Portraits of Jewish Learning: Viewing Contemporary Jewish Education Close-In

Portraits of Jewish Learning brings together colorful accounts of the ways that Jewish students today are having meaningful learning experiences in day school classrooms, Hebrew programs, synagogue-based schools, and high school and college courses that push students out of their comfort zone. Whether the students are second graders engaged in text analysis, sixth graders solving complex “mystery puzzles” about Jewish values, or teens encountering “counter-narratives” about Israel’s history, these stories—informed by careful and disciplined inquiry—prompt readers to reflect on questions of what Jewish learning is, what we can discover by studying experiences of learning at close range and over time, and how Jewish education can respond to the needs and interests of Jewish learners who seek a Judaism that is relevant in today’s world. The work of researchers and practitioners who are changing the landscape of contemporary Jewish education, these portraits are designed to encourage critical discussion among educational leaders, clergy, policymakers, philanthropists, and parents, as well as teachers and those aspiring to work in Jewish education. They invite us to think about the many ways that today’s Jewish education can be enriched by experimentation and innovation.