14.1% of haredim polled demanded "government control [be exerted] because the current quota system [employed against Sefardim by Ashkenazi haredi schools] is racial discrimination” while just under 50% wished top haredi leaders would intervene and deal with the discrimination.
Many Ashkenazi Haredim Oppose Anti-Sefardi Discrimination In Haredi Schools – Even Though Their Rabbis Do Not
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
A poll done on July 2 by a firm specializing in the polling the Israeli haredi community highlighted surprising new information about the haredi community and anti-Sefardi discrimination in haredi schools, Behadrei Haredim reported.
In order to properly characterize the respondents, they were all asked their community affiliation, style of dress, place of residence, and other detailed questions so they could be properly placed in the correct sub-segment of the haredi community.
After that, respondents were asked whether “Lithuanian” high school age yeshivas and seminaries need to continue the existing quota system to keep the number of Sefardi students in these schools low.
• 17.7% answered, “yes, it maintains the quality of the institutions.”
• 18.9% did not understand what the problem was and answered that there is “no racism at all, [instead] it is all a sense of inferiority [by the Sefardim who complain about it].”
• 4.8% agreed that the percentage of Sefardi students in those schools “can be raised, but to no more than 50%."
• 14.1% demanded "government control [be exerted] because the current quota system is racial discrimination.”
• 44.5% agreed that, "I wish the Gedolim [top Ashkenazi haredi rabbis] would intervene in this matter" and deal with it.
Yoav Laloum, who has led the fight against Ashkenazi haredi discrimination against Sefardi students for almost a decade, was elated by the poll’s results.
"The figures show that attempts of intimidation and silencing of the transactions corruption do not help. The [relatively] small percentages of [Ashkenazi haredim] supporting discrimination are minimal. And more than 44% took out a ‘red card’ for the heads of these schools [who want and encourage the discrimination] and instead want the the Gedolim to intervene.…”
Unfortunately, except for a several very rare offhand remarks by one or two top haredi rabbis, most of the Gedolim have been silent on this issue while others have openly supported the discrimination, which also exists in many schools controlled by hasidic sects (other than Chabad and Breslov, which have large numbers of Sefardi adherents).
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