First it was the Rosh Yeshiva of Darchei ripping the NY Times for using an image of their Yeshiva. Now, the Excutive Director of Yeshiva of Flatbush is furious and writing a public letter.
As YWN reported last week, the New York Times posted an article with the headline “Do Children Get a Subpar Education in Yeshivas?”
The Times was even worse in its anti-Jewish bias than usual, because it chose to illustrate its article on subpar yeshiva education with a photograph of Yeshiva Darchei Torah. HaRav Yaakov Bender wrote a public letter on YWN blasting the Times.
It worked. Partially.
The Times felt the heat thanks to YWN, and pulled the image…. but instead replaced it with another image — this one of Yeshiva of Flatbush — a Yeshiva that provides its students with impeccable secular studies. Not only that, but the caption under the image says “A group of graduates from ultra-Orthodox Jewish private schools in New York claim that some yeshiva students are never taught secular lessons, like science or history. Credit Mark Lennihan/Associated Press”
Now, Yeshiva of Flatbush is responding in the following letter submitted to YWN:
To whom it may concern,
On behalf of over 12,000 alumni, 2,100 current students and 500 staff members of the Yeshivah of Flatbush, I want to point out the inaccurate reporting and photographs in the New York Times December 3, 2018 article, “Do Children Get a Subpar Education in Yeshivas?” by Eliza Shapiro.
The New York Times article first included a picture of Yeshiva Darchei Torah and retracted it after Rosh Yeshivah Rabbi Yaakov Bender responded to its misrepresentation of his school. Then the Times changed the online picture to the Yeshivah of Flatbush, renowned for its outstanding secular academics, Judaic studies and distinguished alumni.
The Yeshivah of Flatbush offers 24 Advanced Placement courses in arts, humanities, mathematics, sciences and social sciences. Our students are admitted to top-tier colleges and programs. We provide STEM classes, professional labs, 3D printers and personal technology. Our university-style library includes a world-class collection of books, periodicals and digital media.
The New York Times used a picture of Yeshivah of Flatbush that was originally mischaracterized by its taker Mark Lennihan of the Associated Press, “A group of graduates from ultra-orthodox Jewish private schools in New York claim that some yeshivah students are never taught secular lessons, like science or history.” The picture that goes with this quote is not of any ultra-Orthodox yeshivah; it is of Yeshivah of Flatbush, a modern Orthodox institution that has first class math, science and social science departments.
Our school is requesting of the New York Times to remove the picture of our institution from the web-based article and publish an apology to the Yeshivah of Flatbush.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey Rothman
Executive Director
Yeshivah of Flatbush Elementary School/919 East 10th Street
Yeshivah of Flatbush Joel Braverman High School/Al and Sonny Gindi Campus, 1609 Avenue J
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13 Responses
There is a saying in hebrew that it takes one fool to throw a stone into a well but a team of engineers to get the stone out. The chassidim did a good job throwing the stone and rabbi bender and others are doing a great job getting it out. For whatever it is worth, it is nice to see the whole Jewish world come together under a common cause that does not involve Jews being killed.
Next they’ll either put up YU and have the whole thing repeat itself or put up a cheder
It’s time to bury The Slimes once and for all. Someone, even from grass roots, with some organization ability, needs to organize boycotts of the advertisers, groups to show up at local kiosks and ask them to refuse delivery, cause a ruckus in front of the Slimes office bldg.. drive social media…. There are many who are ant – Slimes for different reasons, who will eagerly join..
Enough letters and words.. If some teen punk in Fla. was able to pull major advertisers from Fox programs, then we should be able to do this too.
Anyway, they’re hurting financially so let’s drop the hammer when they’re reeling…
I would like to see a class action lawsuit against the NY Times. Bring them to their knees.
A well orchestrated boycott of their advertisers will buckle their knees. Additionally, all yeshiva parents, every single one, should register their children in public school now, asap, for September 2019 and you’ll see the NYS government back down.
Yeshiva Darchei Torah and Yeshiva of Flatbush should put some teeth into their claim and sue the Times. Surely having a picture of their school with a false claim of sub-par education is damaging, no?
“The picture that goes with this quote is not of any ultra-Orthodox yeshivah; it is of Yeshivah of Flatbush, a modern Orthodox institution….”
Are we to read this as, “we aren’t an ultra orthodox Yeshiva, we are a modern institution.” Truth be told, based on the 7.5 hours a day secular studies rule, I doubt they qualify either.
The NY Times is an anti-semitic rag. Has been since they covered up for the Nazi genocide against the Jews. And continued with their coverup of the Arab attempted genocide. To the NYT all religious Jews are fanatics. No difference between Yeshiva of Flatbush and Neteurei Karta.
Get B&H and other Jewish companies (including religious real estate professionals) to pull their ads from the NY Slimes.
What is ironic is that the Times got the picture wrong again. The picture displayed is only peripherally the yeshiva ( the yellow brick building to the left and the building on the right and behind. The building ( with the Moorish architecture) prominently displayed in the middle is the Young Israel of Flatbush, which is not connected to the Yeshiva.
Just another incident that reminds us that to the anti-Semite a Jew is a Jew, no matter how observant he is. No matter what kind of Yarmulkah he wears. No matter the style of clothes.
Maybe the RBSO is reminding us to act the same way. To love all of our fellow yidden.
Amazing how lazy and stupid the failing NY Slimes are. With so much low hanging fruit in Monsey, New Square, Boro Park, etc., etc. they choose Darchei, then retract after R. Bender layeth the smacketh down on them, and then go after Yeshiva of Flatbush, of all places?! So dumb! They have no standards.
WE ALL MUST SIGN THIS PETITION!
https://www.change.org/p/500-000-students-vs-state-education-department?recruiter=920721247&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=share_email_responsive