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Opinion

Wanted: new Charedi leaders

In the clash between the state and the Charedi system, one thing seems clear: Strictly Orthodox leaders are struggling to make the case for their schools, says Simon Rocker

May 2, 2018 14:25
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3 min read

Someone recently collared me over kiddush and asked why the JC was not writing about the problem of education in Charedi schools. I was surprised as I believe we have covered the subject extensively and sometimes I have had to stop myself from writing more. Over the past two or three years, I have consumed more Ofsted reports than I care to remember - including another only last week criticising one of the largest Chasidic schools in Stamford Hill.

The travails of Charedi schools at the hands of Ofsted continue to be a major headache for them. While it may affect only one section of British Jewry, it raises a wider question: how far does a liberal democracy with a commitment to egalitarianism make allowance for religious diversity.

In the clash between the state and the Charedi system, one thing seems clear: Strictly Orthodox leaders are struggling to make the case for their schools.

Far from alleviating the pressure on Charedi schools, the latest proposals from the Department for Education would tighten the screw even more.