Israel 'abandoned' haredi students; education reform needed, Aliza Bloch tells 'Post'

Israel has "abandoned" its haredi students by allowing crucial education decisions to be made outside the public sector, according to Aliza Bloch, former mayor of Beit Shemesh and a member of the new Unity Party. Bloch, an educator, believes that reforming the education system must begin in kindergarten, emphasizing the need for better teachers, greater professional authority for principals, and increased respect for educators.

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I want to be involved in education, of course, because I believe that most of our problems in Israel begin in kindergarten, in the classroom and in the school.

"I want to be involved in education, of course, because I believe that most of our problems in Israel begin in kindergarten, in the classroom and in the school," Bloch stated in an interview with The Jerusalem Post. She criticized the current structure of Israel's education system, arguing that the government has relinquished too much control over student-affecting decisions to external bodies.

Bloch stressed the importance of integrating all students into Israeli society from an early age. She argued that education and military conscription are intrinsically linked, asserting that the state cannot expect young adults to assume national responsibility at age 18 if they have not been given prior opportunities to understand Israeli society and their place within it. "From kindergarten, students need to learn about Israel. They need to feel that they are part of society and that they need to take responsibility for our lives," she explained.

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From kindergarten, students need to learn about Israel. They need to feel that they are part of society and that they need to take responsibility for our lives.

Her views on education stem from her experience as mayor of Beit Shemesh, a city she described as highly diverse. "I believe that living with different people makes us better people," Bloch said. "When I was mayor, all of my work was about helping people live together and respect everyone. It doesn't matter if you are secular, Orthodox, or Modern Orthodox. Everybody is a person." This experience also shaped her belief in the possibility of political cooperation between groups with differing viewpoints, emphasizing mutual respect even amid disagreement.

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I believe that living with different people makes us better people.