PURELY COMMENTARY

10 | FEBRUARY 25 • 2021 

created the first national study 
of Jewish education. Looking 
for direction, educators decid-
ed to find out how Judaism 
was lived by their families and 
what parents wanted children 
to gain from attending religious 
school. Two thousand religious 
school parents in 22 commu-
nities were asked why they 
were sending their children to 
religious school and what they 
hoped the children would gain 
from the experience. What 
would we learn if we asked the 
same questions today? How 
might this knowledge change 
the education we provide?

CHANGING TIMES 
The American Jewish world 
continues to evolve. Many do 
not live in Jewish neighbor-
hoods. Many do not attend 
synagogue/temple services, 
even if they are members 
of congregations. There are 
Jewish Detroiters who identify 
as “just Jewish,” not part of 
any particular denomination, 
and not necessarily interested 
in Judaism as a religion. At the 
same time, Detroit is replete 
with Jews living rich Jewish 
lives in myriad ways.
I am asking for your assis-
tance so that I can widen the 
scope of my dissertation and, 
also, share with my colleagues 
what local parents want from 
Jewish education. I’m ask-

ing Jewish News readers with 
school-age children (and those 
planning to have children) to 
answer the following questions. 
No names or affiliations are 
required.
• What are the ages of your 
child or children? 
• Do you send or are you 
planning to send your children 
to a day school or to a supple-
mentary school?
• What are your aims in 
sending your children to a 
Jewish school? 
• What do you expect your 
children to gain from the expe-
rience? 
Please email your answers to 
J.ed.thesis2021@outlook.com, 
and I will send a summary of 
the results of both this survey 
and the 1958 survey to every-
one who participates.
As Jews, we are enjoined 
to teach our children always, 
“when we sit in our homes and 
when we walk the paths of life, 
when we lie down and when 
we rise.
” It is my hope that 
understanding the Jewish lives 
of our students and the hopes 
of their parents will help Jewish 
educators to inspire this gener-
ation of Jewish children. 
Thank you. 

Elissa Berg has been involved in 

formal Jewish education, family and 

experiential Jewish education in the 

metro area since 1974.

continued from page 8

PHOTO CREDIT JERRY ZOLYNSKY

The JN and the Jewish Community Center’s JFamily 

will once again shine the public spotlight on teens 

in our community with Rising Stars: Teens Making a 

Dif 
erence. 18 remarkable Jewish teens in the Metro 

Detroit area will be selected and featured in the April 

29, 2021, issue of the Jewish News and recognized 

on the JN and JCC’s JFamily social media pages.

Nominees must live in Michigan, identify as Jewish 

and be students in grades 9-12; they can be self-

nominated or may be nominated by others today 

through March 17.

Nominees should be recognized for impact, 

contribution and/or achievement in areas 

including (but not limited) to:

• Tikkun olam, volunteerism, social action, 
advocacy, philanthropy
• Academics/education
• Athletics
• Music & arts
• Business & entrepreneurship
• Overcoming obstacles and challenges
• Jewish growth and learning
• Leadership

SEEKING
TERRIFIC TEENS!

To nominate yourself or a teen you know, go to 

thejewishnews.com and click on the Rising Stars button 

or to jfamily.jccdet.org/risingstars. The deadline is March 17.

