Topics in this issue:

I. Queries:
     The Modern Orthodox perspective on celebrating American Independence Day (Singer)
     Searching for Rashi on-line (Witty)
     Supplementary school curriculum (Berman)
II. Students in one-year Israel programs (Berger)
III. Sephardic Culture Day (Tirschwell, Shaviv)
IV. The importance of physical education in school (Kanarek)
V. Saul of Tarsus (Shaviv, Carmy, Blau)
VI. An experiment in Tefillah (Drelich)
VII. Holocaust educational resources (Bernstein)

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I. Queries:

Author: Benjy Singer <[log in to unmask]>
Date: 11-23-05 00:00
Subject: The Modern Orthodox perspective on celebrating American Independence Day

I give a weekly Halachah shiur to Dati Leumi / Modern Orthodox teenagers
in Jerusalem. Each week at the end of the shiur the teenagers choose an
interesting and relevant topic to discuss the following week. After going
through the Talmudic/ Halachik sources pertaining to the area of Halachah
we have a discussion.

The teenagers asked to learn about is whether or not American Jews who are
committed to living a Halachik way of life can/ should celebrate American
Independence Day. Having grown up in England this is not an area of
Halachah I have studied or read about.

I wanted to know firstly if any articles have been written on this topic
presenting the Halachik/ Hashkafik issues involved and secondly what the
views are of Modern Orthodox Poskim like Rav Aaron Lichtenstein and Rav
Hershel Schacter. I would also be interested to know what the view was of
Rav J. B. Soloveichik on this matter and whether or not he celebrated the
day when he lived in America.

Benjy Singer.

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From: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Monday, November 28, 2005 8:07 PM
Subject: Searching for Rashi on-line

I am looking for an online resource containing the Hebrew text of Rashi al
HaTorah (Sefer Shemot in particular). I am hoping this can be found in
Ktav Rashi.

Thank you for your help

Rabbi Witty
Faculty
Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto

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From: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, November 28, 2005 2:44 AM
Subject: Supplementary school curriculum

Dear Shalom,

Being Israeli and a newcomer to the field of Sunday school, I'm trying to
put together the best curriculum for our Sunday school students. I don't
have any intention to invent the wheel and I prefer to rely on practical
and years of experience in other communities.

If you have structured curriculum for ages 2-12 for all or part of the
following subjects, I would like and appreciate getting it:
Jewish Holidays
Jewish Symbols
Jewish Life Cycle
Jewish Customs
Torah
Jewish History
Israel
Jewish ethics & values
Hebrew

I appreciate very much the time you take to help me

Warm regards

Thank you and Leitraot

Tzvika Berman
Education & Programming Director
The United Jewish Congregation
[log in to unmask]

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II. Students in one-year Israel programs

From: [log in to unmask]
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 1:38 PM
Subject: Students in one-year Israel programs

My friend and colleague Francis Nataf asked whether high school graduates
coming to Israel for a year of yeshiva study are, in fact, more motivated
students than those of ten or fifteen years ago.

My conversations with teachers and administrators in these programs
suggest that the population has changed, and that the change reflects
general trends in the religious population in North America. On the one
hand there is a "shift to the right" religiously, on the other hand issue
like gambling, drug use and heightened sexuality are much more common
problems than they were in the past.

I would be interested in hearing from educators - both in Israel and the
Diaspora - as to whether these impressions are shared by others, and
whether there is an interest in entering into a conversation about these
trends and what the community of educators can do about them.

I welcome off-list responses, as well as answers to the list. When writing
to me, please indicate which you prefer.

Shalom

Rabbi Shalom Z. Berger, Ed.D.
The Lookstein Center for Jewish Education in the Diaspora
Bar-Ilan University
http://www.lookstein.org

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III. Sephardic Culture Day

From: "Perry Tirschwell" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2005 3:28 PM
Subject: Sephardic Culture Day

On one Rosh Chodesh each year we run a day we call "Sephardy Gras". Its
dual mission is to make the Ashkenazic students feel at home in a
Sephardic shul or simcha, and to give the Sephardic students a day they
can be proud of their heritage.

A Sephardi (Rabbi, if available) who is familiar with both the Ashkenzaic
and Sephardic davening meets with the Ashkenazic students a few days
before and explains the differences in order of prayers while the students
have both siddurim open in front of them.

Rabbi Herschel Schacter told me that the Ashkenzaic students can daven
Sephardic but, if possible, should say an Ashkenazic shmoneh esrai.

One of the Sephardic students speaks about what he or she loves about
being sephardic.

The Sephardic students dress up for the breakfast featuring Sephardic
foods in Sephardic robes. We play Sephardic music at breakfast.

This year we are having a young "mixed marriage" couple speaking about
all they have learnt about each other's culture and how it has enriched
them.

Rabbi Perry Tirschwell, Principal
Weinbaum Yeshiva High School
Boca Raton, FL 33433
[log in to unmask]; www.wyhs.net

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From: "Paul Shaviv" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2005 6:05 PM
Subject: Sephardi culture

Rabbi Kessler asks for "some brainstorming ideas besides the food, Sefer
Torah and Teffila aspect."

