Dear Danny,



The State of Israel engraved upon its standard the values of the enlightened world. The state allows religious ritual, for faith is the private concern of each man. In contrast, the Jewish religion requires communal lifestyles and is not the private concern of each person.

I will quote what journalist Israel Speigel wrote in the HaModia newspaper: “Zionism, from its very start, waged war against the Jewish nation…in its decision that ‘religion is the private concern of each person’ and has no relation to the Jewish community…in practice this was a declaration of war against the Jewish soul and its essence, for the Jewish nation is the nation of G-d, the nation of Torah; it is not in any way subject to the dictated laws of each nation and language…”

The religious and the Charedi public well understand that the Jewish religion and enlightened values cannot live under a single roof, but as usual, they take advantage of enlightened values to preserve their musty world view. I said “as usual” because this perverse custom was practiced by Jewish communities throughout the diaspora. Thus, for example, with the amazing event which changed history, the French Revolution, whose goal was to grant rights and liberty to all. The French Jewish community wanted to get the rights without shaking their communal Jewish life, not to be French citizens in all matters. Champions of French liberalism at the time of the Revolution argued against this custom (Clermont-Tonnere) “To the Jews as individuals we should grant everything. But to the Jews as a nation – nothing…In our state [France] there can be no nation within a nation.” Similarly, we say to the Charedi, “To the Charedi as individuals we should grant everything. But to the Charedi as a separate society – nothing.”

Education should be granted the Charedi, as to all citizens, but they should not be permitted to educate their children in the musty old world view which contradicts the world view of the new age.

In other words: Obligations and rights will be given to the Charedi as Israeli citizens and not as Charedi.



Sincerely,



Daat Emet

Dear Avi,



The compulsory education law of the State of Israel means that education is forced on all citizens of Israel. If parents decide not to send their children to school and instead teach them only “Little Red Riding Hood” they violate the compulsory education law.

Similarly, the Charedi who teach their children only outdated Talmudic issues violate the compulsory education law.

Choosing a lifestyle for yourself as an adult, in your own home, on your own dime, is your choice alone, but educating the children from public funds is the decision of the legislature. The State of Israel has engraved upon its standard the values of the enlightened world, and one of them is to give each person an education.



Sincerely,



Daat Emet

Dear Avi,



The educational system supported by public funds must set equal curricula for all citizens, Jewish (secular and religious), Arab (secular, Christian, and Muslim), Druse, and Circassians alike.



Sincerely,



Daat Emet