UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones 5-2011 PPrraayyeerr iinn JJeewwiisshh ccoommmmuunniittyy hhiigghh sscchhoooollss:: GGeenneerraattiioonn YY JJeewwss iinn aann eerraa ooff uunnlliimmiitteedd cchhooiicceess Yonatan Yussman University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/thesesdissertations Part of the Educational Administration and Supervision Commons, Educational Sociology Commons, and the Religion Commons RReeppoossiittoorryy CCiittaattiioonn Yussman, Yonatan, "Prayer in Jewish community high schools: Generation Y Jews in an era of unlimited choices" (2011). UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones. 1430. http://dx.doi.org/10.34917/3364209 This Dissertation is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Dissertation in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/or on the work itself. This Dissertation has been accepted for inclusion in UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones by an authorized administrator of Digital Scholarship@UNLV. For more information, please contact [email protected]. PRAYER IN JEWISH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLS: GENERATION Y JEWS IN AN ERA OF UNLIMITED CHOICES by Yonatan Yussman Bachelor of Arts Boston University 1998 Master of Arts Hebrew University of Jerusalem 2002 A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Education Degree in Educational Leadership Department of Educational Leadership College of Education Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas May 2011 Copyright by Yonatan Yussman 2011 All Rights Reserved THE  GRADUATE  COLLEGE       We  recommend  the  dissertation  prepared  under  our  supervision  by       Yonatan  Yussman       entitled       Prayer  in  Jewish  Community  High  Schools:    Generation  Y  Jews  in  an   Era  of  Unlimited  Choices     be  accepted  in  partial  fulfillment  of  the  requirements  for  the  degree  of       Doctor  of  Education  in  Educational    Leadership   Department  of  Educational  Leadership       Edith  A.  Rusch,  Committee  Chair     James  Hager,  Committee  Member     Gene  Hall,  Committee  Member     Linda  Quinn,  Graduate  Faculty  Representative         Ronald  Smith,  Ph.  D.,  Vice  President  for  Research  and  Graduate  Studies   and  Dean  of  the  Graduate  College       May  2011 ABSTRACT Prayer in Jewish Community High Schools: Generation Y Jews in an Era of Unlimited Choices by Yonatan Yussman Dr. Edith A. Rusch, Examination Committee Chair Professor of Educational Leadership University of Nevada, Las Vegas The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine and analyze tefilla (prayer) programs in three Jewish community high schools, as well as professional leadership practices in these schools as they related to prayer. The questions that guided this research were: • What does prayer education and practice look like in Jewish community high schools? • How is prayer education and practice perceived by key constituencies in Jewish community high schools? • How do educators and students in Jewish community high schools describe authentic prayer? Site observations, interviews with students, faculty, and administration, as well as data collected from sources such as school websites and marketing materials were used to create narrative portraits of the schools’ tefilla programs and a cross-case analysis of the programs using the portraiture methodology of Sarah Lawrence-Lightfoot. Marshall and Rossman’s seven phases for analytical procedures guided the research analysis, and Barry Chazan’s philosophy of Informal Jewish Education was used as an interpretive framework for analyzing the case studies. The research infers implications for Jewish   iii philanthropic organizations, Jewish teacher training programs, researchers, and site-based educational leadership interested in prayer improvement efforts in Jewish community high schools.   iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many people helped me earn my doctorate. Thank you to: My mom and dad, for always making education such a priority and value, and for your love and support. My wife, Lisa, for your encouragement and understanding as you took care of the kids while I was in classes, doing research, or writing. My children, Gefen, Aviva, and Noa. I love you limitlessly, and ultimately I wrote this dissertation for you. My dissertation chair, Dr. Edith Rusch, for your valuable guidance and support throughout the whole process of writing my dissertation. The other members of my dissertation committee, Dr. Jim Hager, Dr. Gene Hall, and Dr. Linda Quinn, for your feedback and encouragement. My professors and colleagues in the Department of Educational Leadership at UNLV. The students, faculty, and administrators at the three schools I observed for my case studies. Dr. Barry Chazan, for introducing me to the philosophy of Informal Jewish Education, for role modeling it, and for providing valuable feedback on my dissertation. The Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies for turning me on to Judaism and tefilla. All of my students over the years who have been my guinea pigs. You have taught me much more than I have taught you.   v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT......................................................................................................................iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.................................................................................................v CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................1 Background.................................................................................................................2 Statement of the Problem............................................................................................4 Purpose of the Study...................................................................................................5 Research Questions.....................................................................................................6 Summary of Methodology..........................................................................................6 Significance of the Study............................................................................................7 Definition of Terms.....................................................................................................7 Organization of the Study..........................................................................................13 CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE...............................................15 Trends in American Spirituality................................................................................15 Trends in American Judaism.....................................................................................20 Independent Prayer Groups..................................................................................25 Youth Empowerment...........................................................................................26 Alternative Prayer Practices.................................................................................26 Trends in Jewish Education.......................................................................................27 Jewish Educational Leadership.................................................................................29 Jewish Prayer Education...........................................................................................32 Informal Jewish Education........................................................................................40 Summary...................................................................................................................45 CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY..................................................................................46 Conceptual Frameworks............................................................................................46 Research Paradigms..................................................................................................47 Qualitative Design.....................................................................................................48 Participant and Site