Most of what we learn in our early years is through observation. We watch people walk, and with some help we learn to walk. We listen to people speak, and we begin speaking.

When I think about centuries of people keeping kosher homes, it was not the product of formal learning. Most of the people entrusted with that sacred task were probably unable to read any of the halakhic literature, if it was even available. They learned by spending time watching and participating in meal preparation and cleanup, and with a little guidance, they learned to keep kosher kitchens.

Yonah Fuld is a dynamic and creative Jewish day school educator. Recently retired as Educational Director of The Lookstein Center, Rabbi Fuld’s pioneering and groundbreaking work in experiential education at SAR Academy (Riverdale, NY) inspired dozens of schools to incorporate it into their own programming. Jewish Educational Leadership is pleased to share with you excerpts of our discussion with him.

Ephraim Buchwald is a lifelong pioneer in the area of Jewish outreach. Rabbi Buchwald was Director of Education at Lincoln Square Synagogue (NY) for fifteen years, where he also founded the Beginner’s Service which he has been leading since 1975. He is also founder and Director of the National Jewish Outreach program, which has engaged more than a million North American Jews in Jewish life, and he was included in Newsweek’s list of the top fifty Rabbis in America. Jewish Educational Leadership is pleased to share with you excerpts of our discussion with him.

At the end of an all-girls Shabbaton, just a few minutes before our Havdallah, the DJ in the ballroom next door started spinning tracks: Cotton Eye Joe, Cha Cha Slide. The party next door was a celebration of the transition from childhood to adulthood. The bass was pumping through the walls. As our students sang Shabbat away, the party next door moved on to Nelly and Flo Rida. All the noise piqued the curiosity of our students and, after Havdallah, some of the girls inevitably investigated. They returned a few minutes later. A few were puzzled, others were anguished: “Is that what teenagers do?” “What are those girls wearing?” “Why are those boys and girls dancing like that?”

Parashat hashavuah holds a central place in the Jewish educational landscape. It uniquely spans denominational divides, keeping the rhythm of Torah study calendrically embedded in the lives of the entire Jewish community. Of all Torah topics, it seems to be parashat hashavua that defines our communal common ground. And it does so with a depth that allows us all to find insights that are meaningful and inspiring, no matter our age or background. It is a gateway to exploring and uplifting our core values, discovering the roots of our beliefs and practices, and becoming active players in the ongoing project of the Jewish people and our interpretive tradition.