Samson Raphael Hirsch as an Educator

The purpose of this study is to arrive at an understanding of the educational philosophy of Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808 - 1888) and to see by what means he tried to realize his educational goals. Today the ruins of German Jewish canmunities clearly illustrate that the period we are dealing with is now a closed chapter in Jewish history. Nevertheless, our interest in this subject is not merely that of the historian who seeks to know how past events lead up to present conditions. We rather realize through the reading of Hirsch's writings and those of his contemporaries, that in spite of the unique features of that period—features that never repeat themselves in the same form and composition—the general and basic issues in Jewish education in nineteenth century Germany are still alive in most countries of the Diaspora and even in Israel.