Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar on Monday equated the segregation of Ethiopian students in Petah Tikva to "ghetto" conditions, saying the refusal of a number of the city's schools to accept Ethiopian students was an issue which represents "a battle for Israel's identity."
At the meeting, convened to discuss the crisis, Sa'ar aimed sharp criticism at the conduct of the Petah Tikva Municipality and the semi-private schools. "This concerns not only the three schools that have, for a long time, been deceiving the entire educational system. For years, racism has developed here undeterred," he said, noting that nobody had addressed the issue.
"We've come to the point where today there is a school, Ner Etzion, which only Ethiopian students attend," Sa'ar said. "This is how we are dealing with immigration to Israel in 2009 - a school which, in my eyes, is a type of ghetto. This is what we've come to."
Shas spiritual mentor Rabbi Ovadia Yosef threatened Monday to fire any school principal from Shas's school system who refused to receive Ethiopian students.
In parallel, Chief Sephardi Rabbi Shlomo Amar announced that it was forbidden to send Ethiopian students to the secular school system.
"If I was brought into this world only to help the Ethiopians that is enough for me", said Yosef on Monday morning during a meeting with Amar in his home in Jerusalem's Har Nof neighborhood, according to Amar's spokesman.
The spokesman said the chief rabbi ruled that it was forbidden to integrate the Ethiopians in secular state schools because many were Falashmura who were still in the process of converting to Judaism.
"If one of those children comes before a rabbinical court to convert and he or she does not know anything about Judaism it will be problematic", said Amar's spokesman.
Yosef, considered the greatest living Sephardi authority of Jewish law, was the first major-league rabbi to recognize certain groups among the Ethiopians as full-fledged Jews. Many have been integrated into Shas's Mayan Hachinuch Hatorani.
"Anyone who refuses to accept Ethiopians should get up and go home", Yosef said according to Amar's spokesman.
The spokesman said that in an agreement reached with the Petah Tikva municipality, Shas's schools would help absorb the Ethiopian students.
The meeting Monday morning was attended by Interior Minister Eli Yishai and Building and Housing Minister Ariel Atias.
The rabbis' comments came a day after the Education Ministry nixed a deal reached between the Petah Tikva municipality and the city's schools on the enrollment of some 100 students of Ethiopian origin. The Education Ministry had said that it would find a solution that would enable the immigrant children, who have been refused admission into three semi-private religious Petah Tikva schools, to begin the school year normally on Tuesday.
The ministry has also decided to pull the funding from the Lamerhav, Da'at Mevinim and Darkei Noam schools, the three semi-private institutions that refused to accept the students.
Two demonstrations will be held Monday to protest against the schools' refusal to enroll the Ethiopian children, a refusal that has been widely perceived as a case of racial discrimination and was harshly criticized by Israeli leaders.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke out against the rejection of Ethiopian children in schools, calling it "a moral terror attack."
An Ethiopian oleh organization is planning a demonstration in Jerusalem, while a parents' organization will protest outside the Petah Tikva municipality building.
The Knesset Education Committee will hold a special hearing on the matter on Monday afternoon.
The city's parents' council has threatened to strike and disturb the opening the new school year on Tuesday.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Committee meeting on Ethiopian students ends with no results
An Education Committee meeting on the integration of Ethiopian immigrant students into Petah Tikva schools concluded without agreement between the parties.
It was therefore decided that talks will continue in hopes of reaching an agreement, after several talks failed, including a proposed compromise between the municipality and the schools which refused to admit the children. (Yaheli Moran Zelikovich)
It was therefore decided that talks will continue in hopes of reaching an agreement, after several talks failed, including a proposed compromise between the municipality and the schools which refused to admit the children. (Yaheli Moran Zelikovich)
Rabbi Amar tells Sa'ar he cannot approve request on Ethiopian pupils
Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar notified Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar on Monday morning that, according to Halacha, he cannot approve the ministry's request that some 100 students of Ethiopian origin will attend classes in secular schools and receive extra Judaism classes.
The education ministry said that it will find a solution that will enable the immigrant children, who have been refused admission into three semi-private religious Petah Tikva schools, to begin the school year normally.
The Knesset Education Committee will hold a special hearing on the matter on Monday afternoon.
The education ministry said that it will find a solution that will enable the immigrant children, who have been refused admission into three semi-private religious Petah Tikva schools, to begin the school year normally.
The Knesset Education Committee will hold a special hearing on the matter on Monday afternoon.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Ethiopian Israelis fight school discrimination
JTA) -- The Ethiopian-Israeli community is protesting discrimination by three Orthodox schools in Petach Tikvah.
