I JEWISH

JOURNEY

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WITH

Third in a year-long series exploring Jewish Family Education and the ways in whith your family can experience Judaism together.

The study of Torah is equal to all precepts of the Torah combined." -Ethics of the fathers

study time. As a family, pick one or two of the following ways to integrate Jewish study into

the life of your family.

Stop the cad Think about that for a moment. Of all the 613 commandments determined as

being integral to a Jewish life the study of Torah is deemed to involve them all. The rabbis

placed such a high value on the idea of study because it allows learners to infuse daily life

with a spirit of Judaism. All of the sudden, visiting someone in the hospital, becomes not only a

nice thing to do, but also a Jewish thing to do. At the beginning of the school year, and the

• Discuss an article from the newspaper and the potential relevance it has to Judaism.

• Relate Jewish values to secular holidays (Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, etc.).

• Have a Hebrew "Word for the Day".

• Form a neighborhood study group with other families in your community.

approach of the High Holidays, it is appropriate for families to reflect upon ways in which they

can learn together. The family that studies together not only increases the intellectual develop-

ment of its members, but also establishes an ethos of inquisitiveness and curiosity.

AT THE INTERSECTION

The outcomes of learning are often re-enforced through experiential

activities. Each Shabbat, your family can turn the portion of the week

into an interactive play. You can re-script the text to encourage

FUEL UP THE SCHOOL BUS!

In order to make Jewish study accessible in your
home, it may be helpful to have some of the following

resources available:

speaking in the first person. Props can be crafted and the furniture
arranged to make the "set" more realistic. Such an activity makes the

text come alive—to allow for connection with the text in an intimate

and personal way.

• A copy of the Tanach(Hebrew Bible)
• A Hebrew-English dictionary

ROADBLOCKS

• Some children's Bible stories

You may also want to surf the web for some of the following:
Vnyw.jewishfamily.com - a webzine committed to helping families apply Judaism and Jewish

values to their everyday lives by providing user-friendly information and entertainment.

"I really just don't have the time".
While it is nice to set aside certain time as study time, your

family can use some of the pre-existing "down time" as an

opportunity for Jewish learning.

www.ou.org/torah/tt/default/htm - Torah Tidbits, a service provided by the Orthodox Union, is a
on-line weekly summary of the Torah portion, along with interactive ways to approach Jewish

• Read Jewish stories at bedtime.
• Keep Hebrew flashcards in the car to use during traffic

study with your family.

jams, carpools, etc.
• Have a Jewish text serve as the "quote of the week" and
keep it taped to the refrigerator. Attach a piece of paper inviting feedback and

Jewish Family and Life, (Golden Books, 1997) by Yosef Abramowitz and Rabbi Susan Silverman,

is a lively, fun, kid-friendly guide to rejuvenating the Jewish family.

responses to the quote.

"My kids just aren't into that type of thing."
We must present Jewish study as a "value-added" activity—answering the ever-present question:

THE TOUR GUIDES

Families serve as excellent study partners—tour guides on the search for information and

meaning. Parents can serve as example for their children by setting aside time for the expan-

What's in it for me? The answer to that may be an increased sense of community and

connection, an opportunity to be a creative thinker and a chance to really challenge oneself.

sion of their own Jewish knowledge. Likewise, parents must never underestimate the quantity and

quality of what they can learn by studying with their children. Judaism understands the idea

that we are all learners and teachers--exemplified in the very language it uses to describe the

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

acts: the Hebrew word for "to learn" and "to teach" encompass the same root letters.

Judaism is committed to the concept of life-long learning. Every day and

every stage of life provides new learning moments. Journey on the road,

which extends 5000 years into the past and serves as beacon in the

establishment of a promising Jewish future.

REST STOPS

Every family keeps extraordinarily busy schedules—it is often diffi-

cult to make time for another. Studying provides a forum for an

increased sense of connection. It allows families the time to learn
about what is really going on in one another's lives, to pay attention

"Turn it and turn it, for everything is in it. Reflect on it and grow old and gray with it.
Don't turn from it, for nothing is better than it."

-Pirkei Avot, Ethics of our fathers

to the people who are most important.

Studying together need not be labor-intensive. Children can aid in the preparation of family

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11/17
2000

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Written by Amy Wagner

6735 Telegraph Road, P.O. Box 2031
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303-2031
Phone (248) 645-7860 • FAX (248) 645-7867
e-mail: jeff@ajedetroit.org • www.ajedetroit.org/jeff.htm

WERE PART OF THE TEAM

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Jewish education

Jewish 1° °I.

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a Jewish Journey with J.E.F.F." is a monthly addition to the Jewish News.

