At the center of the Bnei Akiva yeshivas, it was announced today (Wednesday) that despite the threats of a strike, they are preparing to operate the educational institutions for the purpose of religious studies until Yom Kippur.
In a letter issued by the CEO of the Bnei Akiva yeshivas for boys and for girls, Elhanan Glatt, he expressed support for the struggle to improve the status and salaries of educators, especially those at the beginning of their careers. However, Glatt emphasized the importance of preparing the students for the upcoming High Holidays and Yom Kippur, and the study of Torah as something that must not be neglected. It should be noted that within the network, around 24,000 students study across approximately 70 institutions.
Glatt: "It is forbidden to cancel religious studies"
In the letter, Glatt emphasized that he is making solutions available to the institutions to make sure that in each of the institutions there will be prayers every morning and Torah study will take place until the afternoon hours. Among other things, he wrote: "Besides the important and understandable concern for improving the entire education system and promoting the status of teachers, we emphasize that the strike on the eve of the beginning of the year is very harmful to the students, and we hope that with the help of God, even in the last days, the parties will be able to overcome the differences or at least reach an agreement on the continuation of the negotiations Without using the shutdown option, which is very harmful to the stability of the educational system."
He also added: "The middle schools will of course start the year in an orderly manner due to the agreement signed between the teachers union and the government, which is of course extremely gratifying. From a practical point of view, we wish to repeat the principle that guided us in the past on this issue. We must not cancel the religious studies for male and female students in yeshivas - any way we can. Especially this year when we are already in the midst of 'Ani LeDodi VeDodi Li' in the month of mercy and forgiveness, we must work as much as we can to hold days of prayer and Torah study in preparation for the upcoming Rosh Hashanah."
In conclusion, he wrote: "We ask all the institutions to act even in the situation of a strike notice, to hold days of prayer and study in the religious fields in the morning hours. In accordance with developments, a plan can be formulated for the initial weeks until Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in which we will operate a Torah framework in the atmosphere of a seminary and Metivta and for this purpose all the officials will be recruited from among the staff and additional external sources will be integrated to study Torah in an optimal and unique way. As mentioned, the network offers its help to the various institutions in order to prepare accordingly."