Kiryat Malachi: Talmud Torah parents threaten to strike

Precedent n the Chabad Education: Parents of Children of the Chabad Talmud Torah in Kiryat Malachi, plan on going on a school strike, protesting the transfer of students to a building where they say, issues of modesty exists.

The Talmud Torah is situated in an old building which is small and cannot contain all the classes.

Institution directors headed by the deputy mayor and deputy Chaim Steiner, decided to demolish the building and erect a new magnificent two-story building which will populate ten classes.

Some classes remained in the meantime in an adjacent building, but for students of five classes, Steiner was forced to find a suitable alternative. He made great efforts and the solution in the form of the municipal community center, is what seemed best, until the anger of some parents came out on him.


Steiner tells what happened there to B'Chadrei Charedim: "The Ministry of Education did not approve us to split the classes beyond the current forced split; we knew that we had to find one roof for five classrooms which were left without a structure.


"We had several options which we could not take. It was not up to the municipality and the Ministry of Education, but local officials who refused to allow us to use the existing buildings for their personal reasons.

"We were not given permission to bring port cabins and made every effort to give students the best place and the most convenient. After reviewing all the options, we concluded that the ultimate solution is the community center."


"Since it is adjacent to the general sector school 'Amal', we decided to fence it around and install in addition tin partitions, around the compound, to prepare an area for games for the students and to create a buffer and prevent any means of contact with students who are not part of the Talmud Torah.

By advice of the Rabbis

"Rabbi Yuroslavsky, community Rabbi of Har Chabad, shared the decisions. We consulted him from the start. After he also came to the conclusion that there is no other alternative, he determined what steps to take and what solutions we should implement, to draw the place aptly our needs.


"I do not know why parents are protesting. There are a number of parents who outcry that the place is not suitable for a chassidish child. It could be that they are right, but there are no alternatives and therefore to strike is a long way away.


"I talked to some parents, but we cannot make a different decision every second.

"It's unfortunate to hear about such a strike. Chabad is responsible for the unequivocal determination of the Lubavitcher Rebbe that our educational systems shall not strike. I am amazed.


"This is a big responsibility. If someone thinks he has a more realistic proposition stand up and say. Of course I cannot dictate what they should do with their children, and I am not against them. But it is certainly not the solution and it is very unfortunate to hear about it."


In retrospect, Steiner believes that perhaps when locals will hear about the strike, it will cause a softening of attitudes, and new solutions will arise suddenly.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!