New Law Promotes Pluralistic Education

July 22, 2008

The Knesset last week enacted a new law creating a pluralistic educational program for state schools, a program that encourages secular and observant Jewish students to learn together. Labor MK Rabbi Michael Melchior, who initiated the bill supported by MKs from the right and left, described the law as “an educational revolution and response to the divide in society.”

The government has allocated $10 million to supporting the program in eight schools in the Meytarim network around the country.  Schools in the network provide a democratic Jewish education to over 2,000 students, of whom one third are Orthodox and two-thirds secular/traditional. The new law allows any state school to join the network or adapt the Meytarim program for Jewish values and democracy.

NIF grantee Re’ut – A Religious Pluralistic Community, which works to promote alternative Jewish identities in Israel’s school system, helped develop the Meytarim curriculum and train teachers for the network of pluralistic schools.

Rabbi Michael Melchior describes the new law
as an educational revolution in Israel.

Meir Yoffe, Executive Director of veteran NIF grantee Panim – For Jewish Renewal in Israel, which campaigns for the teaching of pluralistic Jewish religious values in Israel’s schools, described the new law as “a historical milestone in Israel’s education system.”

“The implementation of this law by the Ministry of Education,” he said, “can be a powerful boost to the many state schools which are looking to realize their educational vision which includes identity and values.” 

Through its Jewish Renewal Program, NIF supports a growing trend in Israel in which non-Orthodox Israelis seeks exposure to Judaism in pluralistic frameworks.