There are a growing number of principals of chareidi schools in Yerushalayim who are reporting the Chareidi Education Unit is increasing pressure on the schools to include a broadening secular curriculum. Principals who spoke with the media explain pressure surrounds not only the introduction of math and science, but nature and similar subject matter which have not and will not be taught in the schools.
Chareidi leaders have recently held a number of urgent meetings to discuss the matter, insisting if left without other alternatives, they will not comply with demands but they will break away from the system and continue educating the children in line with the dictates of Gedolei Yisrael Shlita.
Another example given is that rabbonim wish to change the principal of an Elad school but ministry officials would not permit this. Principal Rav Meir Sofer spoke to Kol Chai Radio explaining the situation is getting increasingly difficult. He explains to date he has ignored forms compelling principals to document the secular class hours. To date he has not and nothing occurred, adding it appears to be getting worse and feels that soon, if these forms are not completed, the school will face punitive actions from the ministry.
MK Uri Maklev feels the Chareidi Education Unit in the ministry has done significant harm to chareidi schools and he calls for its closure.
The principals of mosdos and chareidi elected officials are waging a war against Meir Shimoni, the current head of the Chareidi Education Unit in the ministry. Also under attack in MK (Shas) Yaakov Margi, who heads the Knesset Education Committee. Margi told Kol Chai the allegations against him are untrue. He explained he never went against the words of any rabbinical body and will not in the future.
He adds that he is not defending Shimoni, but he is in defending his position for the ministry for he is compelled to enforce the law. He explains the chareidim must work to modify the current regulations but they cannot take government money and complain when the ministry expects schools to comply with regulations. Margi adds he does a great deal with assist principals of chareidi schools whenever possible but he cannot ignore the law and that is the issue, not his support for Mr. Shimoni and the ministry’s Chareidi Education Unit.
Rav Avraham Pindel, a principal of a chareidi school who has been granting interviews to the media, concurs the Ministry of Education has been increasingly stringent of late and the situation for many chareidi schools is untenable. R’ Pindel emphasizes the bottom line is “There will not be any change in any school and those trying to compel a change will see this will never occur as we will continue educating chareidi children as we have been throughout the generations”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
There is nothing secular about math and science. The government is not attempting to secularize the students, it is trying to give them tools that will assist them in earning parnassah later in life.
parnossa comes from the One Above not from stuyding Greek avodah zarah like Homer.
Isn’t this only affecting schools that accept government funding, as opposed to the non-zionist hareidi schools who are free to do what they want.
There are many streams of schools under the Charedei educational umbrella; Maayon SHAS & Chinuch Atzmaei (which receive govt funding), chassidish & private chadarim, Yeshiva tichonim (yes receive funding), bet yaakov (all receive funding), etc.
Remember, teachers/rebbes/Moros want to teach in the funded Charedei schools since the salary + benefits + pension supplies a decent salary.
There are specific Charedei texts used to teach Math, Science, English – that are quite good with excellent hashgachos.
Math, science, physics- the study of these subjects in proper context not only prove useful in this world, but also are important factors for spiritual growth. Do the gedolim really say to educate children omitting these vital topics?
Parnassah comes from Hashem. Nevertheless, in every generation, the level of hishtadlus changes. It is a fact that chareidi males have much fewer skills for the workforce than their secular counterparts.
Therefore, the jobs available for chareidi men outside of chinuch are limited and generally low-paying.
In contrast, Beis Yaakov graduates study English, science, social studies, and computer science, which helps prepare them for the workforce — and help support their husbands in kollel.
We cannot demand additional gov’t funding for the Chareidi society without doing our part to reduce poverty in our society. Statistically, there is a correlation between secular education and parnassa. True, you don’t need to read Homer’s Iliad to become a streetcleaner or security guard. But not everyone is cut-out for those job descriptions.
The Ministry of Education is trying to destroy the Chinuch Atzmoi system. This is the Chereidi school system, ex. Beis Yakov, which according to state law, has a right to operate according to it’s principles without government interference and still receive partial state funding.
By destroying our educational they hope to destroy us. They realize as well as we do that the Jewish nation continues to exist because of the education that our children receive throughout the generations.
So they have decided to try to uproot the tree at it’s very roots. Why? Jealously. They can’t stand the purity and modesty of our daughters, the loyalty of our married couples, the success of the religious family.
The secular school system is doing very badly, with violence growing at an alarming rate. The government would do better to choose to improve that system rather than try to destroy ours.
Most Chinuch Atzmai schools (and all Beis Yaakov schools) in Israel already teach the core curriculum and receive government funding accordingly.
The issue is by the private chedarim, which do not teach English or science at all. There are no secular studies in yeshiva ketana (8th grade and up) for boys.
In contrast, the Beis Yaakov girls receive a high level of Torah and secular education.
Agutyar mentioned violence growing at an alarming rate in the secular school system. Can someone clarify which esteemed Chareidi educational institutions those yidden involved in physical altercations against police, IDF soldiers or roshei yeshiva learned?
A bochur threw leben at a rosh yeshiva at Ponovezh… I don’t know whether learning Pythagorean theorem or Homer’s Iliad would prevent the violence in Chareidi society. But don’t throw out the cliche “we’re better than them line” to justify our childrens’ lack of secular education. For starters, we should add a healthy dose of mussar to our childrens’ chinuch.