Yesterday was proclaimed "National Education and Sharing Day, USA" in tribute to the late Chabad Lubavitch Rabbi Menachem Schneerson's birthday. President Obama wrote:
For centuries, the pursuit of knowledge and the cultivation of character have driven American progress and enriched our national life. On Education and Sharing Day, U.S.A., we renew our commitment to these timeless aspirations, and we rededicate ourselves to fostering in our sons and daughters inquiring minds and compassionate hearts.
In a global economy where more than half of new jobs will demand higher education or advanced training, we must do everything we can to equip our children with the tools for success. Their journey begins early, and it demands stewardship from throughout the community -- from parents and caregivers who inspire a love of learning to teachers and mentors who guide our children along the path to achievement. Our Nation's prosperity grows with theirs, and by ensuring every child has access to a world class education, we reach for a brighter future for all Americans...
I have profound respect for the late Rebbe and his legacy. However, I remember very clearly those talks that he gave -- the ones we studied every year in elementary school about the unimportance of "secular" (non-religious, formal) education, and the great importance of only studying limmudei kodesh (holy studies). As a result of this attitude, thousands of students were not taught anything other than the Bible throughout our years attending Chabad institutions.
Until this day, Oholei Torah and many other Chabad schools -- particularly schools for boys and a few for girls in Crown Heights and in some other places -- do not provide basic formal education. It pains me to think of all the the doctors, lawyers and other professionals and leaders that could have come out of these institutions. These institutions have cultivated the character, compassion, cooperation and goodwill the President also speaks of, producing thousands of shluchim (emissaries) for Chabad all over the world. However, that is the goal of such schools; if you do not become an emissary, you fell through the cracks and are not prepared for anything else. The mantra of Oholei Torah, what most people say when asked why they send their kids to such a school is: "That's what the school wants for their students, and that's what their parents want; they hope for their kids to become emissaries of the Rebbe."
The big question remains unanswered though: What happens to all of us whose futures do not involve becoming emissaries? The majority of students do not go on to become emissaries and lack even a basic formal education, and, hence, the brighter future the President refers to is difficult to reach. As I attempt to make up for a lack of education in anything other than the Bible and a language not relevant to the workplace, I have more and more questions about how such a harmfully unbalanced educational system still exists.
Four and half thousand people have become emissaries, a few people have managed to go on to college and a few Chabad schools do include formal non-religious curricula. Many people within the community of Crown Heights still rigorously defend Oholei Torah, excusing the failings of the school by pointing to the "many success stories." Yet, they fail to notice the largest crowd, those of us who have been ignored, who miss and always will miss the basic education that the President extols.
In honor of National Education and Sharing Day, we should examine whether we are doing everything we can to equip our children for success. Failure to provide basic formal education cripples children within Chabad communities. We cannot ignore the harm done, and I refuse to remain silent. By opening discussion on education, we risk only improving the Chabad community and honoring the Rebbe's humanitarian legacy as an advocate for youth.
On National Education and Sharing Day, I hope we all reach for a brighter future for everyone and strive for schools that cultivate not only character, compassion, cooperation and goodwill, but basic education and tools for success. As we celebrate Passover and overcoming the chains that held us back, I hope we reflect also on things things that keep us from personal freedom today.
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Presidential Proclamation -- Education and Sharing Day, U.S.A. ...
"By opening discussion on education, we risk only improving the Chabad community and honoring the Rebbe's humanitarian legacy as an advocate for youth."
In the beginning of the article you wrote that the Rebbe spoke of the unimportance of secular education. I feel it is wrong to call something that is clearly against the Rebbe's viewpoints an honor to his legacy (albeit 'humanitarian' legacy).
Otherwise, I agree with all you said.
Talmudic studies help students develop a somewhat broad range of skills when the students remain engaged and interested. But a program with one singular focus and a program that deliberately fails to equip students with the tools to explore their own interests and modes of self expression will inevitably lead many to fall through the cracks.
