September 29, 2010

Few constitutional concepts are more firmly entrenched in the American consciousness than the separation of church and state. However, this long-standing notion — that law and religion make improper bedfellows — might seem at odds with the recent controversy over allegations that the National Council of Young Israel threatened to seize assets of a branch synagogue for failure to comply with disputed religious doctrine. That the National Council could, under some circumstances, seize such assets is true. But whether the National Council — or any Jewish organization — should use threats of asset seizure to ensure conformity with controversial conceptions of Jewish law is a very different story.

On Oct. 3, Central Park in New York will become the staging area to kick off a new movement in educational reform. It is dubbed the Ultimate Block Party, and our aim is to draw attention to what concerned scientists are calling the educational equivalent of global warming. The young children in our preschools and primary schools today are the work force of 2040, and all indications are that they will be woefully ill prepared for it.