Why is it before anyone says something profoundly stupid and racist, they preface it by mentioning political correctness? Jews do not have more nobel prizes than any other group. Americans. Christians. Both have far more. Jews have a large number by proportion, but that is not what the author said. The follow ups are just as silly. And reading more books? How would one even determine that? Most importantly, why must one mar an important discussion about the state of education in this country by tossing in a little talking point about racial superiority?

What Yair says is essentially correct. Yet, the wannabee MK is the product of exactly the system he complains about. If you listen carefully to him, watch how he talks, take note of his points of reference, you'll find a shallow, extremely limited, basically ignorant yet arrogant clown. But somehow he manages to maintain a charmingly glib presence. And he writes nice children's stories. Perhaps he should stick to the fairytales and forget about other things.

It might be better than MEXT(Japan). In the years 1990-2010, Japanese govt had 23 Ministers of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology...(note: In 2001, Ministry of Education, Science and Culture(so called Mombusho) and the former Science and Technology Agency merged to become the present MEXT). What do you think about this?

Unfortunately, in the future, we won't be seeing good writing or brilliance due to the subject of your op-ed piece. Pathetic and incompetent politicians and "compromise" have caused this dumbing down of the most brilliant people: The Jews. Wake up. Force change and if necessary (and it is) change the Hok HaYesod. Time to get off your butts and achieve. Just do it.

Because Yair Lapid wants to run for office and nothing helps an Israeli poltician more than claiming a little racial superiority. Lapid is going to be a terrible politician who stands for nothing. If he is ever elected he will mark the zenith of the decline in the moral and ideological fabric of Israeli Zionism and democracy; image and hasbara over substance. If he wanted to make a powerful statement instead of writing brainless and populist platitudes he'd roundly condemn Gideon Sa'ar and Ruvlen Orlev for spending the last year engaged solely in ensuring an ideologically pure education system, wasting time summoning professors and teachers to question their patriotism and deciding which Hebrew songs are folksy enough. When what they should have been doing is fixing the education system like Lapid says needs to be done. But, hey, in Israeli politics you're not going to go anywhere actually expressing opposition or a real opinion. You never know who's going to be your coalition partner so its just better to stick to the platitudes and racial superiority.

Very very sad.

Imagine how terreble it is in the arab israeli sector .....

result of diversity usually celebrated by progressives--terrible system compared to utopia,not chicago!

Teacher's unions and ideologically driven leftists educational agenda.

Jews are only who they are today because they lived in other cultures and learned how to stand on the shoulders for those who came before them, if we had not have left the middle east we would be just like the arabs, stoning people and living behind the times. We should be very thankful that other cultures help shape us into the great people we are today and gave us these great opportunities to learn and develop new stuff in their countries.

I mean, that this situation should exist is a puzzle, but if you've been paying attention to what's going on in Israel in the past, oh don't know say 30 years or so, all you see is retards running around competing to see who can give away more of Israel's independence and assets than anyone else. I't s gotta be related to education (or the perversion thereof) somehow.

The problem is the political system that pre-empts and excludes the concept of accountability. So much so that the word does not appear in the Hebrew language. The education mess duplicates itself everywhere else in Israel. Look at the water crisis, for example. We're in deep, deep trouble with overuse of water, yet the government has done almost nothing to reduce consumption or reward Israelis who conserve water. Their answer is to spend multi-billions on desalination, while the problem just gets worse. Lapid - if you want to fix the education system, fix the Knesset and the electoral system first.

You admit this about the secular system, and you attack Haredi schools? They're getting by on 60% of the "lowest funding in the Western world" and at least produce decent scores in math. Should we make the charedi schools like the secular ones, complete failures?

Stupid, and from equally shallow "journalists." I don't even bother reading the articles anymore. And this "journalist" wants to become a politician?

The government should wake up and think about building the country and her future. If Bibi cannot help Israel progress in the peace talk, he should at least make sure his people are cared for, especially the children and their education!

You mean we should leave the Haredim alone to preach racism and elitism? Sorry, Akiva, but the recent revelations about discrimination in the Haredi world mean that the Haredi education system has its own fundamental screwups that must be fixed. Of course any haredi school that promotes racism should be attacked. I note that Rav Ovadia's son, who supported the claims of the Sefardi families, received death threats and other profane responses. I don't recall any mitzva being fulfilled when one threatens the life of a prominent rabbi, no matter what his political affiliation. Yes, the haredi system is also not working properly, is obviously not teaching mitzvot properly, and must be fixed. Why do people think that the haredi sector has no sinat hinam? Sadly, it's full of it, and the haughty haredi attitude defending sinat hinam is helping keep moshiach from us.

Yair, don't say anything anymore: Just create your dream political party (as your beloved father did), and your dream political plataform to run for PM. Yes, we need guys like you who believe that it is possible to eradicate corruption (protexia) from Israel's government and social culture. You will need a miracle, but if people believe that you can make it, we will support you! Run Yair, run! Don't waste more time in TV news. You were never a journalist and you will never be. Your looks are good to make others believe anything you want, including being a fashion model, a "journalist", and even a PM! Just look around... if idiots like Barak and Livni made it, why not you?

