Soul Turning Parent Education in a Conse
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Conservative Jewish day schools face a complex challenge: how to communicate religious values while serving an increasingly diverse parent population. At the Solomon Schechter Day School of Benevolent County (SSDSBC), this tension manifests in deliberately ambiguous religious messaging that attempts to accommodate families ranging from observant Conservative Jews to those seeking primarily cultural connection. Through interviews with parents and administrators, this research reveals how the school transmits its religious perspective via three main channels: formal written communications, ceremonies and rituals, and children's reports about school activities. Despite the school's careful balancing act, seven of eight parents reported increased Jewish consciousness following their children's enrollment, though their interpretations and responses varied significantly. A notable friction exists between parents desiring deeper spiritual content and administrators hesitant to articulate clear theological positions. This dynamic mirrors broader challenges within Conservative Judaism, particularly its historical prioritization of functionalism over transcendental spirituality. The findings suggest that more explicit spiritual messaging could actually strengthen the school's educational mission without alienating its diverse parent community. The research, based at this Conservative day school founded in 1978, employed qualitative methods including extensive interviews with key stakeholders to examine both institutional religious communication strategies and family responses.

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Published 1993
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Carol Ingall