Summary

Publication Year: 2016

Authors:

Amiram Gonen, Bezalel Cohen, Eliezer Hayoun, Meir Kraus, Yamit Naftali, Yo'ad Shahar

It is essential to develop Haredi high school yeshivas as a normative educational track parallel to the yeshivot ketanot, in order to expand Haredi youth’s accessibility to higher education and employment. This study presents the current state of affairs of Haredi education for high school-aged boys in Israel. In addition, it assesses the character of existing Haredi high school yeshivas oriented toward higher education and analyzes obstacles and opportunities for establishing Haredi high school yeshivas, considering the educational character of the institutions, an estimation of expected demand, anticipated opposition, proposed locations, and the economic model. The document describes the desired model for Haredi high school yeshivas and presents objectives and recommendations for advancing their establishment in the coming decade.

A Change in the Status Quo?

The topic of Haredi education and core studies reached the forefront of the Israeli public discourse during July 2016, in regards both to the Jerusalem municipality and the nation. The issue garnered great attention both within the Haredi community and beyond it. One can learn much from the public discussion on the potential implementation suggested in this report of the establishment of Haredi high school yeshivas and on the challenges involved in doing so.

The recent happenings point to the increasing trend of Haredi parents requesting to send their children to schools that offer full core curricula. Evaluation of the political stance of the Haredi leadership, as it was expressed in this recent conflict, exposes that this leadership is strongly object to forced incorporation of the core curriculum in Haredi educational institutions. Still, it is unclear if this political leadership will also object to the provision of an alternative option for Haredi parent who which to send their children to such schools, especially when among the Haredi public there is an open and clear demand for a core curriculum in Haredi education.

This report offers a framework for wide action to develop the model of the high school yeshivas. The authors of this report argue that the development of the high school yeshivas will be most sustainable and successful through collaboration with philanthropists and with the public sector, particularly the Ministries of Treasury and Education. This report can serve as an important basis upon which to promote the development of high school yeshivas in Israel.

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