When Yesh Atid MK Dr. Ruth Calderon delivered her first Knesset address which included a Gemara shiur some MKs smiled, others were astounded and others displeased. What they did agree on is the PhD in Talmud from Bar Ilan University was a different kind of MK, and it appears they were correct.
Together with fellow rookie MKs Rabbi Shai Peron (Yesh Atid) Yoni Chetboun (Bayit HaYehudi) Elazar Stern (The Movement), Calderon is planning to launch a new Knesset beis medrash. This beis medrash will provide a place for elected officials to sit and learn, or to participate in weekly shiurim which they plan to give on Tuesdays. Other MKs will also be invited to give classes and participate in the weekly program.
The chareidim haven’t yet indicated if they will be participating.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
10 Responses
Mitoch shelo lishma ba lishma
Will Ruth be giving the shiur after her speeches?
Will there be a mechitza in the so-called BM?
I thought it is assur to learn torah in a bathroom or a place that smells of filth?
commentator # 4 seems to justify his code name “choleh” sick. he is indeed very sick to post these kind of comments..
#4 – What an appropriate handle you have chosen.
anothe rone of the Satans tricks. Yes it’s nice to see how the old Kfira is being slowly replaced, but the main purpose of ‘Yesh Atid’ and “Bayit Yehudi’ is to say: “Look, Chareidim don’t have monopoly on Torah” – that’s the real goal…
#7 – Breaking news: It’s even worse than you think! It has just been revealed that the Satanic D”L community has secretly built a yeshiva world of its own; they even have their own rabbis! Gott in Himmel! The massive cover up has been achieved by – sit down, this is truly horrible – their being respectful to charedi rabbis even when they disagree with them! Is there no end to the horror?
#7 – newsflash. Chareidim indeed do not have a monopoly on Torah. Neither do Dati LEumi, MO, Chardal, or any other identified element of our community. Torah belongs to Am Yisroel and every individual within it.
#2 – Dr. Calderon’s speech and explanation of the passage in the gemara was positive and appropriate to the occasion. Decades of Chareidi participation in politics in Israel didn’t get Torah learning to the podium of the Knesset. Decades of Chareidi – and NRP- participation didn’t get secular MK’s to sit down in their workplace and be koveah itim laTorah. These people who you so smugly dismiss did.
Instead of ridiculing them, ask the obvious questions about why this was never fostered before, and what the implications are for why such feelings as exist now pressuring Chareidim have come to pass.
#7 It may check to read some of the writings of Rav Yisroel Salanter and his thoughts on the subject.
He wrote that (not quoted)’it was easier to bring Reform & Conservative thinking jews closer to true, authentic Yiddishkeit than non-affliated Jews who have no INTEREST or LOVE for Talmudic/Torah learning’.
It is about time that we all stop imposing our thoughts/ideas/assumptions/and stereotypes of what the GOALS of everyone else is. At times, it is difficult to ascertain what are our own personal goals or neigeos are!!!