Strong Jewish Home-School Movement

[MerryPrankster]

I read this article about how some Jewish parents don't allow their kids to watch Christmas specials on TV and that got me thinking.

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/the_holidays/2008/12/oy_hark.html

Many Jewish leaders are frightened by the prospect of assimilation of Jews into Gentile society through intermarriage and the like and the article shows some seem to think that Christmas specials are a means of indoctrinating Jewish children into Christianity.

This attitude is rather similar to conservative Christians who home-school their kids so they aren't exposed to things in school the parents don't approve of (drugs, bullying, evolution, etc).

Sooo....

How can we make it so there's a strong Jewish home-school movement whose purpose is to prevent Jewish assimilation as much as possible?

(BTW, am I the only one who thinks the image of that Jewish mother looks like a caricature, complete with a giant nose?)

 

[OS fan]

I think this could very well happen, but I don't know many details about Jewish schools in the USA, unfortunately.

 

[azander12]

To get more home-schooled Jewish children would be very difficult, due to the fact that Judaism is an extremely community-centred faith, much more so than Protestant Christianity. As well, Jews, due to our history of intense persecution and the fact that until 1948, we were a tiny minority in every country we lived in, tend to live in very tight-knit communities. That means that, rather than having home-schooled children, North American Jewish communities often have a very strong tradition in OTL of Jewish private schools, also called "Hebrew day schools". These schools charge significant tuition, but due to the large number of wealthy Jews and strong philanthropic networks, these schools allow almost any Jewish child who wishes to get a Jewish education to have one. I attended a Hebrew day school myself, they aren't bad places to grow up, although they give you a slightly skewed view of the world.

 

[MerryPrankster]

To get more home-schooled Jewish children would be very difficult, due to the fact that Judaism is an extremely community-centred faith, much more so than Protestant Christianity. As well, Jews, due to our history of intense persecution and the fact that until 1948, we were a tiny minority in every country we lived in, tend to live in very tight-knit communities. That means that, rather than having home-schooled children, North American Jewish communities often have a very strong tradition in OTL of Jewish private schools, also called "Hebrew day schools". These schools charge significant tuition, but due to the large number of wealthy Jews and strong philanthropic networks, these schools allow almost any Jewish child who wishes to get a Jewish education to have one. I attended a Hebrew day school myself, they aren't bad places to grow up, although they give you a slightly skewed view of the world.

That's a fair point. I knew kids who went to Jewish schools, frex.

However, one could just as easily have private Christian schools that teach the same things Christian home-school parents do, but that doesn't make the CHS types cease to exist.

Also, what do you mean by "skewed"?

 

[black angel]

well maybe with a less Liberal Supreme Court, ruling in favor of school prayer, a more generally conservative America leads to liberal (even socialist) Jews move in favor of more progressive Private schools, like have we've a boom in Conservative Private schools post-1960s, and home schooling, I guess what I'm talking about is liberalism as the home schoolers rather than Jews, though they'd be in there too

 

[MerryPrankster]

well maybe with a less Liberal Supreme Court, ruling in favor of school prayer, a more generally conservative America leads to liberal (even socialist) Jews move in favor of more progressive Private schools, like have we've a boom in Conservative Private schools post-1960s, and home schooling, I guess what I'm talking about is liberalism as the home schoolers rather than Jews, though they'd be in there too

That might be a good POD. Even if the Supreme Court rules that school prayer is constitutional so long as it isn't an established specific religion (i.e. "In Jesus' name, amen"), it could take on a distinctly sectarian tone in certain places (like rural areas dominated by one particular church or denomination) and that could alienate religious minorities.

 

[black angel]

That might be a good POD. Even if the Supreme Court rules that school prayer is constitutional so long as it isn't an established specific religion (i.e. "In Jesus' name, amen"), it could take on a distinctly sectarian tone in certain places (like rural areas dominated by one particular church or denomination) and that could alienate religious minorities.

well a court that rules the other way in Engel v. Vitale (or whatever ATL version there of) would also likely rule other way in Abington v. Schempp(1963), which ruled that reading Bible in school wasn't ok, likewise Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971) where public money to Catholic school (even for non-religious use) was banned

 

[azander12]

That's a fair point. I knew kids who went to Jewish schools, frex.

However, one could just as easily have private Christian schools that teach the same things Christian home-school parents do, but that doesn't make the CHS types cease to exist.

What I meant was that the concept of schooling your kids at home, on your own, is relatively alien in Ashkenazi (Eastern European Jewish) society. As for Sephardic and Mizrachi (Spanish and Arab Jews), I'm not sure, but I'm guessing they have a similar mindset.

If you look back at Jewish educational history, Jewish youth (at least boys) have generally studied in a religious academy called a "yeshiva", where intensive study of the Torah (Bible) and Talmud (Jewish common law) are common. Jewish learning is centred around the relationship between a rabbi and his students.

As well, while in Jewish religious practice the rabbi isn't quite like a priest, who is the only go-between in between his flock and God, Judaism has less of a tradition of intensely individualistic worship. It's more of a community thing, there is room for debate, but it's more centred on festivals and milestones and celebrations and community worship than an individual relationship with God.

What I'm saying is that it's possible for Jews to home-school their kids for religious reasons, but it rubs against the grain of Jewish religious and educational traditions. More likely, you would see community Jewish private schools, like you have OTL.

Also, what do you mean by "skewed"?

What I mean is that growing up around only other Jews gives you a slightly skewed way of seeing the world, just like being immersed in any tight-knit community will. At least that was my experience. We call it the "Jewish bubble" here in Toronto. High school was a major shock, I went from a class of 28 people to 400, with the same number of Jews in each

 

[Johnrankins]

This attitude is rather similar to conservative Christians who home-school their kids so they aren't exposed to things in school the parents don't approve of (drugs, bullying, evolution, etc).

Some of it is also nearby public schools are crap and the parents can't afford private.

 

[MerryPrankster]

Some of it is also nearby public schools are crap and the parents can't afford private.

I was referring to the "home-schooling for religious reasons" group specifically.