The Phoenix Jewish news., 1953-07-10


ID Torah, was announced this week
( by Rabbi Harry z. Schectman.
The new plan will go into effect
next fall. 1t was recommended by
the education comittee and rati-
fled at a congregational meeting
June %.
Rabbi Schectman said the chang
es result from the demonstrated
failure of Sunday Schools, here and
elsewhere throughout the nation,
to implant adequate knowledge of
Jewish subjects among the child
rem.
A Weeks Gap
"The reason can be easily un-
derstood," he explained. A child
who attends school once a week
cannot be expected to be able to
remember any information taught
from one week to the next. This is
especially true when so many other
things are to be learned in public
school, and so many activities oc-
cupy the mind between one Sun
day and the next.
"The maintenance of a Sunday
School as such is therefore a waste
of effort, time and money, and is
only an excuse for Jewish edu-
cation"
Rabbi Schectman said most con-
servative synagogues already have
discarded their Sunday Schools and
replaced them with regular daily
Hebrew School curricula.
Beth ELS new plan is as follows:
1. Abolition of Sunday School.
Children who will be i'm the 8th
and Confirmation grades next
year will continue as heretofore
until they are confirmed. After
the next two years, confirmation,
as part of the program, will also
be abolished.
2. Sunday morning classes will
be held for s. and 4-year-Olds
if the proper teacher and equip
ment can be obtained. For all
OF these children, the registra-
ton fee will be SIS for members
and $40 for nOn-memberS.
8. Children 8 years old and
over will attend Hebrew School
three times a week-On Monday,
Wednesday and Sunday or Tues
day, Thursday and Sunday, ac-
cOrding to the grade. The curric-
ulum will consist of a six-year
course in Hebrew reading, He
brew speaking, translation from
the ChumOsh and PrOph ts,
Rashi Commentary, customs and
ceremonies, Hebrew music and
Jewish history.
A. At Ia, II the six-year course
is completed satisfactorily, the
child will graduate at formal
graduation exercises.
5. AT Is, one year before grad
uatian, the boys will be con-
firmed as Bar Mitzvah and the
girls as Bas Mitzvah.
6. Special stress will be placed
on Jewish education for girls
because we must recognize that
the mothers of today are an even
bigger influence ever the relig-
ious life of the child than the
father. And the girls must there
fore receive as good an educa-
ton as the boys"
Z. Tuition for Hebrew School
will be SIS month for men,
bers and $3.50 for each additional
child. No charge for those un-
able toI pay.
8. Tuition for children of nom
members: $40 monthly and $5
for each additional child.
Registration for all children will
be held Sunday, Sept. 1S, with
classes beginning the same day.
"The assumption that by send
ing our children to Sunday School,
we are fulfilling our responsibility
to give them a Jewish education,
is deception on our part" said
Rabbi Schectman in letter to the
congregation. 1T is only depriving
our children of an education which
they can receive if parents would
be willing to face the facts.
"Our responsibility to the future
of our community and our children
will not be fulfilled If we do not
make possible the rearing of a
truly cultured and learned Jew
ish generation. You as Jewish par
ents have a duty to perform, a duty
placed upon you by God, by our
teachings, and by your conscience,
to give your children the oppor-
tunity to grow up to be happy and
understanding Jews, who can take
their rightful place in the Jewish
world. This duty of yours can only
Continued on Page Two)