Kiryat Ata has always been blessed with peace and unity among all communities and worshippers wherever they may be. Thank God we have been blessed and the city is expanding and growing with new residents who fear God, each on a camp and each under His banner.
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Residents came out of good will to open new educational institutions for the benefit of the city's residents. It is clear to us that their intentions are purely for the sake of God.
However, to our great regret, there are details that apparently did not reach all the considerations in a goal that is sacred in itself, but the goal does not sanctify.
Thank God, we are blessed that the "Beit Yaakov" school in our city educates girls of all ethnicities equally, when in reality most of the girls are from the Sephardic ethnic group - when the only admission test for the school is clear and accepted criteria in the Haredi education system determined by the rabbis in our city.
And now businessmen and residents have come with the desire to open a new educational institution for girls, according to them, with more criticism of the admission of female students.
It is clear that the easiest thing would have been to offer them every assistance and help in any way possible for the success of the new institution. However, if we think long-term, a situation will arise where there will be girls who will not be accepted into any framework. Indeed, today Beit Yaakov is obliged to accept any girl who meets clear criteria regarding modesty and communication. However, as soon as a second institution opens, the purpose of which is supposedly to accept only some of the girls, Beit Yaakov will also be able and will even be required to change its admission conditions.
And then? Will a third and fourth institution be opened? Those who do the work will say - yes. The city is blessed with a multitude of institutions. However, this is a narrow view, unfortunately, for although, thank God, God-fearing families have multiplied in our city, there is still no room for another educational institution for girls - and certainly not for two or three more institutions.
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As those involved in the profession know: the existence of 'Beit Yaakov', unlike Haidar, is in the number of students who study there. Those who say so will say, 'Haydarim' were also opened here in the city. Well, the 'Haydarim' that were opened were after the central 'Haydar' in Kirya became, due to the circumstances of the time, a Haidar that accepts children from all over the area. In addition, as is known, in 'Haydarim' the budgeting method is completely different.
Despite all this, in reality this is already creating tensions within the city. Parents who are unable to get their children into an institution that they think is suitable for the educational system they want - and the institution does not see eye to eye with this; children who remain at home because they have not found a suitable setting - and the ability to maintain a small school with a number of students is a reality throughout the country.
On the other hand, in girls' schools, the more girls there are in the school, the more pedagogical options there are for the benefit of the students' well-being, as well as options for making education accessible to students who have difficulty studying and individual treatment for girls who need it.
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We have a special divine help in our city, where on the one hand the city's rabbis are all united as one man with one heart, and Mayor Yaakov Peretz stands faithfully by their side in everything that concerns the sanctity of the city - both in matters of the mikvahs, the eruvin and the religious council, and in matters of the schools - who supports the schools in a special way, and especially Beit Yaakov, out of a responsibility to provide an educational service to every boy and girl.
''Beit Yaakov' is housed in a spacious building and is maintained by the municipality, and only recently was a budget of tens of thousands of shekels approved for the expansion of the school.
When the municipality sees the disputes that arise - will it be able to continue to assist as before? Will it be able to allocate resources to a school that is in dispute? To whom will it refer the students who are not accepted? Which school will it demand to accept which of the girls?
Especially during this period, when there are many haters of the camp of Hashem and no one knows what will happen tomorrow - can we allow ourselves to reach a situation where all schools will be in danger of survival?
The dedicated educational team of 'Beit Yaakov', who raised generations of students from all ethnicities and classes without differences of opinion, with the only measure being pure fear of God - can we now accuse them of being incapable of education?
The place where all generations of the Kirya grew up, including a significant portion of the students' parents - is now casting doubt on their ability to educate in the way of Yisrael Saba? Will we now cause its destruction alongside the disputes that will arise here in the city, who was accepted where and why?
And what about the dear girls who will not be accepted into either of these two institutions, since each will throw the ball into the other institution's court? And what about the tensions and disputes that will develop over the failure to accept a daughter into the institution? Can we and are we allowed to condemn ourselves to the destruction of the entire community?
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We appeal with affection to all those who fear God to unite with the goal of strengthening and establishing the holy community and those who do the work, and not, may God be glorified, to be among the destroyers of the education and foundations of our holy community.
The writers, out of sorrow and hope for unity, wish the end of the year and its curses, and the beginning of the year and its blessings, a year of love and brotherhood, peace and companionship.
