Belgium: Judge requires Orthodox to learn core studies

The Hasidic community in Antwerp encountered a serious fixation, following the decision of the local court yesterday (Monday) to definitively reject the appeal of parents of students in Haredi schools in the city against the law of the Ministry of Education, under which every school must teach the core curriculum.

The judge was also angry at the petitioners who appealed against the High Court's ruling in Brussels which ruled last month that the core studies are not contradictory to the laws of religion, and therefore the petitioners' claim that these studies violate of rights of freedom of religion - are not valid.

The judge also rejected the petitioners' request to apply the law only in the next academic year, so that schools will able to get organized, and he ruled that the studies will begin now and at the end of the school year the children will be assessed by examiners of the Ministry of Education.

As recalled, the story began a year ago when Haredi educational institutions refused to accept the children of Moshe Aryeh Friedman. One of the arguments presented at the time by the institutions was that the children's study level is lower than the level of learning in the class to which they want to be accepted. Friedman put the children to test in front of a representative of the Ministry of Education, and after passing the exams with distinction - the institutions were forced to accept them. Concurrently, however, it was revealed to the Ministry of Education that Haredi institutions do not teach the core curriculum.

Principals of haredi institutions found themselves facing a lawsuit for violation of the core curriculum, and they hired the best lawyers to represent them in front of the Ministry of Education at the Supreme Court which was filed in Brussels. The Supreme Court held that in the requirement of the Ministry of Education there is no violation of religious freedom, after Moshe Aryeh Friedman appeared before the court as a Haredi Jew who claimed that he does not see a connection between the core curriculum and religious laws.

Two weeks ago the heads of institutions in Antwerp held a conference at the local Talmud Torah building to rescue the Haredi education, which was attended by about a thousand parents. At the conference it was decided to appeal against the decision of the High Court, but as stated, the judge yesterday rejected the appeal and returned the case to Brussels.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!