The New Jewish Experiential Book

Book excerpt: Bernard Reisman is in many ways the founding father of informal Jewish education as a full-fledged domain within the larger world of Jewish learning. His original volume, when it appeared in 1978, revolutionized much of Jewish educational practice for both youth and adults. Over the years, experiential education has proven itself to be a powerful tool not only for motivating, but for reaching generations of teenagers, young leaders, and veteran adult learners about Jewish issues, values, and their own identities. This new edition of Reisman's classic compendium of informal educational principles, guidelines, and activities enriches the storehouse of resources on which professional educators and lay program leaders can draw to address both timeless and timely concerns. For those for whom experiential and informal education are concepts whose importance is recognized but whose effective practice is not well understood, this book from the master will prove a highly valuable guide and companion.