None of the rabbonim or askonim has a good explanation
for why things in the higher levels of Bais Yaakov were left
as they were for so long. But from now on things will
definitely be different, be"H.
We begin with a brief survey of the Bais Yaakov system in
Eretz Yisroel. A typical teacher in Bais Yaakov has
grown up within the system. She has studied in elementary
school and then high school in a curriculum that is similar
to those followed in Bais Yaakov schools throughout the
world, including limudei kodesh and limudei
chol. Following those 12 years of school, she has studied
for two further years in a seminar in which she has
taken a program qualifying her to teach general limudei
kodesh as well as a specialization in another subject.
These subjects include early childhood education,
kindergarten, music, computers, special education, and
more.
The first 12 years are supposed to be fully funded by the
State of Israel through the Ministry of Education and the
local authorities. The State also provides partial funding
for the final two years, though parents also pay substantial
tuition. The schools, and the Bais Yaakov and Chinuch Atzmai
organizations of which they are a part, are still
independent. The State does not own them. The ultimate
control of all aspects of the curriculum lies with the
rabbonim who direct them. Nonetheless the State, and
especially the Ministry of Education, has influence since
they do provide the funding.
For several years recently, the Ministry has been trying to
push the Bais Yaakov education to be more like its secular
counterparts. The rabbonim and educators have refused to be
pushed around in this way, and have rejected all attempts by
the Ministry of Education to set educational policy for
chareidi children.
We have been successful because we have stood together, and
also because basically there are no important criticisms
against our education. Our graduates are properly educated
and function well as adults. The Ministry of Education cannot
argue that they have to fix our education, but they do argue
that they want to improve it and make it more like their
standard secular education.
One of the persistent bones of contention in recent years has
been the desire of the Ministry to add additional educational
requirements for women teachers. It would like to add a third
year of studies to the standard course, but the rabbonim, led
by Maran HaRav Eliashiv shlita have adamantly rejected
this. One reason mentioned has been that they do not want to
postpone the age of marriage.
The Ministry has continued to press for more study. The
rabbonim agreed to a mandatory part-time third year of study,
which will not interfere with other plans.
There has always been a well-developed system of continuing
education for women teachers. If a teacher passes courses her
salary rises. Since the system is so closely tied to the
government, there are also salary increments for getting
regular university degrees.
However, the system has been functioning without rabbinical
oversight. This will now stop. The rabbonim have now
established a committee that will henceforth direct all these
studies.
They have restricted the studies of the women to the area in
which they are actually teaching. They have allowed taking
courses to reach the levels bachir and kefel
to'ar (a level that allows the teacher to teach in a
seminar), and also other courses known as
gemulim. However they do not allow women to get a BA
or a BA equivalent.
Maran HaRav Eliashiv said that he did not know how it could
be that for so long those who run the courses had not sought
rabbinical guidance. He also said that those who had been
exposed to outside influences in these advanced courses must
be assumed by the Bais Yaakov system to be on a lower level
than those who have not been so exposed. Maran said, "This is
an issue that affects all of the chinuch of Bais
Yaakov, and no one can do anything without supervision and
guidance, just because of salary conditions and the
regulations of the Ministry of Education."
The strongest opposition to the changes is being made by
arguing that it is okay since it has been done for so many
years. In fact, these were the original rules that were laid
down by the rabbonim in the past, but they were ignored in
practice for many years. Maran answered that if the only
hetter that they can find is just ovar veshonoh
— which the gemora says causes the person to
feel that it is permissible even when it is not — then
that obviously has no force.
It is high time that the proper procedures are followed, and
once the system is finalized, it should be used as a model
for other places as well.
