P’shat Level

In the traditional mnemonic PaRDeS, P’shat refers to a simple, surface meaning in which materials are straight-forward, explicitly articulating what they wish to teach you. In the context of our Kaplanian educational resources, examples of P’shat resources are those that try to directly teach or apply a Kaplanian idea.

For example, structuring a curriculum in a civilizational way, layering one civilization upon the other as they trace the evolution of key Jewish ideas and practices. Another example would be explicitly teaching a non-supernatural understanding of God.

Select Educational Resources* that are designed to EXPLICITLY teach or apply Kaplanian concepts

•    Frequently Asked Questions of Reconstructionist Educators* by Rabbi Moti Rieber, Rabbi Shai Gluskin and Dr. Jeffrey Schein
•  A Child’s Biography of Mordecai Kaplan (5th – 9th grades)* by Rabbi Lewis Eron
•      You Have A Real Kaplanian Approach When . . .*
•    The Idea of God in the Jewish Classroom* by Rabbi Harold Kushner

* Thank you to Reconstructing Judaism for graciously permitting the Kaplan Center to share these resources.