Jewish experience of faith schools

Simon Rocker of the Jewish Chronicle writes in the Guardian of how faith schools reduce fanaticism, not increase it.

The Jewish community's experience of their own schools is an interesting one. As he points out, they are held up as the very model of an integrated community, yet half of all Jewish kids attend a Jewish school:

British Jewry is often held up as a model of an integrated "minority". That makes one contemporary feature of it all the more notable: the dramatic swing towards religious schooling. No community has taken greater advantage of successive governments' willingness to subsidise faith schools. Between 1997 and 2005, the number of state-aided Jewish schools rose 50 per cent from 24 to 36.

(...)

A religion is more than a set of rituals and beliefs. It is better thought of as a civilisation, encompassing literature, history and, especially, language. Christianity is unusual in comparison with other religions in that its scriptures are nowadays read in the vernacular. But for Judaism, the Hebrew Bible cannot be properly understood without grasping the nuances of its original language. Most British Jews would probably be unable to negotiate even the simpler passages of the Bible without the aid of a translation, but the ideal of Hebrew remains: no one would think of writing a Torah scroll in English.

Even if few students leave school fluent in Hebrew (never mind Aramaic, the language of the Talmud), they are none the less likelier to have gained a better foundation in the classical sources of their civilisation than those without a day-school education. Whereas a century ago, Jewish schools were largely seen as agents of Anglicisation, initiating Yiddish- speaking immigrants into the ways of English society, now their mission is Jewish survival.

So in the beginning, Jewish schools were set up to aid immigrants in learning English and getting a grounding in this country - Muslims are currently similarly struggling academically.

Thanks to Abuzar for bringing this article to my attention.

Comments

[cdnmuslim]

But the problem is that "fanatical" ideas are very subjective. I mean, for most Palestinians, supporting the existence of "Israel" is a fanatical idea, whereas this is mainstream for Zionists and their supporters.

[naveen]

Jews are western people and their culture together with Christianity founded the basis of western civilisation. Hence Jews and Christians need to understand their own history, civilisation and culture. Moslems are not part of the West and if they want to live in the West must understand and become part of the West. That means that Moslems should study in Christian or Jewish schools. Those who want to live in Islamic culture are free to leave and live in Islamic countries. If Moslems don't want to be part of the west (and they are not anyway)they should be removed from the country as their continued presence poses a threat to the native Jews and Christians. The theology and doctrine of Islam have a hostile ideology to the West.

Hence there should be no Moslem schools in the West.

[cdnmuslim]

Naveen,
Those are the most ignorant comments I have ever heard. Let me ask you this: where is this East/West divide? Are you aware the both Judaism and Christianity originated in the Middle East? lol your comments are truly amusing.
Have you evern in your life spoken to a Muslim? Have you even read anything written by a Muslim?
I leave you with the first message that came down to the Prophet Mohammad PBUH: "READ!"

[naveen]

The last commentator's comments are what is ignorant and it would appear that he has a lot of reading to do on the West. Judeiam and Christianity started in Israel and spread throughout the Roman Empire in Europe. The latter colonies of North America and Aus/NZ were founded later but based upon Christianity. The West has a distinct Christian culture upon which the civilisation is based. Islam is not and has never been part of the West. Islam is Asian and entirely alien to the West. Go and read some history.....

[George Carty]

If Judaism is closer to Christianity than it is to Islam, why did pre-Englightenment Christendom usually treat its Jews worse than the Islamic world treated its dhimmis (Jewish and Christian)? And wasn't one of the reasons why Spain expelled its Jews fear that they would collaborate with any attempted Muslim "Re-reconquista"?

[cdnmuslim]

hahaha "Christianity and Judaism started in Israel". What is your basis for this? Prophet Abraham, the father of the Abrahamic religions was from Iraq (the city of Ur) Where was this Israel that you speak of? Moses was from modern day Egypt. Keep on believing your own lies, they just MIGHT come true one day.

[Sohaib]

Also, Naveen, I take it you wouldn't tell Jews who want to study in a Jewish school to leave and go to Israel. No, because they are fully part of the West. So why does Israel exist? (I mean as a post-1948 declared state.)

[naveen]

Pre- enlightenment Europe did not treat its Jews worse than the Islamic world treated dhimmis. In fact the Islamic world's treatment of its dhimmis has been attrocious. Europe has never enforced taxes on jews. The re conquista was the SPANISH CATHOLIC RECONQUEST OF SPAIN - not the other way round. Ferdinand and Isabella forced ALL non Christians out of Spain and that included Jews and Moslems as they are both non Christain. The Jews and Moslems have never been friends.

[Sohaib]

So where did the Jews go then?

[cdnmuslim]

Naveen, you contradict yoruself again.
See this link:
http://www.jews-for-allah.org/history-of-love/