The Israeli Association for Ethiopian Jews called Thursday for action against three private religious schools in the Tel Aviv suburb that have refused to admit several Ethiopian-Israeli children for the coming school year, the Jerusalem Post reported.
"To our great sorrow, the children of the Ethiopian olim are not allowed to enter the gates of some of the religious educational institutions in Petach Tikvah," the organization wrote in a letter addressed to the Chief Rabbinate. "We would ask the honorable chief rabbis: Are these children, whose parents underwent a stringent process of conversion for two or more years, not good enough to study in all the religious and haredi schools in Petach Tikvah?"
Israeli President Shimon Peres said the schools' decision to deny admission to children from the Ethiopian community was a "disgrace no Israeli can accept," according to Ha'aretz.
Government officials have been debating ways of cutting off funding for the schools -- which despite being private rely on support from the government -- unless they reverse their decision.
The three schools have responded by claiming children from the Ethiopian community require more time and funds than other children to bring them up to academic standards.
Moti Zaft, the acting mayor of Petach Tikvah, told Army Radio that he believes separate classes should be held for Ethiopian and non-Ethiopian children so that each can student can receive education that best serves their needs
The Israeli Association for Ethiopian Jews called Thursday for action against three private religious schools in the Tel Aviv suburb that have refused to admit several Ethiopian-Israeli children for the coming school year, the Jerusalem Post reported.
"To our great sorrow, the children of the Ethiopian olim are not allowed to enter the gates of some of the religious educational institutions in Petach Tikvah," the organization wrote in a letter addressed to the Chief Rabbinate. "We would ask the honorable chief rabbis: Are these children, whose parents underwent a stringent process of conversion for two or more years, not good enough to study in all the religious and haredi schools in Petach Tikvah?"
Israeli President Shimon Peres said the schools' decision to deny admission to children from the Ethiopian community was a "disgrace no Israeli can accept," according to Ha'aretz.
Government officials have been debating ways of cutting off funding for the schools -- which despite being private rely on support from the government -- unless they reverse their decision.
The three schools have responded by claiming children from the Ethiopian community require more time and funds than other children to bring them up to academic standards.
Moti Zaft, the acting mayor of Petach Tikvah, told Army Radio that he believes separate classes should be held for Ethiopian and non-Ethiopian children so that each can student can receive education that best serves their needs
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Refusal to enroll Ethiopian students a disgrace no Israeli can accept
President Shimon Peres on Thursday slammed the refusal by a number of schools in Petach Tikva to enroll Ethiopian immigrant children.
The decision not to enroll the students is "a disgrace no Israeli can accept", Peres said Thursday.
In response, the three Petach Tikva private issed a joint statement Thursday in which they vowed to allow Ethiopian immigrant children and students with disabilities to enroll for school, adding "it's up to the president to learn the facts of the matter."
Peres' statements Thursday came after it was reported that the Education Ministry is preparing to immediately pull all funding for private Orthodox schools that refuse to enroll Ethiopian immigrant children, according to various ministry sources.
The sources said the funding would stop unless the schools agreed by Sunday - two days before the school year begins - to enroll all the students assigned to them.
"We will not allow racist provocations, even if they are couched in all kinds of pretexts," Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar said Tuesday.
A ministry official said the parents whose children attend the three schools in question are relatively well-off, and would not be affected by "a fine of a few percentage points. Therefore, the decision taking shape is to stop all funding."
These three schools receive most of their money from the ministry and the municipality.
The acting mayor of Petah Tikva, who is in charge of the city's Orthodox education system, Moti Zaft, said the only solution was separate classes for the immigrants, because they lacked knowledge and learning skills. Social activities would be held jointly with other children, he said.
He said the city's schools had agreed to divide equally the Ethiopian student body, and that the private schools had accepted his plan.
Sa'ar responded that special immigrant classes were "a stain on the education system and on any school that uses them," in an interview with Army Radio.
Rabbi Shay Piron, executive director of Hakol Hinuch, the Movement for the Advancement of Education in Israel, said Wednesday, "The struggle against the three private schools in Petah Tikva needs a much wider focus, on 'recognized, unofficial education.' Unless we wipe out this phenomenon, which has only grown in recent years, public education will continue to be the less attractive choice for Israeli parents.
The decision not to enroll the students is "a disgrace no Israeli can accept", Peres said Thursday.
