Conservative Jewish education in America faces a crisis of effectiveness, with graduates emerging functionally illiterate in Judaism despite years of congregational schooling. Drawing on findings from a 1969 American Jewish Committee task force, historical analysis reveals how this crisis emerged from first-generation American Jews prioritizing secular education, leading subsequent generations to rely increasingly on institutional rather than home-based Jewish learning. Through examination of Walter Ackerman's curricular analyses, demographic studies on intermarriage rates, and Conservative movement resource assessments, a fundamental mismatch becomes clear: modern three-day-a-week congregational schools attempt to accomplish more than traditional Talmud Torahs did with twice the time, while lacking clear focus and integration between subjects like Hebrew language and biblical texts. Beyond identifying problems of negative educational experiences and low professional status among educators, this research demonstrates that effective Jewish education requires a total congregational approach integrating formal and informal education, engaging parents alongside children, and creating extended Jewish family structures. Success demands comprehensive curriculum revision emphasizing Jewish concepts like kedushah and mitzvot over rote learning, coordination between national agencies, and development of schools as creative settings staffed by exemplary teachers who can serve as living models of Jewish life.