The Educational Crisis in American Reform Judaism

The American Reform Judaism movement has been undergoing revitalization in all areas of its interaction with its rabbis and laity. One of the concerns it is presently addressing is the condition of its educational programs for its children, teenagers and adults; it is now reevaluating and reformulat...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Kaplan, Dana Evan (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Routledge 2001
In: Journal of beliefs and values
Year: 2001, Volume: 22, Issue: 2, Pages: 183-196
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:The American Reform Judaism movement has been undergoing revitalization in all areas of its interaction with its rabbis and laity. One of the concerns it is presently addressing is the condition of its educational programs for its children, teenagers and adults; it is now reevaluating and reformulating these programs to bring in maximum benefits. Assimilation, apathy, and acculteration are three of the thorniest problems with which the Reform movement has had to contend for most of its 200-year history. From recent assimilation and apathy comes endemic intermarriage with non-Jewish spouses, and widespread disinterest in ritual observance and in Judaism itself. Acculturation has brought American Jews strong feelings of wanting to be very much part of the American society, and this acculturation has fanned the flames of apathy. Jews have historically maintained their religious individualism and kept their religious collective body whole through education and knowledge of Judaism. Strong educational programs are absolutely essential in the fight against apathy.
ISSN:1469-9362
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal of beliefs and values
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1080/1361670120079488