The Big Story ing to package directions. Divide into equal parts. Add blue food coloring to half the dough, and leave the other half plain. Knead well, then let dough rest for one hour on a floured baking sheet. Flatten each piece of dough so that it's about 8" long. Stack pieces atop each other in any order, then fold ends into middle. Set dough in 8" greased loaf pan. Let rest for 30 minutes. Bake in preheated oven at 350-degrees for about 30 minutes. Your lovely loaf will be blue and white, the colors of the flag of Israel. 1 1"-1 Essence According to the Tanach, Psalms 111:10, Proverbs 1:7, "The essence of knowledge is fear of the Lord." L, : Frankfurt The first coeducational Jewish school in Germany was opened in 1855 in Frankfurt. The headmaster was Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808-1888), an Orthodox rabbi who saw to it that students learned Hebrew, Torah and Talmud, as well as secular subjects patterned after the program at government-sponsored schools. E : Gratz The first Sunday school for American Jewish children was established in 1838 in Philadelphia. The school, founded by Rebecca Gratz, offered "free instruction in Jewish history and related subjects to the Jewish chil- dren of Philadelphia." EU: C"h"eder One of the better-known terms for a Jewish school, actually cheder translates as "room." The word came into popular use in the 13th century, when formal schooling became popularized and a particular room in a synagogue was set aside for educating Jewish children. I : Israel You can help your children become educated about the State of Israel with this great game. Make an out- line of the state, but draw nothing inside. Now, ask each child to pick any city in Israel, find out its loca- tion and do a bit of research. Some facts he or she might want to learn: the city's population, historical sites, exports. Then, have the child write this informa- tion down on his blank map, adding a dot where the city is located. If your children are feeling creative, they can make illustrations, too, or otherwise decorate their map. Then see if everyone can correctly guess each other's city. Loew 0 Way :Judah ahead of his time, Rabbi Judah Loew (1525- 1609) of Prague asserted that assigning children to a particular school or classroom based simply upon their age was a waste of time. Instead, he said, children should be first tested, then placed according to their needs and interests. He also called for greater study of mitzvot and Hebrew (and less of commentary, even - those of the esteemed Rashi) and the introduction into Jewish day schools of secular studies, especially science. : Kindergarten I The first modern Hebrew kindergarten, where the language was spoken and taught, was organized in 1909 in Warsaw by Yehiel Heilprin. Literature Make it a point this upcoming year (remember, Rosh 8/24 2001 92 Hashanah is just around the corner) to read at least four classic texts of Jewish literature. Since 1947, the Jewish Book Council has pre- sented annual awards for the out- standing Jewish books of the year. Where to start? At the beginning, of course. The first book to receive the council's award for fiction was Howard Fast's My Glorious Brothers, while the first book of poetry so honored, in 1950, was Judah Stampfer's Jerusalem Below: Alec Cherrin plays ring toss ,at Shaarey Zedek Beth Hayeled summer camp in West Bloomfield. Craig - Tarnopol waits his turn. Both 3-year- olds are from West Bloomfield. Above: Jared Moss, 3, of West Bloomfield keeps cool in the sun at Shaarey Zedek Beth Hayeled summer camp with his ball cap, shades, andfirezy pop. Has Many Faces. EW : Meir Halevi Abulafia Who's responsi- bility- is it to pay for Jewish education? For centuries, documents have outlined that it is the responsibility of a community, not family alone, to see to the Jewish education of children. Meir Halevi Abulafia, a 13th- century leader in Spain, declared, "communities must engage teachers for young children; and in smaller vil- lages ... it is the duty of the entire community, and not only of the children's parents, to pay [the teachers]." Also extant are documents from the 15th century that specifically outline the ways in which communities must pay for Jewish education. These include taxes on meat and wine, as well as on weddings, circumcisions and even funerals. : New York M The first survey of Jewish education was made in New York in 1910. Mordecai M. Kaplan and Bernard Crouson, working on behalf of the New York-based Committee on Jewish Education, found that of the some 200,000 Jewish children of school age who resided in the city, between 21-24 percent were receiv- ing a Jewish education. (Numerous cities throughout the country soon conducted their own surveys, with essentially the same results.) 0 : Outback Want to learn a bit about the outback? Take a trip to www.join.org.au the Jewish Ozzies Inter.Net (that's the "join" in the Web address). Learn everything you always wanted to know, and more, about Jewish Australia. Pencil case Make a great pencil case for your child by using per- manent markers on a clear, plastic container (found at any discount or office-supply store). Write his or her name in Hebrew on the cover. Quick Looking for a quick, fun way to help your child learn how to write his or her Hebrew name? Buy a white T-shirt, or apron, or pair of tennis shoes and a permanent marker. Let your son or daughter write his or her name as many times as possible all over the clothing or shoes. If your child hasn't memorized the name after writing it plenty of times, rest assured he will by seeing it every time he wears it. Respect a Kibood av v'em — respect your father and mother, is one of the most vital mitzvot (commandments) of the Torah. Sit down today and spend time with your par- ents. Ask them the most important lessons they have learned in their lives. Sarah Scheirer The Bais Yaakov (Beth Jacob) schools for girls began thanks to the efforts of Sarah Schnirer (1883-1938). A Polish-Jewish seamstress, Schnirer had long lamented the fact that boys received a formal Jewish education, but girls did not. Consequently, she organized a class specifically for girls. This quickly grew into a series of schools, which by 1938 numbered 230 in Poland alone. : Trip Take a trip through the Encylopedia Judaica and vow to learn a new Jewish fact every day. United States The first Jewish school in the United States came with the establishment of Congregation Sheraith Israel in New York City. When in 1729 the synagogue erect- ed its facility, it asserted that the building was "to be used also as a study hall for pupils." Soon to follow with synagogue-schools were Philadelphia in 1759, Newport in 1770, Charleston in 1801 and Cincinnati in 1824. : 7 : an Raalte Who was Eduard E. Van Raalte? You can have a lot of fun, and learn a lot, by playing the Jewish Figures