The "Jewish Chronicle", spokesman of the Jewish community was the headline on Friday: "The decision of the Court of Appeal plunges the Jewish school in deep crisis"
Indeed, organized Jewish community in Britain is now caught in a storm that may have adverse effects on the future of its educational network. A Tribunal has in fact just declare "that the denial of a Jewish school to accept students from non-Jews is racism." The case began with the refusal to accept the JFS School a student of Jewish father but whose mother had had a conversion process reformed. This refusal of the school had been endorsed by the Grand Rabbi of Great Britain itself.
The father appealed this decision to a court a year ago, and then the judges had agreed with the headteacher for the following reason: "A Jewish school, like any other religious school, is right to set its own criteria for admission of its students. " The father has turned to a Court of Appeals on June 25 last, returned a verdict that exactly the opposite the previous one: "The acceptance of a student in a Jewish school, as in any other religious school can not be done on basis of ethnicity or religion." This decision has caused such a shock wave in the British Jewish community has even been condemned by the British leader of Reform Judaism, Dany Bayfield, who called it a "disaster" and "insulting."
Thus, according to the verdict that could set a precedent, a Jewish school could no longer refuse, not only a student whose mother was converted by the process reformed, but any non-Jewish student who wishes to enter for various reasons: proximity, quality of teaching or coaching etc.. JFS School said it will make itself appeal this decision to the House of Lords as "the decision of the Court of Appeal may profoundly modify the operation of the school and the teaching is lavished. Although "criticizing the refusal of the JFS school to accept children of mothers converted reformed", Dany Bayfield announced that " 100% would support the actions of the United Synagogue (Orthodox) to change the verdict of the Court of Appeals. "
The school system JFS is one of the most famous and prestigious in Britain, and is the largest in Europe. It serves students whose degrees of Jewish practices are very different, sometimes even nonexistent, but imposes its rules in an internal life based on Halacha. The bodies of British Jewry said they were very worried about the future of these schools. Indeed, Jewish schools, JFS and the network are known to have a level of education internal life and high quality. Many non-Jewish families would like nothing better to be able to enroll their children in front of a public education increasingly poor and a progressive loss of moral values in these institutions.
The Grand Rabbi of Great Britain, Rabbi (Sir) Jonathan Sacks wrote in the "Jewish Chronicle" that what is meant by the Court of Appeal, is that Judaism is a form of racism, when in fact it is nothing, because anyone who sincerely desires can convert to Judaism. Our criteria are religious and not racial or ethnic .
He said that even if the House of Lords gave no reason for the Jewish school, he and the leaders of Orthodox Judaism British seize the European courts.
A reading of the Jewish press from across the Channel, one can easily see where the confusion has now plunged the British Jewish community, and educational bodies in particular, following this decision. And Jewish schools in Europe could begin to fear the growing phenomenon on the continent.
by Shraga Blum
http://www.actu.co.il/2009/07/grande-bretagne-les-ecoles-juives-en-danger/
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