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<< Does anyone have any thoughts, negative or positive, on Jewish home
schooling for an article in Hadassah magazine, either with regard to the
effect it has on kids individually, or on Jewish day schools in general.
Should many families choose to do this? Thanks. Shana Tova. >>
I was recently approached by a family that was schooling their ten year
old at home. They wanted to review the Judaic studies curriculum so that
they could review where their child was in relation to his peers. What
became sad, if not tragic, was that the parents were incapable of teaching
this child on any level resembling a day school education. The parents
were able to speak Hebrew after a brief stint in Israel but were totally
ignorant of Dinim, Chumash and its meforshim, and would never be able to
move the child on to Mishna or Gemarah.
Certainly our tradition speaks of "ve'shenantam levanecha" - you shall
teach your children - but this assumes that the parent has the knowledge
to teach.</HTML>
