Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., November 24, 2008 Cheshvan 26, 5769 | | Israel Time: 12:51 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate GA 2008 Travel Week's End Anglo File
Comments:  70
Last update - 00:35 24/11/2008
VIDEO / Shas Rabbi Ovadia Yosef: Secular teachers are 'asses'
By Haaretz Service
Tags: shas, education, ovadia yosef 

Spiritual leader of the Ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef called secular teachers in Israel "asses" on Saturday during his weekly sermon.

Yosef has previously voiced his desire that the Education Ministry be handed over to Shas' authority.

In his sermon, the rabbi said that the teachers in the secular education system know nothing, "neither Shabath, nor holiday", and teach only "nonsense", and added that people whose parents placed them in the secular education system are unfortunate.
Advertisement
"What do they teach? They teach history and all sorts of nonsense about world nations, that's all," he said.

Education Minister Yuli Tamir responded harshly to Yosef's remarks, demanding that he publicly apologize for the "ugly comment." She added that the rabbi's sermon was "rude, baseless, and offensive to tens of thousands of public servants who faithfully carry out their difficult work."

MK Ofir Pines-Paz also voiced his objection, saying "we won't allow Shas to turn Israel's teachers into the punching bag of its elections campaign." Pines-Paz added that both Yosef's and Shas Chairman Eli Yishai's express wish to control the education ministry "prove how dangerous a government headed by [Likud Chairman Benjamin] Netanyahu, who refused to divulge the promises he made to Shas in coalition talks, would be."

National Union-National Religious Party Chairman MK Zevulun Orlev said that "Shas deserves the education portfolio about as much as the National Union-NRP deserves the defense portfolio."

"Anyone who refuses to take part in Zionist state education can?t be education ministers, just as those who preach evading mandatory army service can't serve as defense ministers," Orlev explained.

Yishai issued a response to the critical remarks, saying that Orlev was the "architect who destroyed education in his post of Education Ministry director-general, and the destroyer of Zionism in his position of National Union-NRP chairman."

"The Jewish people have not forgotten who began the destruction of the Jewish home, and Shas is still fighting to repair the damage," Yishai added.

Two weeks ago, Rabbi Yosef and Yishai set a goal for their party to attain 18 Knesset seats in the upcoming February elections, an increase of 6 seats from the 12 the party currently holds.

"What do we want in reference to the ministry of education?" asked Yishai as he elaborated on his plans for his next term, "to teach Judaism, tradition, Bar Mitzva, Shabbat, honoring father and mother - this is what Maran (Ovadia Yosef) preaches daily to all the representatives."

Yishai also lashed out at other political parties who have held the education portfolio over the years, saying "every year drug abuse and violence among youth grows, and the level of educations falls."


