Last update - 00:00 27/08/2007
Shas preschool seeking to fire teacher for 'immodest behavior'
By Ruth Sinai, Haaretz Correspondent
A Shas nursery school is seeking to fire a teacher in the advanced stages of pregnancy because, according to her superiors, she behaves immodestly and violates religious law.
"This is a girl who walks provocatively in the streets and barbecues on Shabbat," wrote Nehama Leibowitz, principal of the Shas nursery school in Moshav Meron, to the head of the ultra-Orthodox party's Neot Margalit educational network. "What can I tell you? She hasn't a drop of fear of heaven."
The teacher, Keren Yosef, has worked at the school for two years, and denies the charges. She was dismissed in July, at the end of her fifth month of pregnancy, with no prior notice.
Firing a pregnant worker requires permission from the Industry Ministry, which Neot Margalit duly requested. "The aforementioned employee does not adapt herself to the nursery school's regular hours, leaves early and dresses inappropriately to the school's spirit. Her entire behavior is unsuited to the network's character," it wrote.
Leibowitz also told the ministry that Yosef would bring a cushion from home and fall asleep on it while children were crying around her. She warned Yosef about her behavior several times, Leibowitz added, but until now, Yosef always convinced her not to dismiss her.
Last week, the ministry held a hearing for Yosef, where she denied the charges, noting that they did not appear in a letter of complaint that Leibowitz wrote to her superiors in June. That letter did, however, complain that Yosef fed the children early, at 11 A.M. rather than 11:30, and left early, at 3:15 instead of 4 P.M.
Yosef said she was shocked at her dismissal and attributed it to a quarrel with Leibowitz. "I very much respect the network, and I educate my son there," at a different Neot Margalit nursery school, she added. "I always came to work dressed modestly - a long-sleeved, closed blouse, a long skirt. With permission from the principal and the parents, I did not cover my hair."
Yosef, who defines herself as traditional, also denied that she barbecues on Shabbat.
The ministry said it has asked Neot Margalit to give it additional documents by the end of the week, after which it will make a decision.