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The following is from pages 87 - 90 of RSRH's essay with the above
title that appears in The Collected Writings of RSRH, Volume
VII.<br><br>
<font size=3>Now if the Judaism for which we are educating our young need
not shrink from contact with the intellectual elements of any other true
culture, it is essential for the future of our youth as citizens, and
therefore it is a true religious duty, for us to give them a secular
education. A secular education is a most beneficial help to our young in
understanding the times in which they live and the conditions under which
they will have to practice their life's vocation; hence it is most
desirable also from the Jewish religious viewpoint and consequently
deserving of warm support. But at the same time, and even more important,
a good secular education can give our young people substantial new
insights, added dimensions that will enrich their religious training. For
this reason, too, secular education deserves the support of the religious
educator. <br><br>
There is no need to cite specific evidence that most of the secular
studies taught at higher educational institutions, including our own, are
essential to the future vocational careers of the students. There seem to
be no differences of opinion in this respect. However, any supporter of
education and culture should deplore the fact that when these secular
studies are evaluated in terms of their usefulness to the young, too much
stress is often placed on so-called practical utility and necessity.
Under such circumstances, the young are in danger of losing the pure joy
of acquiring knowledge for its own sake, so that they will no longer take
pleasure in the moral and spiritual benefits to be obtained from study.
<br><br>
In light of what has just been said, it is clear, even from the religious
point of view, that if our young people are to cope successfully with the
practical aspects of their mission as Jews, everything possible must be
done to introduce them to various areas of general studies. But there is
also a spiritual harvest that can be won from secular studies, even for
those who seek to grow in the theoretical knowledge of the Jewish
religion. Our understanding of the philosophy of life and the
</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica" size=3><i>Weltanschauung </i>taught
in the sacred writings of the Jewish religion is dependent in no small
measure on our insights into the character and the development of nature
and society. Any knowledge that serves to enrich the intellect in any
manner will also enhance our insights into the philosophy of Judaism.
<br><br>
I have posted the entire essay at
<a href="http://www.stevens.edu/golem/llevine/rsrh/relevance_secular_studies_jewish_education.pdf" eudora="autourl">
http://www.stevens.edu/golem/llevine/rsrh/relevance_secular_studies_jewish_education.pdf<br>
</a><x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
Yitzchok Levine</font></body>
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