Queens, NY – A Queens councilman, himself the product of a private school, called out critics of the yeshiva system, saying that attacks on religious schools are unfounded and could have widespread effects that could be devastating to faith-based communities throughout New York State.
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Councilman Eric Ulrich made his case in an op-ed that appeared in today’s Gotham Gazette. Having attended public school before transitioning to the Catholic school system, Ulrich said that he was grateful to have received a religious education that was reflective of his family’s values, which ultimately inspired him to a career in public service.
Efforts by a small group of disgruntled yeshiva graduates to undermine the system could violate the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of religion and potentially deny parents of every faith the ability to send their children to religious schools, noted Ulrich.
The councilman also called into question the motives of anti-yeshiva activists, remarking that they “continuously attack the Orthodox Jewish community under the guise of educational quality.”
“Tens of thousands of parents choose these schools each year because yeshivas have served them, and their families, well for generations,” said Ulrich.
In an email sent to VIN News, Ulrich described allegations that yeshiva students are receiving a substandard secular education as “egregious and absurd.”
“I’ve had the opportunity to sit in on courses at yeshiva schools, and it is clear to me they take secular education seriously,” Ulrich, who has personally visited Orthodox and Chasidic yeshivas in both Brooklyn and Queens, told VIN News. “I was genuinely impressed with the teachers, who are dedicated to giving their students the best education possible.”
The New York State Education Department is currently debating whether yeshivas are meeting the mandated requirement to provide an education that is “substantially equivalent” to that offered in public schools, a distinction that Ulrich described as “enormously subjective.” He called upon officials to withstand the pressures of anti-yeshiva activists, saying that the ramifications of their decision could be far reaching.
“If we do not stand up for yeshivas today, the future of other private schools may be next,” observed Ulrich.
Rabbi Avi Greenstein, a member of the executive committee of Parents for Educational And Religious Liberty in Schools which advocates for yeshivas, said that he was appreciative of Ulrich’s support.
“Over the past few years, yeshivas have come under attack by a small group of critics who question our way of life,” said Rabbi Greenstein. “We’re very proud of the education our students receive and it is gratifying that public officials like Eric Ulrich are courageous enough to stand up for religious freedom and parental choice.”
Mr Ulrich,
You obviously have no clue what the heck they teach in chassidish yeshiva. As a product of several chassidish yeshivos my education has been a non starter. Shame on you for trying to undermine the good will of Yafed. This is an organization that hasn’t attacked the orthodox community whatsoever. Their only intentions is to give the next generation the opportunities of a proper education that we didn’t get. The daily struggle is rampant. While many who have received a proper education struggle too. the amount is much higher in the chassidish community for the lack of opportunities. Pondering to the votes is great but your lack of knowledge on the chassidish education is even more ignorant.
Ulrich, who has personally visited Orthodox and Chasidic yeshivas in both Brooklyn and Queens, told VIN News. “I was genuinely impressed with the teachers, who are dedicated to giving their students the best education possible.”
What grades did he visit?
Also, did he visit chasdic and yeshivish boys high schools? There is no secular studies at all taught at that level. Why not? Are 9th graders really learning during that time?
Let them take the standardized reading and math tests that the public school kids take and then we will see the results. The critics of the system are people that went through it and know first hand.
1, 2, and 3 are correct. However, let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater, which is what happens when you sic the government on the yidden, even for the purpose of helping the yidden.
This entire issue is baloney, I am a very proud graduate of the Satmar elementary school system & I B’H run a very successful business & I have several college graduates working for me….
After all those horrible school shootings & killings all over our great country , why doesn’t it occur to any of those critics to reflect & think, well maybe the Chasidim have it right… there are tens of thousands of students in the various Chasidic school systems in NY.
Can anyone tell us, when was the last time a student of a Chasidic School was arrested, for :
Shooting ?
Stabbing?
Assault?
Rape?
Robbery?
NOT ONE IN RECENT MEMORY!!
P.S. there are NO metal detectors in ANY of the Chasidic Schools…
Is this way of life so terrible ???
1-2 & 3,
On the other hand, look how many VEEEEERY successful business man we have amongst the Jewish community here in Brooklyn, we need a GOY to praise our system, shame on you,
#3, where were you when your school taught maths?
# 1 2 3 4 are plain a bunch of jew haters,
The jewish school education is the best & no one can or will fight it,
You can all choose to go to public school,
Moster from yafad is a plain looser he has a weak head never learned anything has no job so he is trying to blame it on the jewish system,
He will not succeed with his court he is busy with this already 4 years & no results,
He could have go to school this 4 years & build a big buissnes but he rather choose to cry & blaming others,
What a looser.
I am very pleased and surprised by the high level of thought that has gone into the comments here.
# 1 2 3 4 are plain a bunch of jew haters,
The jewish school education is the best & no one can or will fight it,
You can all choose to go to public school,
Moster from yafad is a plain looser he has a weak head never learned anything has no job so he is trying to blame it on the jewish system,
He will not succeed with his court he is busy with this already 4 years & no results,
He could have go to school this 4 years & build a big buissnes but he rather choose to cry & blaming others,
What a looser.
While the message of the yaffed might be a good one and our yeshivah system secular education does need some revamping but before we go ahead and praise then for there efforts let’s take a look at who are the founders of this organizations and what is there true motive.
Yaffed was initially founded by a few nebech OTD from the Orthodox community with the support of the infamous origination of Footsteps (which is here to try destroy the Orthodox community) in order to get there message out and people shouldn’t be able to see right through their true motive they changed their board members to more professional people like professors etc. While the head of the organization still today is someone that wears a kippah in public he has posted on his Facebook page eating pork on Yom Kippur and how proud he is of the decision to not have circumcised his son because he wants to give him a choice when he gets older. For this organization the fight doesn’t stop here there next battle will be that we shouldn’t circumcised our kids and give them the right to choose the sole purpose of these bitter Jews are not for the benefit of our community they don’t send there kids to our yeshivahs all they want to do is get even with yeshivah system and get more frum boys and girls to be like them.
Let’s give a clear message to them pack your bags and get the heck out of here move to the other end of the world and let us take care of fixing the secular education within our community with nice fathers and mothers in our community that send their kids to yeshivah and want their kids to grow up with a good secular education while at the same time be frum and erliche childrem.
# 1 2 3 4 are plain a bunch of jew haters,
The jewish school education is the best & no one can or will fight it,
You can all choose to go to public school,
Moster from yafad is a plain looser he has a weak head never learned anything has no job so he is trying to blame it on the jewish system,
He will not succeed with his court he is busy with this already 4 years & no results,
He could have go to school this 4 years & build a big buissnes but he rather choose to cry & blaming others,
What a looser.