Israel’s Education Ministry is currently formulating a list of several educational programs aimed at restoring Jewish identity and mesorah, and school principals will be required to choose one program to implement at their schools, Channel 13 News recently revealed.
Some examples of the programs are implementing Jewish ceremonies such as Havdalah or Kabbalas Shabbos and Chagim; the singing of piyutim, Jewish studies instruction for teachers, the establishment of a garden for growing the Shivas Minim in the schoolyard, or even the operation of a Beis Medrash in the school.
Predictably, some of the secular public slammed the plan as “religious coercion,” but many supported the move.
In a response that surprised many, Yaron Avraham, a well-known secular reporter for Channel 12, expressed support for the plan, writing on his X account: “My opinion: Kol Hakavod.”
“There is no need to run away from some mesorah and Jewish identity, and this certainly isn’t ‘religious indoctrination.’ Most children arrive in the army knowing more about Islam than about Judaism. Why? Excellent decision.”
Avraham’s post sparked many responses from well-known media figures, and many expressed disbelief at his claim of children knowing more about Islam than Judaism, some asking him if he can actually provide one example.
Avraham responded: “Me. I knew more about Islam than before I enlisted. Much more, even. I want my children to have a deep connection to their roots, and I’m really not going to apologize for that. There’s room for everything: for poetry and high-tech, for the Parshat HaShavuah and democracy. It’s not either-or, it’s both-and.”
He added, “In a Jewish country, Judaism is excellent. Mesorah is wonderful. Mesorah is powerful. A nation that flees from its roots will eventually scatter.”
One Kan journalist was incensed by Avraham’s words, saying that he is afraid of “the darkness of popular journalists.” But many others expressed support.
Secular singer Kobi Oz also praised the Education Ministry’s move, writing: “I have mostly encountered schools that omit fostering Jewish identity out of fear. I have children who visited a church during school, and not a Beit Knesset, because anything Jewish is a minefield for the administration. They are raising a generic citizen of the world. As a student, I met different types of children, while my children hardly spoke with religious children in school.”
It should be noted that this is not the first time that secular Israelis have bemoaned the lack of Jewish content in Israeli schools.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
As all the gedolim said for a century, including Rav Elchonon Wasserman (chacham adif miNavi), the Zionists’ schools will intentionally indoctrinate the children with heresy. Of course, Zionism is, itself, heresy. Some pittance of Judaism is certainly better than nothing at all, for all those souls drowning in the sea of heresy and idolatry promulgated by the Zionists. But that doesn’t change the fact that their “State” is very much Zionist, not Jewish.
Welcome to the Zionist State.
If they think growing 7 haminim or singing Jewish hymns (or even discussing Jewish stuff) passes as Yiddishkeit, it is not.
I wouls argue possibly better not have a plastic counterfeit version passing off as real. Doing so sends all the wrong messages and in my humble opinion doesnt move things in the right direction. It just gives license to relegate Judaim to superficial traditions. Call a spade a spade.
In all western countries, school days start, or supposed to start, with prayers and religious studies is a main subject. Except in the “Jewish” non-state of Israel.