Federation Subventions for Jewish Education

One of the most interesting areas of study for both education and anthropology is the impact of culture on the formation of societal institutions and the human personality. This paper explores the impact of Jewish culture and the Jewish cultural heritage on the structure of the Jewish school and the nature of the Jewish school experience.     

Book Reviews

Abstract

Reviewed by Joseph B. Oxendine, Physical Education Department, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122.     

Enrollment in Jewish Schools Spring 1947

I am an artist and an art educator. For me these two words are synonymous. I do not believe you are an artist unless you have a concept to share. On the other hand, you are not an art educator unless you are a functioning artist and constantly have the challenges of the artist before you. Frequently, I tell the art teachers with whom I work that if they are not going to be functioning artists, they will never be good art teachers. An art educator is someone who is gifted, has skills and capabilities and is willing to hand them over to the rest of the world. He is twice blessed.     

THE RESPONSE OF OLDER WOMEN TO A CREATIVE PROBLEM‐SOLVING PROGRAM

Little work has been done in the development of creativity in older adults. The limited research seems to support the notion that older people are not as creative as younger people.

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether or not creative behavior as measured by Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking can be increased in older adult women through a creative problem‐solving program. The major hypothesis under investigation was: The use of a specific problem‐solving program designed to increase certain creative thinking abilities will increase those abilities at a significant level in older adult women. Forty women volunteers, ranging in age from 60 to 82, participated in the six‐week program.

Experimental subjects did not score significantly higher on the Torrance tests than the control subjects who had not participated in the program. However, information collected via the teacher's log and a questionnaire given to the subjects at the end of the class showed that the experience was unusually positive and creatively beneficial.

It is concluded that the program was not of sufficient intensity and that in order to measure change in creative thinking with older people, a more creative approach in testing may need to be developed.     

A Study of Parent‐Teacher Groups

In some respects this article is redundant. Af ter all, a growing number of Jewish schools, both day schools and supplementary schools, have included Israel in their curricula in a prominent way. We mention Israel in our prayers. We teach the history of the Land of Israel. We recruit teenagers for Israel summer programs. Why then should the Gulf War have any impact on how we portray Israel in our schools? Has this war opened an educa tional window of opportunity? My question is rhetorical and the answer affirmative. Seeing Scud missiles fall live on Tel Aviv via CNN has temporarily transformed the perception of and the relation to the Jewish State. Maybe at long last we have the chance to make a very illusive Jewish symbol into a concrete reality for Jewish students around the world. Let me explain why this is so necessary and how I propose to make it happen.