Problems and Prospects of Jewish Education for Intelligent Citizenship In a Post-Everything World

Abstract

Judaism, Jewish life, the Jewish people—indeed, almost all facets of the Jewish experience—are in a postmodern, post-denominational, post-ethnic, post-Zionist, post-diaspora, or what may simply be called a “post-everything” age. Studies show that post-everything youth in general are less concerned with national/ethnic/religious identification than prior generations were, sparking debate among Jewish educators of whether identity and continuity are sufficient justifications for Jewish education anymore. This conceptual study enters the conversation by interrogating the relationship between citizenship education and identity formation historically and contemporarily. In the end, the author argues that a new paideia is in order that is attuned to the concerns of Generation Next. In place of “Jewish citizenship education,” which aimed to prepare Jewish youth to make contributions to the growth and perpetuation of the Jewish community, the author proposes “Jewish cosmopolitan education,” which prepares Jewish youth to make contributions to the progress and enhancement of the changing cosmos.