The Way We Walk

by Audrey Lichter

A major study from The Jewish Education Project has shown a steep decline in the number of students attending part-time Jewish educational schools throughout the country. This provides us with an opportunity to rethink Jewish education. Halacha comes from the Hebrew word holech… walk. Halacha has generally been interpreted as a guide to the way we walk in this world. For traditional Jews, Judaism is (or should be) ever present in all aspects of our daily lives… How we eat, dress, speak, shop, interact with the larger world and our families.

Halacha comes from the Hebrew word holech… walk.

Permeating Judaism into all aspects of our lives helps to create a holistic perspective on how we are to walk in the world. For many Jews however, Judaism happens mostly in the synagogue, which for many is at best sporadically present in their lives. The burden put on synagogues and especially on synagogue schools to inculcate a positive and meaningful Jewish identity is a set up for failure.

The burden put on synagogues and especially on synagogue schools
to inculcate a positive and meaningful Jewish identity is a set up for failure.

One reason why parents are not in our schools may be the sad fact that the schools are not working to create the sense of meaning and belonging that parents desire.  It is time that we taught Judaism a way that can be incorporated into the lives of busy parents.

It is time that we taught Judaism a way that can be incorporated into the lives of busy parents.

We can share with parents the bedtime prayer; the Friday night blessing of their children; a Jewish reason and way to recycle; a Jewish response to the latest kids movie Matilda – on Kibud Av v’Em (respecting one’s parents); a blessing on expressing gratitude for our food; some conversation about  various middot such as Lashon Hara (gossiping); stealing, and coveting; Jewish activities to do on long car trips; and ways to have interesting Jewish experiences with their grandparents, to name a few.

We need to meet parents in their world and provide tools to create a living Judaism that informs and elevates our daily lives. This is not new, in reality it is quite traditional.

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