Are Orthodox Students Being Set-up for Failure?

According to YAFFED, (Young Activists For Fair Education), an advocacy group dedicated to improving secular education in ultra-Orthodox Jewish schools, 43% of ultra-Orthodox Jews in New York City are defined as poor, and 16% as near-poor. Furthermore, the poorest municipality in all of New York State is the ultra-Orthodox town of Kiryas Joel. 

At the insistence of YAFFED, a four-year investigation of 28 yeshivas was conducted by the New York City Department of Investigation. Its report was issued in 2019 and concluded that, “In 26 of the 28 schools, instruction in basic reading, writing, and mathematics was woefully inadequate, and science and social studies were hardly taught at all”.

The law referred to above is the New York State law that “mandates all private and religious schools to provide a curriculum equivalent to that of public schools”, reported in the NYT article. Only two (7.1%) of the yeshivas met these requirements.  

The city’s yeshivas collectively receive over $100 million in state funds annually. 

The New York State Education Department then proposed a set of regulations to compel compliance by the yeshivas with the statute. But the yeshivas organized fierce resistance, claiming that the regulations infringed upon the right of private schools to shape their own curriculum and of religious parents to educate their children as they see fit. 

Responding to pressure, earlier this year the New York Board of Regents withdrew the proposed regulations (compelled compliance) and announced it would offer a revised proposal at some point in the future. Whether it does so and if the new regulations will have any teeth remains to be seen. So far, authorities have failed to enforce this law.

I spoke to a respected Rabbi who has close connections with the Ultra-Orthodox community in New York and who wishes to remain anonymous, to give us some insight into why and how this may be happening.

When asked if religious schools should be required to follow a state-mandated curriculum, the Rabbi responded: 

“Yes, if it is law, and it’s especially important if those schools are receiving federal or state revenues for that purpose. We must be diligent not to break that law. Nor Hashem’s. Not only are we citizens of a holy community but also citizens of the country and state where we reside. As long as the law does not go against Torah, we are obligated to comply.

“As our Sages stated in the Babylonian Talmud (Kiddushin, 29a) that anyone who does not teach his son a trade is behaving “as if he has taught him banditry. And Pirkei Avot Chapter 1 [10] tells us to love work. [15] Torah should be a fixed practice, say little and do much. Chapter 2 [2] states Torah study is good and should be accompanied by work. Chapter 3 [23b]  states

astronomy and mathematics are like seasoning on wisdom.” He continued, “In the more modern era, both Ashkenaz and Sephardi Torah leaders stress the obligation to teach children not only religious studies but general knowledge and skills necessary for earning a livelihood. 

“These quotes about learning a trade and working, tie into our discussion about secular studies. Mainly, a person must acquire the tools and skills of any particular career before he can perform them. These skills and tools require some secular studies.

“Now, a distinction must be made in the term ‘religious schools’. There are four types of religious schools: day schools, girls’ schools, yeshivas and kollel. 

“First, day schools. These come under the heading of ‘religious’ because they have been instituted or sponsored by various religious organizations. They are open to secular as well as religious students. Depending on the age of the child and their background they are introduced to both secular and religious topics. Public school teachers may be hired to teach certain subjects and religious teachers to teach Torah-related topics. These schools usually do comply with the law.

“Second, girls’ schools. Basic Torah study, siddur, tehillim, chumash and laws of midot are some of the topics covered by the religious teachers at this school. In the middle and upper grades they are taught basic English, home economics, math, reading and writing and other topics. These schools also usually meet the criteria.

“Third, yeshivas. Yeshiva high schools are for boys only, they focus strictly on religious studies. The classes are taught by a Rebbe or Rabbi rather than a certified teacher and no secular topics are covered at all. This is the most common form of boys’ education in the ultra-Orthodox community and this type of school does not meet the criteria of the mandated law. 

“Fourth, kollel continues Jewish education for young married men and is not included in the mandate, since it is post high school.”

When asked if he thought that religious institutions such as these should be exempt from New York’s curriculum requirements, even though it would be a good idea to follow them, the Rabbi responded, “No, I don’t believe they should be exempt, with the rare exception of a brilliant Talmid Chacham (wise scholar) who has the potential to become a great Torah leader of his generation. The vast majority of students are average boys who need the basic secular studies just to survive in today’s society! Unless this future husband and father would be completely happy to scrape by on menial jobs, fine. But it won’t bode well for his family. This (poverty and all its ramifications) is also a contributing factor for the increased divorce rates among the ultra-orthodox.”

The Rabbi explained that by depriving them of the basic opportunity to break free of the poverty cycle and a “welfare, entitlement