A decision by Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah to call on principals
not to consent to any curricular changes and not to change
their government status from "exempt" to any other status is
making waves among principals throughout Eretz Yisroel.
In meetings with various principals last week, it was decided
to reject all pressure and enticements from the Education
Ministry to introduce the concept of teacher training in the
chareidi system by determining budget levels and according to
the ranking system employed at government and "recognized"
schools. ("Exempt" schools are the traditional
chadorim, and "recognized" schools are those like Bais
Yaakov and Chinuch Atzmai that are more fully integrated into
the regular Israeli education system.)
According to the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah decision, "Moetzes
Gedolei HaTorah demands that all principals of talmudei
Torah classified as `exempt institutions' not alter the
status to `recognized but unofficial.' "
A letter written several months ago by Maran HaRav Yosef
Sholom Eliashiv, shlita, reads, "And now a cry is
being heard to alter the way passed on to us by changing the
status of talmudei Torah to `recognized institutions,'
which would be liable, chas vesholom, to bring about
the involvement of secular education figures at places of
learning for tinokos shel beis rabbon. Furthermore, on
the fringe of the camp are those who would like to send
melamdim to advanced courses sponsored by the
Education Ministry. At this time it is incumbent upon us to
state that whoever makes any changes in the accepted order
practiced at the talmudei Torah heretofore will be
held accountable [in Shomayim] . . ."
According to directives by gedolei Yisroel, it has
been decided not to make any changes and United Torah Jewry
MKs have been asked to make every effort to accept budgeting
only according to existing practices, categorically refusing
to introduce a foreign spirit into "exempt" institutions, in
order to preserve their independence and to preclude the
danger of any outside control over the character of the
teaching staff at educational institutions run in purity.
Rejecting various incentives presented to lure them into
making changes, principals sent a clear message to the
Education Ministry to stop trying to interfere with chareidi
educational institutions.
