8th Graders Explore Different Perspectives of “The Chosen People”

This morning in Rabbi Rudin’s Chumash class, the 8^th graders conducted a debate of sorts on the meaning of the Hebrew phrase, “Am Nivhar”, “The Chosen People”. Throughout the Torah, the Jewish people are referred to as “The Chosen People”, but what does this really mean? The class split up into three separate groups, each group taking on the perspective of Reform, Conservative, or Orthodox Judaism on this matter. The presence of two visiting Rabbi’s from our community really enhanced the lesson and supplemented the students’ research with real-life accounts of the differing perspectives.  Rabbi Rossoff, from Temple B’nei Or of Morristown, represented the Reform viewpoint and Rabbi Adler, from White Meadow Temple of Rockaway, represented the Conservative viewpoint.  Unfortunately, Rabbi East of the Mount Freedom Jewish Center could not make the lesson, but Rabbi Rudin stood in for him to represent the Orthodox perspective on the matter.  While there is no one “correct” answer to this question of the “chosen people”, it was very interesting for the students to research and learn from these visiting Rabbi’s what the different sects of Judaism have to say on the matter.  Overall, the lesson was very informative, interactive, and eye-opening.