAYNE RD.
326 6110
-
THE FIFTH ANNUAL
Intercongregational Adult Education Institute
1980
5741
Seven Tuesday Evenings
October 14-November 25
AND
THE
BUSH
WAS
31.?
NOT
- CONSUMED
The Conservative Rabbis of Metropolitan Detroit
present
A Cooperative Study Program For the Jeugsh Community
The 1980 Intercongregational Adult Education Institute
•
REGISTRATION FORM
This form may be used for two people. Indicate first and second choice each hour for each registrant.
p_
Re istrants1
Registrants
A
B
FIRST HOUR CLASSES
:
111
The Five Megillot
211
Exodus According to the Midrash-II
A
SECOND HOUR CLASSES
B
Mishiei (Proverbs) A Biblical Guide to Sensible Living
121
,
221
The Mishna — The Oral Law of Judaism - II
•
311
•
WSU Hillel Plans Activities
Max Gill of the Ameri-
can Society for Technion
will speak at 11 a.m.
Wednesday on study
programs available at the
Technion.
Israeli dancing will be led
by Betty Appleton 2 p.m.
Wednesday in the Hillel
lounge.
At 8 p.m. Oct. 12, the
Hillel Foundation will
sponsor a program, "From
Groucho Marx to Woody Al-
len: What's Jewish About
Jewish Humor." Guest
speaker will be Alan Gould,
comedy writer for the
Canadian Broadcasting
Corp. Refreshments will be
served, and there is a
charge. The program will be
held at Cong. Shaarey
Zedek.
Kosher luncheon is avail-
able 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday
through Friday at the Hillel
lounge. Lunch is served at a
nominal charge.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Turning Points in Jewish Intellectual History
321
Great Conservative Jews
411
Maimonides — The Man and His Ideas
322
An Introduction to Modern European Jewish History
51 '
•
Understanding the Si dd ur
421
Understanding American Judaism Reform
Orthodoxy and Conservatism
61 1
The Jewish Family in Transition
521
Understanding the Mitzvot
612
Between Man and Man. An Introduction
to Jewish Ethics
621
J Jewish Bioethics
711
Hebrew — Beginners
721
Hebrew :— Beginners
712
Hebrew — Intermediate
722
Hebrew — Intermediate
713
Hebrew — Advanced
723
Hebrew — Advanced
821
The Great Cantors. Innovators & Interpreters
REGISTRANT A
•
$
$
❑
❑
[1]
❑
Synagogue or Temple members 6i $6.00 per person
Non-affiliated 0/ $12.00 per person
Hebrew class (a $4.00 additional per person
Senior citizens or full-time students — no charge
REGISTRANT B
$
0
$
(Note: There is no additional regular charge for courses taken.)
❑
❑
Total $
Transportation assistance needed, liopossible
Can offer transportation from my area
Total $
per person
Name
Name
City
Address
Phone
❑
Home
Congregational affiliation
Work
Zip
City
Address
Phone
Home
Congregational affiliation
Checks should be made payable to Congregation B'nai Moshe.
Return to: Intercongregational Adult Education Institute
c✓ o Congregation B'nai Moshe
14390 West Ten Mile Road
Oak Park, Michigan 48237
Work
Zip