A set of pages exploring informal Jewish education
Featured: Marie Paneth – Branch Street, The Windemere Children, art and pedagogy. Paneth was a talented painter, art therapist and pedagogue. Her book, Branch Street (1944) is a classic exploration of community-based work with children during the Second World War – and the healing use she made of art both with The Windemere Children (2020) and in later practice was pioneering. In this piece, we explore her work – mostly in the 1940s – and its continuing relevance.
Principles and practice
The world of the Jewish youth movement. In this article, Daniel Rose presents the history and background of international Jewish youth movements and the methods and frameworks of informal education they employ.
Gisela Konopka and groupwork. Janice Andrews assesses the contribution of this pivotal thinker. See, also, our new groupwork pioneers series.
The potential of role-model education. In this article Daniel Rose examines the role and potential of the educator as a role-model within both formal and informal education.
The philosophy of informal Jewish education. Barry Chazan explores the meaning of informal Jewish education and examines its significance for contemporary Jewish life. He argues that informal Jewish education is not confined to a place or a methodology but rather is a well-defined philosophy of how people should be educated, what the goals of Jewish education are, and what its contents should be. Chazan urges a recognition of the seminal contribution informal Jewish education can make. See, also the reply by Joseph Reimer.
The Passover Seder Service as a paradigm for informal Jewish education. In this article Daniel Rose presents the Passover Seder service, commemorating the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, celebrated by Jews all around the world every year on the first night of the Passover festival, as a paradigm for experiential Jewish education, specifically found in informal Jewish education settings.
Thinkers
Martin Buber on education. Buber’s focus on dialogue and community would alone mark him out as an important thinker for educators. But when this is added to his fundamental concern with encounter and how we are with each other (and the world) his contribution is unique and yet often unrecognized.
Gisela Konopka and groupwork. Janice Andrews assesses the contribution of this pivotal thinker. See, also, our new groupwork pioneers series.
Lily Montagu and Jewish youth work. One of the founders of the National Organization of Girls Clubs (now Youth Clubs UK) and a key figure in the development of Jewish youth work. A short biography prepared by Jean Spence.
Acknowledgement: Picture: Seder plate by Amy Ross. Sourced from Flickr and reproduced under a Creative Commons by nd2 licence. http://www.flickr.com/photos/donutgirl/5635071629