Judaism Dir - Help me come up with ideas...

[dybmh]

... for topics to teach in my Son's Hebrew School Torah/Midrash unit next year.

Hi everyone,

My family belongs to a growing Reconstruction congregation where the Hebrew school is setup as a Parent-Led coop. This year ( 6th grade ) is focused on Torah/Midrash, If I volunteer for the task , I will have free reign to teach whatever I want for 4 out of 16 classes. Literally. Whatever I want. I have some basic ideas, but I'm also looking for suggestions.

At this point in the curriculum, in theory, the kids know the basic outline of the narrative of genesis and exodus, but, that's it. ( it's a super minimalist approach ) The school's focus is more on building kehila, than knowledge... just being honest. And, that was 3 years ago.

My 4 classes are at the beginning of the year so that means I can set the tone, if I dare. . These are modern, Reform/Humanistic leaning families. Some from mixed marriages. So that needs to be considered when picking subject matter.

Here are some jumping off points for discussion:

1) Do I introduce the underlying concepts of Torah criticism?
2) Which Midrashim should I use as examples? Obscure? Controversial? Magical? Something easy?
3) As an over arching goal, beyond the basic narrative, what does a young modern Jewish person need to know about Torah/Midrash?

Thank you,

 

[rosends]

... for topics to teach in my Son's Hebrew School Torah/Midrash unit next year.

Hi everyone,

My family belongs to a growing Reconstruction congregation where the Hebrew school is setup as a Parent-Led coop. This year ( 6th grade ) is focused on Torah/Midrash, If I volunteer for the task , I will have free reign to teach whatever I want for 4 out of 16 classes. Literally. Whatever I want. I have some basic ideas, but I'm also looking for suggestions.

At this point in the curriculum, in theory, the kids know the basic outline of the narrative of genesis and exodus, but, that's it. ( it's a super minimalist approach ) The school's focus is more on building kehila, than knowledge... just being honest. And, that was 3 years ago.

My 4 classes are at the beginning of the year so that means I can set the tone, if I dare. . These are modern, Reform/Humanistic leaning families. Some from mixed marriages. So that needs to be considered when picking subject matter.

Here are some jumping off points for discussion:

1) Do I introduce the underlying concepts of Torah criticism?
2) Which Midrashim should I use as examples? Obscure? Controversial? Magical? Something easy?
3) As an over arching goal, beyond the basic narrative, what does a young modern Jewish person need to know about Torah/Midrash?

Thank you,

Would it make sense for you to buy a copy of The Midrash Says (or The Little Midrash Says) to help you structure source material?

 

[Harel13]

1) Do I introduce the underlying concepts of Torah criticism?

In terms of Criticism, if you do decide to teach some of it - I think you should attempt to emphasize that just about any Critical questions - certainly the major ones - have already been discussed and debated many times over by rabbinical authorities. Oftentimes the Critical world makes it seem as though they are more informed on these matters than religious figures, which is generally incorrect (that's not to say that Critics are uninformed, but scholars are just as informed if not more). At the very least, the student should have a well-rounded understanding of the subject, to attempt to remain objective, if the goal isn't to reach a Torah-based conclusion. If the goal is to reach such a conclusion, then the lesson should lean more towards the rabbinical understandings.

 

[Harel13]

2) Which Midrashim should I use as examples? Obscure? Controversial? Magical? Something easy?

At this age, I don't think controversial is the best, unless, maybe, just maybe, you can work it out in an awesome creative way that at the end of the class they'll feel like their minds are blown.
Magical rules. There are some better known ones that should be made known to younger kids.

 

[Harel13]

3) As an over arching goal, beyond the basic narrative, what does a young modern Jewish person need to know about Torah/Midrash?

