As part of a Jewish family growing up in the suburbs, I was told in both my Jewish and public school education that Jews prized education, accounting for the large number of scientists and accomplished people in the Jewish community. I believe that people should be made aware that there is a large Orthodox community that provides a good secular education within the yeshivas for their children. I speak with my neighbors about this since I am a Reform Jew.
It is an embarrassment to live in Rockland County, where the chasidic and ultra-Orthodox created and promote a video comparing people living in my county to [those who created] the Holocaust because [non-charedi residents] object to the way they [charedi residents] behave. It brings out the [actions by] anti-Semites that exist everywhere and they [include] it in their video as representative of [what it’s like] being a Jew in Rockland County.
The Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council is a dangerous political group that continues to under-educate [their children] so that they can control them. I intend to support anything that will improve the secular education of [charedi children]. They should not be condemned to a limited life because of the lack of knowledge of many of their parents.
Editor’s Note: The Jewish Week did not post the video in question on our website, but we have extensively covered the community tensions regarding the East Ramapo public schools.
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