Selection....................................................................................51 Data Collection..........................................................................................................53 Data Analysis............................................................................................................54 Portraiture Methodology...........................................................................................55 Goodness Defined................................................................................................60 Trustworthiness.........................................................................................................61 Limitations................................................................................................................63 Delimitations.............................................................................................................64 Role of the Researcher..............................................................................................64 Summary...................................................................................................................70 CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS OF THE STUDY: NARRATIVE PORTRAITS.................71 New Jewish Community High School: An Abstract Expressionist Painting............73 Running after Yonatan Rosner, Director of Tefilla..............................................74   vi Description of the Tefilla Kehilla Institute...........................................................75 Genesis of TKI.....................................................................................................79 All Who Are Hungry, Come and Eat...................................................................82 Empowerment......................................................................................................86 Community...........................................................................................................94 Educationally-sound Planning............................................................................103 Leadership..........................................................................................................105 The Philosophy Behind TKI..............................................................................114 Comparing TKI Tefilla to the Previous Tefilla Model.......................................128 Summary............................................................................................................133 Hebrew High School: A Mosaic Mural..................................................................134 The Overall Mural..............................................................................................137 Ninth Grade Mosaic Tiles..................................................................................139 Tenth and Eleventh Grade Mosaic Tiles............................................................146 Searching for the Traditional Tefilla Mosaic Tiles............................................149 Contrasting Colors in the Mosaic.......................................................................151 Pluralism and Authenticity.................................................................................165 Pick a Tile, Any Tile…......................................................................................178 Environmental Issues: Camp Versus School......................................................183 The Evolving Artistic Process............................................................................186 Summary............................................................................................................189 Jewish Academy: A Minimalist Architectural Structure........................................189 Overview of Tefilla Program.............................................................................191 The Main Community Tefilla Service................................................................193 Traditional Minyan.............................................................................................196 Goals of Jewish Academy’s Tefilla Program.....................................................197 Anyone Got the Time?.......................................................................................201 Calling All Campers...........................................................................................203 Choice Model: Empowering Students................................................................209 Pluralism and Authenticity.................................................................................213 Summary............................................................................................................221 CHAPTER 5 FINDINGS OF THE STUDY: CROSS-CASE ANALYSIS................222 Analyzing the Three Cases through Chazan’s Philosophy of Informal Jewish Education.................................................................................................................223 Student-centered.................................................................................................223 Experiential........................................................................................................226 Sound Pedagogy and Curriculum.......................................................................233 Interactive Process and Group Experience.........................................................234 All-encompassing Culture..................................................................................238 Engaging.............................................................................................................241 Holistic Leadership.............................................................................................243 Summary............................................................................................................248 CHAPTER 6 IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS............................................249 Review of Methodology..........................................................................................250   vii Critique of Methodology....................................................................................253 Summary of Findings and Understandings.............................................................254 Research Question #1: What does prayer education and practice look like in Jewish community high schools?.......................................................................254 Research Question #2: How is prayer education and practice perceived by key constituencies in Jewish community high schools?...........................................258 Research Question #3: How do educators and students in Jewish community high schools describe authentic prayer?.....................................................................260 Implications for Practice and Future Research........................................................263 Conclusions.............................................................................................................268 APPENDIX A LETTER OF AUTHORIZATION TO CONDUCT RESEARCH AT FACILITY..........................................................................................270 APPENDIX B LETTER TO HEADS OF SCHOOL..................................................271 APPENDIX C LETTER TO FACULTY....................................................................272 APPENDIX D LETTER TO PARENTS.....................................................................273 APPENDIX E ADULT INFORMED CONSENT FORM..........................................274 APPENDIX F PARENT INFORMED CONSENT FORM........................................276 APPENDIX G MINOR ASSENT FORM...................................................................278 APPENDIX H SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW PROTOCOLS (FACULTY)..280 APPENDIX I SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW PROTOCOLS (STUDENTS).281 REFERENCES................................................................................................................282 VITA................................................................................................................................288   viii