Six months after an historic meeting with the British Minister of Education, the Rosh Yeshivah Horomo, Rabbi Elyakim Schlesinger is sending a moving letter to the heads of educational Mosdos calling on them to stand firm in the face of the education decree that hovers over the Haredi Jews in the United Kingdom (full letter attached).

The letter that shakes up Haredi Jews in Britain: The eldest Rabbi and Rosh Yeshiva in the United Kingdom, the HaGaon Rabbi Elyakim Schlesinger shlit”e, is currently sending a special letter to the leaders and teachers of the Haredi educational institutions in the United Kingdom, where he ruled that one may not compromise and carry out any negotiations for the authorities to intervene in the content of the learning in the Jewish educational institutions in the kingdom.

One may recall that for the past three years; the local Ministry of Education has been requiring Jewish educational institutions to add to its curriculum unworthy curricula as a result of the heavy pressure exerted on it by anti-religious organizations. For example, educational institutions are required to incorporate in other studies theories of the creation of the world, alongside other prohibited studies that do not conform to the Haredi way of life, which is based on the rules of modesty. The Ministry of Education’s guidelines put the educational institutions in a state of uncertainty about their future and the future of thousands of students, which is a serious threat to the Torah world throughout the United Kingdom and the very existence of the ultra-Orthodox of the public in the kingdom.

Throughout the period, the concern grew, and the educational institutions examined ways to deal with the severe crisis, especially in light of the threatening messages sent to them by observers from the Ministry of Education.

About six months ago, as part of efforts to soften the position of the Ministry of Education, the head of the Yeshiva Horomoh Rabbi Schlesinger’s meeting was scheduled for a historic meeting with the British Minister of Education and his office at the British Parliament House in the Westminster district of London. The meeting – signed with the promise of the Minister of Education that he will act on it – was added to the great activity of the Gaon Rabbi Schlesinger, who, out of deep concern for the future of the Torah world, decided to go into all its forces to the thickness of the beam, and lead the campaign without any compromise. “The Gaon of Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, and the rabbi of Manchester, the Gaon of Rabbi Gabriel Kraus are standing by him in this non-compromising battle.

As it became known later the meeting had a direct impact on the Ministry of Education’s new guidelines for the coming year, with minimal relief for the curriculum in ultra-Orthodox educational institutions.

After the publication of the new guidelines, the Haredi leadership continues to see no way out, and on Erev Rosh Chodesh Av, a special meeting was held in London on the participation of rabbinic leaders and 500 Talmidei Chachomin, activists, public figures and institutional administrators. At the end of that meeting, after examining the new guidelines that came before him, the Gaon Rabbi Schlesinger wanted to send a decisive letter, which is now being submitted by the Committee of activists of holy communities in England, led by Rabbi Schlesinger.

Rabbi Schlesinger starts his letter: “For many months now Charedi Judaism in this country is in deep perplexity over the Government’s proposed law on the teaching in all the schools in this country – including our educational schools, Charedi schools, whether boys’ Talmud Torah or girls’ schools.” 

“Those in charge are an organisation named “Ofsted” an anti-religious group who deny God and whose lifetime’s ambition seeks the entire education in England to follow their opinions, when they openly declare that their intention is to uproot the Torah belief from the education of our sons and daughters. They have taken control over the government’s Ministry of Education and on their behest this new law was designed to educate the pupils in a gradual process of total apostasy in the basic elements of holy Torah – until transgression of the three cardinal sins!”

Rabbi Schlesinger addresses the ways of dealing so far examined by some of the institution’s directors: “To our anguish, the negotiations on possible compromises have no basis in Torah law. Since their scheme has already penetrated deep into the Mosdos and its bad influence is already progressing and shifting for the worse with no Torah input or ruling delivered on this challenge, among growing objections and confusion of the public, I have been asked by God-fearing and learned scholars what the Torah opinion is about this,”

In his comments, Rabbi Schlesinger expresses his resolute stance, stating that “where the ultimate intention of those imposing this decree is to uproot the principles of our faith, it becomes a decree of Schmad against Judaism and it is forbidden to agree to anything! God forbid Choliloh to modify the traditions of our Chinuch. One must sacrifice his life over this – even on the trivialities of Arkesa D’mesani shoe-strap. All the more so here, where we are not required to surrender one’s life chas vesholom, and only need insist that we will not comply and remain firm in our stance that this is forbidden for us.”

The Gaon Rabbi Schlesinger seals his letter, saying: ” To conclude; this is the Torah opinion and its clear ruling that it is forbidden to acquiesce to them and to obey these laws regarding the education of our sons and daughters, and it is also forbidden to tell them, even supposedly as if we accept their words, but we must openly tell them that although we are commanded to keep their laws according to Dina Demalchisa Dina, we will however not accept something that is against the explicit Torah commandments, as ruled by all our sages.”

“And on the governors and teachers” the rabbi continues, “the responsibility rests in their holy work to carry on teaching the pupils without any adjustment whatsoever, and it is forbidden to increase or to diminish [anything], and they should not fear threats against the existence of the Mosdos because these institutions were established for the upkeep of Torah and not, God forbid, for its destruction.”

As mentioned, the letter from the eldest Rosh Yeshiva provokes a fierce uproar among Haredi Jewry in Britain, leaving no doubt for the institution’s administrators how to act in this matter. The Governors’, for their part, are responding with great satisfaction, because the letter gives them a great deal of courage in order to stand up and safeguard.