WHEN PUBLIC SERVICE RENDERS PERSONAL CHANGE: PORTRAITS OF SIX AVOCATIONAL TEACHERS

This paper presents portraits of six parents who became actively involved as avocational teachers in their synagogue's religious school. Based on two in‐depth interviews, the portraits trace avocational teachers' public commitment to the school and personal renewal as Jews. The portraits provide us with a closer look at the powerful impact that teaching and learning had on participants' views of themselves and their relationship to Jewish texts.