About Torah:
The Torah is from Hashem.
Studying Torah is the best way to know Hashem and to connect with Him.
Studying Torah betters the student, gives them purpose.
The study of Torah is endless - there's always another rung in the ladder.
Everyone has a part in the Torah, everyone has the potential to find their own special way in the world of Torah (ותן חלקנו בתורתך - Our place/path in Torah, our personal path, every person has his own letter in the Torah, etc).
Written Torah and Oral Torah fulfill different purposes.
For many ages the Oral Torah wasn't written down so it would be special only to the Jewish people.

 

[dybmh]

Would it make sense for you to buy a copy of The Midrash Says (or The Little Midrash Says) to help you structure source material?

Got it already... I refer to it weekly, Love it.

 

[dybmh]

In terms of Criticism, if you do decide to teach some of it - I think you should attempt to emphasize that just about any Critical questions - certainly the major ones - have already been discussed and debated many times over by rabbinical authorities. Oftentimes the Critical world makes it seem as though they are more informed on these matters than religious figures, which is generally incorrect (that's not to say that Critics are uninformed, but scholars are just as informed if not more). At the very least, the student should have a well-rounded understanding of the subject, to attempt to remain objective, if the goal isn't to reach a Torah-based conclusion. If the goal is to reach such a conclusion, then the lesson should lean more towards the rabbinical understandings.

*My* goal is to prevent them from being blind-sided by it.

Something I'm toying with is presenting biblical criticism as one side of the story, and the Midrash as the other.

 

[dybmh]

Magical rules. There are some better known ones that should be made known to younger kids.

I was hoping you'd say something like this. Feel free to send me your suggestions. It's possible I don't know them, and I'll enjoy reading them myself.

 

[Harel13]

I was hoping you'd say something like this. Feel free to send me your suggestions. It's possible I don't know them, and I'll enjoy reading them myself.

When you say Midrash, do you mean also aggadic stories (from the Talmud)?

 

[dybmh]

When you say Midrash, do you mean also aggadic stories (from the Talmud)?

Not originally, but, why not?

 

[Harel13]

Not originally, but, why not?

Some of the best stories are ones from the Talmud.

 

[Harel13]

So, in ch. 8 of Bava Batra there are tons of aggadot called "Aggadot Rabbah bar bar Chana" where RBBC tells both stories of his travels and stories he heard from other travelers, and those stories are absolutely fantastic - literally. Ships riding waves so high they can touch the stars, giant Israelites buried in the ground, Ziz Shaddai, the bird whose feet stand in the lowest depths of the ocean and head reaches above the clouds, etc. I recommend doing a lot of research on these. Maybe getting the English Schottenstein for that chapter and reading the footnotes.

One of my favorite Midrashes is Eleh Ezkarah, about the Ten Martyrs. It's not magical, but it teaches about Mesirut Nefesh (Martyrdom in Judaism - Wikipedia), the importance of Torah, Kiddush Hashem, not being embarrassed about your Jewish identity, etc.

 

[dybmh]

Ziz Shaddai

He's featured in a PJ Library book, ( set of kids books sponsored by Jewish Federation sent out for free across America ). Most of the kids probably have heard of the Ziz, so this is great!

 

[Harel13]

There's the Midrash about the battle at the end of days between Leviathan and Behemoth, at the end of which all the righteous people get to have a giant BBQ feast.

There are the stories about famous Tannaim like Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa, Choni Hame'agel, Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, etc.

Shimon ben Shetach once killed 80 witches in Ashkelon.

Job, Bilam and Yitro were originally Pharaoh's council (bit of a story there, may explain why tradition holds Moshe wrote the Book of Job).

There's one that says that when Yonah was in the gut of the fish, the fish took him to see many wonders of the world.

There are aggadot about the mashiach and about Eliyahu - one where one of the rabbis asks Eliyahu who has a share in the world to come and he points out a few people with interesting stories. One where one of the rabbis goes to meet the mashiach at the gates of Rome.

 

[dybmh]

There's the Midrash about the battle at the end of days between Leviathan and Behemoth, at the end of which all the righteous people get to have a giant BBQ feast.

There are the stories about famous Tannaim like Rabbi Akiva, Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa, Choni Hame'agel, Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, etc.

