Belz and Secular Studies

Image of Chasdic children for illustration purposes (VIN)

Is the tide finally turning? From VIN: 

In a dramatic development in the charedi educational system, the Belz chasidim are close to integrating core curriculum studies in their system and receiving 100% funding from the government. Two Belz institutions will initially come under the supervision of the Bnei Yosef network of Shas and will receive the full funding. The agreement is expected to expand to all of Belz’s educational institutions, numbering some 9000 students. 

This is no small event. The fight against introducing  secular studies into Charedi schools has been so fierce, that before he died, Rav Gershon Edlestein was reported saying that any Rebbe (religious studies teacher) that teaches even Limudei Kodesh in a school that offers such a core curriculum – loses their portion in the world to come. When a Gadol of such major stature says something like that, it is not taken lightly. It registers. No Charedi Rebbe worthy of that description would ever dare to teach in such a school.

Frankly, I do not understand Rav Edelestein’s extreme statement. I know he was opposed to offering any secular subjects in Charedi schools. But to go so far as he did, seems to be way over the top It is beyond my comprehension. Especially of one considers the gentle nature of R’ Edelstein and the care and concern he had for every single Jew regardless of how observant they were. 

Was he exaggerating to make the point? I don’t know. But as an Ish Emes -  man of truth, that is highly unlikely. I assume he was just following in Rav Shach’s path who ostracized Maarava, a Charedi school that offered a core secular studies curriculum.

It is therefore plainly obvious how opposed Rav Edelestein was to  Belz’s decision. If I recall correctly, when they had first announced they were going to do that (about a year ago?) they were threatened with expulsion from membership in the Charedi UTJ party. Belz reversed course because of that. 

But I guess they changed course again, realizing that the government offering of full funding to their  schools was offer an offer they could not refuse. 

A lot of skeptics might say that this isn’t about the better education those 9000 students would get. That this is all about the money. I have no way of knowing whether that was the full motive behind it. Even though the following seems to indicate it is indeed all about the money: 

The Belz initiative is a blow for Degel Hatorah, which had threatened to split with Agudah before the previous election over the possible inclusion of core curriculum studies. At the time Netanyahu intervened prior to the election and promised Belz funding even if they didn’t include core curriculum studies, but this promise wasn’t fulfilled in the current budget and therefore Belz moved ahead with the curricular studies. 

Perhaps, But at the same time I cannot believe that the Belzer Rebbe would do anything that would compromise the spiritual well being of his Chasidim, no matter what the financial advantages of doing that might be. I have to believe that he actually thinks this would be beneficial to his Chasidim.

 This is not just a  few outlier Charedi schools going against the grain as is the case with Maarava and a few other schools like it. This is a major well known segment of the Charedi world. One that might be seen as an example for others to follow. At least in the Chasdic world. 

How ironic it would be if Chasidim in Israel started offering a secular curriculum the way the vast majority of the non Chasidic schools in the US do. While extremist Chasidic schools like those of Satmar continue to refuse with a Yehoreg Ve’al Yaavor (willing to die for the cause) fervor!

I need not repeat the clear advantages gained by those who are offered a secular curriculum on the one hand - and on the other hand, the disadvantages to those who aren’t.. Been there and done that Ad Nauseam.   

All I will say is that I hope this catches on. The demographics of the Charddi world in Israel seem to indicate that an increasing proportion of the Israeli public will be Charedim. Perhaps at an exponential rate over the next few generations. 

Israel will need the kind of professionals that only advanced educationn can provide. Which means that Charedim will increasingly be needed to become a part of that. Now that we have one very large segment of the Charedi population becoming more eligible than ever to become those professionals, there is hope for a more materially productive the future.  

As of right now, unfortunately, it seems that the rest of the Charedi world in Israel is anything BUT on board with it. But who could have ever predicted that a major Chasdic sect like Belz would be the first to do it - if at all?! Who knows. May there is hope for the future after all.