Jerusalem – The Knesset Education Committee met on Tuesday to discuss the final ratification of a bill passed in its first reading that would nullify the requirement that Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) elementary schools teach a minimum of basic courses in English, math, and science in order to receive government funding.
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The first reading of the new bill had been approved on Monday by a majority of 37 lawmakers in favor versus 33 who opposed it. The bill has yet to pass a second and third reading in order to be ratified into law.
The bill revokes a previous law passed in 2013 by Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid in collaboration with former Education Minister Rabbi Shai Piron. The law had mandated that a portion of state funding for Haredi schools be conditioned upon compliance with the requirement that a minimum of 10 to 11 weekly hours be spent on “core” subjects. Since many Haredi schools refuse to do so, the law ultimately would have reduced government subsidies for those institutions from 55% for to 35%.
The bill would affect around 40,000 to 50,000 religious Israeli students who are currently spending less than the required amount of time on subjects that they regard as “secular.” According to the new bill, Education Minister Naftali Bennett would have total discretion in providing the funding for these institutions.
Lapid’s bill was only to take effect next year and was never enforced due to legal hurdles that paved the way for the current coalition government, which includes the Likud and United Torah Judaism, to launch the appeal for the new bill.
The new bill was sponsored by United Torah Judaism MK Moshe Gafni who has advocated for the preservation of the independence of Haredi education.
“Ben-Gurion pledged that all Jews would be educated in accordance with their lifestyle. He understood that you cannot force any Jew to live untraditionally,” said United Torah Judaism MK Meir Porush. “The Knesset operated this way for 65 years until the Yesh Atid bill came along.”
The new bill sparked a significant amount of controversy within both the coalition and the opposition. Although the new legislation was being promoted in coordination with the education minister, the Yisrael Beiteinu party, which is a member of the coalition, refused to participate in the vote on the first reading of the core curriculum bill.
Yesh Atid MK Mickey Levy, a member of the opposition, claimed that the ultra-Orthodox parties were effectively “condemning 40,000 students to darkness and poverty.”
“You [religious lawmakers], who are advocating against discrimination and in favor of united Sephardic Judaism, are essentially impeding my fight for the strict sanctioning of racism,” added Yesh Atid MK Meir Cohen.
Wow. To quote Trump, We have stupid leaders stealing these you peoples future of supporting their families
Is it Pathetic how far religious leaders will go to meep the masses uneducated and dependent on governemnt programs?
There seems to be a major disconnect between what wise parents want for their children and the status quo that the leaders want to maintain.
Ever wonder why? What is their interest in keeping the masses in poverty?
This is not the victory that the ultra-orthodox seem to believe it is. Producing children that can’t work in the modern society will come back to haunt them big time.
So, they don’t want to serve in the army. They don’t want to learn academic subjects, they don’t want to work. What exactly is it that they do to support themselves besides being on relief?
A big shame. Does anyone really believe that its simply an issue of school choice and not simply religious extremism against anything secular? If its simply about allowing parents to make thier won conscience choice please explain the following.
A couple of weeks ago the leading charedi paper, yated wrote a scathing article against an Isreali school that choose to offer its students a secular education. If its simply school choice why are charedim against a school the “chooses” to offer an education. The answer is its not about school choice is about blocking charedim from recieving any secular education. Its about keeping charedim locked in thier caves.
Please tell me the honest truth. Are 9th graders up to learning torah a whole day? Do they really have the zits fliesh? If they are not learning anyhow why not offer a secular education? So if you will ask how do they have zits fliesh to learn secular stuff. The answer is, its a change of pace and generally lighter in style. Most 9th graders use their time more wisely via a mixture of gemara and secular studies with gemara a prime focus. Look around america and see which boys are greater balonim.
Well, well the “cursed Zionists” certainly molly coddle them.
Shkoyach! Allows continuation of, and pays homage to, the helige mesorah of uneducated Chareidim.
Keeping the voting blocs happy at their own expense.
Dictators always kept their masses stupid. It’s a proven tactic. It works.
There is always a need for more flaffel shops. I love flaffel!
another sad day for so many yiddishe kinderlach.
i am surprised they dont have to b be a good schnorer classes.
That could never be considered bitul zman.
remember the One Above provides not the Zionists, we didn’t let the czar control our chinuch and wont let the toeiva loving Zionists do it either. Remember Ruby Schron and the Schreibers of B and H, don’t have PHd s and yet are very rich.
So, correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t the Rambam and the Vilna Gaon study math and science? Those subjects show the greatness of the creation and thereby the Creator.