Sunday, January 07, 2007

Anti Elitist!

Do you worry as to whether the kids in your children's school are "good enough?" Apparently some parents, concerned of the quality fo the school population raised the question with
Rav Shapira - who commands great authority in the Religious Zionist world. He made some worthwhile and powerful comments.

He said that there should not be special elitist schools.

"מצווה לחנך ילדים שהם יהודים, ואין מצווה לחנך יחסניים. האם כך אתן מקפידות שבאות לכיתות שלכן רק תלמידות יחסניות?! כל אחד צריך להביא תעודה מאבא שלו ומאימא שלו כי יכול להיות שהאבא יחסן גדול והאימא היא לא כל-כך יחסנית גדולה?! דנים על אופי של דת, שומרי דת או לא, אבל ביה"ס לצדקניות וצדיקים שמעתם על זה?? בית-ספר מיוחד לצדיקים וצדקניות! ומי שבא, ואבא שלו לא צדיק - לא יקבלו?!",

"It is a Mitzva to educate Jewish children, not to educate specially "connected" children! Are you really concerend only to educte kids from good family lineage? Does eachchild have to bring a certificate from his father and mother - because you know, maybe his father has a good family history, and the mother doesn't?! People talk about religiously observant or not, but a school for Tzadikkim and Tzidkaniot; has anyone ever heard of such a thing?"

See the full piece here

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