Charedi concern at yeshivot crackdown

A change in the law, he said, was “not a solution”.

But his claim the report had “over-exaggerated” issues relating to safeguarding in yeshivot was dismissed by Rory McCallum, senior professional adviser to the City and Hackney Safeguarding Children Board.

The report said the council was hampered because the law was not clear over whether yeshivot could be defined as schools.

It also voiced concern over the lack of secular education received by yeshivah boys, calling for steps to be taken to encourage them to be taught English, maths, science and technology.

But Abraham Jacobson, an Orthodox Liberal Democrat councillor, asked the commission to drop the recommendation about curriculum.

The Charedi community, he argued, would accept registration of yeshivot if this covered safeguarding matters.

But the concern with safeguarding, he said, was seen as a “big ruse” to meddle in the educational content of yeshivot.

There was an agenda “to destroy the way of life” of the Jewish community, he warned.

“A lot of what has been going on in the last few years is basically pandering to certain minority politicians who have an agenda which goes absolutely head-on against everything… Muslims, Christians or Jews hold dear,” Councillor Jacobson said.

But the commission did not take on board their objections and endorsed the report’s conclusions, which will now go later in the year to the full council.