Humanistic pedagogy
How will we celebrate the beginning of the Tanakh studies in a ceremony?
The Bible is the book of books of our mothers and fathers throughout the generations. The Bible is also the only book that all the streams of Judaism accept as a spiritual or religious cultural foundation.
First of all, learning the Tanakh - and more in Hebrew - is a great privilege and a reason to celebrate.
On this page we will deal with the ways to celebrate the beginning of the Tanakh studies - the ceremony of receiving the Torah, or the Tanakh, and we will offer practical suggestions for this - simply for download.
Further down the page - a critical discussion - what is the problem with Torah reception ceremonies that are carried out in an Orthodox spirit or under the leadership of Orthodox parties.
Reception ceremonies can be a real celebration, insofar as they reflect the spirit of the community, and the vision of the school - including the staff of teachers.
If you believe in your Bible as a source of wisdom, language, human spirit, human love, and many other values that make us who we are - give them expression in the ceremony! that you are excited about your gift. From what really moves you in your life.
Talk about it. Think ahead. Don't jump into what is ready for you.
We have dedicated a separate page to the teaching of the Tanakh.
And here are files regarding celebrations - you are welcome to download and do only good with them:
What is the problem with "accepting the Torah" in an orthodox spirit?
Let's talk about it...
Our Declaration of Independence says that the Tanakh is the "eternal book of books", which the people of Israel bequeathed to the whole world. It is worth adding to this that the Tanakh is also the (only) text that captures all the Jewish currents in the world. Although ultra-Orthodox sects do not really study the Tanach and are content with studying the Gemara, they will not deny the Bible as a formal basis for their view. Ben Zion Mosinzon. The roots of this view are already in the schools of the Enlightenment - the secular culture movement - in Europe. This revolution actually succeeded beyond expectations. We all work within it, even those who oppose its foundations.
The secular view sees the Bible as a cultural basis for the richness of our foundations: language, history, attachment to the Land of Israel and of course values of respect, innovation, modesty, plurality of voices, and above all - "wisdom" whose "ways are the ways of Noam and all its paths are peace".
However - in order to celebrate this wealth, one must get to know the various layers of the Bible, including knowledge of its various authors, ideological trends and other matters that they have in common - recognition of the humanity of the writers of the Bible as creators of our people.
A secular approach to the Bible refers with understanding to its many religious interpretations as well. But not only them. It emphasizes the naturalness and the buds of humanism within you - since the world was given to human beings to shape it, and since then the recognition that "in the beginning you have sinned, to you is his desire and you will govern him". Since the correction of the values is in our hands, it doesn't matter "if you do good or not". Moshe - is not "our rabbi" and his ten commandments are very far from rabbinical worship or authority. Moshe is a wise prophet who stands in front of his brother the priest who tends here and there to worship a calf. These stories are significant assets - and they are ours - open to a secular humanist interpretation.
The traditional religious approach to the Bible - emphasizes supernaturalism, authority, law, obedience and worship as an exclusive approach, It is also found in the Bible, but not only. In fact, most of the story of the Bible is groundbreaking for faith in man. _cc781905-5cde -3194-bb3b-136bad5cf58d_Here is a clear example:
Abraham stood before God and shouted: "The judge of the whole earth will not do justice"?? Abraham's consciousness of justice is the standard for universal justice that owes to the symbol of God himself. Abraham defied the God of darkness and defied God himself who was confused - "Forbid you go"! Thus he laid the foundation for the interpretation that (this) God is a symbol of sublime values, which man strives to achieve. No miracles, no idolatrous capriciousness and no blind worship or rigid commandments. In the ways of Noam! The austerity of the sect.
The more Orthodox rabbis manage to "take over" the meaning of the Bible's stories in our consciousness - the more secular adults distance themselves from them. And precisely then, with the secular distancing - the Orthodox consciousness becomes stronger without hindrance. A sad circle.
When a rabbi dressed in black (a symbol of fixation - clinging to a long-gone European tradition) with a large kippa of a certain color (whose main function is to separate religious currents) - stands on a stage in front of an excited child from the second grade, in a synagogue that his parents have never visited and will never visit, this Not only the religion - but mainly exclusion! The child will grow up and understand that "Judaism" is one narrow form of religious view, i.e. orthodox, from which he will be careful to stay away.
All this takes place even before the rabbi opened his mouth. On the side of respectful rabbis, the examples from the field show the multitude of nonsense at these events, which are sometimes combined with shameful to puzzling ceremonies, while commemorating Orthodox symbols including dress and gender segregation in the second grade! We are simply abandoning the Jewish wealth in the hands of those who do not deserve it.
As for the "acceptance of the Torah", then it is appropriate to know, for example, the words of Rambam, according to which a Sinai position is the height of intellectual recognition. Wisdom. This is the great sages of Israel. After all, according to the Torah itself, Moses went up to Mount Sinai, and from there he came down with words. There is no "Torah" " in the book of the Torah. It has Torahs, and the reference is to a set of laws that are especially appropriate in the eyes of the priests of the temple during the Persian period.
Why do we need separatist rabbis to tell us what our Torah of Israel is?
It's time to wake up - and build the secular story in education.
You can get to know some of the experts in the leading team of the Goth Institute..