The question: "How and what shall we teach our children?" has to this day remained unanswered. We have improved our methods somewhat; we have acquired better teachers and adopted lately a number of modern methods, the purpose of which I will discuss later. As a result of all this, we notice renewed activities in Jewish education.

But have the two questions: "How to teach? and What to teach?" been answered? Certainly not. Every orthodox and secular teacher, as well as every orthodox school, is a Robinson Crusoe in the Jewish educational world. Each knows that his work is in no way connected with that of the others; that his pupil, upon leaving his guidance, encounters a world of different methods, other customs, books, and requirements. In short, our educational world is under different types of supervision, any of 2which is expostulated by a good or bad teacher. It is open to honest and unhonest leaders; and always in danger, inasmuch as our best talent are lost through neglect. This condition exists throughout the entire Jewish nation.

"How shall we teach our children?" is the first question that every teacher, not the mother or father, must be able to answer. The bitter truth is that ninety-nine per cent of our American Jewish parents have not the slightest idea of what constitutes a child's education. To them the orthodox or secular schools are not truly educational institutions. Hebrew reading, prayers, and confirmation, comically tragic enough, are the only ideals they expect of their children. For the fifty years there have been Hebrew readings, prayers, and confirmations with all their embellishments, the result of it all has been that the youths know no Hebrew, read their prayers lettered in English, and accept confirmation as an automatic spiritual requirement. This in itself appears to be insufficient 3to alter the ideas of our parents. Like barbarians, they have learned nothing and forgotten nothing.

The principal question still is: "How shall we teach our children?" Before answering, I wish to inform those who still believe so to this day, that Hebrew, i.e., reading Hebrew words mechanically without understanding their translation, is the greatest curse for our children. We can more easily become reconciled with the parents and leaders when we approach the second question: "What shall be taught?" But in regard to Hebrew, no arbitration must be made. Hebrew parrot repetitions have ruined the children's enunciation, destroyed the child's respect for Yiddish, and produced a generation of spiritual cripples who sham and ridicule Judaism. This method's greatist accomplishment is a factor that has bannished Hebrew from Jewish life.

On the other hand, I must call the teachers' attention to the fact that while new methods have done much to improve education, it has been proven 4that it yet lacks moderation of its purposes. Putting aside the question of Hebrew language, let us examine the textbooks used by today's teachers. You first notice that many authors have not the slightest idea of American life and are strangers to the psychology of the American child.

Take for instance the Himchen. Immediately, in the very first lessons, you find such words as "Chamor" (an ass) and "Ogoz" (nut). Unfortunately, the translation of these words create a ludicrous impression on the children. If the teacher had been American, he would not have made an entire lesson on just such words, which are distasteful to the child.

The main trouble with all our new methods is their aimlessness. All textbooks, so tiring to the children, present two hundred words not related to the Chumish (first book of the Torah). The child's head is crammed with Sarogel (line), Neor (paper), and Klavlav (little dog). After completing his studies in this preparatory book, the child discovers 5that the first three sections of the Chumish are absolutely strange to him. So it is even in the Hazman (the Month textbook) , which pretends to prepare the child for the Chumish. It is a system whereby the child must wade through the first two parts before he arrives at the third.

But let us consider this example: take a class of small children, give them the three letters A, B, R and a short O. The word "Bora" (to create) can thus be formed, which is one from the Chumish. Or add a K and we form "Kora" (to call), a second word. Should the child learn but one Hebrew word a day, he accumulates during the year some 300 of them. Select these words from the first section of the Chumish, then on the following year, when that book is taught, the words therein will be familiar to him and become a part of his spiritual being.

I, personally, have found that nothing is hard or impossible if the teacher knows his work and its purpose. What kind of a Jewish education 6would we have without the Tonach and Talmudic atmosphere. Therefore, bring this Chumish without deviations to the child, that he may be influenced by the wonderful biblical world, until his whole nature is permeated with the Jewish spirit.

I have worked with children not over eight years old who knew not even an Alef (A). But I started immediately with the Chumish. What happened? Here is the method used. My ultimate goal was Chumish. I therefore chose the simplest words from the first three chapters and had all the exercises written on the blackboard to impress upon the children just how these words are built up and expanded. In three months' time, the average pupil will know all the words in the first three chapters, acquiring in the meanwhile all the grammar, singular, plural, masculine, feminine and just enough of the conjugations to understand the words in use.

Of course, we lack a textbook on this method; yet I believe we can teach 7the child to read, write, understand and digest all the words of the first three chapters in the Chumish without one.

Now then, on the question: "How shall we teach our children?" the answer is: put aside all modern texts and decide once and for all that our children study the Chumish directly, not using the textbook as a block between child and Chumish.

In six months' time, the average pupil should be capable of reading and translating the first three chapters, and should also be prepared to continue his studies with more interest and with greater success.

If any teachers believe I am simply dreaming, may I inform them that I will be pleased to come to any orthodox or secular school to demonstrate clearly that this method is the simplest, cheapest, and most successful.

In my second article, I will deal with the second question: "What shall we teach?"