Comments directed at dati leumi education have left many in that community upset as Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Shlita stated children cannot be educated in mixed classrooms. The Chief Rabbi was referring to boys and girls being integrated in schools.
Rav Yosef made his remarks during a yahrzeit event for the Baba Sali ZT”L ZY”A, whose yahrzeit is 4 Shevat. Rav Yosef stated mixing boys and girls is contrary to halacha and therefore, establishing schools for boys and girls together is contrary to halacha. “How can on educate children who are nine, ten or even older in the same school” questions Rav Yosef.
The rav’s remarks did not go unanswered as Education Minister Naftali Bennett responded on twitter stating “it is possible”.
Bennett’s response does not mark the first time he has gone up against the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. In fact, he recently met with representatives of Conservative and Reform Jewry, contrary to the policy of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, insisting his actions are geared to maintaining the link between Am Yisrael and those streams of Judaism, which Bennett fears might otherwise be cut off and lost.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
5 Responses
Thank you, oylam, for making a big deal out of an old issue.
Rav Ovadia: שו”ת יחווה דעת חלק ד סימן מו
Rav Yitzchak:
ילקוט יוסף קצוש”ע אבן העזר סימן כא – להתרחק מן העריות
טז. חובת ההפרדה בבתי הספר בין הבנים לבנות, הוא חיוב גמור מצד הדין, ואינה חומרא או חסידות בעלמא, הן בלימודים והן במשחקים. וההורים והמורים צריכים לעמוד על המשמר ולהנהיג הפרדה מוחלטת. והמקים בית ספר מעורב אסור לשתף עמו פעולה כלל, שהוא פורץ גדרי הצניעות. ויש להבדילו מעדת ישראל. והגודרים גדר בזה זכות הרבים תלויה בהם. וראוי להחמיר בזה אפילו בכתות גן וא’ וב’. ובמקום שאין מספיק תלמידים יש לעשות שאלת רב. [שפעמים ויש להתיר בגן הילדים ובכתות א’ וב’ בלבד לפי הוראת רב מובהק]. [אוצר דינים מהדו”ק עמוד מהדו”ק עמוד שעג. ילקו”י דיני חינוך קטן עמוד שלב. יביע אומר ח”ד חאהע”ז סימן ד]
As someone who went to public schools I can personally testify that Rov Yosef is right. Especially by age 9 or 10 boys and girls start paying attention to each other in ways that impede learning during class.
This is agreed to by any ligitemate carrier of the title “rabbi “
Of course Bennett knows better than the Rav! He just wants to make sure Reform and Conservative are not lost to Judaism. Maybe he should listen to people who know better than he.
Typically, the chief rabbis are more right wing than the DL community. Nothing new.
Also, Bennett is a politician, not a Rav. He represents all types of Jews, and must be open to meeting with all kinds of leaders. Frum politicians in the US meet with all kinds of community leaders.