This sort of narrow focus is appropriate for trade school or grad school, not one's entire education. As offensive as this may sound to some, I have often wondered why few in the community seem to question whether the wide gaps in general knowledge that are missing for a lot of Oholei Torah graduates do more overall harm than good, both in terms of individual lives and promoting the values all of this Torah study is meant to impart. For example, when one confuses cultivating Yiddishkeit with blocking out every other facet of human experience, a dark sort of ethnic chauvinism is able to fester in the place of being "a light upon the nations."
For individuals, the results of a limited education are disastrous. Unless one is exceptionally driven and bright, it is very difficult to leave the community. It goes without saying that the underlying purpose of Oholei Torah has never been to empower children to be whoever and whatever THEY want to be. Limiting English communication isn't sheltering innocents- it's clipping their wings.
Even men who believe wholeheartedly in their religion find their career options severely limited, and, worse yet, they often reckon with this as they provide for large families. But it is within this group that real progress will be made. As more education is required to earn a living wage, attending college after Oholei Torah will become more and more common, and parents and schools will be forced to consider preparing students for this reality. Hopefully, in time, the greater benefits of secular education may also take root- critical thinking, an appreciation for the arts, an empathy for people from different backgrounds. Although it wouldn't be fair to say that these things are entirely lacking in the Crown Heights of today, placing a larger premium on these values would go a long way to make the reality of the community more closely resemble its ideals.
Thank you
-Chaim Levin
While its true that secular studies Aren't taught in Oholei Torah, the same can be said for almost all ultra Orthodox schools around the world. so bashing Chabad alone isn't fair.
What you fail to mention is that the Judaic studies/Talmud that are taught in the above schools develop the minds of the students in such a way that many times these students are more sophisticated and developed then there peers studying in the Public or Private school system.
I agree with you regarding older Boys aged 18-20 who dont see a future in the ''Shlichus world'' that other options and solutions need to be found for them.
(I would be happy to assist you in this matter if you are interested)
An old Rosenzweig Neighbor,
Unless you can actually prove that this is indeed scientifically true, then I think you may want to reconsider that statement and how it really sounds. How can studying strictly torah for 18 years of one's life help him LEARN the fundamentals of formal education? Everything that I know today was definitely not taught to me in all the chumash and gemara that I learned in Ohlei Torah, that might have helped me be better at critical thinking, but I still didn't have the exposure to studies that were necessary for me later on in life. Learning lots of religious texts and theology still doesn't account for the basic education that any child with the hope of success truly needs. While some have been successful despite attending Ohlei Torah, there are so many, too many who have endured great harm because they weren't ever given a chance at pursuing studies that they might have thrived at or enjoyed more than simply bible curriculum.
So once again, why can't there be a balance between religious and secular students so that ALL students are given a chance at succeeding according to their ability?
A frelachen,
Chaim Levin
Since you have associate Chabad (instead of just O.T) I Will Challenge you to find another three Chabad Schools in The U.S or Canada that Teach Judaic Studies the entire day besides for O.T. The answer is: there are none!
O.T. is the only Major Chabad school that i am aware of in the U.S that teaches full day Judaic Studies. that means that almost all of the other Chabad schools in the U.S give at least an English elementary education with some giving high school as well.
I'm not sure if a scientific study has ever been made regarding this issue, but i am positively certain that the results would show that the brain of an averaged yeshiva Student who is engaged in his Talmudic study is much more developed then your average high school student around the country.
You have no way to prove that judaic studies without the basic structure of formal education enhances one's intelligence or possibility to succeed later on. Your best example would be the hundreds of teenagers and young adults who are "on the street" without any real jobs or college prospects, and if you choose to blame them for not being motivated enough, just remember that this Oholei Torah never motivated anyone to go to college, it was frowned upon.
I think it's always best to remember that all one can do is try to do the best they can with what they have in terms of being successful.