Video: Jewish Community Unites to Protect Yeshiva Independence

In the Satmar Shul on 52nd Street, there was a large sign hanging on the outside front door, for a few months. It read, “NO TRANPASSING”.
None of the Mispalelim was able to explain to them that the word Trespassing does not come from the word Transportation.

This is the letter I sent to the SED
To whom it may concern.
I would like to express my concerns about the State Education Department having oversight over the yeshivos I send my children to.
First of all, there are many successful people in all fields that went through the yeshiva system. I know the response, “They are the exception and even if it were so the yeshivos are not teaching basic skills.” This is false. Let’s look at the core subjects, math, science, history, language arts. Each subject is very different, but there is an underlining commonality in all subjects. You need reading skills, reasoning skills, writing skills, critical thinking and so on. Children in yeshivos get all this and more when they learn to read and write in Hebrew, learn chumash with the commentary Rashi, and the Talmud with their commentaries. As they advance to post-high school every yeshiva student is encouraged to write well thought out scholarly articles which are often published in journals. Any child that goes through our system has all the skills he needs to build a successful future. In fact, it is clear to me that the skills learned during the Hebrew program buttresses the skills learned in the secular department. This is why we find many successful entrepreneurs and businessmen in our community. This applies to all types of yeshivos from Hasidic to modern orthodox
There is another important point that must be mentioned. There are those who have a vendetta particularly against the chasidisha yeshivos and the Hasidic way of life. These people grew up in this community. They left the community and are trying to undermine our values. The first thing they seek to destroy is our school system particularly by complaining about the lack of English language skills. This is what is called a red herring. They know Yiddish is the first language for most of these children. They know that the lack of English language skills has nothing to do with the school. These children talk only Yiddish at home, to their friends, and in yeshiva except for the few hours of secular studies. Getting the state education department involved will not change this.
A third point, which may be the most important point of all. Who are going to be the ones to be monitoring the yeshivos, and how much input do these monitors have in deciding if a curriculum meets their criteria? Today the greatest threat to yeshivos is the progressive liberal movement, but tomorrow it can be a religious fanatic with an agenda. Yeshivos are very concerned about this. Parents send their children to a religious or private because that school reflects their values and culture. Parents want their children to learn these ideals and values, not those that some bureaucrat wants us to learn.

Letters must also be sent to President Trump, an upstanding and ethical person with good moral values, who would surely understand that Jewish values and virtues that we hold dear will chas veshalom not get challenged by immoral lowlifes who are the minority of minorities and should not have all that power to dictate their abomination and profaneness to anyone in the world, certainly not to the holy Jewish nation. After all, Yisrael Kedoshim hem.

nu…. once Agudah and the Rosh Yeshivas are on the topic. what about kids not having a yeshiva or beis yakov to go to? that issue will be forever be brushed under the rug! hey agudah why not set up a vaad hachinich that makes sure no child is wondering the street!

Spelling knowledge: not sure how your comment will help us against this serious issue, in fact it could make the situation worse
hmm: Agudah is not a machine. Its askanim cannot fix the world in a day. How much time did you give to the Klal? Do you do anything to help out those kids?

We must take this matter serious and sign the petition. Everyone. If you did not do so yet, do it now!!

Why did not all these leaders get together and tell everyone to outvote the democrats.

I’m a yeshiva graduate, and am writing to register my opposition to the regulations proposed by the State Education Department.

There’s an old adage, which goes as follows, “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it”.

I believe that the yeshiva education that I received in NYC was stellar, and prepared me for a successful life after school. It also did not conform to the dictates that the State Education Department is attempting to impose through these proposed regulations.

The center of a yeshiva education is its Jewish studies curriculum. That is as it should be. Jewish parents have a right to educate their children as they see fit, and I’m very happy that my parents chose this path for me.

My peers may have had educations with more of an emphasis on secular studies, but they are not better prepared for success.

I have no doubt that the intensive, dual curriculum education that I received in yeshiva, has been the key to my successes in both worlds; the world of Judaism, and also the secular world.

These proposed new regulations will undermine the ability of the yeshiva I attended to provide future generations of students with the same excellent education that I received. The proposed regulations and required units of study are in opposition to my religious conviction and my strong Torah adherence.

If until now, due to an alleged conflict with separation of church and state, NY State found itself unwilling and unable to fund yeshivas. All the more so, the state should respect this sacrosanct separation, with regard to the independence and autonomy of yeshivas.

I therefore urge you to reject these proposed new regulations.

Respectfully,

Israel Reader