Following the urgent assembly held in Bnei Brak on Sunday night of principals of frum girl’s high schools,there is machlokes between the Shas and Yahadut Hatorah parties pertaining to the matter of discrimination against girls.

Representatives of Yahadut Hatorah insists the discrimination is not aimed at Sephardi girls as claimed, but simply stated, girls of both Ashkenazi and Sephardi homes who are not eligible, those who do not meet criteria, are not accepted in high schools. Shas officials see things a bit differently, insisting the discrimination is by and large against girls from Sephardi homes while there are some Ashkenazim included in the group, but they are marginal in number compared to the Sephardim.

It is reported that Shas wanted the meeting to address discrimination but the emphasis was and remained on Education Ministry interference in education and its ongoing efforts to cut funding to schools which refuse to abide by its registration decisions – that is to say the ministry is seeking to compel schools to accept girls it does not wish to accept.

The participants in the urgent meeting were reminded of the guidelines that have been set forth by HaGaon HaRav Aharon Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita and HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita, which were written on erev Rosh Chodesh Elul but not publicized. The gedolim make it very clear – interference by any outside person/body in the education of the chareidi schools will not be tolerated in any situation.

MK (Yahadut Hatorah) Yaakov Asher spoke out harshly against his colleagues from Shas, saying everyone is trying to find favor in the eyes of Shas Jerusalem Councilman Tzvika Cohen, who said “these matters must be in daled amos of halacha for Gedolei Yisrael to address and these matters cannot be addressed by their representatives”. Cohen handles the city’s chareidi education portfolio.

Asher then added those involved feel if they find favor in Cohen’s eyes he will get them additional classrooms, adding in this case it is not sufficient as everyone must follow the instructions of Gedolei Yisrael and nothing else is acceptable. Asher is openly angry as Shas, with the latter pushing to end discrimination and to make certain all the girls are assigned schools while Asher is outraged over the government’s ongoing threats to cut budgets if schools do not accept girls assigned to a school by the ministry against the wishes of the school’s principal.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)