In a major decision, Israel’s High Court has ruled that schools cannot justify segregation of Ashkenazi and Sephardi students on the basis of different worldviews and lifestyles, calling such arguments “camouflage for discrimination.” (Ha’aretz)
Hebrew U. Prof. Menahem Ben-Sasson argues that institutions of higher learning must improve their public relations and status in Israeli society if they want to survive, but that the government has not kept financial promises made. (Ha’aretz)
Education Ministry figures show about 8,000 Arab teachers are unable to find work at Arab schools in Israel, yet Jewish schools report staffing shortages. Moreover: “Nearly half of unemployed Israeli Arab teachers would be willing to teach in Jewish schools and over half of Israeli Jewish parents have no objections to Arab teachers in their children’s schools.” (Ha’aretz)
Gideon Levy argues that what ails education in Israel is that excellence is seen not in terms imparting “knowledge, education, and values on its students”–but in terms of getting graduates into elite IDF units. (Ha’aretz)
But Moshe Tur-Pza sharply disagrees. (Ha’aretz)
After a year-long struggle, a new group has taken control of the Ashkenazi Haredi education system (Chinuch Atzmai) away from the Gur Hasidim. (Ha’aretz)
Ashkenazi
Pronounced: AHSH-ken-AH-zee, Origin: Hebrew, Jews of Central and Eastern European origin.
Moshe
Pronounced: moe-SHEH, Origin: Hebrew, Moses, whom God chooses to lead the Jews out of Egypt.
