The nation’s High Court of Justice earlier in the week heard a petition from the Noar K’halacha organization. Court President Justice Dorit Beinish turned to the Ministry of Education calling for an immediate end to discrimination in seminaries, which translates to chareidi Ashkenazi high schools. The court lashed out at the words of a ministry representative to the hearing, who said “everything possible is being done”. Beinish stated “these are nice slogans but we must see action”.
It appears the ministry is indeed stepping up the pressure towards opening the doors of the schools to Ashkenazim and Sephardim alike, and regulations are being formulated for next year’s school year. Schools failing to comply will face an array of retaliatory responses from the ministry, including a cessation of funding (all or a portion), the possible closure of the school in question, and action against the individual(s) responsible.
The new regulations will also compel schools to submit their charter, the operating rules and regulations to the ministry for approval. This document of regulations will have to clearly define acceptance procedures which will be approved and enforced.
The document adds that a school may not link acceptance to one’s hashkafa, lifestyle or the lifestyle of parents, or one’s ethnicity (Ashkenazi or Sephardi). The Nusach of davening in a school may not be one of the considerations towards accepting or rejecting a student, seeking to eliminate claims a student simply will not fit in due to having a different nusach.
The document being prepared by the ministry is in response to the petition filed by the Noar K’halacha organization, which is headed by Yoav Lalum.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
It appears to me that when we do not act internally to resolve wrong doings Hashem send unworthy people to force the situation and that usually causes more harm being that their intentions are not L’shem Shamiyim. Thus, they will only try to enact more Gzerot Raot upon the Torah institutions under the guise of righteous intentions such as introducing more secular education within the curriculum.
Rav Finkel, z”l was noted to be “color blind” in regards to acceptance to the Yeshiva. He did not ask people in regards to their backgrounds. His only concentration was on where the student was holding in his learning abilities and whether the student was dedicated to Torah and Yiras Shamiyim.
We need to make that our focus and not the ethnicity percentage within the institution, nor whether the student is coming from a kollel home or a working family. As Rav Elyashiv once said to a minahel, “If Avraham Avinu was alive today he would not be accepted to your Yeshiva because he was the son of a Baal HaBayis!”
Changes need to be made. If we are smart, we’ll make them internally.
So now if a chareidi school does not accept a student because of having a certain lifestyle, eg: being a mechallel Shabbos,eating pork etc. That will be considered “discrimination” ?!?!
In the “Jewish” land ?!?!
And you still don’t see that the Satmar Rav was correct, whgen he uttered the comment “I fear there will be a time when a ehrlicha Yid won’t be able to live in Eretz Yisroel under the zionist regime”
Well he is being proven correct by the current barrage of anti torah hysteria all over. The country…
Please keep in mind that it is not just Sefardim who suffer discrimination. Many children of American parents cannot get their children into schools because they are “Americay”.
does not accept a student because of having a certain lifestyle
1. Mother who wears hats rather than paeh.
2. Eats kitniyot on Pesach
3. Brothers wear tallisim before marriage
4. Family enjoys warm relationships with non frum siblings and family members.
#2 It is evident that as an American, these lifestyle issues do not impact on your life. The sarcasm is not necessary.
Too bad the Israeli Supreme Court doesn’t practice what it preaches. How many Sefardim have they allowed onto the bench in their court?