Studies in Jewish Education

Speaking in the plural - The Challenge of Pluralism for Jewish Education (Vol. 14)

.; 2014.

The use of the term “pluralism” has become widespread in the context of Jewish education. The articles in this volume are a contribution to our understanding as researchers and educators, and to the development of a language which can deepen educational and research discourse. The volume seeks to mark out some of the educational dilemmas, possible educational aims as well as some of the costs and benefits that arise from the encounter between Jewish education and pluralism.

A number of articles contain reflections on the idea of pluralism, making conceptual distinctions between pluralism and related themes such as tolerance and relativism. Articles in the philosophical section of the book propose a basis for the connection (or opposition) between Jewish education and pluralism. The book’s next main section – one that focuses on theory and pedagogy - proposes educational theories concerned with pluralism and discusses their pedagogical potential. It also includes the reflections of practitioners whose work, in a variety of educational settings, is animated by a commitment to pluralism and, at the same time, is challenged by it. The last section of the book brings together empirical studies that describe and analyze the practices of pluralistic Jewish education. Bringing together these studies, which represent a wide range of disciplines and approaches, brings into focus the multiple ways of describing and analyzing the expression of, and responses to, pluralism in Jewish education in Israel and abroad.

Cohen J, Holzer E eds.

Modes of Educational Translation (Vol. 13)

.; 2008.

Studies in Jewish Education

Abstract

studies13.pdf

We are proud to present our readers with Volume 13 of our series: Studies in Jewish Education. This volume is concerned with the possibility of “translating” insights derived from areas of knowledge sometimes thought to be outside the purview of education – to issues and problems on the agenda of educational thinkers, researchers and practitioners.

As we have learned from our teachers, Prof. Seymour Fox, of blessed memory, and Prof. Michael Rosenak (may he be granted many more years of fruitful creativity) – “translating” from philosophical systems or lead concepts, from principles deriving from the tradition of Jewish thought, or from cultural visions – to educational thought and practice,is a most complex matter. Some prefer to work in the “normative” mode, wherein normative world views are “translated” from fundamental philosophical “principles” to educational “ideals,” “goals” and “means.”

In the transition from one category to the next, however, certain terms must necessarily be modified or reinterpreted. This process is both enriching and impoverishing – as certain understandings are inevitably “lost” in translation even as other insights are gained. Others prefer to work in the “deliberative” mode, beginning from symptoms of malaise emanating from the field of educational practice, accessing world-views and disciplines of knowledge in order to arrive at an informed formulation of the “problem,” then generating alternative solutions to the “problem” – alternatives from among which some will be chosen for implementation and others, perhaps just as promising, will have to be discarded or shelved. For those who feel more at home in this mode – world-views, concepts, disciplines and cultural visions do not function as overarching norms, but rather as “resources,” drawn upon to the degree that they are seen to address problems as experienced by those affected by them. As if this were not complex enough, Prof. Rosenak has reminded us that neither mode – normative or deliberative – is, or should be sufficient unto itself.

On the one hand, normative discourse that does not also have its “ears tothe ground,” picking up on current educational problems and addressing them in terms intelligible to those who suffer from them, will end up being sterile and hortatory. Deliberative discourse, on the other hand,is always anchored in normative assumptions, without which one could not articulate what it is about the “problem” that is “problematic,” or in need of amelioration. According to Rosenak, there must be a constant, dialectical interaction between the normative and deliberative modes if educational issues are to be addressed both honestly and intelligently.

Nevo N, Olshtein E eds.

The Hebrew Language in the Era of Globalization (Vol. 12)

.; 2007.

Studies in Jewish Education

Abstract

The book 'The Hebrew Language in the Era of Globalization' is designed for researchers, for teachers of Hebrew in educational frameworks, and for those who love the language, and allows for a comprehensive study of varied aspects of the language. The book brings to center stage research issues regarding Hebrew in its cultural, social, and linguistic contexts, discusses the state of Hebrew in Israel and in the world, and looks into current curricula for the teaching of Hebrew as a second language. The book is comprised of three sections. The first section covers the following topics: The state of Hebrew in the context of Israel-Diaspora relations; Hebrew in European and American universities; the dilemma of the language of prayer; challenges that the modern reader confronts in a classical text; linguistic and socio-linguistic trends in modern Hebrew; achievements of new immigrant students in academic Hebrew; the theoretical basis for the development of curricula for the teaching of Hebrew as a first and second language; and language policy in a multi-lingual and multi-cultural society such as Israel. The second section presents the new curriculum for learners of Hebrew in the Arab sector as well as curricula for the teaching of Hebrew in the Diaspora for kindergarten children, elementary school students and junior-high and high school students. The third section expresses concern about the future of Hebrew both in Israel and in the Diaspora in the era of globalization.

The book is unique in that it combines theory and practice; deals with different representation of Hebrew - as a first, second, and heritage language; relates to learners of different ages and of a number of different populations – native speakers of Hebrew, new immigrants, the Arab sector in Israel, and Jewish communities in the Diaspora.