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| Belzer Chasidim at the graves of the Belzer Rebbes (YouTube) |
These are the thoughts that immediately occurred to me after
reading about yet another conflict between state and religion. Only this one is
in Canada, where their constitution protects freedom of worship, just as ours
does.
This has been one of my pet peeves about Chasidism for as
far back as I can remember. (Although, to be honest, the non-Chasidic Yeshiva
world is doing its level best to catch up with them. But I digress.)
The ideology of insularity as a means of protecting oneself
from influences foreign to Judaism has gone to such extremes in the Chasidic
world that even the very language of the country is seen as a portal to the
evils of society at large.
This is why, when you speak to members of certain Chasidic
sects, you will hear them speak as though they were new immigrants. Often, they
speak in grammatically incorrect ways. When it comes to writing, their spelling
is about as accurate as that of a third grader. Their grammar is often no
better.
They do this by choice, as a matter of distancing themselves
from the surrounding culture. The more different they are from that culture,
the less likely they are to participate in it and expose themselves to what
they regard as its “evil” pitfalls.
Yiddish is their first language, and it is the language most
often used in the home and among family and friends. English is used when
necessary. All of this is a matter of communal choice.
Which brings me to what just happened in Montreal, where the
languages of the land are both English and French. The following was reported
in Arutz
Sheva:
“Quebec provincial authorities have dealt a major blow to
the Belz Hasidic education system in Montreal, announcing the sweeping
cancellation of operating licenses for three major institutions—a kindergarten,
a Talmud Torah, and a small yeshiva serving approximately 600 students…”
“The dramatic decision follows a lengthy series of
inspections and monitoring efforts involving the institutions’ administration,
some of which, according to authorities, have been ongoing since 2007…”
“Among the key deficiencies cited as leading to the drastic
measure were a serious shortage of teachers qualified to teach in Quebec’s
official languages, English and French; failure to provide the required number
of instructional hours in core subjects; the use of unapproved educational
materials; and safety concerns involving emergency exits.”
I do not wish these schools any harm. The fact that these
children may be left without a school in the coming academic year would deny
them any education altogether. Additionally, it places a grossly unfair burden
on their parents.
But I have to ask: Why do these schools not comply with what
seem like basic common-sense rules that every educational institution worthy of
the name should have?
Is it really that difficult, for example, to have teachers
who speak English or French properly…
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