Faced with a threat to the very foundation of Torah chinuch, rabbanim representing every kehillah in London convened last night for a conference on how to proceed.
Nearly 80 Rabbanim, Mechanchim, and Askanim, headed by the elderly rosh yeshiva Rav Elyakim Schlesinger, attended the first-of-its-kind convention to discuss the compulsory education laws enacted by the education department called Ofsted. In Britain, all schools receive government funding and are subject to the government’s mandates.
The new laws require schools to teach about subjects that are antithetical to the Torah, such as evolution and tolerance for alternative lifestyles. It also mandates a curriculum about celebrities and famous personalities from fields that contradict the frum lifestyle.
More recently, documents revealed that the government wants to propose a new equality law that would promote “Britishness” and discourage members of various religions from having a distinct education. The law’s main target is the inability of the local Muslim community from preventing extremism from its youths.
The law will also encourage intermarriages between different religions by having children of various faiths meet with each other.
“The Jewish community,” a member of the community said, “will be the first to suffer from this law since halacha requires that we live separate lives and we are not allowed to intermarry.”
Advocates for these equality laws are the same officials of the British Ministry of Education who over the past several years have been battling the yeshivas and religious institutions, along with the support of anti-religious organizations. Schools that do not meet the criteria will be shuttered.
The meeting held last night is the first in what organizers expect to be a series of conferences to formulate plans to defend the community against the laws that threaten its continued existence.
During the conference, Rav Sholom Friedman, the chief Dayan of the Kadasia kehillah to which most of London’s Rabbanim belong, extended his greetings. Also speaking was Rav Yechezkel Shraga Friedman, one of the city’s leading Rabbanim.
The keynote address was delivered by the venerated gaon, the 98-year-old Rav Elyakim Schlesinger.
Rav Schlesinger burst into tears as he spoke, warning that “if we cannot study with the Talmidim the way we once did, we will be forced to open new Mosdos Hachinuch.”
That sentiment was articulated by many of the other Chassidishe Rabbanim of the city, following an overview delivered by Rav Asher Yeshaya Bindiger and from the Askan, Rabbi Zvi Glick.
Rabbi Glick, who maintains close ties with the authorities, gave a briefing to the assembled about his negotiations with senior government officials. His conclusion was that there was a concerted attempt to import liberal values into the yeshiva system to weaken its Talmidim.
The Vizhnitzer Rebbe of London was not able to attend. He sent as a Shaliach his son-in-law, Rav Leibish Hager, who delivered the Rebbe’s Bracha for the occasion.
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if we cannot study with the Talmidim the way we once did, we will be forced to open new Mosdos Hachinuch.”
If that was all there wouldn’t be a problem. The problem is that whatever mosdos are opened will be subject to the same requirements, and we cannot live with these requirements. If the proposed regulations are enacted Jews will have no choice but to go underground as they did in the USSR.
I don’t follow UK politics that closely so maybe one of the UK residents can explain if these new rules were initiated by the Boris Johnson government or is this a carryover from prior Teresa May governement. Seems strange that Conservative like BJ would be pushing such a progressive educational agenda.
Sorry guys .you reap what sow!
This is what you get for disregarding even the most basics of studies.
In Britain, all schools receive government funding and are subject to the government’s mandates.
That says it all
Litigate, take the authorities to court, but have gelt to pay good lawyers!
Human Rights Act 1998
UK Public General Acts1998 c. 42SCHEDULE 1PART I Article 9
Freedom of thought, conscience and religion-
1Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.
2Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.
even the schools that are not government funded have to follow the rules of ‘Ofstead’.
so it’s not gonna help to open new mosdos – as Milhouse noted – they would have to go underground as they did in the USSR.
I don’t see any litviche rabbonim (down hat and kapota) is this only a problem for Chasidishe yeshivos?
The reality of Britian – and even worse, continental Europe – is that it is a very sick place, filled with delusional ideas about morality. The Torah Yidden of Britian should leave. They should go either to Eretz Yisroel or to the US. Going to America seems rather futile, however, as it’s just a short term solution. Eretz Yisrael is the only viable long term solution.
Kasher: Most chareidy mosdos DO NOT receive government funding!
Gadolhadorah: the problem with OFSTED is not new, it’s about 4 years old. I think since an anti-semitic pluralistic non-jewish lady Amanda Spielman married to a Jewish reformer became head of of OFSTED all the trouble started.
Unfortunately and painfully much of the trouble can be traced back to some drop-outs…
ah Yid: there is an organisation called Chinuch UK who are actively engaged with the authorities where all communities, Satmar, chassidish , litwish, modern from around the country are all represented there. I think this is a different action committee based in Stamford Hill. By the way Rabbi E Schlesinger is definitely not chassidish and the same would probably be true with others as well.
GHT, the problem is not coming from the government but from the civil servants at Ofsted. They do the same thing no matter who is in government. Watch Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister for some insight into how it works. This is also why we have the Trump administration doing things like increasing funding to CAIR, which is absolutely against the president’s wishes; the swamp has to be drained.
Kasher, the two facts you cite are not related. All schools are funded, and all schools are subject to the regulations, but the second is not the result of the first. Refusing funding would not change anything.
Ready Now, read the text you yourself cited. “Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society…”. That completely negates the first paragraph and renders it meaningless. Ofsted claims that its regulations and requirements are “necessary in a democratic society”.
Milhouse:RE subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society…
What you say does not support your argument.
Just that we Jews have been good citizens and in accord with democracy, studying Torah and being peaceful citizens, so there we are!