Not too long ago, the results of a comparative study of the level of education in Israel and in other advanced
For generations upon generations, the Jewish people have given scholarship precedence above all else.
countries were published. They were unimpressive to say the least. The educational level of Israeli students is on the downfall in comparison to other advanced countries.

In response to this report, popular media analysts focused their attention, as usual, upon irrelevant factors. For the most part, they opted to blame the then-impending cuts in the education budget, rather than make an effort to get to the roots of the problem. For one thing, the cuts had not yet taken effect, while the results of this study reflected the previous year's developments; furthermore, the education budget in Israel is comparatively larger than those in most Western countries.

The truth of the matter is that the problem is a social-ideological one, and not connected to Israel's spending budget. For generations upon generations, the Jewish people have given scholarship precedence above all else. The scholar was considered the most honored individual in society. The wealthy considered it a privilege to have their daughters marry scholars. Jewish education was never based upon schoolwork alone; it was first and foremost a family affair - the Jewish family has traditionally related to scholarship as the most important of values. Even non-observant Jewry, during its first and second generations, continued to relate to study with honor. Yet, now, in the third generation, things have changed.

When the life objective becomes going out on the town, buy clothing, traveling abroad, gourmet restaurants, dancing all night and returning drunk in the early hours of the morning, it should come as no surprise that the majority of our youth prefer television, movies, drinking, dancing, partying and unbridled freedom over study. Parents who lead a life of freedom and irresponsibility, expressing themselves in vulgar language and adorning themselves in immodest clothing, chain-smoking, drinking beer and coffee, and wasting their time with self-centered leisure and all sorts of nonsense, should not expect their child to turn out modest, honest, educated and intelligent. The child merely imitates his parents. Adults who are insolent towards those who are better and wiser
This "classroom" also served as the bedroom, kitchen and living room.
than they and laugh at jokes which desecrate all that is treasured and sacred, are later shocked that their children are disrespectful toward them and their teachers, and are unwilling to accept authority. They do not hesitate to blame the government for not investing enough money in "education".

In the past, Torah teachers were poor. The children would gather in the teacher's house and he would educate them from morning until night. This "classroom" also served as the bedroom, kitchen and living room of the teacher's family. In the center of the room the children sat and studied Torah, and on the side, the teacher's wife would sew, cook and take care of the small children. Sometimes, even the goat and rooster would come inside the very same room in order to warm themselves and eat the scraps of leftover food. In the midst of all this, Jewish children studied Torah and grew to become learned, pious and gentle Jews.

Though they lacked adequate formal conditions, they possessed respect for scholarship.

Send comments or questions for Rabbi Melamed to Yonaton Behar at yonatonb@yahoo.com.