New School in Efrat

To:

Mr. Oded Revivi, Mayor

Mr. Yossi Krotheimer, Director of Education

Efrat Municipality

Re: Establishment of a new elementary school in Tamar

 

We were pleased to hear that there will be a new school opening on Sept 1st in the Tamar neighborhood. Thank G-d, Efrat is developing and we thank all the parties who put time and effort into this important task.

The Moetza has announced that the new school will be managed by the Meitarim organization.

The Meitarim website states:

Meitarim’s mission is to change the nature of Jewish education in Israel by educating Jewish children in religiously pluralistic, coeducational frameworks in which students from different backgrounds learn together about their common Jewish heritage.

Among Metarim’s pedagogical goals:

•    Learning that is experiential and creative from a wealth of sources and subjects drawn from books that are Jewish, Israeli and universal.
• "Kria Yehefa" –teaching Torah in a way that allows each student to interpret the text as he or she sees fit (without religious guidance).
• Flowing between traditional observance and “baggage” the students bring from home and critical thought that encourages personal choice.

Our goal is not to criticize Meitarim.  We understand that Meitarim’s agenda is important to many people and that the organization does important work. However, we know that we do not want to send our children to a school with their approach to Torah and education - an approach that is not in harmony with our hashkafa.

We residents (present and future) ask the Moetza to respect our right to raise our children in the spirit of the Chinuch Mamlachti Dati, which includes an environment and education comprised of religious values, Torah study and observance, staff (director, teachers and educators) that are role models to our children and a curriculum true to the spirit of the chinuch mamlachti dati – all things that are essential to raising our children according to our hashkafa.

We believe elementary school is a crucial time for children to receive strong foundations for faith, observance and religious outlook. We know Meitarim will not provide this.

Meitarim refrains from defining themselves as religious and has a pluralistic agenda that does not fit our worldview.

According to Yossi Krotheimer, Director of the Education Department of Efrat, the school "Aseh Chayil" is overflowing and there is no physical ability to increase the number of students (see unofficial summary of meeting attached).

It is important for us to clarify that we see great value in the inclusion of students who do not observe the Sabbath and define themselves as traditional or secular. These students receive much love and full inclusion within the normal chinuch mamlachti dati framework.

Therefore, we demand that (see petition attached):

• The school which is opening in the Tamar be a standard Mamlachti Dati School with all that it implies and will therefore provide a solution for the majority of the residents (see survey attached).
• The schools in Efrat will not be defined according to location.
• Each parent shall have the right to choose a school that matches his hashkafa.
• The Moetza will provide transportation for every child in Efrat (funded by the Ministry of Education) according to the distance from his home to the institution chosen by him.
• The Moetza will ensure that the conditions in each school will be defined by the number of students and their educational needs.

WIth hope for further fruitful cooperation,

 

copy:

Dr. Abraham Lifsitz- Director of Religious Education

Mr. Meir Shimoni, Director of the Jerusalem District - Ministry of Education.

Mr. Alex Glicksburg, director of the State Department of the Jerusalem District

Ms. Vered Libi  - General Director of Ministry of Education

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