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to Implement Equal Allocation of Funds to Organizations Dealing with Jewish Education |
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| For a great many years, the Israeli Ministry of Education, with the support of highly influential political figures, has employed a policy of extreme discrimination in all that concerns the allocation of resources to the various organizations dedicated to Jewish education. In fact, over 90% of the budget is targeted to ultra-Orthodox and Orthodox organizations. Incredulously, for years, the secular and pluralistic organizations did not form a united front to try to rectify this blatant injustice. Today the situation is markedly different: a strong coalition of approximately 14 organizations has been formed to take joint action. This coalition has demonstrated an impressive level of cohesiveness and has sustained an inner mechanism of solidarity. The turning point occured with an initiative that was introduced by Meitar. In October 1999, representatives of secular organizations met with the Minister of Education at the time, Yossi Sarid. Impressed by their arguments, Sarid formulated a corrective policy, which he began to put in motion. At this stage, the Attorney General issued an important statement in which he declared that he would refuse to approve allocations of funds to organizations on the basis of their religious or ideological affiliations. Funds would be approved on the basis of a fair allocation process with equal and tranparent criteria. Our organizations naturally welcomed the move, but were amazed to discover that the Ministry of Education, under its present leadership, Minister Limor Livnat, has no intention of implementing this directive. Instead it is ostensibly contriving to return to the old allotment system under a new guise. Our 14-member coalition appealed to the Supreme Court on the matter, and the hearings are now taking place. In the meantime, the 2001 allocation of funds was delayed in a manner that severely disadvantaged some of our organizations. |
On the initiative of the leaders of Meitar, an unprecedented move was taken: in a show of solidarity, groups that received larger allocations provided assistance to those that suffered cutbacks. The coalition thus passed its first test with flying colors - a significant development indeed. Throughout this entire period, Meitar cooperated extensively with the rest of the organizations, especially with "Panim" - an umbrella organization for the groups dealing with Jewish education, and the Center for Pluralism, which is affiliated with the Reform movement. The road to equality is both long and exhausting. Even if we win our case in the Supreme Court, the challenge we face is enormous: to position secular and pluralistic Jewish education in its proper place on the map of the State of Israel's education system. Yair Tzaban, Chair, Meitar. 
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Define their Outlook as Secular?* 
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| The American Jewish world is constantly changing and becoming more pluralistic. Who are American Jews? This subject was recently explored by the American Jewish Identity Survey (AJIS), which was funded by Felix Posen. A London-based philanthropist, Posen is a Meitar Board Member, who seeks to make Jewish heritage and culture relevant to non-observant Jews through various education initiatives and projects in lsrael and the Diaspora. The AJIS is one of these projects. The survey consisted of telephone interviews with some fifty thousand randomly selected American adults, including some 1,700 adults living in US households where at least one person is Jewish or from a Jewish background. How do American Jews define their outlook? Among Jews who acknowledge their religion as Judaism or people who say they have a Jewish background - excluding those |
that subscribe to other religions - 49% define their outlook as "secular" or "somewhat secular." About the same number define their outlook as "religious". What branches of Judaism do they identify with (if any)? Eight percent identify with the Orthodox, 24% with the Conservative, 30% Reform, 1% Reconstructionist, 1% are Secular-Humanist, 6% go by other self-defined labels and 20% define themselves as 'just Jewish." In general, 51% of American Jews define Judaism as their religion , 40% would be considered Jewish only because they say their parents are Jewish, 4% view themselves as Jews even though they do not regard their religion as Judaism nor report having Jewish parents, and 3% responded that only their upbringing was Jewish. *American Jewish Identity Survey 2001, Professors Egon Mayer, Barry A. Kosmin and Ariela Keysar (The Graduate Center of the City University of New York). |
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| From Our Staff | ||
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| Amos Oz: "Judaism is a Civilization .... Not Just the Sanctuary of the Orthodox." | ||
| If young Israelis lose their connection with Jewish heritage, treat it as something that is the property of the Orthodox and that can be forgotten about, or if American Jews think they can develop some broad American Jewishness - some hyphenated identity unrelated to Israel - it would be a tragic loss for both sides. Simply by presenting Judaism as a civilization, Judaism as a heritage, Judaism as a living drama, rather than a museum collection encased in glass that invites young people to adore and admire but not to touch, Meitar makes a tremendous contribution to dynamic Judaism. |
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| Judaism goes beyond the synagogue. Judaism existed before the synagogue did. The Hebrew language, the heritage, the culture, the habits, the sensibilities, the irony, the specific sense of humor, a certain anarchistic tradition, a gutsy resentment of injustice ... all these are part of the Jewish heritage. This wonderful project called Meitar, which is spreading its wings in Israel, promotes precisely this attitude. Judaism is a civilization, the heritage is ours - not just the sanctuary of the Orthodox. It extends far beyond, above, before and perhaps after the synagogue. |
Amos Oz meets with Shevah-Mofet students Natalie Katayeb (left) and Benny Kliener to discuss their Meitar Bar/Bat Mitzav projects.