Run for office. Enough talking.

There is a profound,important and dangerous misunderstanding and irony here. The great concern that the “religious” / Haradi schools do not teach the core ciriculum, math, English etc is subject to popular publicity, singular focus and great amounts of self satisfying and justified resentment and criticism. What is obscured is that the “religious” / Haradi schools do teach something far more important than core curriculum. That is the joy, skills and discipline of learning. While the secular schools do fulfill the requirements of math, English and other “secular” subjects most of the students seem to have no idea or interest in the educational process itself. The accomplishment of independent thinking and understanding seems absent if not from the curriculum than from the students themselves. What is really missing in the “religious” / Haradi school system is not the teaching of math & English and other “core” subjects but rather education about the complex society in which supports them and in which they actually live. Along with its history, and the theory and value of democracy.

As soon as you can forgot jewish superiority complex, you might be able to return to the normal, smart education

The poor educational system is a major issue for Israel and its future. There are certain clear things it is necessary to do. 1) Pay teachers at a much more reasonable and respectable rate. Get better people into the system 2) Insure by law that all students have to have basic mathematical - scientific and language education. No funds for any sector that does not comply. 3) Look to and learn from 'successful models' elsewhere. 4) Work towards a revaluing of values, a re- education of the Israeli public as a whole a way from the culture of cheap senation to the ' higher culture' requiring more effort and mind

i agree it is that simple. the problem is not the ministers (which hardly ever have the righty qulifications) its the office itself that needs to be striped down. after that the local T>V staion for kids needs to be reevaluated. with all the reality shows our generation learns one thing dont learn be famous. the education system needs to get rid of these private collages and kidumim who basicaly give u a degree b/c youve paid for it. in addition we have to increase the sallery of the teachers so we can create teachers that want and can teach. finally stop private lessons (in general) it should be the reposbility of the teacher to make the student understand.

...it's what I refer to as "Jews gone Wild" (like the infamous "Girls gone wild"). While living in the diaspora for the past 2000 years, Jews constantly had to prove themselves and out-do their hosts, to always try harder, especially due to economic restrictions the hosts had put on them. These hardships became challenges to which Jews adapted and thus became more elaborate and creative. Not to mention, Tora studies required them to learn to read and write at the tender age of 3 (like yours truly), while the rest of the world staggered behind in their illiteracy. After the emancipation things only became easier for Jews, having the skills and knowledge combined with opportunity. No wonder they had thrived... But what happened in Israel is the most profound form of devolution, in which, without the whip of the Goy Faritz, the Jews in Israel simply sunken into levantine mediocricy, losing any sense of their forefathers' vision or ambition, and let us not start on work morals... Living under own Jewish rule, education was quickly replaced with "macher"-ing, or "Kombina". If that is not enough, then you may as well add the sectoral parasites that no longer need to work for a living - all they need to do is to keep dwelling on attempt to bring their messiah on the back of the secular donkey, along with their tribe of children who can't do simple math, let alone science. At the same time, the secular donkeys and their offspring are more concerned about fashion's latest scream, what happened on "Survivors" or "Big Brother", getting the biggest house or fanciest car they can't afford. Who cares if the children made their homework?! Let alone how much is an overexhausted, abused (and probably suicidal) teacher is getting ("It's HER fault, SHE chosen this profession!") for babysitting 40+/- violent, careless imps. I'm sorry to tell you this, mr. Lapid, but even the so called superior Jewish genom can't stand against envinromental mediocricy and a culture of "lo lazet fraier" and it's going to be kicked back to its primeval being, somewhere 2000 years ago. Unless... You know the answer.

Finally someone had the guts to tell the truth. I've been in the education system for 26 years. What a joke! The level has been declining for years. The system needs to demand more qualified teachers and to pay them appropriately! Maybe Yair Lapid would like to head the Education Ministry. Gideon Sa'ar said the following on national TV "I only have a 3pt bagrut in math." Now that's something to brag about: the Minister of Education is only capable of the minimal in math.

Daria, you said it. At the most fundamental level, that is why humans evolved from chimpanzees, not gorillas -- gorillas were stronger; they didn't need to be smarter. There is no progress without pressure. But, please unpack.

Education in Israel has been spiraling downward for a long time now. Most of the so called reforms are like putting a band-aid on a large wound that needs serious treatment. We need bold and innovative steps to revive our education system. We need to improve teaching & teachers, rethink the entire system from soup to nuts. The longer we wait for real improvement the harder it will be.

Since there is no capable man to set up a good Education system, they should look elsewhere. Some years ago, there was a show on Singapore education system. It is an ever growing and dynamic system. Israel should get experienced consultants from Singapore to help and change things here. This is urgent: look at the percentage of teens crimes and drug addiction. Unless we give the children hope and tools to build their future, they can either go elsewhere or turn to drug and violence.

"We are not stuped" No? Perhaps you meant "Stupid