Fostering children’s spiritual growth through SESL

Jewish education takes place in a variety of settings, and whereas the goals of the educational process may vary accordingly, historically, most settings have focused primarily on the acquisition of Jewish content knowledge. Teachers and parents celebrate how much a child “knows,” which often leads to a lopsided emphasis on intellectual pursuits and growth. The importance of this can come at the expense of social, emotional, and spiritual learning (SESL) in the classroom. Yet, there are undeniable benefits to integrating SESL into curricula and daily schedules. Here are just a few: Academic achievement increases; there are fewer behavioral challenges; students report a more positive learning climate and association with learning; and both students and teachers report a greater sense of well-being.     

Whereas more and more synagogue and day schools are beginning to understand these benefits, and have begun to integrate SEL into the settings, the second “S” –  a focus on spiritual skills and spirituality- is still often missing.  Likewise, the spiritual development of our students is rarely discussed.  If we truly want to nurture the whole person, if we want our children to be resilient and thrive, it is essential to intentionally teach the skills necessary to foster the spiritual growth of our children.  We also need to create and offer diverse experiences that nourish the soul and encourage spiritual curiosity and exploration.

Spirituality, at its core, is about connection—to ourselves, to others, and to something greater. This means that spiritual development doesn’t happen in isolation; it is shaped by our relationships and how we understand ourselves, others, and the world around us. Building relationships requires social and emotional competencies of self and social awareness, and relationship skills as well as the ability to articulate and control one’s emotions.

This emphasis on relationships in the development of one’s spirituality is deeply rooted in Jewish thought. Martin Buber said, “When two people relate to each other authentically and humanly, God is the electricity that surges between them.” As a director and teacher, whenever I saw students showing kindness to one another I would tell them, “God was in that moment.” This simple phrase helped them recognize the presence of the Divine in their daily lives in a way many had never considered. Over time, they began to see God reflected in their actions and the world around them, making it easier to explore their beliefs and develop their own understanding of God.  Just as important, as an educational team, we provided space for them to share their deepest concerns and questions about God, which often focused on why bad things happen in the world or to good people.  When we articulated our own discomfort with this, our learners realized they were not alone in their struggles and doubts about God. Instead of shying away from these discussions, we created a safe space where our students could share their confusion, fears, and yearnings. As Parker Palmer teaches, “Learning spaces need to be places that are designed not to make learning painless, but to make the [conversation about] painful things possible.”

Emotions play a pivotal role in nourishing the spirit. It is hard to imagine a spirituality absent of emotions such as gratitude, awe, joy, or even sadness, or without the ability to be present. Inspired by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s concept of radical amazement, we encouraged students to see God through their connection to nature and the world—to recognize and name everyday moments of awe. We took time to define awe together, exploring what it looked like, felt like, and sounded like. By doing so, our learners became attuned to these experiences and better equipped to recognize and express them when they happened. We also recognized the importance of being present—slowing down to appreciate one’s blessings, pausing to notice the beauty just outside the classroom window, and making space for quiet reflection during prayer, opening the possibility of hearing the “still small voice” within. To support this, we introduced and practiced various deep breathing techniques, giving students the tools to self regulate and cultivate presence, awareness, and connection—to themselves, others, and the Divine.

Developing spiritual skills is becoming more common in Jewish educational settings, as day and congregational schools experiment with incorporating meditation, journaling, and reflection into their daily schedules and experiences. The goal in using these tools is not the acquisition of particular facts, but rather to nurture the innate sense of God in our children. Educators have a unique opportunity to create experiences that engage the mind, emotions, and spirit. Doing so effectively requires social, emotional, and spiritual skills, which need to be intentionally, taught, modeled, and practiced.

Whether through Jewish practice, personal reflection, or everyday moments of awe, fostering the spiritual growth of our learners can add depth, meaning, and resilience to their lives. It can also help ease the loneliness and hopelessness that so many experience. Rachel Kessler reminds us, “The body will not grow if it is not fed; the mind will not flourish unless it is stimulated and guided. And the spirit will suffer if it is not nurtured.”  As Jewish educators, we have a profound calling to “nourish the soul” and support our children in finding connection and purpose by teaching them the social, emotional, and spiritual skills to do so.