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Detroit

Shalom, Talmidim

The Agency for Jewish Education offers a rich
Hebrew curriculum. So why aren't students
clamoring to enroll?

JULIE EDGAR SENIOR WRITER

H

ebrew study seems to
have lost its appeal, says
Nira Lev, the director of
Hebrew programming at
the Agency for Jewish Education
in Southfield.
After the Six-Day War in
1967, Jews flocked in droves to
Hebrew classes. Synagogues
launched ambitious language
programs in afternoon schools.
More Jews went to Israel or sin-
cerely thought about going.
"It was a very essential part
of Jewish identification," Ms.
Lev says.
She attributes some of today's
malaise to fewer ties among
young Jews to Israel and a shift
away from modern Hebrew in-
struction to "prayer book" He-
brew in afternoon religious
classes.
And while the AJE's basic He-
brew class has a waiting list for
the upcoming semester, the class
schedule has not grown in two

Hebrew a part of their studies,
and fluent non-native speakers
crowd a monthly mifgash to talk
politics and poetry with local Is-
raelis.
Even with a plateauing in-
terest, Detroit's Jewish commu-
nity is more committed to the
serious study of Hebrew than
others in the United States, Ms.
Lev says. AJE's Hebrew Inter-

years; enrollment in its 11 14-
SHALOM page 10
week Hebrew classes
has remained fairly
stagnant.
Last semester, 130
students studied. Stu-
dents are signing up
for the new semester,
which starts Feb. 10,
but their numbers
haven't been tallied
yet.
Enrollment has de-
clined in all adult ed-
ucation courses, but
less so in Hebrew
classes, says Naomi
Blumenberg, head of
AJE's adult education
programming.
"We don't see re-
newed interest, but
we see interest," Ms.
Lev agrees. Jews who
are discovering their
* •
•
,
• • •
•
identity through
- • .•
Torah are making
Nira Lev: AJE's director of Hebrew programming.

Off The Beaten Path

JULIE EDGAR SENIOR WRITER

T

he Agency for Jewish Ed- head of adult education pro-
ucation is doing what gramming, says the outreach of
seems to be working for fort, which also includes tuition
its counterparts: market- discounts, is meant to address
ing itself to appeal to younger, some of the suggestions provid-
unaffiliated Jews. Where? ed by focus groups convened to
Barnes & Noble in West Bloom- reverse a tide of indifference to
field, of course.
Jewish studies.
Beginning in
"There are more
February, the AJE
professional people
is reaching out
who have more
with a 13-week
demanding jobs.
drop-in lecture se-
Both
spouses
ries at the book-
work. People are
store that features
unable to get
mostly rabbis. They
places on time.
will speak on topics
People don't have
that range from
the time for multi-
abortion to intima-
ple-week or ongo-
cy to the role of Sa-
ing programs "Ms
tan in classical Naomi 131 umenberp:
Blumenberg says.
Jewish literature to Offering a sampler.
The Barnes & No-
contemporary Jewish
ble lecture series
life in Poland.
starts Monday, Feb. 10, with a
Next month, the agency will 7 p.m. lecture by Rabbi Steven
begin a six-week Yiddish film Well on Judaism and the griev-
festival, and in late March, the ing process.
AJE and the America-Israel
Last year, ME floated a "test
Chamber of Commerce of Michi- balloon," offering two short lec-
gan are co-sponsoring a five-day ture series at Barnes & Noble
Israeli film festival at the Maple with Rabbis Joshua Bennett
Theatre.
Naomi Blumenberg, AJE's
BEATEN PATH page 10

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