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The communities' local leaders and social-service providers are intimately involved in the program's coordination. It will feature specific activities that focus on different age groups (for example, kindergartens, schools, community centers, and youth centers). Ashdod, a city in Southern Israel, has been chosen as the pilot project. With the necessary logistical foundations in place, actual programming is set to begin. Programs will include the study and celebration of holidays, a dynamic Beit Midrash, encounters between veteran Israelis and olim, and family excursions. The specific programs will be customized to meet the demands and preferences of the target populations. All this is part of an integral effort to connect them to their rich Jewish heritage, culture, and history - from the bible to the present. We hope that these initiatives foster a sense of Jewish-Israeli identity that will be felt throughout the community. The olim will become more active and celebrate the many Jewish events in an enjoyable manner that reflects the holidays' true connections to pluralistic Jewish culture. |
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Overview lsraeli State Schools - working with students and teachers in elementary, junior high, and high schools to develop and maintain a positive Jewish identity. New Immigrants - working in communities to teach Jewish heritage and promote democratic values in order to ensure Jewish continuity. Meitar has also designed and implemented special programs for immigrants working at the Coca-Cola Company, Israel. This is a pilot program that Meitar plans to extend to other Israeli factories. Adult Education - involving the general public in a range of activities aimed at exposing them to Jewish traditions and strengthening their Jewish literacy. Academic Track - Meitar has developed courses in Judaism as Culture in cooperation with teacher training colleges throughout the country.
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| Meitar Embarks On a Proressional Evaluation Process | |
| In 2002 the Posen Foundation hired the Zofnat Institute for Organizational Research and Consultation to conduct an evaluation of Meitar's educational activities, especially its in-service teacher training at Israeli State schools. The purpose of the evaluation is to measure, among other issues, the following criteria: |
The evaluation report will be completed towards the end of 2002. |
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| Rachel Elran, Metro-West High School Principal: "Meitar's program instills a passion for Jewish Heritage in teachers, a passion that is conveyed to the students." "Intellectually stimulating, challenging, essential to the education of every Israeli teacher." This is how Orly Shenberg - Bible and Jewish Culture Coordinator at Metro-West High School in Raanana, a large town in the center of Israel - defines Meitar's Jewish Heritage program. "The Character of Freedom Festivals and Commemorative Occasions in the State of Israel" is the topic that the school chose for this in-service training program. The program includes lectures and workshops. Shenberg and a group of Metro-West teachers participated in an educational tour on Jerusalem Day - a national holiday commemorating the unification of the eastern and western parts of the city. The tour was designed to enhance their connection to and knowledge of Jerusalem's cultural Jewish treasures. After an intensive five-hour visit to the Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book and the prospect of a lengthy pedagogic workshop soon afterwards, one would have expected the participants to wolf down their pasta and salad during the lunch break, However, as soon as they began discussing their impressions of the Jewish Heritage program, their plates were pushed aside in their eagerness to voice their opinions. Ruth Levy, a literature and civics teacher: "The program is fascinating and the lecturers are excellent, unlike those at some other study programs I have participated in. I have already brought some of the materials we studied in one of our previous meetings on the subject of Passover to my class." The only drawback that Levy pointed to was the program's brevity: "I hope Jewish Heritage will be expanded to include more themes," she said. "I am looking forward to Jewish Heritage 2." Vered Harush an economics and management teacher: "Although the subject matter of the program is serious and complicated, the lecturers make it very interesting and have helped |
 Jerusalem Day, 2002: Dr. Adolfo Roitman (left) speaks to Metro-West staff, outside the Shrine of the Book. me broaden my understanding and knowledge." While Harush's teaches a subject that appears not to concern itself with Jewish heritage, she nonetheless feels that the program "enriches [my] perspective in a way that influences [my] interaction with the students." This is exactly principal Rachel Elran's aim in encouraging all her teachers to take part in Jewish Heritage: "Our cooperation with Meitar is based on the assumption that every teacher brings his or her heritage to class and that this directly and indirectly shapes the experience of learning. We do not expect the program to yield 'instant' results, but to have a long lasting effect." Her farsighted vision notwithstanding, principal Elran has already begun reaping the fruits of her personal involvement in the program. The student participation rate in weekly classes dedicated to the culture of Israel is higher than in any other class, despite the fact that these classes are given in an unofficial forum and attendance is not taken. "When I ask the students what their favorite class is, almost without exception they say Culture of Israel. The passion for the subject that the teachers gain at the Jewish Heritage program penetrates the classes and is conveyed to the students."
