Episode 43: Why Teaching Jewish Texts is Not Enough

The heart of Jewish education, it seems, is the study of the Jewish textual tradition, or what insiders call “learning Torah.” There are good reasons to think about Jewish education that way. But there are also some reasons to question that assumption, based on the history of Jewish textuality and the history of Jewish culture. In this session, Jon A. Levisohn discusses a recent book chapter, where he argues that we need to think more broadly about how and why Jewish education helps young people engage with a wide range of Jewish cultural practices.

Originally recorded: 2/26/26

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Learning About Learning is a production of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education at Brandeis University, and is engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media LLC.