Shimon ben Shetach once killed 80 witches in Ashkelon.

Job, Bilam and Yitro were originally Pharaoh's council (bit of a story there, may explain why tradition holds Moshe wrote the Book of Job).

There's one that says that when Yonah was in the gut of the fish, the fish took him to see many wonders of the world.

There are aggadot about the mashiach and about Eliyahu - one where one of the rabbis asks Eliyahu who has a share in the world to come and he points out a few people with interesting stories. One where one of the rabbis goes to meet the mashiach at the gates of Rome.

Of these, I think the famous stories of the Tannaim are most compelling.

 

[Harel13]

Of these, I think the famous stories of the Tannaim are most compelling.

Okay, so there are stories such as:

The Oven of Achnai (all the way up to here)

Rabbi Akiva's Origin Story, V1
V2 (until here)

And I'll add more tomorrow...

 

[RabbiO]

... for topics to teach in my Son's Hebrew School Torah/Midrash unit next year............

Attached is the curriculum for the religious school of one Reconstructionist congregation.

http://archive.jewishrecon.org/files/PDFs/Beth Hatikvah curriculum.pdf

I am not making any value judgments - pro or con - about this curriculum, except that it is a detailed program outlining those things that this particular congregation believes are important to the education of the young people in its religious school. If your congregation does not have a detailed plan for the education of its children then there is something seriously wrong with its educational program.

There are certain topics that require a certain level of maturity and/or a certain level of knowledge on the part of students before they can be meaningfully presented and discussed. And certainly any teacher should have a sufficient knowledge base in order to present the material properly.

You make it sound like the kids in the school know almost nothing about Judaism. If that is the case, it is way to early to be discussing biblical criticism with them.

Without knowing more about the education being offered in your congregation it would be presumptuous of me to make any kind of recommendation. I would, however, note that if your congregation is formally affiliated with the Reconstructionist movement it would be unwise, inappropriate, and improper to stealth teach what is contrary to Reconstructionist understandings, denigrating those understandings - unless it is simply presented as another way of looking at, a different perspective, than the movement's perspective.

 

[dybmh]

Attached is the curriculum for the religious school of one Reconstructionist congregation.

http://archive.jewishrecon.org/files/PDFs/Beth Hatikvah curriculum.pdf

OK thanks.

I am not making any value judgments - pro or con - about this curriculum, except that it is a detailed program outlining those things that this particular congregation believes are important to the education of the young people in its religious school. If your congregation does not have a detailed plan for the education of its children then there is something seriously with its educational program.

They do have a curriculum. The process is each year the curriculum is provided and then we get a little speech from the education director inviting us to edit, change or replace any or all of it.

There are certain topics that require a certain level of maturity and/or a certain level of knowledge before they can be meaningfully presented and discussed. And certainly any teacher should have a sufficient knowledge base in order to present the material properly.

Of course. I agree, and thank you for pointing it out.

You make it sound like the kids in the school know almost nothing about Judaism. If that is the case, it is way to early to be discussing biblical criticism with them.

OK. Thank you, I'm glad I asked.

Without knowing more about the education being offered in your congregation it would be presumptuous of me to make any kind of recommendation. I would, however. note that if your congregation is formally affiliated with the Reconstructionist movement it would be both unwise, inappropriate, and improper to stealth teach what is contrary to Reconstructionist understandings, denigrating those understandings - unless it is simply presented as another way of looking at, a different perspective, than the movement's perspective.

Well. It's a valid concern. I think I can easily work within those parameters.

( and thank you for your input. I was hoping you would contribute. )

 

[dybmh]

stealth teach what is contrary

Does this happen?

 

[Harel13]

Does this happen?

Presumably it could happen in any ideology-based education center. Even in a more open/liberal/progressive place, there could be a teacher that comes in and says: being progressive is bad, being open to other ideas is bad, my narrow way of thinking is best.

Similarly, democracies are for freedom of speech and voicing different opinions but are against anti-democratic opinions.