Jewish Education State Policy in the First Half of the XIXth Century

Abstract

This article focuses on the problem of reforming national education in the Russian Empire in the first half of the XIXth century. The author draws attention to the significance of the value attitudes of the state education system in a multi-confessional and multi-ethnic state. The study aims to analyze the Jewish education state policy. The work is written on the basis of the principles of scientific objectivity and historicism, allowing to trace the development of Jewish education in relation to other historical phenomena. The author used problem-chronological, formal-legal, comparative, and other methods. The source base is represented by the office documentation of the Committee for Determining measures for the Radical Transformation of Jews of the 733 fund of the Russian State Historical Archive, legislative acts regulating the legal status of Jews. The author notes that for a long time the Jewish community in Russia has maintained a traditional education system based on the study of the principles of Judaism. The Regulation adopted in 1804 secured the right of Jews to secular education while preserving elements of the traditional school. It is noted that all subsequent actions of the government regarding secular education did not find support from Jews. In 1840, by decree of Nicholas I, a Committee was formed to determine measures for the radical transformation of Jews. Representatives of the Jewish community, scientists, and rabbis were involved in the work of the Committee. The result of the activity was the establishment of stateowned Jewish schools, the development of curricula with the preservation of elements of traditional Jewish education. As a conclusion, the author notes that the results of the reform were ambiguous. The attempt to destroy the traditional Jewish school provoked opposition from Jews. At the same time, the reform laid the foundation for the development of secular education, contributed to the formation of teaching staff.

Keywords

• education system
• national education
• traditional values
• jews
• state schools