1. How about some HISTORY????? Maps, places, poetry, people .... that is
enough for a five-year programme. Ladino, crypto-Jews ......
2. Displays of biographies of prominent Sephardim, with some quotes from
the writings of same
3. Do a slide presentation of reproductions of illuminated Sephardi
manuscripts, many of which are just stunning
4. Do some research on Sephardi dress through the ages and do a visual
display of same ......

Is it a little comment on our Jewish educational system that Sephardi
culture is initially conceived by a school as "Food, Sefer Torah and
tefillah"????

Paul J. Shaviv
Director of Education
CHAT - Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto

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IV. The importance of physical education in school

From: "tzvika kanarek" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2005 1:58 PM

Dear Shalom
Regarding: The importance of physical education in school (Jablon)

We will start with the Rambam Hilchot Deot 4,a , Rambam Hilchot Shabbat
25, 28, Rabeinu Moshe ben Maimon, "Medical Scripts (interpreted from
Arabic in 1244 by Moses Ibn Tibon) book 1 p. 6, 10, 32, Pirkei Moshe
Berefuah book 2 pp.218 - 219, Guide for The Perplexed part 3, chapter 25
(p.35 Ibn Tibon edition)

Tur Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 155 also Mishne Brurah 155, b, 11 Harav
Kook Igeret Hariya Vol a pp. 375 - 377, Vol b pp-225 - 227, 243 - 244 Orot
Hatchia p. 80

See Abrahams Steinberg's encyclopedia for Halachic Medicine (in Heb) Book
1 pp. 95-97

Shavuah Tov
Dr. Tzvi Kanarek

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V. Saul of Tarsus

From: "Paul Shaviv" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2005 6:05 PM
Subject: Christianity

One of the most frequent complaints of students at Jewish High Schools is
that they claim that they are never taught anything about other religions.
Different Schools will deal with that as they wish, but there cannot be
any benefit in teaching students eccentric theories about Christianity.
When and if they ever check out what they were taught it can only
discredit their education, and
a) generate feelings of betrayal ("they tried to trick me - what other lies
did they tell me?") and
b) encourage them to search for knowledge everywhere but from sources
associated with their High School community - vehamavin yavin.

It is not difficult to locate reasonable and sympathetic material on Jesus
and early Christianity (as a base, the Encyclopedia Judaica articles are
not bad). They have to know the basic facts. In addition, there is a huge
literature on Jesus from a Jewish point of view. A very interesting
anthology called 'Oto ish' was published in Israel not long ago, which has
Jewish material on Jesus from earliest times to Rav Ovadiah Yosef. For
teaching High School (and Adult Ed) I have found a very productive angle
to be the Jewish background of Jesus and early Christianity, and use, for
example, the writings of Geza Vermes, David Flusser etc. Teach your
students the facts as they are generally accepted and understood; rely on
their good sense and historical perspective. They have no sense of
history???? Start teaching it seriously. It will help them in life.

Finally, a note on Hyam Maccoby, whose work has been recommended, and who
passed away not long ago, in May 2004. Hyam Maccoby's grandfather was
Chaim Zundel Maccoby, known in the East End of London in the early years
of the C20 as the "Kamenitzer Maggid". Hyam was born in Sunderland, in the
north of England, where his father was a maths teacher. He was taught
gemara by his father, had an English classical education, and was a
student at Oxford. For many years he taught English literature in the UK
public [state] school system. At the age of about fifty he was appointed
as Librarian at the Leo Baeck College in London, and launched himself into
an academic career in Jewish Studies, publishing a stream of books, many
of them on Jesus and early Christianity. His ideas are, and were, regarded
as implausible in many respects.

Paul J. Shaviv
Director of Education
CHAT - Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto

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From: "Shalom Carmy" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2005 7:26 PM
Subject: Paul

R. Kook, in one of his letters, urges a person involved in explaining
Judaism to avoid taking cheap shots at "the founders of other religions."
He meant Jesus, but the same would probably apply to Paul.

This would certainly be an argument against inculcating conspiracy
theories that denigrate Christianity. Such approaches make it to the best
seller list and talk radio, and they often engage student attention
because of their power to fascinate. But the thrill is cheap. Students may
experience moral and intellectual difficulty when, later in life, they
encounter serious Christians. Most dangerous, however, the debunking
attitude towards spiritual experience can easily turn into a dismissal of
Jewish teaching as well.

I don't know what can be accomplished in the years before university, but
I hope that younger students pick up enough information about Christianity
to have some idea of its role in Western culture and to quietly but firmly
hold fast to our fundamental beliefs.

Maccoby's work is driven by a strong ideological animus. For reasons
indicated above, it should not be the only book one reads on the subject.
He is, however, a provocative and intelligent writer, and therefore worth
getting acquainted with.

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From: Yitzchak Blau <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2005 1:59 PM
Subject: Christianity

Rabbi Lebor argues that the essential messages of our teaching about
Christianity should be the differences between Christianity and Judaism
and the history of Christian anti - semitism. Before I proceed to
disagree, let me state at the outset that both of his points should
certainly be part of the curriculum. We should not allow contemporary
relativism to fool us into thinking that all religions are the same and we
can not forget the poor record of the Church's treatment of our people.

