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School helps haredi students join in Israel's high-tech boom.
The rabbis even approved Internet
use,
which has been a controversial
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
issue in the fervently Orthodox com-
munity — as long as general browsing
Jerusalem
was not allowed. "The Internet is not
hen the dean of the
allowed at home. But at work or at
Haredi Center- for
studies, it's OK," says Rabbi Fogel.
Technological Studies
Several rabbis serve on the school's
first tried to find jobs for
board, but aren't "interested in empty-
his school's graduates, he met with some
ing out the yeshivot," says Rabbi
reluctance.
Weinberger.
The attitude was, "We'll take one of
As a result, men, who make up 60
your students or two as an experiment,"
percent
of the students, study at night
Rabbi Zvi Weinberger recalls of his
after
their yeshiva studies are
attempts in 1996 to find jobs for
over
— and women attend
his students, most of whom are fer-
during
the day.
vently Orthodox — or haredi Jews.
The
Haredi
Center for
The rabbi's motivation was sim-
Technological Studies has had
ple: most workplaces at that time
little problem in attracting stu-
were not used to hiring haredim.
dents. In 1996, the first year, 35
But nowadays, Rabbi Weinberger
students attended the center's
says, "We have more demands
first two branches, in Jerusalem
than we have students to fill."
and B'nei B'rak. This year, 1,200
The school is a training ground
men and women were accom-
for future contributors to Israel's
modated at the school's five
high-tech economy. But it's also
branches. The average student is
something more.
poor, between 25-40 years old,
The center's 300 graduates
married and has several children.
who have found jobs are part of
In addition to choosing
an experiment to integrate mem-
preparatory
and other classes,
bers of the haredi community —
including
a
high
school equiva-
who live segregated lives and do
lency
program,
students
can
not generally serve in the coun-
enroll
in
an
18-month
pro-
try's rite of passage, the army —
gram, directed by the
A woman studies computers at the Haredi Center
into mainstream Israeli society.
Technion. Subjects offered
The debate over whether yeshi- for Technological Studies in Jerusalem. Since it was
include computers, business or
founded in 1996 the center has helped some 300
va students should serve in the
members of Israel s fervently Orthodox community
office management. Or stu-
army is being debated in the
join the country's high-tech boom.
dents can enroll in a three-year
Knesset. It recently gave prelimi-
program
in applied engineering
nary approval to a bill that would
supervised
by
the
Israeli Ministry of
allow the students to be exempt from
cent of Israeli Arabs, 14 percent of new
Labor.
Last
fall,
the
center launched its
military service until age 23, when
immigrants and 13 percent of
first
four-year
program,
affiliated with
they would decide whether to contin-
Sephardim.
Rabbi
Weinberger's
former
school, the
ue their studies or join the military for
When Rabbi Weinberger headed
Jerusalem
College
of
Technology.
a shortened tour of service.
the Jerusalem College of Technology
Leaders of the Haredi Center even-
Some 50 percent of the school's
from 1985-93, he was frustrated by
tually hope to see it become indepen-
male students serve in the army,
the lack of haredi students there. "I
dent and grant its own degrees.
according to Rabbi Yeheskel Fogel,
saw the need. I saw that haredi stu-
An average of 96 percent of stu-
director general of the center. Haredi
dents could not be accepted" because
dents
passed state-sponsored exams in
women do not serve in the military.
of a lack of formal high school train-
courses
ranging from English to com-
The program will "help not just indi-
ing "and it aggravated me very much,"
puters
in
1998 and 1999, according to
viduals but the whole society by bridg-
says Rabbi Weinberger, who immi-
the
school.
Rabbi Weinberger attribut-
ing gaps and reducing tensions," says
grated to Israel in 1956.
es this success rate to the seriousness
Rabbi Daniel Hershkovitz of the mathe-
A private donor in New York provid-
of the students enrolled. While single
matics faculty at the Technion-Israel
ed funding for Rabbi Weinberger to
women are accepted into the school,
Institute of Technology in Haifa, which
establish the technological school. His
single men are not.
helped to develop the school's curricula
first step, however, was going to leading
"Anyone coming in through these
rabbis in the community to receive their
doors
is interested in the matter of
Peter Ephross recently visited Russia
blessing. "Otherwise," as Rabbi Fogel
study
—
and that and that alone,"
and Israel on a trip sponsored by the
puts it, "I'm afraid [the school] could
says
Rabbi
Weinberger. CI
American Technion Society.
I not happen."
PETER EPHROSS
and supervises some courses.
The seed for the center was planted
severalyears ago, when Rabbi
Weinberger, a product of American
yeshiva training, observed what he calls
a "matriarchy" among Orthodox fami-
lies in Israel — the need for women to
support their families because their hus-
bands study full time in yeshivas.
More than half of haredim live below
Israel's poverty line, according to a 1997
study by the Jerusalem Institute for
Research. This compares with 24 per-
Remember
When
From the pages of the Jewish News for
this week 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50
years ago.
‘191104K6'4.
\
,
^
Sinai Hospital and Henry Ford
Health Care Corp., both in Detroit,
called off merger negotiations.
Jerry Margolis of Birmingham
was elected speaker of the House of
Delegates to the Michigan
Association of Osteopathic
Physicians and Surgeons.
411tOtiL
,
A Different Kind Of
ARNI G
7/21
2000
30
VINio*L
The Jewish National Fund of
Detroit is honoring Dr. Harold
Shapiro, University of Michigan
president, with a forest in Israel.
The Israeli navy launched a new
missile boat, the Aliya, at a Haifa
shipyard.
Dr. Harvey Beaver was elected
president of the Detroit District
Dental Society.
Meyer L. Prentis, treasurer o
General Motors Corp. for 32 years,
died on his 84th birthday.
The Rabbinical Council of
America elected Rabbi James I.
Gordon of Young Israel Center of
Oak-Woods as vice president.
:
M.,TSOw
hIMIC
Itzg
The Washington Star editorially
voiced approval of official action
against George Lincoln Rockwell
and his American Nazi party.
Moshe Dayan, Israel's minister of
agriculture, was fined and had his dri-
ving license suspended for causing an
accident; he failed to obey a stop sign.
Excavations were started in Israel
at the biblical city of Shechem.
mevz\ valWi
NVSkat
The - minister of education in
Johannesburg, South Africa, wel-
comed the annual conference of
South African Hebrew Teachers.
Fifty Israeli fliers arrived in
Glendale, Calif, where they will be
trained in airplane mechanics at
Cal Aero Technical Institute.
Women's Division of Sholem
Aleichem Institute planned a din-.
net under the stars on Berle Isle.
— Compiled by Sy Manello,
editorial assistant