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| WHY WE SUPPORT MEITAR | |
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| Amir Shacham, Director of Metro-West Israel Office For us, Meitar represents an important Jewish sector of Israeli society, one with which North American Jews are unfamiliar. Our cooperation with Meitar is therefore important. The so-called Jewish secular sector in Israel encompasses a growing public comprised of people who are ignorant of their Jewish identity. The alternative offered by Meitar gives these individuals the opportunity to reconnect to Judaism in a way that meets their specific needs. Our cooperation with Meitar at the Metro-West High School in Ra'anana enables the New Jersey Metro-West community to influence and foster the pluralistic Jewish identity of a large student body. According to our vision, Jewish pluralism is the key means of contributing to Israeli pluralism. Orthodox Judaism is currently Israel's official Judaism, and this situation must be rectified. |
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| "The student isn'tiust a vessel for the teacher to fill. S/he should get involved,"... says Miriam Harel, Meitar Program Leader. This year, Harel implemented the Bar/Bat Mitzvah program in several Israeli state schools, among them Ashdod's Municipal High School and Tel Aviv's Shevah Mofet. About 90% of the latter's student body are immigrants from the former Soviet Union and many were injured in the suicide bombing at the Dolphinarium discotheque in June 2001. As part of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah program, seventh graders research the Torah portion that corresponds to their Hebrew birthdays. "The emphasis is on personal research and discussion among the students rather than on lectures and frontal teaching. The teachers in this program told me that they are amazed at the students' cooperation and at their enthusiasm", says Harel. "These responses counteracted the assumption that the teaching of Judaism is worthless at a school such as Shevah Mofet, where many of the students have a very weak Jewish background. In Ashdod, the problems I faced while implementing the program were of a different nature. The teaching staff there was heterogeneous, comprised of Orthodox and secular instructors. This made the program both more challenging and more interesting." "The program brings the Bar/Bat Mitzvah experience to the class. Each student's portion is a meeting point of Jewish heritage with the private special history of the student who is celebrating his or her birthday. The students learn to see their heritage as something that continuously resonates. By stressing issues they find interesting and by giving them an educational yet personal interpretation, they find their own unique place within their heritage," concludes Harel. |
Natali Katayeb's Bat Mitzvah project, "Crime and Punishment," is indicative of the personal growth that this project is capable of inducing in youngsters. Natali - who lives in Petach Tikva - noticed that her Torah portion, Leviticus 26 - "Blessings and Penalties," is more concerned with penalties than blessings. Consequently, she decided to explore the relationship between sin and punishment as represented in folk literature,journalism and plastic art, "One of the main issues that arose from my study was the contrast between punishment inflicted by God and by man," she says. "in the Torah, man is perceived as sinning against God, even when his crime is against another fellow man. Today - as I have learned from analyzing,criminal cases presented in newspapers-man is also the judge. The justice system, therefore, takes into consideration such issues as circumstances, motive, and culpability. Contemplating these issues helped me reconnect with my Jewish roots. I realized that my Torah portion in particular and Jewish heritage in general are relevant to my own life."  The Meitar Bar/Bat Mitzvah Program-Culminated in student presenting their project to peers, teachers and family members
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| Gender roles, the status of women, and equality between the sexes are issues that many adults often find difficult to deal with. Prejudices and stereotypes regarding femininity and masculinity gradually develop into fixed ideas by the time people become adults. This is a problem that Meitar: in cooperation with the Israeli Ministry of Education, has decided to confront by developing two parallel programs. One of the programs is directed at adult students and the other at elementary school teachers and pupils. These programs address contemporary social issues in their Jewish context, which is indicative of Meitar's deep commitment to Judaism. By raising students' awareness of gender issues - via experiential education projects that were intergrated with the study of Jewish sources - the programs help students learn more about their identity. They expose them to the riches of Jewish heritage and demonstrate its relevance to contemporary dilemmas such as gender issues. This year, gender studies were included in the Judaism as Culture program at TAGAT, a government-run education program for civil servants who do not have high-school diplomas. Participants in this program, which has been running for three years, examine Jewish sources on gender inequality and relations between the sexes. |
