Gary Chattman
Published: 2013-05
Total Pages: 193
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Jewish education today is not motivating Jewish youth. It is boring! Hebrew Schools (and, yes, parochial schools) do not meet the individual needs of students, who need to be motivated to believe in something. Teacher Gary Chattman formed an idea called Bar/Bat Mitzvah Without Hebrew School in his book Coming of Age (Tate Publications) that gives children identity, education, belief, and a reason to identify. My Diary contains over sixteen stories written by his students about Jewish history that they read at their Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremonies. It presents intelligent ponderings by teens containing writing that reflects on their heritage. In short, it contains everything that religious education today doesn't contain: a reason to have faith! Most of the stories in My Diary are about the Holocaust, while some provide humor and even identify with the Maccabees! But the ideas are motivating, stimulating, and educational.