Chareidi websites have reported that two yeshivos have given in to the pressure and have informed Ministry of Education officials of their willingness to accept the new curriculum, which includes secular studies. In return for the cooperation, those yeshivos will enjoy funding on the same level of public schools. Kikar Shabbos reported yeshivos affiliated with the Gur and Nadvorna Chassidus have complied with the ministry demands.
The daily HaPeles reports on Thursday, 9 Elul 5773 that the ministry report is not true. The newspaper contacted the schools and spoke with their administrators, learning they never informed the ministry they are willing to accept the introduction of math, English and science into their program.
HaPeles deducts the ministry is trying to play one yeshiva against another to increase pressure on administrators of mosdos to agree to Education Minister Shai Piron’s demands to introduce core subjects into chareidi schools.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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13 Responses
1. How is that playing one yeshiva off against another. The willingness of one to emphasize a non-Torah curriculum has no impact on what others will do. They could all switch or none could.
2. It’s their money. Many gedolim have cautioned against accepting non-frum money (be it lira, shekels, or dollars). When someone opposed to Torah gives you money, you can assume it isn’t for your benefit.
3. If you want to be free of the hilonim’s demands – don’t accept their money.
It is absolutely critical that haredi children be taught secular subjects so they can be gainfully employed to financially support their large families. The haredi community is growing much faster than the non-haredi community, and some day, the haredi community will no longer be able to live under the economic and military umbrella of the non-haredi community. There simply will not be a sufficient number of non-haredis to support them.
Why does anybody quote from this rag, and agitating daily supported by an extremist leader?
Because the secular news convinces people of anything..billions are spent to persuade you to support anti-Torah values..seems to have worked on a lot of the YWN commentators…
If the proposal to study secular subjects, was coming from parties other than the rashaim@ Yesh Atid, it would be easier to digest.
English and math are the only secular subjects you need. If you sharpen your brains on gemara , you will outperform most people..
#2 Core subjects is not only math, English and science but includes Zionist apikorsus too.
There are charedi schools that already teach Math, English and Science and they are arranging to teach civics after school hrs by frum teachers and WHY NOT? get the $$$ that u deserve!!
#5: So what? The haredi culture should be sufficiently strong to withstand outside influences. If it can’t, that is an indictment of the haredi culture. Throughout time, demographics has shown to be destiny, but without an education in secular subjects, perhaps the Haredim do not learn this. There are very few societies in this world that choose as a lifestyle choice poverty. In Israel, their cultural norm against education is not sustainable.
To #4 and #5. Gemara absolutely sharpens your brain, but if you cant do detailed spreadsheets, read a contract, do fractions, percentages, decimals and basic algebra, do a Powerpoint presentation,and speak more than one language, you WILL BE UNEMPLOYED. I have been in technology sales for 18 yrs and the bar keeps rising. The religious (non Charedi) world have their own families to support and the holocaust generation who had nostalgic ties to the Charedi world are slowly dying out. Ezehu chacham haroeh et hanolad.
“If the proposal to study secular subjects, was coming from parties other than the rashaim@ Yesh Atid, it would be easier to digest.”
Accept the truth from whatever source it comes. Lots of yeshivot all over the world teach secular subjects; it is time for the Charedi leadership in Israel to get with the program.
Probably, the first time I agree with Akuperma.
#3, we have to be careful about how we talk about a Talmid Chocham.
Core subjects are English science and math period. if the late Lubovitvcher rebbe could find the time to study these subjects why can’t the bocherim in yeshivos do the same?
Is the devotion to Torah any greater than the rebbe’s?
Any government funding of anything has strings attached. Yeshiva’s in the U.S. taking government money has to conform to educational standards. This is nothing new. The fact that Yeshiva’s in Israel got so much money for so long without meeting educational standards is quite shocking.
The bottom line is this, you don’t want government interference, don’t take gov’t money. This applies to anywhere, not just Israel.
To #10… Here’s what you wrote:
“…#3, we have to be careful about how we talk about a Talmid Chocham…”
Agreed. However , it’s just as important, if not more, for a Talmid Chocham to watch what HE says. People can and will learn from him… Much more than from you me.