History of Jewish education in the United States before the 20th century facts for kids

The history of Jewish education in the United States before the 20th century is a fascinating part of the overall story of Jewish people in America. It shows how Jewish communities worked to teach their children both religious traditions and general school subjects.

This history started very early, right when the first Jewish community was formed in New York. This community had a school connected to its synagogue. In this school, children learned both Hebrew and regular subjects like reading and math. It was one of the first general schools in America, and poor children could attend for free.

Many early synagogues also offered religious classes. For everyday subjects, many American Jews attended schools that were nonsectarian. This means the schools were open to everyone, regardless of their religion. For example, a Jewish student attended the University of Pennsylvania as early as 1772. However, before public schools became common, older Jewish communities often had their own schools. These schools usually taught regular subjects alongside religious lessons.

In 1838, a special Sunday school was started in Philadelphia. It was not directly linked to a synagogue. This school was largely thanks to Rebecca Gratz, who led it for many years. This idea of independent Jewish schools then spread across the country.

Free Schools for Everyone

Similar schools opened in other cities. In 1838, one started in Charleston, South Carolina. The next year, another began in Richmond, Virginia. By 1845, this idea reached New York. The Emanu-El Society started one, though the Shearith Israel congregation had already begun a Hebrew school system in 1808.

In 1848, the Hebrew Education Society was founded in Philadelphia. This group created a school that taught regular subjects up to the grammar school level. It also included lessons in Hebrew and the Jewish religion.

Later, in 1864, the Hebrew Free School Association was created in New York. This led to a movement across the country to create free religious schools. These schools aimed to bring children from different synagogues together into one common system. They often replaced private schools that had existed before. Many of these schools relied on volunteer teachers. A key difference was that lessons were usually taught by American-born teachers in English. This was different from the German language often used in synagogue schools.

Learning New Skills: Technical Schools

This focus on education helped unite the Jewish community. It also broadened the interests of individuals beyond just synagogue life. While many Hebrew education societies continued, they took on a new role after 1882.

At that time, many Russian Jews arrived in the United States. Many did not know English and lacked specific job skills. The American Jewish community then needed to help them. They started:

• Day and night schools to teach English to the new arrivals.
• Schools for manual training and technical skills.

These schools were set up in cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago. They often received help from the Baron de Hirsch Fund. One of the most important schools created during this time was the Educational Alliance of New York.

Higher Jewish Education: Theological Institutions

For a long time, there were no colleges specifically for advanced Jewish studies. In 1840, Mordecai M. Noah suggested creating a Jewish college, but his idea didn't take off. I. M. Wise also tried to start a theological college in Cincinnati in 1855, but it wasn't successful.

However, in 1867, Isaac Leeser established Maimonides College in Philadelphia. This college aimed to provide general education but with a special focus on Jewish subjects. It even planned to work with the University of Pennsylvania. The idea was for this college to be the highest level of education, building on the work of the Hebrew Education Society. But the college was ahead of its time and closed after a few years.

It took almost twenty more years for the first successful institution to train rabbis and teachers. This was the Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, founded in 1875. It was started by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, an organization created mainly by I. M. Wise. This college has continued to operate and is known for representing the Reform movement in America. Its graduates lead congregations in many important cities. In 1905, Rev. Dr. K. Kohler was its president, and it had a faculty of ten professors.

In 1886, the Jewish Theological Seminary was established in New York. This school also trained rabbis and teachers, but it represented the Orthodox part of the community. In 1901-1902, it was reorganized, and Dr. S. Schechter became its president. It also received a lot of money and moved into a new building in 1903, which was a gift from Jacob Schiff. Its library has one of the largest collections of Hebrew books, thanks to Judge Mayer Sulzberger.

In 1895, Gratz College was founded in Philadelphia. This college was created through a trust from Hyman Gratz of the Congregation Mikveh Israel. It focuses on preparing teachers for Jewish schools. The first president of Gratz College was the famous Jewish educator, Moses Aaron Dropsie.

In 1905, Moses A. Dropsie of Philadelphia left about $800,000 in his will. This was the largest amount ever given for studying Semitic languages and Jewish learning. It was meant to establish a Jewish college for instruction in "Hebrew and related languages and their literatures, and in rabbinical learning and literature."

Across the United States, many Young Men's Hebrew Associations (YMHA) and other groups were formed. These were connected to synagogues or were independent. They had an educational purpose, often maintaining small libraries and offering lectures on various topics.

In 1893, the Jewish Chautauqua Society was founded. It had branches nationwide and offered educational programs similar to university extension courses.

The Council of Jewish Women also did a lot of educational work for its members. In 1886, the Reform Jewish community in America formed the Hebrew Sabbath-School Union in Cincinnati. Its goal was to improve and standardize teaching methods in Sabbath schools.

By 1900, there were 415 Jewish educational organizations in the United States. Of these, 291 were religious schools connected to synagogues. They had 1,127 teachers and about 25,000 students. There were also 27 Jewish free schools, mostly in big cities, with about 11,000 students and 142 teachers.