Related articles:
  • Netanyahu rebuffs Shas bid to control Education Ministry
  • Compromise to create growth
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Trailblazer
    Haula Abu-Bakar named first Arab female professor in Israel.
    Hills of hostility
    A stranger coming to Hebron Saturday would be confused.
      1.   Yeah right! 11:07  |  Northern 23/11/08
      2.   Nothin` but love 11:07  |  Airborne 23/11/08
      3.   Rabbi`s Like You give Religion a Bad Name 11:21  |  Esther 23/11/08
      4.   Rantings of a mad man 11:45  |  SJ 23/11/08
      5.   Religion as a political tool 12:59  |  Natallie Durson 23/11/2008
      6.   SJ, like all the other so-called Secular fools . . . 13:13  |  Zev Davis 23/11/08
      7.   Shas education 13:23  |  Ofer 23/11/08
      8.   The stunning decline of reason 13:27  |  Heynowal 23/11/08
      9.   Amazing, but ... 13:33  |  Israeli 23/11/08
      10.   For how long? 13:46  |  El_Justiciero 23/11/08
      11.   Next internal conflict..... 13:47  |  Palestinian Brit 23/11/08
      12.   shame on the rabbi!!!!! 13:50  |  chawa 23/11/08
      13.   If so, why is it that Haredim do better at . . . 13:51  |  Zev Davis 23/11/08
      14.   The "sweet charme" of the Iranian Mullahs....... 13:56  |  Swiss (Dino) 23/11/08
      15.   #6 Religious coercion live and well i see 13:58  |  SJ 23/11/08
      16.   Of course to Ovadya who believes in superstition 14:13  |  x-ray 23/11/08
      17.   Bibi and the Rabbi of the 14th century. 14:35  |  Charles Smyth 23/11/08
      18.   yes rabbi we see what a religious education has done for you :) 15:00  |  by the way 23/11/08
      19.   The pot is calling the kettle black. 15:01  |  MIKE 23/11/08
      20.   Natallie 15:09  |  RF 23/11/08
      21.   he is right-we are asses! 15:32  |  gary 23/11/08
      22.   Shas 16:15  |  Maerton 23/11/08
      23.   Ovadia Yosef 16:18  |  Steven 23/11/08
      24.   Well I know that there are more Israeli kids with knives now... 16:23  |  Dan 23/11/08
      25.   Before you condemn R. Ovadia, think . . . 16:29  |  Zev Davis9 23/11/08
      26.   Nothwistanding disgust of Yulia Tamir`s kind of education 16:58  |  17 23/11/08
      27.   ASSES, the new SHAS vocabulary ! and why not 17:09  |  chop-chop 23/11/08
      28.   That`s why I can`t vote for Bibi 17:25  |  Alex 23/11/08
      29.   Shtetl mentality 17:26  |  steve 23/11/08
      30.   Typical black-or-white 17:28  |  Axel 23/11/08
      31.   Rav Ovadia is a great Rav... 17:30  |  Ofer Maimon 23/11/08
      32.   Ms. Durson`s selective standards 17:33  |  Rahim 23/11/08
      33.   Hypocrisy? 17:34  |  John 23/11/08
      34.   Those responses are part of shas I actually like 17:55  |  Yerushalmi 23/11/08
      35.   `rabi` ovadia is not an ass, he is just STUPID 18:22  |  talmon 23/11/08
      36.   Who`s the ASS ? 18:43  |  Jack 23/11/08
      37.   Ovadia Yosef is not an ass himself 18:46  |  Robin 23/11/08
      38.   Shas hurling wool over the eyes of Sefardi Jews 18:50  |  ignorant m asses 23/11/08
      39.   Haaretz Is Irresponsible 18:51  |  Eman 23/11/08
      40.   Don Quixoteh 18:53  |  pin d. tale 23/11/08
      41.   Opened minded Educators 18:59  |  Paul 23/11/08
      42.   Takes one to know one 19:03  |  Yair 23/11/08
      43.   The braying of Ovadia Yosef 19:21  |  JJ Gross 23/11/08
      44.   Yup! 19:28  |  paul 23/11/08
      45.   secular teachers 19:56  |  Maña Cohen 23/11/08
      46.   ovadia, leader?? 20:15  |  mw 23/11/08
      47.   Lets see "Protocol pf the Parliamentarian in the Knesset" 20:21  |  Nobless Oblige 23/11/08
      48.   Did he mean the evolution asses? 20:51  |  gunter 23/11/08
      49.   shas 20:52  |  Al 23/11/08
      50.   He did not use the word "asses"- you did! 21:18  |  A Jewish grandmother 23/11/08
      51.   Error: Orlev said UTJ not worthy of defense portfolio 22:11  |  Robert 23/11/08
      52.   Now that you mention it, Ms Tamir . . . 22:21  |  Zev Davis 23/11/08
      53.   Chamur=urgent NOT chamor donkey 22:41  |  WHOA there! 23/11/08
      54.   We are the idiots 22:46  |  Danny Sonedat 23/11/08
      55.   The virtue of secular education 22:56  |  Yonit 23/11/08
      56.   Shas, Hareidim=Schnorrers Inc. 00:16  |  Don K. 24/11/08
      57.   Re: umpteenth appalling remark 00:23  |  Nach 24/11/08
      58.   Separation of Religion and State 00:24  |  bronxite10 24/11/08
      59.   distortions of history 00:39  |  eric 24/11/08
      60.   Rabbi Ovadia: Secular teachers 00:54  |  Ludwik Cohen 24/11/08
      61.   The Talkbacks are interesting 02:06  |  Bob Sakamoto 24/11/08
      62.   Mythology 02:26  |  Baz Mann 24/11/08
      63.   Yosef and his cronies are like the swiss 02:40  |  Arie 24/11/08
      64.   Why not Reform or Conservative teachers? 03:08  |  Fortuna Benmayor 24/11/08
      65.   distortions of history (2nd try) 04:25  |  eric 24/11/08
      66.   Who does talk like this help? 04:30  |  PETER SM 24/11/08
      67.   ignorant masses 05:16  |  Ofer Maimon 24/11/08
      68.   Outfit 08:13  |  Benjamina 24/11/08
      69.   Ass Teachers 08:28  |  tom 24/11/08
      70.   hey wait! the rabbi is right! this could actually bring peace! 09:56  |  eric 24/11/08
     Read & React
    Yossi Sarid: Is Shas' Rabbi Ovadia Yosef also an ass?
    Responses: 15
    Amir Oren: Peace may come down to this - Obama or Bibi?
    Responses: 9
    IDF: Retaking Gaza will cost Israel NIS 17 million a day
    Responses: 57
    Report: Gaza militants agree to cease rocket fire if Israel opens crossings
    Responses: 32
    Poll: 70% of Israeli Arab women think slaps are not domestic abuse
    Responses: 29


    More Headlines
    12:50 Israel opens Gaza border to let in humanitarian aid
    05:55 IDF: Retaking Gaza will cost Israel NIS 17 million a day
    11:04 Aide: Ex-IDF chief did not call for Ahmadinejad to be killed
    11:46 Last supper: Bush and Olmert to dine together at White House
    12:49 U.K. urges Gulf states to press Iran over nuclear program
    12:34 Meretz hires Obama e-team, as Knesset campaigns go online
    12:38 'Scrubs' star Zach Braff falls in love with Tel Aviv
    12:23 Ben Gurion Airport told to prepare plan for green flying
    09:23 IDF troops open fire on suspected drug smugglers, killing one
    12:31 VIDEO / Jordan's Queen Rania wins YouTube Visionary Award
    02:28 Poll: 70% of Israeli Arab women think slaps are not domestic abuse
    05:22 Hamas government in Gaza seeks to bypass PA on death penalty
    05:32 Soldier jailed for yawning during Rabin ceremony given pardon, early release
    05:44 Michael Jackson, Bahraini prince reach settlement in court case
    05:26 VIDEO / Are half of Israel's companies about to go broke?
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Living in Israel Studying in English
    Click & Meet our students from all around the world
    Living in Israel Studying in English
    Click & Meet our students from all around the world
    Dan Boutique Jerusalem
    New Dan Hotel in Jerusalem Young, Fun & Distinctively Dan Book Now Online!
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Car rental in Israel
    Shlomo Sixt Receive $15.00 from our low rates.
    Dial 013 for your long-distance calls
    and get all your money back
    US CITIZENS
    Vote for real change. Request your ballot today!
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
    www. israel-property.com
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved