Not that this is news, but it is sad to be reminded of it again. And what brings is all home to me is that it is being done in collaboration with the anti religious state. You know which state I mean: The state of Israel. And why is this so? Politics. That’s right it’s the ‘votes for dollars’ parties better known as the religious parties. Their political clout is now so strong that they have managed to proudly shoot themselves in the foot with the help of the Education Ministry.
I can hear it now. “There he goes again bashing the Charedim. Or bashing the Gedolim. No, I’m not doing that. I am simply pointing out what I strongly believe is folly on their part. They are entitled to their views. They can disagree. And their Torah knowledge is great. But it is incumbent upon them to justify to Klal Yisroel why they have taken such a hardcore position on this issue. Not that they must halachicly, but that they should morally.
Morally in the sense that the current decision creates such a major impediment and causes hardship to the physical well being of the very people they care about most. It perpetuates and increases poverty. It causes ever greater dependence on government funding from people they call evil. And on charities whose recipients needs increase exponentially with time. And it causes those charities to use questionable fund raising techniques like preying on the misfortunes of other religious Jews so as to increase their donations.
It is an outrage to me that women have now become almost the sole breadwinners of Charedi homes in Israel. Even though they seem to do this willingly, it seems to be so patently unfair. Women are not only expected to bring home the bacon, they are expected to raise the children with no less commitment than if the were full time mothers. And take care of the home to boot.
Of course the Charedi leadership is just as outraged by this and has decided to come out with a Takana, a religious edict that women not be allowed to educate themselves beyond what they consider the bare minimum. No bacehlor’s degrees of any kind, Certainly not secular ones but even religious ones.
But the new twist is that it has full government support. As I indicated this is an old story. The reasons given by Charedi rabbinic leaders in Israel for this policy, if I recall correctly is that it takes away too much time from the home and family. That’s nice.
Well, what about the job? Doesn’t that take away too much time form the home and family, too? I guess not. After all somebody’s got to work. It can’t be the full time Avreich. So, it’s got to be the wives and mothers. Makes sense!
Makes sense if you live in a world that’s gone topsy turvy, that is. But, I can accept the reality of that situation. This is how Charedim have been indoctrinated. These are their Hashkafos. Charedi women do it willingly and lovingly. They sacrifice and their families sacrifice so that their husband’s can learn. Fine.
But all is not so well in Torahville. Many of these women had decided to try and improve their lot by getting continuing education. In that way, they could qualify for greater incomes, not to mention gain greater knowledge. And it’s not like they were taking that much time away from parenting. They were already doing that at their jobs. In some cases I suppose it meant taking even more time away in the evenings two or three times a week. But only for an additional year or two when school and only when school was in session. This way they would be better able to compete in the job market.
But the Charedi rabbinic leadership was going to have none of that. To the consternation of the very people who so revere them, they have forbidden women to better themselves that way. Charedi families must continue to subsist on the lower ages that an advanced education would likely give them. And many Charedi women have been very upset by being forbidden to do what was until now completely permissible. “How” they ask, “can we continue to support our families on these lower incomes?”
But all is not so dreary. In the field of education where many of these women are employed, the evil Israeli government via the Education Ministry has come to the rescue. Even though their rules require more education for a higher pay scale, they have exempted Charedi women who teach in the Charedi school systems from the educational requirement. They will now receive the same wages as those of their secular counterparts who are required to have the more education.
How much better I feel. Those evil secular Zionists are not only leveling the playing field, they are favoring the Charedim.
This is so great! We get to keep our women ignorant and get paid for it. At least for those who teach. Our men get to learn Torah morning noon and night unfettered and free of worry. And our women? Barefoot pregnant and in the kitchen where they belong. And taking care of all the children without help. Except when they are at work of course. Thank you Medinat Yisroel. We couldn’t have done it without you.
