The Influence of Religion on Education through Jewish Experiences

The dissertation examined how religion influences education. This was done by reviewing the experiences of Jewish adults who came through the educational system while being minorities in their respective habitats. The theoretical framework of this paper was based on the principles informed by Martin Buber, John Dewey, and Parker Palmer that regard education as a combination of personal, place-based, hands-on experience and community inclusiveness. These ideologies were mediated against a backdrop of cultural educational experiences through the lenses of the author and peers. Following from the narrative inquiry stances and research of Jean Clandinin, Michael Connelly, Carolyn Ellis, and Laurel Richards, this study is an autoethnography that includes interactive interviews and narratives from the researcher. The results of the study showed participants' education to have been most influenced by their levels of belongingness in school.