The program was also implemented in three elementary schools in the Tel Aviv area: Tel Hai, Ha'Galil, and Moshe Hess. As is the case with all its programs, Meitar has worked closely with each school and has adapted "Gender Equality and Roles in the Family" to the specific needs of the staff and student body. At Tel Hai , this year's program culminated with a play produced by the students with the help of their art, theater and music teachers. The original play, written by the students under the guidance of a professional director, who was employed by Meitar for this explicit purpose, presented a contradictory world in which girls played on the school's successful soccer team and boys manned the cheerleader squad. The play focused on the dilemma of whether a cheerleader should be allowed tojoin the all-girls soccer team. The children performed before an audience of hundreds of parents, students, teachers, and children from local kindergartens. The play was a smashing success!  The all-girls soccer team has trouble adjusting to the new male player.
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One of the Subject Explored at the 5th Meitar Secular Marathon |
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| Meitar's fifth Secular Marathon, held in Tel Aviv, was dedicated to Jewish identity within the context of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The Marathon gave the public an opportunity to hear prominent figures speak about Jewish issues as they relate to contemporary political problems. Among the speakers at this year's Marathon were Rabbi Daniel Hartman (The Hartman Institute, Jerusalem), Dr. Uzi Arad (The Interdisciplinary Center, Herzlia), Former Knesset Member, Attn. Uriel Lynn, and Dr. Henriette Dahan-Kalev (Ben-Gurion University). The keynote speaker at the Marathon was author and essayist Haim Be'er who is also a member of Meitar's Executive Board. Be'er examined contemporary Israeli identity through the prism of language and discourse. Additionally, he discussed various people's ability to adapt to a changing reality. "One of the problems facing the Jewish people," Be'er pointed out, "is how does one keep the treasures of Jewish heritage alive and relevant". Meitar's Marathons, sponsored in part by Israel's Ministry of Science, Culture and Sport, have drawn diverse audiences, which have inspired fascinating discussions on Jewish culture and its vital contemporary implications. |
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Creating Bridges Between Past and Future, Judaism and Democracy Dr. Adolfo Roitman, Curator and Director of the Shrine of the Book,The Israel Museum, Jerusalem My connection with Meitar is quite natural, both personally and institutionally. The Shrine of the Book is home to some of the most important treasures of Judaism, while the purpose of the Israel Museum is to create a bridge between academia and the general public. This bridge must be achieved by education. Meitar's work, which is all about Jewish education and culture, facilitates the creation of such a bridge. Meitar's place in the current Israeli public discourse is very important. Israeli society is fragmented and Meitar bridges the gaps between different groups by giving them access to their shared heritage. Meitar helps people from various backgrounds form a common sense of identity, which on the one hand looks to the past and, on the other, faces the challenges of the future. Today, in an Israel torn between the values of Judaism and the principles of democracy, Meitar's liberal approach and emphasis on cultural values make it possible to merge Jewish heritage and democracy together. Rachelle Schilo, Director of Allocations Program, the Jewish Agency for Israel  A program of Judaism as culture for teachers in-training at the Lewinsky College (the first Israeli college for teachers, which was founded ninety years ago) is a new initiative of the Jewish Agency's Allocations Program. The project, which is scheduled to be launched this autumn, aims to instill pluralistic approaches to the methods in which future teachers present Judaism to their classes. Since it is difficult to alter the pedagogic perspectives of veteran teachers, we decided to develop a program for new educators, which will provide them with versatile tools for the teaching of Judaism as culture.We asked Meitar, one of our three flagship programs, to cooperate with us in developing the program for Lewinsky. We chose Meitar because of its commitment to the subject of Judaism as culture and because we believe that it will help us strengthen the Jewish identity of a larger number of students.
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THE MEITAR EXECUTIVE BOARD
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