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| Naftuli Moster pictured at a recent podcast interview (VIN) |
As noted in JTA, NYSED had begun ramping up
enforcement of a law requiring substantial equivalency in private education.
Naftuli, an ex-Belzer Chassid, felt cheated out of a proper education and
described his experience as follows:
“I had a broken English, I had no high school diploma, I had no understanding even of how college operates, no foundational knowledge that sort of would help me through college - even the application process - let alone actual college. So, yeah, I was pretty angry at the time, and I felt like I had nothing to lose because I already felt sort of disowned or shunned by the community anyway.”
Naftuli eventually resigned from YAFFED after it was
overtaken by individuals with an agenda he could not support. I applaud
him for knowing where to draw the line. Since then, he has returned to
religious observance and now lives in a Modern Orthodox community, where his
children attend one of their schools.
Naftuli regrets the way he publicly criticized his former
Chassidic community and has come to appreciate many aspects of the lifestyle he
left behind. I’m pleased to hear that while he still supports his original
goal, he no longer endorses the confrontational methods he once employed.
The Charedi opposition to his efforts was fierce. They
argued that the state was violating the First Amendment by interfering with
their right to educate their children solely based on religious values - which,
in some Chassidic communities, does not include any secular studies.
Long story short: After a lengthy legal battle, the courts ruled that while the state does have the authority to mandate ‘substantial equivalency’ in education, it cannot enforce that mandate by closing down noncompliant schools. Instead, enforcement was deemed to be the responsibility of the parents - something that proved practically impossible to implement on a broad scale.
As a result, some Chassidic communities continue to exclude
secular studies from their curricula. They claim that their children’s lives
are no less rich because of what is taught, even if that excludes
general education.
I was disappointed to hear this outcome. While it's true
that many in these communities seem blissfully unaware of what they're missing,
ignorance - no matter how blissful - still means lost opportunity. Denying an
entire community access to knowledge and tools that could broaden their
horizons is never a good thing.
Even if the messenger, Naftuli Moster, was flawed, the
message he carried was not. Dismissing the message just because the messenger
was disliked ensures that the message will never be heard. And this is a
message that the broader observant Jewish world has largely accepted and acted
upon.
The vast majority of non-Chassidic Orthodox schools - and
even some within the Chassidic world – do provide a secular education. Many
require students to take New York’s Regents Exams to measure their academic
proficiency upon high school graduation.
While there is unfortunately a trend away from rigorous
secular studies even in some non-Chassidic schools, most still offer some
form of a secular curriculum. Fighting
for the right of any segment of Orthodox Jewry to remain uneducated in general
studies does them a great disservice. Whether they realize it or not.
Naftuli still believes in his original mission, but he now
regrets the approach he once took and the harsh words he used. I’m glad he
hasn’t abandoned the cause - only the negativity that once accompanied it.
As for me, my views have not changed. I never disparaged the
Chassidic lifestyle. Like Naftuli does now, I recognize its beauty and value - for
those who choose it. But one does not have to give up that way of life in order
to obtain a decent general education. That should be seen as a positive improvement,
one that can unlock unforeseen opportunities.
Unfortunately, based on the court's decision, many of those
opportunities may now be lost - perhaps forever.
