In his weekly motzei Shabbos shiur, Chacham Ovadia Yosef Shlita made reference to the secular education system, and in line with regular practice, members of the secular press were monitoring the Rav�s words to find a story, which they did.
The Rav Shlita referred to the secular teachers as "Chamorim? (a derogatory term which means donkey, but also a reference to one�s lack of intelligence). The Rav explained the teachers in the secular system lack the basic knowledge of Torah and basics regarding Yiddishkeit, calling them "chamorim bnei chamorim?.
Shas leader Eli Yishai agreed to act to explain the Rav�s words, appearing on Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) on Sunday morning, speaking with host Razi Barkai. He opened by stating that as usual, the secular media takes juicy excerpts without having any idea of the general concepts addressed in the Rav�s Torah lectures.
Yishai quoted a passage from Tractate Shabbos, in which we are compared to donkeys, explaining that today, there can be no dispute that on Torah matters, we are indeed significantly inferior to the generations that preceded us.
He reminded Barkai that the excerpts were taken prematurely, and the media did not hear about reference made by the Rav regarding schools, violence, drugs, 80% of students who do not do homework, 60% of students involved in violence towards one another and teachers � the alarmingly high dropout rate. He questioned how one can honestly say that the system hasn�t failed. He cited a recent example that upon entrance to a classroom by a teacher, students dropped their trousers, questioning the absence of a modicum of basic respect and values that once existed among the young, even in public schools.
Barkai: What about Charles Darwin?
Yishai: What about what is teffilat Ma�ariv? What about the Four Mothers? [referring to the Matriarchs]. He explained when these questions are asked in public schools, the students have no idea, with some responding to the "four mothers? question believing it refers to the non-governmental organization that worked to bring about an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
Yishai angrily asked that Barkai and his supporters examine the lack of Jewish values in schools, the fall in Israel�s rating in the international education community. He suggested the Education Ministry begin instilling Jewish values and Torah classes into the national curriculum and not just Darwin, a move that he stated confidently would result in less violence and an increase in Derech Eretz.
Responses to the Rav�s Remarks as reported by Galei Tzahal:
Labor Party leader Ehud Barak: Such references are unworthy and should be retracted.
Kadima leader Tzipi Livni: A public apology is in order for the rabbi�s words are an insult to tens of thousands of the nation�s dedicated teachers and therefore, intolerable.
(Yechiel Spira � YWN Israel)
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=26313
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