At the same time, it is possible that the students in Rabbi Lebor's class
are getting one of two problematic messages. Some Jewish educators give
their students the sense that all goyim are evil and truly want to destroy
the Jewish people. A constant focus on anti - semitism helps promote this
message. We should not teach such a message as it both false and
pernicious. The history of Jewish - gentile relations includes many
gentiles, including Christians, who befriended Jews and some who stood up
for Jews even in times of distress. The lesson has to include this idea
to be accurate. Furthermore, trying to instruct our students not to cheat
non - Jewish business partners or not to cheat on their American taxes
will be much easier if we do not portray all gentiles as evil. I
understand that Rabbi Lebor did not say that all goyim are bad but if we
only talk about the bad goyim, that message may emerge nonetheless.

Secondly, the emphasis on theological differences should not obscure some
commonality as well. In Western modernity, we lose Jews to secularism far
more than to other religions. With regard to certain issues, though not
all issues, the Christians are our allies against a more secular vision of
the universe. For example, I would much prefer that a frum university
student take a philosophy or psychology course, all other things being
equal, with a Christian professor rather than with an atheist. It is no
accident that it is mostly Christian authors that have been utilized by
Rav Soloveitchik, Rav Lichtenstein and other Torah u'Madda adherents to
help us understand Torah and humanity. In sum, we should not cloud over
the doctrinal differences or the anti - semitism but those themes must be
balanced with a more complex portrait of the gentile and of Christianity.

Rabbi Yitzchak Blau
Yeshivat Hamivtar

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VI. An experiment in Tefillah

From: [log in to unmask]
To: "Shalom Berger" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 3:36 AM
Subject: An experiment in Tefillah

Dear Shalom,

I want to share something really special that has me rethinking the way
I lead morning tefilah with my 7th grade students.

My goal is to help students develop an appreciation for tefilah. (i.e.
to feel closer to HaShem, getting to know who they are, appreciation of
words and structure, proper pronunciation of words, learning how to
converse with HaShem, making the time spent meaningful and spiritually
uplifting, etc.)

In the beginning of the year we start with a skeletal pesukai dzimra but
a full birchat kryiat shema & amida. As the year progresses I will focus
on 1 theme in the tefilot that they are saying in the morning. I start
with birchat HaTorah and work my way through Birchat HaShachar and then
on to Mizmor Shir and so on. Everyday I will repeat the ideas already
learned and at the same time keep introducing fresh ideas to the
tefilot. Once this is accomplished, I begin to add more of Pzukai
Dzimra., until finally the last item - Hodu.

(Taking a side bar for a moment - Keeping davening fresh is a challenge
but essential to the "budding" daveners) Hodu has always presented me
with the greatest challenge because;

1. It's very long
2. It's hard to nail it down to a specific theme.

I wondered what could I do different this year. After much thought, I
tried an experiment, not knowing the outcome.

The morning I introduced Hodu, was the 2nd week in November. I proposed
the following 3 options to my students.

From Hodu up to but not including the last Hallukah (which we sing) they
could for the next 5 minutes-

1. Say the words quietly to themselves.
2. Take their time and slowly just say 1 or 2 tefilot very
carefully, reflect on it and make it their own.
3. Simply mediate and reflect about their relationship with
Hashem,.

I then proceeded to remind them of each tefilah's themes we already had
learned and then to my surprise not a sound was heard in the room for the
next 5 minutes. It was the closest atmosphere to real tefilah that I
personally have felt during the many years I have led tefilah as a
teacher. The students were actually looking inside their siddurim and
concentrating on davening. No one was talking to their friends. I simple
was in awe of what was happening. I spoke with my female counterpart in
tefilah and she was amazed as well.

Then I wondered if this would work a 2nd time. So I tried it the next day.
It worked again! We are up to day 10 and not only is it still working, it
has carried over to their approach to the remainder of tefilah. Now here
is the real shocker - my students feel 5 minutes is not sufficient time
for them and are requesting more 'QUIET MINUTES' Tomorrow I will
experiment again and give them 7 minutes of quiet tefilla.

Whether this will last and mature into something special or just be a
passing faze, I will keep you posted. But I am excited and enjoying my
'quiet' time with HaShem, which is more meaningful, as well.

All the best and warm regards

Rabbi Moshe Drelich
Associate Principal
S/A/R Academy
Riverdale, NY

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VII. Holocaust educational resources

From: "David Bernstein" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2005 12:21 PM

While Shlomo Horwitz's idea for a program presenting a potential Nazi
quoting Der Stuermer to a Jewish neighbor is interesting, it should be
noted that most Germans probably did not join the Nazi party out of
anti-Semitism. While that aspect of Nazism seems so critical to us as
Jews, for most Germans there were many other compelling reasons, and some
joined the NSDP not because of, but rather despite its anti-Semitism.
See the classic work by William Allen, Nazi Seizure of Power: The
Experience of a Single German Town 1922-1945, for more on this.

Sincerely,

David I. Bernstein, Ph.D.
Dean, Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies

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