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Rabbi Jack Cohen's avatar

Love the positive news of progress, which I believe is absolutely necessary in tandem with your critiques of what is NOT working! The Jewish people is still recovering from millennia of exile and the reactionary traumas wrought by persecution and assimilation. We need to highlight ways forward in the uncharted territory of our imminent redemption. What other mechanisms are already at work for integration of haredim into the workforce and army albeit in still small forms? Where is the hard evidence that the Haredi world needs to put their fears to rest that there is vibrant Judaism beyond its walls?

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Ben Niderberg's avatar

Amazing news (about the changes in hassidic primary education). The story of the visit of Belz teachers to the museum comports with my own admittedly meager experience, which is that many hassidim, when exposed to knowledge beyond their dalet amot, are unquenchable in their curiosity and desire to learn.

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David Ilan's avatar

As wonderful as this is what I really want to see are Hareidi Teachers learning the fundamentals of Math and Science and teaching them. So their students can one day not just pass but excel at the Bagrut.

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Rami Levin's avatar

This is to your tremendous credit. You have built up a Torah museum.

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Weaver's avatar

Chassisdim tend to be more kabbalistic, yet can also be very practical. It's a very interesting dichotomy.

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Hava's avatar

This is a huge out-of-the-box thing for them to do!

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Shui Haber's avatar

יפה

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Michael Lieber's avatar

The right way to effect change. Mah tov umah noem sheves achim gam yochad.

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David Ilan's avatar

What do you call Belzer Hasidim at the court of Satmar…..The Belz of St Mary’s..!!! 🤣🤣🤣

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Nachum's avatar

Funny, but just for the record, "Belz" doesn't mean "bells" in any language, and "Satmar" comes from the Hungarian "Zotmar," a personal name. This got turned into Satu Mare, Romanian for "big town." But even the Satmar Rebbe believed this story, which is why he said "Sakmar."

(There are chassidic groups whose names have a Christian origin, just not this one.)

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David Ilan's avatar

Thanks for sucking the fun out of it 🙄

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Nachum's avatar

Yeah, I know. Sorry. :-)

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Jew Well's avatar

That's awesome, Rabbi Slifkin!

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Nadia@rances.net's avatar

Hopefully this breakthrough will enable the children in the Belz community to become productive members of the community.

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Saul Katz's avatar

What is interesting and an irony is the chassidim might slowly move to address their problems. The Litvaks on the other hand became todays fanatics and will stand their ground until total collapse.

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Shui Haber's avatar

Most Belzer chassidim work and can be counted from the more "productive" of the chassidic community.

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Joe Berry's avatar

Very nice posting. May there be many, many more like this.

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Sara Schwartz's avatar

This is really beautiful.

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Yehoshua's avatar

Wait, I thought change happens by writing endless strident blog posts?!

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Natan Slifkin's avatar

Both are needed, to create different types of change in very different ways.

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Jerry Steinfeld's avatar

I believe he was referring to your emphatic subtitle.

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Chana Siegel's avatar

Jerry just likes to stir the manure.

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Wise Sage of Chelm's avatar

Well he came to the right place!

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Jerry Steinfeld's avatar

It seems my mere charedi presence triggers you guys. I didn't say anything too controversial here...

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Nachum's avatar

You can't let it go, eh?

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David Cheifetz's avatar

כל הכבוד

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dov's avatar

This is cute

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Robin Alexander's avatar

I clicked Donate and it takes me to the museum. I was prepared to donate to this new program, but unless I'm missing something, I only see a way to donate to the museum itself. Please advise.

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