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Well, I certainly can't answer this straightout as I'm not Jewish but when I went to synagogue once for a bar mitzvah, the torah in this particular synagogue stated very plainly that the Book of Genesis was not meant to be interpretted literally and that it is really a metaphor for God's creation of the universe. Therefore, I'd wager that most non-orthodox Jews would say that no, creation should not be taught in schools.
I'd wager that teaching creationism in school would not and is not a Jewish concept. Here's some religious background on the blending of religious thought and scientific discovery:
I'm sure it varies by denomination. Some Reformed Jews may not even believe in God. I spoke to a Reformed Rabbi a few years back and he told me the Bible is just a story book that has no bearing on reality--just a tradition. On the other hand, certain orthodox sects undoubtedly believe Genesis is meant to be taken literally, and I have heard of Jewish support for creation science.
Maybe this has been asked and answered.. not sure.
Do those of the Jewish faith believe creation should be taught alongside evolution in school?
Speaking for myself, absolutely not. Religion is not science and trying to masquerade it as science doesn't fool anyone capable of even elementary scientific analysis.
I'm sure it varies by denomination. Some Reformed Jews may not even believe in God. I spoke to a Reformed Rabbi a few years back and he told me the Bible is just a story book that has no bearing on reality--just a tradition. On the other hand, certain orthodox sects undoubtedly believe Genesis is meant to be taken literally, and I have heard of Jewish support for creation science.
Emphasis mine.
Which sects would those be? Jewish thought regarding Genesis is very clear: Genesis is allegory. The opening is poetry, it is not meant to be taken literally. Of course, some may be misguided. The Wiki article linked earlier illustrates what I mean very clearly.
As others have said, it depends on what sect you're talking about... my sect, the Reform synagogue, definitely supports the idea of evolution. We learn about the Biblical creation, but accept the scientific explanations as fact. I'm sure many scientists are Jewish, since we tend to be good at that stuff - LOL. I'd also guess that even a high number of Orthodoxim believe in evolution, but I can't really speak for them.
This might explain our (Reform) stance on similar issues... (from the website Reform Judaism)
"since its earliest days, Reform Judaism has asserted that a Judaism frozen in time is an heirloom, not a living fountain. The great contribution of Reform Judaism is that it has enabled the Jewish people to introduce innovation while preserving tradition, to embrace diversity while asserting commonality, to affirm beliefs without rejecting those who doubt, and to bring faith to sacred texts without sacrificing critical scholarship."
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I'd also guess that even a high number of Orthodoxim believe in evolution, but I can't really speak for them.
