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Flip your
sombrero and
support CF!
Don't take a Siesta...
Come to the Fiesta!
Who: The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
What: Holiday Fiesta Fantasy — A gala fiesta
with authentic Mexican food provided
by Manuel's the sensational new
restaurant at Crosswinds Mall.
Where: Crosswinds Mall
Orchard Lake Road at Lone Pine Road
West Bloomfield
When: Friday, December 7th from 7:00p.m. till
the Margaritas run out!
Why: LPorque No? Why not? You"Il have a
great time! There will be music by
Bugs Beddow; Lambada by Dance Art;
special appearance by Jim Harper of
WNIC; an auction and a chance to win
a fabulous winter getaway! All stores
will be open until 11:00 p.m.
How Much: Not Much!
$10 advance donation
$15 donation at the door
R.S.V.P. 354— 6565
Special Thanks to MARIOMAX SALON
Make your tax
a Cystic
Fibrosis
deductible check to:
Foundation
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118
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1990
N . J.74 1AA
NYA
NEWS)
Study Urges Major Push
To Upgrade Education
New York (JTA) — Follow-
ing two years of study, the
Commission on Jewish Edu-
cation in North America has
concluded that the current
Jewish education system is
beset by serious problems,
and has recommended
several strengthening steps,
including raising $25 mill-
ion to $50 million in funds.
The commission also cre-
ated a new organization, the
Council on Initiatives in
Jewish Education, to
implement its recommenda-
tions.
After two years of
digesting commissioned
reports and testimony from
Jewish education profes-
sionals, sociologists and con-
sultants — at a cost of ap-
proximately $1 million —
the commission cited defi-
ciencies in funding, commu-
nal support and profes-
sionalism in Jewish edu-
cation.
Pointing out that Jewish
education in the United
States and Canada costs
about $1.2 billion a year and
employs some 30,000
educators, most of whom
work part-time at thousands
of Jewish institutions, the
commission's report noted
that close to 60 percent of
the 1 million Jewish chil-
dren of school age in North
America do not receive any
form of formal Jewish edu-
cation.
Only about 40 percent of
all the Jewish children in
the United States, and about
55 percent of those in
Canada, are currently
enrolled in any Jewish
school, and the problem
becomes far more pronounc-
ed once kids are past bar
mitzvah age.
The report noted problems
including "sporadic par-
ticipation; deficiencies in
educational content; an
underdeveloped profession of
Jewish education; inade-
quate community support
and the absence of a resear-
ch function to monitor
results, allocate resources
and plan improvements."
It concluded that "a mas-
sive program will have to be
undertaken in order to
revitalize Jewish education
so that it is capable of per-
forming a pivotal role in the
meaningful continuity of the
Jewish people."
The commission, a group of
44 top educators, philan-
thropists and community of-
ficials, was assembled in
1988 by Morton Mandel, a
Cleveland businessman and
philanthropist who served
four years as chairman of
the Jewish Agency's Jewish
Education Committee
beginning in 1984.
The group boasts par-
ticipants from a range of
organizations, including the
presidents and chancellors of
the major seminaries from
across the denominational
spectrum, and some of North
America's leading Jewish
philanthropists.
They include: Rabbis
Alfred Gottschalk, Arthur
Green, Norman Lamm and
Ismar Schorsch; Mona Riklis
Ackerman, Charles Bronf-
man, Lester Crown, Eli
Evans, Max Fisher and
Ludwig Jesselson.
Two areas of Jewish edu-
cation were singled out for
The commission
cited deficiencies
in funding,
communal support
and
professionalism.
specific recommendations:
building the Jewish edu-
cation profession and
mobilizing community sup-
port for Jewish education.
Expanding professional
training institutions, raising
the salaries and benefits of
educational personnel and
focusing on recruiting from
new sources were some of
the suggestions.
A Jewish Education Corps
made up of outstanding col-
lege students, the commis-
sion says, would be a rich
source of talent.
Modeled on the Peace
Corps, young people would
commit to a number of years
of part-time teaching and, as
they continue their general
studies, would receive spe-
cial training as well as
remuneration.
Another source of new tal-
ent could be corporate, legal
and arts professionals who
want to make a career
change.
More support from the
community, which would
lead to more funding for and
participation in educational
programs, should be de-
veloped by recruiting com-
munity leaders, according to
the commission, and by
working to change attitudes
about Jewish education at
the local level.
The commission's work
received mixed reviews from
Jewish education profes-