The Problem of Girls' Religious Education in Ultra-Orthodox Judaism: The Case of Sarah Schenirer and Bais Yaakov Movement

Abstract

In the ultra-Orthodox Jewish tradition, there are different types of schools for men and women, providing education for their varying social and religious roles. This difference is particularly visible in the religious education curricula. Until 1917, the religious education that women were able to receive, albeit to a lesser extent than the religious education received by men, was not systematised. In the late nineteenth century, the rapidly growing interest in the secular world among girls was mainly characterised by the lack of religious education for Jewish girls, and Sarah Schenirer (1883-1935) found it necessary to open religious schools for Jewish girls as a solution. With this initiative, Schenirer called for change in an anti-innovationist culture and aimed to help Ultra-Orthodox girls retain their Jewish identity and remain connected to the community. To this end, Schenirer founded the first Bais Yaakov school in 1917, and within a few years the school grew rapidly into an extensive “network of schools” across Europe, and became known as the Bais Yaakov movement. This initiative acted as the domino that initiated the change in the addressee profile of religious education within the anti-innovationist Ultra-Orthodox Judaism. In this respect, knowing Sarah Schenirer is key to analysing how Bais Yaakov legitimised itself within Ultra-Orthodox Judaism and how this innovation in girls' education found a foundation within a tradition that seemed to lack the necessary resources and support. Considering that there are not enough studies on religious education in Ultra-Orthodox Judaism in Turkey, we believe that this study on the educational activities of Bais Yaakov will contribute to the field of history of religions.

Keywords

• History of Religion
• Ultra-Orthodox Judaism
• Religious Education
• Bais Yaakov
• Sarah Schenirer.

Ultra Ortodoks Yahudilikte Kızların Din Eğitimi Sorunu: Sarah Schenirer ve Bais Yaakov Hareketi Örneği

Abstract

Ultra Ortodoks Yahudi geleneğinde kadınlar ve erkekler için değişen sosyal ve dinî rollerine yönelik eğitim sunan farklı türlerde okullar mevcuttur. Bu farklılık bilhassa din eğitimi müfredatlarında gözle görülür bir hâl almaktadır. Kadınların, erkeklerin aldığı din eğitimine mukayeseyle daha sınırlı da olsa almayı başardıkları din eğitimi 1917 yılına kadar sistemli bir yapıya sahip değildi. XIX. yüzyılın sonlarında, kız çocukları arasında hızla yükselen seküler dünya ilgisi temelde Yahudi kız çocuklarının dinî eğitimden yoksun olmasıyla karakterize edilmiş ve çözüm olarak Sarah Schenirer (1883-1935) tarafından Yahudi kız çocuklarına yönelik dinî okulların açılması gerekli görülmüştür. Schenirer bu girişimle, yenilik karşıtı bir kültürde değişiklik çağrısında bulunarak Ultra Ortodoks kız çocuklarının, Yahudi kimliklerini muhafaza edip topluma bağlı kalmalarını amaçlamıştır. Bu amaçla Schenirer, 1917 yılında ilk Bais Yaakov okulunu kurmuş ve okul birkaç yıl içinde hızla büyüyerek Avrupa çapında geniş kapsamlı bir “okullar ağına”, Bais Yaakov hareketine dönüşmüştür. Söz konusu girişim, yenilik karşıtı Ultra Ortodoks Yahudiliğin bünyesinde, din eğitiminin muhatap kitlesine yönelik değişimi başlatan domino taşı görevi üstlenmiştir. Bu yönüyle Sarah Schenirer’ı tanımak Bais Yaakov’un, kendisini Ultra Ortodoks Yahudilik içerisinde nasıl meşrulaştırdığını ve kızların eğitiminde gerçekleştirilen bu yeniliğin, gerekli kaynaklardan ve destekten yoksun görünen bir gelenek içinde nasıl bir temel bulduğunu analiz etmenin kilit noktasıdır. Ultra Ortodoks Yahudiliğin din eğitimi konusunda Türkiye’de yeterli çalışmanın olmadığı dikkate alındığında Bais Yaakov’un söz konusu eğitim faaliyetleri hakkındaki bu çalışmanın dinler tarihi alanına katkı sağlayacağını düşünmekteyiz.

Keywords

• Dinler Tarihi
• Ultra Ortodoks Yahudilik
• Dinî Eğitim
• Bais Yaakov
• Sarah Schenirer.

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