In response, the three Petach Tikva private issed a joint statement Thursday in which they vowed to allow Ethiopian immigrant children and students with disabilities to enroll for school, adding "it's up to the president to learn the facts of the matter."
Peres' statements Thursday came after it was reported that the Education Ministry is preparing to immediately pull all funding for private Orthodox schools that refuse to enroll Ethiopian immigrant children, according to various ministry sources.
The sources said the funding would stop unless the schools agreed by Sunday - two days before the school year begins - to enroll all the students assigned to them.
"We will not allow racist provocations, even if they are couched in all kinds of pretexts," Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar said Tuesday.
A ministry official said the parents whose children attend the three schools in question are relatively well-off, and would not be affected by "a fine of a few percentage points. Therefore, the decision taking shape is to stop all funding."
These three schools receive most of their money from the ministry and the municipality.
The acting mayor of Petah Tikva, who is in charge of the city's Orthodox education system, Moti Zaft, said the only solution was separate classes for the immigrants, because they lacked knowledge and learning skills. Social activities would be held jointly with other children, he said.
He said the city's schools had agreed to divide equally the Ethiopian student body, and that the private schools had accepted his plan.
Sa'ar responded that special immigrant classes were "a stain on the education system and on any school that uses them," in an interview with Army Radio.
Rabbi Shay Piron, executive director of Hakol Hinuch, the Movement for the Advancement of Education in Israel, said Wednesday, "The struggle against the three private schools in Petah Tikva needs a much wider focus, on 'recognized, unofficial education.' Unless we wipe out this phenomenon, which has only grown in recent years, public education will continue to be the less attractive choice for Israeli parents.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Ethiopian-Israeli students, ask – “What does it matter that we’re black?”
by DrEthiopia | At 8:45 A.M., Balta Zalka stood outside the Da’at Mevinim private religious school in Petah Tikva, waiting for a government official to confirm that his two daughters would indeed study there this year, as the municipality had promised. He was disappointed.
“The secretary took down our details and promised to call. I don’t know what happened. They told us to come to register, but they’re not accepting us,” Zalka said. Meanwhile, an Israeli-born mother and her young son walked out of the school. From their conversation, it was apparent the child was allowed to enroll.
Private religious schools in Petah Tikva said this year they would not accept the students assigned by the municipality, and would enroll only those they felt were a good fit.
The scenes were strikingly similar outside the city’s three private religious schools: parents and children waiting outside, accompanied by municipal officials, simply waiting their turn.
At each school – Da’at Mevinim, Darkei Noam and Merhav – the principal failed to show up, each for a different reason. Only one or two secretaries came, even though the municipality announced last week that school officials would be there to greet the students.
School representatives responded, “Nobody coordinated the visit with us,” adding that the buildings were still closed for summer vacation.
The Zalka family moved to Petah Tikva several weeks ago from Safed. The two daughters, 6-year-old Habatam and 7-year-old Ambata, are among 100 or so Ethiopian-Israeli students who don’t know where they will be attending school next week.
“We thought the problems of ‘blacks’ in Petah Tikva had been solved, or we wouldn’t have bought an apartment here,” Zalka said. “I tell the kids not to think about there being ‘whites and blacks,’ but to be good students, and then they’ll be viewed as ‘normal,’” Zalka said.
One official described the families’ crisscrossing between the private religious schools as “a humiliation parade.”
“The heads of the [educational] institutions are under tremendous pressure. They are citing different excuses and trying to buy time, and in the meantime pressuring the Education Ministry,” said one official. “Only an unambiguous position by the ministry can solve the crisis. This is war,” he said.
Darkei Noam is a large, impressive building. In the entrance hangs a huge poster bearing the line from Proverbs that is the religious school network’s motto: “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.”
“What does it matter that we’re black?” asked Beza Waldahi, who is trying to enroll his son at the school. Waldahi’s family immigrated to Israel three years ago, and last month moved to Mevasseret Zion.
“The kids always ask what will happen, and why they don’t have a school. I don’t know what to tell them. In a few years they’ll go to the army,” he said. “We’re like everyone else in Israel – this is our school, our city, our country.
source : abeshabunnabet.com
“The secretary took down our details and promised to call. I don’t know what happened. They told us to come to register, but they’re not accepting us,” Zalka said. Meanwhile, an Israeli-born mother and her young son walked out of the school. From their conversation, it was apparent the child was allowed to enroll.
Private religious schools in Petah Tikva said this year they would not accept the students assigned by the municipality, and would enroll only those they felt were a good fit.
