Tree of Life, Tree of Knowledge: Conversations with the Torah

Viewing education through the prism of the Torah, Tree of Life, Tree of Knowledge takes the reader through the stages of learning, growth, and self-development that characterize human lives. The journey begins with education as it happens in the home, moves on to the institutions of society, especially schools, and then on to the questions of identity and commitment which constitute the hidden agenda of “informal educational networks.” The self-education of the individual is explored: When does one “grow up”? What is really worth knowing? How does one cope with memories, illness, and anticipations of what lies ahead? This book examines some of the millennial conversation in an attempt to discover an educational philosophy in the Torah that can be relevant to life in the contemporary world.

Michael Rosenak is Emeritus Mandel Professor of Jewish Education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a member of the faculty of The Mandel School for Educational Leadership. He has written extensively on issues in the philosophy of education, and specifically, on the theological dimensions of educational thought. He immigrated to Israel in 1957 and lives in Jerusalem.