Category Archives: education

Book: Good Book by David Plotz

12 Tuesday Oct 2010

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I am reading the Good Book by David Plotz. David wrote the Good Book as a series of posts while working for the online magazine Slate.

It is very interesting going through the Bible from the perspective of an unlearned person. Many of the stories are uncomfortable to read. Many of the stories are avoided in public discussions of Bible. In the end it is a wonder that the image of the Jewish people isn’t that we are a blood thirsty brutish people ready to slaughter all who get in our way.

I am still reading and am not sure what to think of the Good Book. I am not sure whether I am ready to take a literary walk through the Bible. Most times the Rabbinic wrestling and interpretations are much more palatable.

Adult Education

30 Wednesday Jun 2010

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How do you get overscheduled suburbinites interested in taking some adult education classes.

I am the co-chair of adult learning at my temple. The senior Rabbi has this dream that Wednesday nights will become the time and the temple the place for study for all groups, where in every corner of the building there will be studying going on.

On Wednesday nights there over 120 teens that come to temple. Why won’t their parents come in to study? There are always programs on. So much of what I hear is that there are so many other things to do. Once the teen is dropped off there is quiet time. Time to do whatever the parent wants to do.

So the Rabbi asks “Why aren’t they in here studying?”

That is my challenge. Start the ball rolling and let’s get some new faces studying. We have a temple full of experts: masters and Phds in all sorts of fields however the knowledge of Judaism and Jewish history is still in 6th grade.

My goal is to change this. What do you think? How would you go about it?