Jewish Scene
Tefillin? Not in this school
Hila Shay Vazan
Published: 01.10.08, 21:49
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1. what happened to freedom of religion?
mike ,   israel (formerly usa   (10.01.08)
you'd think they were christians showing up to school with their crosses and new testaments. this is the jewish state for crying out loud!.
2. Principal
MaMa ,   Israel   (10.01.08)
Should be expelled from the Country. It is obvious she does not belong here, let alone run an institution such as a school in Israel.Leave NOW!
3. Fire this racist principal
david hagadol ,   israel   (10.01.08)
Fire this racist principal
4. Public schools are for the SANE!!
Gene ,   NYC   (10.01.08)
So the kids mother thinks his punishment was overly harsh? Well what if one of his classmates were whisking him off during recess to perform one of the Muslim daily prayers?? I have no doubt whatsoever that she would raise all hell until the principal himself was fired. Just because her kid subscribes to the same brand of psychosis that she does, doesn't make his actions any less inappropriate in a PUBLIC SCHOOL. If she doesn't like it, she's more than welcome to send him to a yeshiva!!
5. Principal bans tefillin on campus
Alon ,   Ramat Aviv   (10.01.08)
You can bet the civil rights lefties would be all over this if the principal and municipality forbade a musliml prayer mat or the like. Where will this leftist anti-Judiasm take us next? It is no wonder our "Jewish" state is losing world statute.
6. what do you expect?
motti ,   bet shemesh   (10.01.08)
will anyone hold these so called educators accountable for taking anything Jewish out of the jewsih state of Israel? Look at what is happening to our youth today. Can you honestly be proud of our education system today compared to the values of only 20 years ago. Take G-D out... sure that is a brillinat idea. lets just teach our Jewsih children to be like the kids of Europe and America, maybe then they will like us. I am sure MTV is OK in this school. so here is what you end up with. Torah and its values are disrespected while the MTV culture is emulated. wake up yiddin. Be proud of who you are as Jews,only then will the world respect you.
7. You could probably wear tefillin in the Vatican
Jake   (10.01.08)
but you are forbidden to wear them in this school in Israel?!?! They'll have the Talmud banned next. Something is wrong with this picture!
8. #4, last time I checked, we're not in France or Turkey
Roman ,   Lod, Israel   (10.01.08)
In this particular country, we do *not* enforce Secularism as the state religion in public schools. Perhaps you have forgotten that particular detail. And just because you want the schools to teach *your* particular brand of psychosis, doesn't make your personal opinion any more inappropriate for this discussion.
9. Tefillin should be mandatory
Great White North ,   Canada   (10.01.08)
Tefillin should be mandatory. This school is in a Jewish State. If the Principal doesn't like it, she should go to Gaza.
10. GENE #4
EGW ,   vancouve canada   (10.02.08)
You are a silly P***k. The report dod npt assert that the kid was going around the school exhorting others to put on tephillin. It said that, (quoting the boy) "others heard about it and ASKED to join in". They're not 6 year old infants,who are being oerced by candy to wear crosses, or bang their heads on the ground several times a day, but young men who, next year will be in ZAHAL. Get some sense you nincumpoop, This is a JEWISH country. The Principal is obviously an appointee of the Education Minister, that anti-semite who brings in :nakba "studies" and eliminates Jewish content. A buddy of Oilymert.
11. As A Secular Jew...
Seth ,   Washington, DC   (10.01.08)
...this is very disturbing behavior by the principal
12. Another 1%er legacy
Arie ,   BaGolan   (10.02.08)
This attack on religious freedoms is just one more example of the legacy the 1%ers in kadima/labour/meretz wish to leave us. Had the student been a muslim, there would be no question he would have been allowed to pray as he wishes. As a secular Jew, I am appalled and hope the administration is properly punished. As an Israeli, I am even more appalled that in this country, we have people in authority that would wish this country to reflect France in the 1890s,the UK today, and Switzerland Spain and the Vatican for centuries.
13. Israel: the (secular) "Jewish" homeland
Brian ,   NYC, USA   (10.01.08)
14. #6 MORDECHAI
Jared ,   New York, USA   (10.01.08)
"Teach our Jewish children to be like the kids of America?" That sounds as good as every other banal "we're better than the goyish countries" argument, except the "kids of America" are not raving anti-religious secularists of the sort that are being produced by Israel's "progressive" parents. But then again I doubt you've ever set foot in an American public school. Not every country's culture is a failure by extension just because yours is.
15. AMIT schools are the ANSWER.
AMIT - Western Region ,   Los Angeles, CA   (10.02.08)
www.amitchildren.org www.amit.org.il Your support is needed at this time.
16. good for him
rob ,   bet shemesh   (10.01.08)
the principal does not obviously know kids very well, as soon as you ban something, you will have half the school putting on tefillin. even if before they wouldent have any interest in doing so before
17. I am religious, but not very orthodox, but this...
John ,   Europe   (10.01.08)
COME ON! Guys had enough sense to move to unused class, room whatever... And other people HEARD about this and WILLINGLY came! How can coercion be "willingly asked to join them?" I say that principle needs to apologize and retribute that A.!
18. THE PRINCIPAL MUST BE FIRED RIGHT NOW
(10.01.08)
19. LEFTISTS WILL FINALLY DESTROY THIS COUNTRY
(10.02.08)
20. jewish anti-semites
nossen tzvi ,   jerusalem   (10.02.08)
The tefillin boys should protest by enrolling in a religious school, or by having all of their friends bringing tefillin to school. The secular might be in the minority one day and then.......
21. Secular Jewish School - not religion-free!
Leah ,   Modiin, Israel   (10.02.08)
Gene, This isn't a religion-free school. It is a secular Jewish school. Students are taught Bible (Tanach) as part of the standard curriculum. Besides which, he didn't coerce anyone, he offered kids to borrow his tefillin, similar to allowing them to borrow his ipod to let them listen to a song they wanted to listen to if they didn't have a working ipod. As someone who lives a few blocks away, I'm frankly disgusted!
22. do u realize how irrational and insane you sound?
izzy d   (10.02.08)
are u saying that a Jewish student is not allowed to pray in a public school. wheres the tolerance?
23. Tefiliim in school
Eli ,   Israel   (10.01.08)
Classic missionary behavior. Why can't all these people do their religious things on their own time in their own homes?
24. Students who pray
Drs. Dorothea Killus ,   Near Basel   (10.01.08)
Thanks be to God for this prayer movement in the school - of students who fear Him! And the principle - permit to ask you: Do you fear the God of Israel or rather parents and students who have ceased to fear him? My wish to you for Rosh Hashanah: genuine teshuvah.
25. Precisely why Israel is in the toilet
Dr. Dave ,   NYC   (10.02.08)
26. But vodka in the schools is OK?
5th generation ,   Israel   (10.02.08)
27. The atheists want to take control of Israel, too.
Rivkah   (10.02.08)
28. How R U going to stop antiSemitism when u have it in Israel?
shneerhere ,   USA   (10.02.08)
29. Good job principal, now you've made it cool 2 wear tefillin!
Michael Berg ,   Toronto, Canada   (10.02.08)
30. You would expect this to happen in some anti-semitic country
YSL ,   Jerusalem   (10.02.08)
And not in Israel.This moronic principal should be tarred and feathered.
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