Knowledge Is Power – Learn More Through Jewish Education

Most of our education usually started within the confines of our home.Parents became our first teachers and were instrumental in providing us our first learning environment. First sound, first gestures and first words were often treasured moments held dearly by proud parents.Moral principles,family values and ethics that had been passed on from generation to generation were considered very important and had been hammered into us. While this is true among the vast majority of other people, other race and nationalities notwithstanding, education is quite different with the Jewish culture.

With a rich background of significant historical and biblical influence, Jewish education is characterized as a lifelong education of religious principles and Judaism laws. Tradition that dates as far back as the ancient biblical times obligated parents to provide for their children’s learning. With education that is largely emphasized by the study of the Torah, children learned important instructions the wereinvariably dictated in the Bible.

In keeping with the tradition of Jewish laws, children started going to school at the compulsory age of six and seven.This age is also in accordance with present day age requirement all over the world. Jewish education at this level was handled and instituted by sages and rabbis. Students were limited to 25 and a greater number required 2 teachers in one class. Mild punishments were given and beating with a stick or a cane was prohibited. Jewish Education became compulsory that no event or person could stop it.

On the other hand, young men were educated at the yeshiva, a Jewish education institution that teaches traditional religious texts derived from the instructions of Judaism. Conduct of education was done in pairs categorically described as chavrutas, a Hebrew word for companion or friend, while classes were held daily. This unique pairing system formed the basis for its adoption to the different levels of Jewish education and carried different names: “cheder” for elementary students, “yeshiva ketana” for teenagers or post bar-mitzvahaged students, and “yeshiva gedola” for high school students. Yeshivas gained further distinction by primarily admitting only male students, although women were later allowed to attend “yeshiva” Jewish education classes but were not afforded the same educational structure.

Jewish education schools were institutionalized like any other school around the world. For a certain time, students were educated inside the synagogues by teachers called Melamed Tinokos or children’s teacher. Unfortunately, demand in higher studies prompted the creation of Jewish day schools.

Jewish education day schools allowed students to attend religious and secular education not only on a part time basisbut for an entire day as well. The emphasis of Jewish education between the different day schools depends on what Jewish denominations they belong to. Some schools taught religious and secular Jewish education while others taught basic academic subjects on history, education, culture and languages.

Although several things may have changed since Jewish day schools where first started,a lot of new subjects were added to the standard curricula in addition to the compulsory Jewish and Hebrew lessons. But the fact remains that majority of its teaching would still be centered on religious and secular studies. After all, Jewish education had its roots on biblical history.