Meeting the Challenge: the Jewish schooling phenomenon in the UK

The development of a Jewish schooling system in the UK has reflected sociol ogical, political and historical situations spanning four centuries. In rec ent years there has been a dramatic increase in the proportions of Jewish c hildren receiving full time Jewish education. The causes of this change, an d its impact on both the Jewish and wider community will be considered in t his article, which seeks, within a historical framework, to understand the factors which have led to a resurgence of commitment to Jewish schooling in the past 25 years. The unique relationship of Jewish schooling to the Stat e as it exists in the UK will also be explored as a means of contextualisin g the Jewish school system within a state denominational system.