Modern life is complex. Decisions are not always easy to make. The world is not always black and white, but can be shades of gray. One of the lessons that we hope percolates through all of our students is that Torah, Jewish learning and Jewish law can be our guide as we travel down life’s path.
Several grades in our school have been grappling with issues of ethics and values. Rabbi Syme’s 12th grade topic is “Jewish Law for our Times”. Fifth graders study the Jewish communities of the world, including the changing Jewish law and the Jewish response to exile and diaspora. Eighth grade students are learning “Hogwarts Ethics” with one teacher (Denise Goodman) and are reading You be the Judge with teacher Alla Mant.
As part of a 5th grade family education program, the following case was presented (from You Be the Judge, Book 3):
Sam is a 12 year old who was arrested for selling his Ritalin at school as a drug to his friends.
Sam also goes to religious school. Other parents in the religious school have argued that
Sam is a bad influence and should not be allowed to remain in religious school. Sam’s parents
tell the rabbi that a Torah education may be the one thing that can change Sam’s mixed up
values. Sam does not want to go to Hebrew School, and is not a pleasure to teach. Sam thinks
he wants to have a Bar Mitzvah, and knows he must stay in school to do so.
The 5th graders created a Talmud page and contributed their Jewish responses to this dilemma. As part of this exercise, they became “rabbinic commentary” or the gemara to the following Mishnah: It is a mitzvah; every Jewish child must learn Torah.
Here are some of our “rabbis” responses:
Sam should be able to go to religious school, because it is not good to just stay home and not learn anything and become more a drug addict. (Rabbi Turner)
Everyone should be given a second chance to learn to be good. (Anonymous rabbi)
It is a blessing to be Jewish and to study Torah. (Rabbi Simon)
Sam should take special classes away from the other kids. That way he gets Torah teachings without giving a bad influence to the other kids. (Rabbi Korotkin)
Sam should stay because there’s a better chance that he will learn more good than bad.
(Rabbi Boorstein)
I don’t think they should let Sam stay in School because he was a druggie and not a good kid and maybe he should go to special Jewish tutoring. (Anonymous rabbi)
One should teach Torah to everyone. (Rabbi Samuels)
Every Jewish child should have the opportunity to study Torah, to see if it is a priority to them. (Rabbi Michelson)
Teach him privately until the teacher thinks that he is ready to be with the class or when Sam thinks he’s ready. (Rabbi Rosen)
Everyone should have a chance to learn the Torah to learn about their culture, and it might help them. (Rabbis Goodman)
It is better to take care of the many rather than the few. (Rabbi Alpert)
Sam should be able to go back to the Hebrew school, but alone until he is ready to learn with other kids. (Rabbi Lawrence)
Click on the link below to connect to the education page.
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