The scenes were strikingly similar outside the city’s three private religious schools: parents and children waiting outside, accompanied by municipal officials, simply waiting their turn.
At each school – Da’at Mevinim, Darkei Noam and Merhav – the principal failed to show up, each for a different reason. Only one or two secretaries came, even though the municipality announced last week that school officials would be there to greet the students.
School representatives responded, “Nobody coordinated the visit with us,” adding that the buildings were still closed for summer vacation.
The Zalka family moved to Petah Tikva several weeks ago from Safed. The two daughters, 6-year-old Habatam and 7-year-old Ambata, are among 100 or so Ethiopian-Israeli students who don’t know where they will be attending school next week.
“We thought the problems of ‘blacks’ in Petah Tikva had been solved, or we wouldn’t have bought an apartment here,” Zalka said. “I tell the kids not to think about there being ‘whites and blacks,’ but to be good students, and then they’ll be viewed as ‘normal,’” Zalka said.
One official described the families’ crisscrossing between the private religious schools as “a humiliation parade.”
“The heads of the [educational] institutions are under tremendous pressure. They are citing different excuses and trying to buy time, and in the meantime pressuring the Education Ministry,” said one official. “Only an unambiguous position by the ministry can solve the crisis. This is war,” he said.
Darkei Noam is a large, impressive building. In the entrance hangs a huge poster bearing the line from Proverbs that is the religious school network’s motto: “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.”
“What does it matter that we’re black?” asked Beza Waldahi, who is trying to enroll his son at the school. Waldahi’s family immigrated to Israel three years ago, and last month moved to Mevasseret Zion.
“The kids always ask what will happen, and why they don’t have a school. I don’t know what to tell them. In a few years they’ll go to the army,” he said. “We’re like everyone else in Israel – this is our school, our city, our country.
source : abeshabunnabet.com
Friday, August 21, 2009
Education Ministry: Petah Tikva schools must accept Ethiopian kids
The Education Ministry will not back down on its demand that all schools in Petah Tikva accept children of immigrants from Ethiopia, said the ministry's director-general, Shimshon Shoshani. He threatened the schools with sanctions if they do not come around.
Shoshani was referring to around 100 children who, 10 days before the opening of the school year, have not been accepted at Petah Tikva schools. Private religious schools in the city, which use a curriculum similar to the state religious system, say they refuse to accept the students assigned to them by the municipality unless they can first determine if the children suit the schools' character.
"We will not back down on our demands from the racist schools in Petah Tikva," Shoshani said at a conference for local authorities' education departments on the new school year.
Shoshani added that his office was in the process of making changes that would limit the number of new schools to open. The schools in question are formally recognized, though they are not part of the education system itself. The changes would affect the religious and ultra-Orthodox sector as well as so-called democratic schools.
Private schools such as the ones in Petah Tikva receive government and municipal funding. "The acceptance of children of Ethiopian descent is a key issue on the core level," Shoshani said. He added that he has met with the principals of the schools in question and conveyed the ministry's stance. The schools could be hit with sanctions if they refuse to comply.
The parents in Petah Tikva's parents' committee are threatening to keep their kids from school at the beginning of the new school year if immigrants are not evenly distributed among the city's schools.
The chairman of the city's forum of state-religious schools, Nir Orbach, said that "the city has taken significant steps," though a solution was not yet at hand.
Shoshani was referring to around 100 children who, 10 days before the opening of the school year, have not been accepted at Petah Tikva schools. Private religious schools in the city, which use a curriculum similar to the state religious system, say they refuse to accept the students assigned to them by the municipality unless they can first determine if the children suit the schools' character.
"We will not back down on our demands from the racist schools in Petah Tikva," Shoshani said at a conference for local authorities' education departments on the new school year.
Shoshani added that his office was in the process of making changes that would limit the number of new schools to open. The schools in question are formally recognized, though they are not part of the education system itself. The changes would affect the religious and ultra-Orthodox sector as well as so-called democratic schools.
Private schools such as the ones in Petah Tikva receive government and municipal funding. "The acceptance of children of Ethiopian descent is a key issue on the core level," Shoshani said. He added that he has met with the principals of the schools in question and conveyed the ministry's stance. The schools could be hit with sanctions if they refuse to comply.
The parents in Petah Tikva's parents' committee are threatening to keep their kids from school at the beginning of the new school year if immigrants are not evenly distributed among the city's schools.
The chairman of the city's forum of state-religious schools, Nir Orbach, said that "the city has taken significant steps," though a solution was not yet at hand.
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