London – A north London Chasidic school which made headlines earlier this year for threatening to ban students whose mothers drive them to school is back in the news again – this time for having its application for state aid rejected.
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The Hackney Council has denied Beis Malka Girls’ School, run by the Belz Chassidic Sect in Stamford Hill, the status of a “voluntary-aided, maintained school,” the JC.com reports (http://bit.ly/1gXRn6d).
In defending its decision to supply the aid, the Council said, “Information provided by the school identified significant funding over the next five years related to require building works on school premises. It was also noted that the amount identified could be construed as the minimum amount and that other expenditure could come to light at a later date.”
The proposal was also declined because of the quality of the school’s teaching and ability to provide for special needs students, its inadequate coverage of the National Curriculum, outstanding issues about the school site’s “long-term viability,” the condition of its buildings, and overall concerns about safety and health.
The Council also noted that the school was not in “compliance” with the 2010 Equality Act.
A statement issued by the Council said, “In each of these areas, it was judged that Beis Malka was not in a satisfactory position to meet the expectations and demands that becoming a voluntary-aided, maintained school would entail.”
Following a ruling in May by the Belzer Rebbe in Israel, Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach, both Beis Malka and the boys’ school Talmud Torah Machzikei Hadass attempted to ban students whose mothers drove them to school because the concept of women drivers is against “the traditional rules of modesty in our camp.”
The Equality and Human Rights Commission notified the schools that barring children on such grounds is unlawful. The yeshivas have since agreed not deny or prevent the admission of any students, regardless of whether their mother drives.
I wonder if the shuls in Jerusalem that ban people who have smartphones are also breaking the law. Any opinions?
can any body explain whats wrong with a lady driving please and try to make sense
What goes around comes around. When education bigwigs harassed the Yeshivas in Montreal, insisting on multi cultural education and computer studies, Belz–instead of standing up to the bullies—-agreed to comply, leaving Satmar to fight the big fight by itself.
Woman driving just wasn’t done and Chassidishe groups do not want to change anything by even an iota. However, with that said, why don’t they smell the coffee? Why don’t they realize that their numbers will dwindle because their youth simply don’t wish to live in this manner anymore.
Get what you deserve!
it is very important to know that in ALL the chassidisher sect most women dont drive thats the way it is. i am also a wife from that life and yes am ok with it because this is the way it is like we wear long sleeves covering our elbows and shitels covering our hair…we dont frown upon those women who do drive, but we are very ok not driving.. we follow what our rebbi advises us, and this helps us to cope with the world we live in. everyone knows weather you are chasidish or not how it works, so dont say that driving will make us intelligent because most of our husbands are hard working and fun and happy and amazing …you dont need to be to smart to see someone saying the” fat overweight slug”has other issues regarding fellow jews.
a belzer family or any family that belongs wants to belong- its the very small minority like anonymous that is probably not accepted or belonging to anywhere or his children are not accepted to the better schoo;s etc that he has this chip on his shoulder.but know it from us weather you are litvish chasidish or yekish, everyone wants to belong ,if we have a worry or query where do we go always to our rebbi,or rosh yeshivah and he advises us!!!
Arab women are also not allowed to drive because of modesty, when will this sect start asking women to start wearing black bags over their heads like the arabs do, because of modesty, or start wearing long black robes, or not able to leave home with out an escort. usually the little things come first and then the others get harsher and harsher until the women become prisoners of their families. Sounds great doesn’t it, for one thing leads to another to another, so before one thinks of the little things wonder what all this will lead up to eventually.
a spelling mistake written in haste does still not justify your comments .but as i wrote before anonymous prob. has a very large chip on his shoulder ? its not a reason we are seeking, we dont need one! and again if you belong to a chassidos you accept the ground rules we are not asking questions we are the ones listening to one of the biggest jewish leaders of nowadays, am so sorry if you cannot accept that but you should try and figure out what YOUR problem is. we dont have a problem with it. one thing is clear that belz, bobov, satmer, skver, and MOST of the chasidim dont allow women to drive if that is so , so be it… and even IF i would like to drive i cant but if i have a problem chas veshalom or a shidduch or any buissiness query i ask my rebbi as do most chassidim and his valuable answer puts “women driving” in the back. i would much rather have a rebbi to go and ask,or have helpr from then drive a car. you dont understand it because you are lacking in emunas tsadikim!!!
What’s all this squabbling about?
I very much adhere to the motto ‘live and let live’
I’ve yet to hear ONE Belzer man/ woman grumble that they are being controlled or trapped in a cult….
I think the Belzer people lead a very open minded life with some strict regulations which they have no problem listening to
So all you overheated people out there, instead of insulting any chassidos, just think for a moment, is anyone being forced to follow any rebbe? Or is it purely by choice???
So live and let live
correct stamfordhilly! we r happy to belong to belz as are all other chasidishe litvishe yekishe yiden belonging to where they choose to belong. / when you send your child to a school you send there out of choice not force and when you belong to a chasidos , you do so by choice. if you want to drive – do so its your choice but if you want to belong you HAVE to toe the line….