Most education in ancient Israel took place in the home, and it was the duty of parents to teach children about God at every opportunity (DEU 6:4-9). Teaching about prayer, ceremonies, and celebrations is fundamental, as is recounting the history of Israel (EXO 13:14-16; DEU 6:20-25). The learning is by memorisation, aided by various techniques and formulas or phrases to aid recall.

First, children were taught by their mothers, then fathers took responsibility for training their sons in life skills; while mothers trained their daughters in household tasks. Some boys in Old Testament times had the opportunity to get a more formal education. For example, Samuel was educated by Eli the priest (1SA. 1:24-28; 2:11, 18-26; 3:1-21).

In its development the place of learning was originally the home, later on the synagogue became a place of teaching. There is a view that the main purpose of the synagogue was teaching, and later it was only worship, Jesus' ministry in the synagogue was teaching (MAT 4:23). Around the age of five, boys joined the "reading house" (beth sepher) and at the age of thirteen they proceeded to the "teaching house" (beth midrash). Classes took place in synagogues or even in open spaces, and students sat around their teachers.

After the exile, scribes took on an important role, not only copying the law, but also teaching and explaining it, such as Ezra (NEH 8:1-12) and Gamaliel (ACT 22:3). By New Testament times, they had considerable authority, comprising most of the Sanhedrin and holding other local offices.

The whole purpose of Jewish education was to make Jews live holy lives, and to apply religious teachings to practical life.

However, there were undoubtedly also schools according to the Greek pattern especially in the last centuries BCE.

*From various sources