Yeshivat Chachmei Lev, located in the Kiryat Yovel neighborhood of Yerushalayim, is a school for chareidi young men who combine limud Torah and secular studies towards earning a matriculation high school diploma. The school’s existence continues its uphill battle, as it comes under fire by the chareidi community.
The latest attack comes in the Tuesday 29 Sivan edition of Yated Neeman as editor Rav Yisrael Friedman attacks the school. Friedman writes that the Jerusalem Municipality has approved an allocation for the school and therefore, the little battle is over, albeit with a loss, and the large battle remains.
Friedman speaks of the battle of those who wish to pull Am Yisrael away from limud Torah, to permit them to integrate into the secular world. He speaks of enticing programs to attract bnei torah by “speaking of the window of opportunity” and “acting for the good of the chareidi tzibur”.
In short, Friedman uses Yated to dedicate a lengthy scathingly worked editorial, without offering a positive note as to the merit of the school and the need for such schools amid an awareness there are chareidi youths who do not see their future in a beis medrash fulltime yet they remain committed to their chareidi way of life.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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25 Responses
This bothers me to the core. With all the trouble yidden go through these days why can’t they recognize that there can be boys who need some minimal general education in a Yeshiva setting? –
Their fear of reality is their biggest enemy and Chilul Hashem.
y does YWN give opinions all the time just report news the readers will decide how to interpit it
This is a very difficult pill for many in leadership positions to swallow. Especially with Anglo
This bothers me to the core. With all the trouble yidden go through these days why can’t they recognize that ALL boys need some minimal general education in a Yeshiva setting?
It is a shame that Torah ‘im Derech Eretz is not accepted by many so called Torah institutions. I think Yeted is making a mistake by calling on the tzibor to boycott this learning institution that offers Torah and job training.
what does daas Torah say, at the end of the day that’s all that matters.
#6 Before you go off the deep end. Know that “Daas Torah” is a very broad term and not everyone agrees who is in the category of “Daas Torah”. In most cases, gedolim don’t have direct knowledge of these specialized situations, and rely on information given to them by others. Unfortunately, much of this “information” is provided by “kuchlefels” (people who are no longer accomplishing in learning who seek to stir the pot). This is well known in Eretz Yisroel. Rather than continue to produce new generations of “kuchlefels”, MANY well-known gedolim have come to the realization that SOME (not all) life-long “learners” would do the torah community a favor if they seek a job. These same gedolim DO SUPPORT the idea of yeshivos like this one. This does not cast aspersion on those who continue to learn and accomplish. It is these same “kuchlefels” who are in fact responsible for the Yated articles(s).
Yisrael Friedman is a gifted writer. As someone who is related to Yisrael Friedman and knows him well, I don’t think he personally believes in what he wrote in that article.
To: Holy Moe
Who cares what yis friedman believes in? Is he another one of our self annointed spokesholes, like all those tummler-kuch-leffels?
I think the yated should fold up for good. it is nothing but a big “bal-Tashchis” on all the paper and ink that is wasted on every edition. in my building nobody even takes in the freebie handout that yated is.
Who cares what some businessman who owns a newspaper has to say? Its the same thing here in America. The “heimisha” rags also have their “editors” view. They speak as if the oilam is waiting with baited breath to see what the halacha limoshe misenai for the week is. Only a total fool would waste his time buying & reading their stupid drivel. They are businessmen just like any other baal habaas.
Cool it,everyone
It is a news day
It is a slow news day
( more proof:YWN chose to report about it)
This is a sad reflection of our times when it has become assur for men to work. Olam Hafuch.
Mr. Friedman wants to be sure that Yeshiva Chachmei lev is blessed with the words of the passuk “Kaasher yaanu oiso kein yirbeh”
Seriously, though, there has traditionally been an assumption that Yerushalayim Jewish community accepted a ban on secular studies from the days of Rav Shmuel Salant and Rav Yehoshua Leib Diskin. But Kiryat Yovel is well outside of the old city limits.
#7: Did you ever meet the Chazon Ish? Because he seems to be talking about you, specifically, in his Emunah u’Bitachon. (His characterization isn’t very complimentary, by the way.)
10
Let me guess, you read the Jewish Depressed cover to cover? I guess you read it with all the apikorsis they provide too.
Journalists and editors in the written media, AND the web, utilize their pulpits as if they are our anointed leaders.
#10 is right, and #15 my point exactly.
It seems that Friedman (who appears capable of writing a coherent sentence and communicate in the real world) would prefer that Chareidi yungerleit should remain dysfunctional, illiterate and incapable of functioning in the real world. Yes, one can integrate into secular society while still learning torah. Until the post-war generation, it was normal for bochurim to gain an education so they could earn a parnassah for their families. Friedman, however, believes that was a terrible precedent and instead they should simply shteig behind a shtender whether they are great scholars or the 90 percentile who are not cut out for learning.
The baalei batim of our community should be applauded instead Of being looked down on
TO #15
Hi Eli,
Even though you pray in Chaim Berlin but you don’t get out much in limud from our Yeshiva. Otherwise you would not attack a fellow commenter here. Also you need to sharpen on CHovos Halevos sefer to see that the article under the discussion is wrong. Torah im derech eretz applies here as well.
C. Goldberg
I didn’t read the article. But the way YWN described the context of the article. It doesn’t seem like Friedman is saying his opinion whether or not there might be a need for Yeshivos that provides secular studies. His criticism is on the way they’re presenting it. If I understand correctly, they’re campaigning that it’s time for the Chareidy public to see the light of studying secular studies. This attitude is not the way our gedolim taught us. Again I haven’t read his article.
#15, I am not commenting on this specific situation, but I don’t think the Chazon Ish meant no Gadol could be ever misled. Anyhow, there is befeirushe Gemorah in Sanhedrin saying that Achiya ha’Shiloni was misled by reshoim into issuing a wrong psak, and it had terrible consequences.
#16 Mark Levin:
No, I don’t read the Jewish Press. I didn’t even know they were still around. The JP has been spewing anti Torah views for years.
My point is we don’t look to newspaper editors for guidance. They are NOT Daas Torah. They are businessmen who are out to sell as many newspapers as possible. Nothing wrong with that. Good for them. But don’t hold yourself as if you represent Daas Torah’s views. I get my Hashkafa from my Rav and my Rebbeim. I don’t need “dynamic” speakers or Kiruv “experts” to tell me how to think. If gullible people are that dumb & stupid to buy any of those rags to know how to think, they are takeh lost.
#21 and 23: The Chazon Ish has some very sharp things to say about people who rationalize their stance against gedolim with the argument that “gedolim don’t have direct knowledge of these specialized situations, and rely on information given to them by others. Unfortunately, much of this “information” is provided by “kuchlefels”, blah blah.” That’s a direct quote (except for the blah blah) from a comment here. It is the Chazon Ish who attacks that point of view, not me, and I point it out to avoid the michshol of others falling into that same warped reasoning – which is a serious failing in appreciation of daas Torah.
As for Yeshivas Chachmei Lev, there are gedolim pro and con and unlike others here, I know better than to stick my nose into a machlokes between gedolim. They are arguing l’shem shomayim. I doubt the same can be said for many of the posters here. This *is* parshas korach week, after all.
Chaim, your contention that I “didn’t get much out of our Yeshiva” because you disagree with me is breathtaking in its ignorance, presumptuousness and chutzpah. I would welcome the opportunity to accompany you to the rosh yeshiva shlita to discuss that remark, and to hear his opinion regarding to which of us it is more applicable.