Becoming A Mensch
Jewish education teaches the underlying values that make
today's world meaningful.
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ne of the first prayers a traditional Jew
recites in the morning reads: "God, I
pray that the words ofTorah will be
sweet in my mouth and in the mouths of the
entire Jewish people so that we, our children
and our children's children will become lovers
ofTorah and learners of Torah."
1 his is a beautiful prayer that, on one hand,
expresses our heartfelt desire for our children to
share with us our rich Jewish heritage and, on the
other hand, reminds us that we achieve this goal
through a strong Jewish education.
This is a time in Jewish history when we need
this message more than ever. Today's American
Jewish community is involved in an
unprecedented experiment. We are creating a
Judaism without walls. We don't live in a ghetto.
We aren't artificially surrounded by walls of
antisemitism. We live in an incredibly open
society, and somehow are challenged to transmit
to our children a vibrant Jewish identity within
this tolerant environment.
i he prayer above reminds us that one way we
Jews have historically done this is by immersing
our children in the values, texts, culture and
rituals of our tradition. And it's these elements
more than anything else that will bring meaning
to our children and blessing to the world.
In whatever school our children spend most of
their waking hours, they will learn the great
literature of the world. They will learn to
recognize the immortal words of Hamlet's
soliloquy: "To be or not to be." And that's good.
But it's not enough.
What we really need is for them to wrestle
with HOW to be and HOW NOT to be. That is
the question that will help us realize the sacred
age-old dream of a world that is more caring and
compassionate. That's the question that will help
our children make a significant difference in the
world today. That's the question that will help
bring meaning into our children's lives.
Wherever they study, our children will learn
about American democracy. They will learn to
cherish the Bill of Rights. And that's good
because we want them to
know about their rights as
individuals, about the sacred
freedoms of speech, religion,
assembly and press.
But we, as Jews, should
demand more of our
children. They should kn ow
Rabbi Lee
the language of responsibility
Buckman
and obligation to the
stranger, the orphan and the community as a
whole. Only a Jewish education can teach that.
Wherever our children study, they will gain
mastery in the sciences. But that's not enough.
They must also be taught that while economic
factors may determine their income, THEY
decide whether they are going to be honest or
corrupt. They must learn that while sociological
factors determined what language they speak,
THEY decide what words they're going to say.
They must come to understand that while their
genetic makeup determined the color of their
eyes, THEY choose what they want to look at
and admire. And that's also what a Jewish
education can help our children learn.
The mistake all too many of us make is that
we allow our children to end their Jewish
education too soon. We forget that adolescence is
a time when children question, reject, rebel,
doubt and challenge fundamental beliefs about
everything — including their heritage.
And that's why it's particularly important that
our children's education continue during the
teenage years. A Jewish education during those
years makes it possible for all those questions and
doubts to be addressed from the standpoint of an
age-old tradition, not just from the standpoint of
what's in vogue. It helps them refine their
understanding of the values, texts, culture and
rituals of our tradition that we have exposed our
children to in the years prior to adolescence.
And in that way the words ofTorah can
become sweet in the mouths of our children, and
each one of them will become an eternal lover
and lifelong learner ofTorah. Fl
Rabbi Lee Buckman is head of the new Jewish Academy of Metropolitan
Detroit that opened Aug. 28 with grades 9-10.
FILMS, VIDEOS &
SPEAKERS
Anti-Defamation League —
Michigan Region
4000 Town Center, Suite 420
Southfield, MI 48075
(248) 355-3730
(800) 343-5540
E-Mail: Michigan@adl.org
Website: www.adl.org
Extensive catalog of films and videos that combat
antisemitism, racism and prejudice and educate on
the Holocaust, Israel and Jewish history. Speakers
also available.
Holocaust Education Coalition
4000 Town Center, Suite 420
Southfield, MI 48075
(248) 355-3730
Contact Person: Rene Lichtman
Offers a speakers bureau of Holocaust survivors
and Hidden Children who are willing to speak to
both children and adults and travel to schools,
community and religious institutions.
Speakers Bureau
Jewish Community Council
6735 Telegraph Road, Suite 100
Bloomfield Twp., MI 48301
(248) 642-5393
Fax: (248) 642-6469
E-Mail: council@jfmd.org
Website:
www.jewishcommunitycouncil.org
Contact Person: Beverly Yost
Speakers on subjects including Israel, public
education issues and public affairs. An
audio/visual lending library consists of videotapes,
posters and poster exhibits. Pamphlets and flyers
in quantity available for distribution.
LIBRARIES
Ann Arbor Chabad House
715 Hill St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(734) 995-3276
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