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| Outrage at The New York Times is the wrong focus (YWN)) |
The Orthodox Jew-obsessed New York Times hasn’t had its fill of attacks against religious Jewish schools, with the writers of its infamous anti-Jewish hit pieces asking for more people to talk to them about their experience in yeshivas.
“The New York Times is continuing to report on education in NY’s Hasidic community, as well as in other Orthodox Jewish community. We want to collect as many personal stories as we can, from all perspectives,” NYT journalist Brian Rosenthal wrote on Twitter.
In my view this kind of rhetoric is nothing more than a misdirection of focus. Talking about the New York Times ‘hate filled’ bias against Orthodox schools ignores what the issue is really about.
Now there is no question that for decades New York Times has been guilty of bias in their coverage of Israel. There might even be some truth to the accusations of anti Charedi bias. But that ignores the problem at hand which NYSED (New York Education Department) is trying to fix: The complete lack of any Limudei Chol (secular studies) curriculum in Satmar type Yeshivos.
Just because the Times might be biased does not mean that what they discovered in their investigation is false. Which is that in this very large segment of the Orthodox world Limudei Chol is treated like Apikursus.
I’m sure they will deny that they ever said that and point to their Limudei Chol curriculum for girls. But that belies the cry by that community I so often see in print that claims that the government wants to impose Kefira (Heresy) being taught in their schools! Which of course they will fight to the very end.
Kefira?! My guess is that if they would have the same secular curriculum for boys that they already have for girls, none of this would be happening.
Let me be absolutely clear. It is more than obvious to me that what NYSED wants is a ‘curriculum that is substantially equivalent to that of their public schools’. Which is more or less what the vast majority of Orthodox Yeshivos already offer. To the best of my knowledge NYSED has no interest shoving Kefira down anyone’s throat.
I have heard their arguments in opposition to NYSED.
One is the slippery slope argument. If we let secular authorities into our schools, who knows what they will be mandating next? To that I would respond that if anything even remotely close to that ever happens, that would be the time to protest. By protesting NYSED’s policy of requiring a decent secular studies curriculum, they are throwing away a valuable education that should have been there in the first place. You don’t protest prescribed medication designed to help you because of the possibility that your doctor might in the future prescribe medication that could hurt you.
Another argument is that Chasidim have the right to teach their children in ways they see fit even if we don’t agree with them. But should that include the right to deny an education that is so clearly beneficial to their future welfare?
That many of those making this argument would never allow their own children to have an education bereft of Limudei Kodesh, means that they place significant value on Limudei Chol. Considering it valuable enough to devote a significant portion of their school day to it.
Why don’t they care that an education lacking any Limdei Chol they so value for their own children - is good enough for Satmar children? I find that to be condescending. And worse, it leaves huge and fast growing proportion of Orthodox Jews ignorant of very basic knowledge that will allow them better opprtunites for a decent livelihood and make them better citizens in the country in which they live.
I will grant that their argument that NYSED does not place enough value - if any - on the disciplines of rational thought and logic that studying Gemara teaches their students. I believe that in this respect they are ahead of the what public schools offer. But what has always disturbed me – and still does – is that this alone is clearly not enough. The lack of offering any independent Limudei Chol curriculum keeps them ignorant of knowledge that - as noted - would better their prospects in the job market and make them better citizens. That NYSED wants to fix that is ignored by complaints that focus on media bias and government interference.
I care about the welfare of all Jews. That includes Satmar Chasidim. That they have been misled about the value of Limudei Chol is something that does not sit well with me. In my humble opinion, every Jew is entitled to a decent education in both Limudei Kodesh and Limudei Chol. That NYSED wants to remedy that ought to be supported. Not protested under the guise of government interference and antisemitism.
The complaints about the Times bias might be valid. But to misdirect their outrage at the Times while ignoring the very real failings that the Times has discovered serves no one. Least of all the male Chasidic students where ignorance of Limudei Chol will be perpetuated if the Satmar hierarchy and their defenders have their way.
I will end with a thought with which I heartily agree - sent by a frequent reader about a response I wish I could to see instead of the one I constantly see:
Imagine a statement like the following.
“While the NYT has an unambiguous record of negative fixation on one community - the Orthodox Jewish community - in this particular instance, we are nevertheless alarmed by the allegations raised and endeavour to seriously investigate the matter.”
So yes they just “won’t stop” until WE take ownership of our own failings - whatever they may be, big or small - and show responsibility and maturity in addressing a fault at hand - divorcing what may be a malignant agenda but nevertheless… does not absolve the community from taking specific action where valid fault lies.