One of the most prominent Rabbonim in England, HaRav Shraga Feivel Zimmerman is suspect of the leadership of the Ministry of Education in England and said: “Jews will have to leave England before long.”
Rabbi Zimmerman serves as the Chief Rabbi or Av Beis Din of the Jewish community in Gateshead. In his remarks, Rabbi Zimmerman was referring to an issue that is affecting many Charedi communities across Europe in countries where the Education Ministries are forcing students to learn subjects which the communities feel are of the level of transgression where it would be better to die than to transgress (yehareg va’al ya’avor). These topics, which are considered heretical by Charedi communities at large include; the theory of evolution and multiple possibilities of ways in which the world was created.
Rabbi Zimmerman was quoted in the Jewish Chronicle as saying: “The involvement of the government in religious studies is the most serious issue facing the Jewish community in England since the expulsion of the Jews by King Edward the 1st more than 700 years ago. The Jews of England feel that we are in a crisis situation right now.”
Rabbi Zimmerman said that Rabbonim from other parts of the country outside of Gateshead have shown a desire to form a unified front in an attempt to stop this attempt at forcing Charedi children to learn these things.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
I fail to see the reason for such a commotion. Yeshiva highschools in America have long had the theories of evolution and the big bang as required teaching for state exams and it was never an issue. The yeshiva always make sure to have a Jew teaching these subjects and he makes sure to state the theories in a matter-of-fact kind of way, emphasizing that this is not our belief but is required knowledge from the state. This has never been an issue in any school that I’m aware of, and saying that this may be grounds to evacuate one of the largest Jewish-populated countries is quite absurd. Maybe parents and teachers should spend more time teaching Jewish philosophy (hashkafa) and the Torah’s views of such theories so that way children will know why such ideas may be heretical and so they will be more grounded in their beliefs. I’m pretty sure Hasten wants us to believe in him in an absolute way, so that hearing another view will not automatically make us kofrim
In his interview in Ami magazine he said he could potentially get away with teaching the Torah’s view of other religions and of mishkav zachor and yichud, to satisfy the state requirements .
@daasyeshara where does evolution come into this? They want them to teach about gay and alternative lifestyles.
It’s not chinuch issues that will drive Jews out of UK… it’s antisemitism, appeasement to the ever-increasing antisemitic Muslim population, & tacit complicity by the government.
We left in 1984 because of antisemitism. Do British Jews – including my family- really believe they are safe? Are they that stupid?? Rhetorical question, no need to answer.
DaasYeshara #1: In the United States private schools are NOT required to teach any of that stuff.