We invite you to contemplate some of Kaplan’s ideas about Jewish education. Here are some broad, overarching questions and techniques to support your study.

This might be a particularly good level at which to bring education committees, teachers and parents into our conversation about Jewish education today.

Here is a handout of this page to study and share offline

Here is a handout of Kaplan’s texts on Jewish education to study and share offline

First Step: Take some time to read through the gems and share with one another which one or two speaks to the individuals in your group.

Second Step: Make Kaplan proud of his own roots in the educational philosophy of John Dewey. When we evaluate we “praise” and “prize” as well as measure against the highest possible standards. Create a “Halleluyah” chorus of idea, programs, and activities that are part of your program that have responded to the Kaplanian challenge creatively.

Final Step: Name a challenge area from these gems that would be worthy of further planning and effort in the coming several years in your community. Frame the issue more “locally” and “specifically” as it exists in your community and begin brainstorming a set of possible responses.