Yet another decision by Education Minister Rabbi Shai Piron may harm hesder yeshivot. In a meeting between heads of teaching institutes operating in the hesder network before Pesach, Noach Greenfeld, who heads the certification unit explained a number of decisions reached in the Ministry of Education pertaining these institutes regarding next year. The ministry plans a radical cut in Torah subjects taught in the teachers’ institutes along with cutting the number of students that will be accepted. The cuts only impact Torah classes and not secular subjects.

The dati leumi Srugim news site explains this is one of the popular tracks offered to hesder talmidim, permitting them to earn a teaching degree and bachelors in Torah S’Bal Pe and Tanach while studying. For most of the hesder talmidim, they begin studying for the degree in their fourth of the five years of hesder, following their IDF service. Some of their limudim in beis medrash are recognized towards earning the degree. They must also take courses in math, language and English and they may study in one of a number of colleges, including Herzog and Lifshitz.

The ministry explains the reason for the cut, the low number of hesder talmidim who receive certification but opt not to enter the education field. Ministry officials report only about 30% of the certified candidates actually enter the field of chinuch. The ministry adds there are too many certified teachers for Torah subjects, stating they only require 30 for next year. The ministry plans to move many of these teachers to secular subjects to keep them employed. This is due in part because it is cutting Torah teaching hours.

The ministry wants more math and computer teachers, not people qualified to teach Torah. The ministry if halting this certification explaining one wishing to teach Gemara for example should study and become certified as a computer teacher and then teach Gemara as well. Piron does not want an entire degree program surrounding limudei kodesh.

The hesder rabbonim oppose bringing in secular subjects into the hesder framework so in essence, the decision to eliminate Torah teaching certification will eliminate this option for the talmidim. Delivering another blow, the ministry plans to stop hiring former hesder talmidim to teach Torah subjects in the colleges. It will hire outsiders on a need basis, which is sharply reduced as Torah subjects are being drastically cut.

The heads of different institutions explain to the ministry that currently, hesder talmidim serve as their main source for future teachers and cutting budgets in this area will have a profound negative impact down the road I the years to come.

The hesder roshei yeshivos explain they will not release talmidim from beis medrash to attend a college to study secular subject matter and if the Torah degree programs are eliminated, the talmidim will not be certified.

A plan is being devised for 5775 to permit studying Tanach and related Torah subjects in the hesder yeshivot instead of the colleges but this will depend on ministry funding. The ministry is also demanding a minimum registry of 45 hesder talmidim from each yeshiva or that yeshiva will not qualify.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)