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| New York Mayor Eric Adams (CBS) |
Although its been a while since I have discussed this subject, one of the issues that concerns me the most is Jewish education. This is an area that needs a little tweaking. Perhaps more than a little.
On the religious side of he issue, in many ways we are doing well. At least in the magnitude of Torah study throughout the world. I suspect that there are more Jews studying Torah now than at any other time in history. Whether the depth of study is the same is an open question. I’m not sure whether it applies to the majority or a significant minority, but Talmud study is done in great depth by huge numbers of Yeshiva and Kollel students. Mostly (but by far not exclusively) populated by Charedim. This is their educational paradigm.
The problem is that with respect to the male population, the focus is almost exclusively on Gemara, Rishonim and certain Achronim. There is no Tanach, no Jewish philosophy, no Jewish history, and perhaps most important of all little if any discussion of ethics and morality. Which is simply assumed by most educators to be part of their students’ basic character development - learned and absorbed in their homes.
As we have all come to learn all too frequently that translates to gross misconceptions about how to act in general society that can and often does lead to a major Chilul Hashem – in a variety of different ways.
Although most Yeshiva students do have good values that they indeed absorbed from their parents, enough do not to make it a problem that should not be ignored in the schools. But not only is it ignored, there are some teachers that exacerbate this problem by sending the wrong messages about the outside world as morally bankrupt. To the extent of treating them like lesser human beings worthy of private ridicule and even contempt.
And whether intentionally or not, implying that Goyim can be taken advantage of if they can do so without being caught. I have heard that message more than once. Fortunately I think it is a small number of religious teachers that send this kind of message. But there are enough to make it a problem which has caused many a Chilul HaShem.
The fact is that women do have a far better Jewish education in the Charedi world than men. They may not be learning Gemarah. But they tend to be far more educated in these other important aspects of Judaism. (But in some cases - the anti Goyim message is there for girls too.)
On the secular side, we all know the problems Yeshivos face in the largest population center of the Jewish people in America, New York city. A few Chasidic schools (and increasingly some non Chasidic Lithuanian type schools) refuse to teach any secular studies. Because of them, all Yeshivos in New York have been undergoing a lot of scrutiny by NYSED – New York state’s education department.
Long story short officials decided to restructure their equivalency requirements in ways that would have made their religious curriculum practically non existent because of the time requirements for each mandated subject.
That has not been implemented and to the best of my knowledge it will not be. This is one area where common sense needs to prevail. Which brings me to an article in the Jewish Press about New York’s new mayor, Eric Adams. He actually possesses common sense. Here is what he said on the subject:
Incoming New York City Mayor Eric Adams told reporters at a news conference on Thursday that the yeshivas that he visited during his recent campaign were providing a “well-rounded quality education” to their students…
“I visited several yeshivas during the campaign and what I do know is that those who are there, who are teaching the students, the literature that I looked at, is supportive of a well-rounded quality education that we want to encourage,” Adams said…
“With the small number of yeshivas that we were having problems in, should not be the message for the larger number of yeshivas that are doing the right thing…
“Some of the books that I saw in the yeshivas – maybe they were not Shakespeare – but they still were scholarly works. Everyone is looking at culturally sensitive education. That includes yeshivas at the same time,” Adams pointed out.
First let me say that there is nothing wrong with studying Shakespeare. It was part of the Telshe secular studies curriculum when I was there. We studied Julius Caesar. I recall as well that R’ Ya’akov Kamenetsky once quoted some famous lines from Shakespeare to his class and was shocked that none of them recognized it.
If a Charedi Yeshiva like Telshe required Shakespeare and a Gadol like R’ Ya’akov quoted from it, there is certainly nothing wrong with studying it.
Be that as it may, Adams is clearly applying common sense to the Yeshiva education issue. He saw what a typical Charedi Yeshiva in New York teaches and recognized it as ‘well rounded’. The religious educators responsible for the curriculum at those schools showed common sense, too. No need to ride roughshod over those schools.
The only people lacking any common sense at all are the few Chasidic schools whose religious educators refuse to comply with even the most basic core curriculum. They must not be ignored. Adams didn’t say so, but he should demand that those schools must offer the same basic level of secular studies that the vast majority of mainstream religious schools do.
I stand by my original beliefs that without any secular education at all, those students are being severely short-changed - even if many of them end up as productive citizen that are somehow able to provide for their large families.
Not everyone can, however, survive on the limited options available to the undereducated. Those that can’t, suffer needlessly. Because with a proper education their options are expanded giving them more opportunities to support their families. Without that - it leads to far more reliance on government subsidies and in far too many cases fraud.
But even beyond that - the lack of a secular curriculum means that their literacy is often severely compromised making them appear ignorant. I was shocked at the number of simple spelling and grammatical errors found in some of their public writings. While it’s true that we all make such errors occasionally (I may have made some right here in this post) the degree and frequency with which it happens there is not a Kiddush HaShem.
That their woman are given a secular studies curriculum gives lie to their oft stated claim of fearing the negative influences of secular studies.
This is all plain and simple common sense. But obstinance in their circles seems to outweigh common senses. My hope is that Mayor Adams does not leave behind the students that attend these schools. And makes sure that they offer the same type of curriculum mainstream religious schools and their own girls get. And it would not hurt if all religious schools tweaked their religious studies too. It’s plain old fashioned common sense