JERUSALEM (JTA) — The education minister in Israel said studying Judaism is more important than studying math and science.
“Studying Judaism and excelling in it is more important to me than studying math and sciences,” Naftali Bennett said Monday night, according to Haaretz.
“Even as a high-tech power that exports knowledge and innovations to the world, we must be a spiritual power and export spiritual knowledge to the world,” he said at an event marking the 40th anniversary of the Tali Education Fund, which funds Jewish enrichment studies in public nonreligious schools.
“This is the next chapter in our Zionist vision. That’s how we’ll return to being a light unto the nations. From Zion shall come forth Torah and the word of God from Jerusalem.”
Bennett, the Jewish Home party leader, doubled down on his remarks on Tuesday in an interview with Army Radio.
“We are Jews. It’s not enough to be the Startup Nation, we must also be the Bible Nation,” he said, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Under Bennett, the Education Ministry has instituted a program to strengthen math studies, as well as one to increase Jewish studies, according to Haaretz.
