STOP THE HEBREW CHARTER SCHOOL !!

Let me say for the record that I was (and remain) very much against the NY Madrassa the Khalil Gibran International Academy Arab-language school. I felt that it would be impossible to set apart a "culture school" from becoming a religious school. Once I read the curriculum overview, I was sure that the school was being set up as an opportunity to indoctrinate young New Yorkers into an extremist Islamic Culture.

Yesterday I read that Journalist Sara Berman. along with her father, Michael Steinhardt, hedge fund operator and all around rich guy, are trying to set up a non-religious Hebrew Charter School in NYC, and to be totally honest, this time its personal. I think the concept is worse than disgusting.

According to the story in today's NY Post:

The school would cover the core academic subjects, but be the first New York charter school to also offer Hebrew-language instruction. (A few regular New York public schools offer Hebrew as a foreign-language elective.) It would also teach about Jewish culture and history and modern Israeli society.

That approach is similar to that of the Hellenic Charter School in Brooklyn, which pairs instruction in classical Greek and Latin with classes in Greek culture and history. Other language/culture charter schools in New York include Amber Charter School in Washington Heights and the Eugenio Maria de Hostos Charter School in Rochester, which both feature instruction in Spanish and in Hispanic cultures.

That's problem one. To teach the separation the Hebrew Language, and Jewish Culture from the Jewish Religion is teaching the destruction of the Jewish people, because you are promoting the separation of one from another. "Secular Judaism" is a misnomer. The Hebrew language came from the Hebrew people who were connected to the land of Israel by one thing GOD. I wouldn't dare try to force people to observe my faith the way I do, but I will be dammed if New York City starts a school were people are taught to separate Jewish Culture from Jewish faith.

From the destruction of the Second Temple to the establishment of State of Israel in 1948, for all intents and purposes "Hebrew" was a dead language. THE ONLY THING KEEPING IT ALIVE WAS TORAH AND PRAYER. You cannot teach Jewish Culture without teaching things like Torah and Talmud, because face it, that's what it all based on. And you can't teach Torah and Talmud, with out teaching GOD.

Oh and one more thing. All across the United States Jewish Charitable organizations fully support PRIVATE Jewish Day School, Religious ones. The reason for the support is so no child who's parents want to provide a Jewish Day School Education will be turned down because of lack of funds. One of the Few exceptions is the NY City area. The feeling is that there is a big Jewish population in NY and they have lots of Cash. That feeling is not true.

On Long Island in New York, despite the efforts of a lot of good people, the Solomon Schechter School of Suffolk County is closing its doors next month, after a glorious 25 year run. One of the main reasons is over the past few years, the burden of "not turning people away" became to heavy for the rest of the parents to carry. So admissions fell and finally the school can not afford to stay open. Just imagine what could have happened if someone like Michael Steinhardt, hedge fund operator, and all around rich guy decided to support Jewish Day Schools in the NY area, instead of trying to split up Judaisms component parts into some sort of secular utopia.