International Handbook of Jewish Education

Abstract

The International Handbooks of Religion and Education series aims to provide easily accessible, practical, yet scholarly, sources of information about a broad range of topics and issues in religion and education. Each Handbook presents the research and professional practice of scholars who are daily engaged in the consideration of these religious dimensions in education. The accessible style and the consistent illumination of theory by practice make the series very valuable to a broad spectrum of users. Its scale and scope bring a substantive contribution to our understanding of the discipline and, in so doing, provide an agenda for the future.

The Different Role of Mentor Support Along the High-School Dropout Process

“…One such norm is studying in the community’s schools, which serve several different purposes: educating, providing an acceptable framework for socializing, and indoctrinating. When individuals leave this framework, they essentially show a disregard for, or even negation of communal norms, and potentially distance themselves from the communities in which they live (Cates & Weber, 2013; Finkelman, 2011; Grilak, 2002; Hakak, 2005). Dropping out of school in religious communities is, therefore, likely to create a situation of conflict between the youths and their parents and communities (Yogev, 2012).…”

“…State-certified private educational institutions provide the youth of these communities with study programs that are uniquely intended for them (for example, boys and girls attend single-sex schools). When they reach high-school age, the boys study primarily Jewish subjects at their “yeshivas,” and these studies continue until the boys get married (Erhard & Erhard-Weiss, 2007; Finkelman, 2011; Grilak, 2002; Hakak, 2005; Lightman & Shor, 2002). The yeshiva high school serves many roles in the lives of these boys—religious, educational, social—and essentially aims to mold their behavior to be in keeping with the precepts of Ultraorthodox Judaism.…”

“…The yeshiva high school serves many roles in the lives of these boys—religious, educational, social—and essentially aims to mold their behavior to be in keeping with the precepts of Ultraorthodox Judaism. At the yeshiva, boys learn how they are expected to conduct themselves both inside and outside the community (Finkelman, 2011; Sebba & Shirrer, 1998). If they succeed in their yeshiva high schools, they are presumably more likely to find good teaching jobs in the community’s educational institutions and to better their chances for marrying into a “good” family (Finkelman, 2011).…”

“…At the yeshiva, boys learn how they are expected to conduct themselves both inside and outside the community (Finkelman, 2011; Sebba & Shirrer, 1998). If they succeed in their yeshiva high schools, they are presumably more likely to find good teaching jobs in the community’s educational institutions and to better their chances for marrying into a “good” family (Finkelman, 2011). The yeshiva high school is similar to other private religious schools (e.g., Christian, Mormon, Amish), which have been established in many Western countries, and religious parents may elect to send their children to these schools to keep their children in the faith, adherent to community values, and insulated from secularizing influences (Bertrand, 2015; Cates & Weber, 2013; Irwin, 2002).…”

“…Although extensive research has already focused on the positive contribution of mentoring to at-risk youth (DuBois, Portillo, Rhodes, Silverthorn, & Valentine, 2011; Rhodes, 2002, 2005), very little is known about the contribution of mentoring specifically to high-school dropouts in religious communities. In these communities, educational and religious values are deeply entwined, dropping out of school is seen as an affront to social norms, and youths are likely to lose their familial and social support (Finkelman, 2011; Kelly, 2014; Palu, 2014; Yogev, 2012). A common intervention offered by religious communities is religion-based mentoring (i.e., mentoring by adults who adhere to the relevant religious practices), which is considered to make a unique contribution to religious at-risk youth (Erickson & Phillips, 2012; Rhodes & Chan, 2008).…”