The Knesset Education Committee, headed by MK Zevulun Orlev (Jewish Home), held a meeting last week on the danger of closure facing Israel’s Educational TV. Incidentally, cooperation developed between political rivals Orlev and MK Yaakov Katz on the need to make Educational TV's content more appropriate for religious children.
Nearly every participant at the session spoke out against the Finance Ministry’s intention to close down Educational TV. They did not calm down until it was formally and abruptly announced, during the session, that the threat of closure had been revoked – for now.
The session began with a slide show showing samples of the high-level educational programming that is representative of the Educational TV schedule. Yaffa Vigodsky, Director of Educational TV, presented the slide-show.
Many of the Knesset Members and others in attendance were clearly impressed. Famous singer and former Jerusalem City Councilman Yehoram Gaon said, “I did not know beforehand of these shows. There are people sitting in the Finance Ministry who don’t know what Educational TV is all about, period. They don’t know… Someone has to show them and teach them what Educational TV is doing, and then I believe they will change their minds.”
MK Katz: Content Must be Relevant for Religious Public
MK Yaakov "Ketzaleh" Katz (National Union) also saw the slide show for the first time, but emphasized, in his remarks, a different angle:
“There are many different populaces in the State of Israel, and they are not all the same. This slide-show portrays education as you, Yaffa Vigodsky, certainly see as important educational work. But it is not appropriate or relevant, in my opinion, for large sectors of the populace – even up to tens of percentages of the country, for all sorts of reasons; you can understand yourselves. The content might be relevant for a central sector of the populace, but not for everyone.Orlev: Your Words Are Very Important
"There are many things there that cannot be shown to the religious-Zionist public, and certainly not to the hareidi-religious public – some 30 or 40% of the public. I don’t know about the Arab sector; MK Massoud Ganaim will relate to this afterwards."In the communities in which we live, the things that we saw in this slide-show simply are not appropriate – because of the manner and style, because of the dress, because of the content… We have learned in our tradition: When a child is 5, he is taught Bible; 10 years old – Mishna; at 13, he is obligated in the commandments; at 15, he studies Talmud; at 18, he marries. I don’t say that we have to match 100% with what we once learned as children, but there must be some point of contact – yet at present, there is no connection at all.”
“I’m sure Zevulun [Orlev] agrees with me on this matter: Much can be improved in the educational sphere to make it appropriate for additional sectors, and we can apply the verse from Proverbs, “salvation comes from taking much counsel.” [Educational TV] must take advisors, and there are many talented people – we see them on television, in the army, there are religious officers. At present, the Educational TV is not appropriate for them; they can’t turn on Israeli government-funded television and feel that this is something they would like to teach their children; it doesn’t have the flavor of the Torah of Israel and of Judaism, of ‘v’shinantam l’vanecha’, “You shall teach your children” [a verse recited in the Shma Yisrael prayer].
Chairman Orlev, whose Jewish Home party vied for many of the same votes as did Katz's National Union in the recent elections, responded: “Seeing as I view your words as something very, very important, and you are a member of the Education Committee -- a new member -- I will advise the Director of Educational TV to invite you for a visit.”
Yaffa Vigodsky: “I would be glad to.”
Orlev: “It is a very good idea for these points to be considered seriously. Do you take this upon yourself?”
Vigodsky: “I do, happily.”
Orna Porat Wants to Help, Too
Next to speak was actress Orna Porat, founder of Children and Youth Theater and a winner of many prizes, including the Israel Prize for Theater. Born in Germany and a one-time member of the Hitler Youth, she has lived in Israel since 1947, later converting to Judaism. She said, “I grew up in this country, and most of my values I received in this country. I support with all my heart, and I would be happy to help in any way, [to ensure] that this wonderful institution, with your help, Yaakov Katz, receives the proper character and the necessary budgets.”
Yehoram Gaon also related to Ketzaleh’s remarks: “According to your logic, we have to close Channel One as well, because you don’t find ‘v’shinantam l’vanecha’ there either.”
Katz: "I didn’t say to close it down."
Gaon: “Quite. But this is precisely the place to come to Channel One and say: We want ‘v’shinantam l’vanecha’ as you say. I have no doubt that Channel One, whose ear is open, will listen.”
Meeting on Tap
As of several days later, the meeting between Vigodsky and Katz had still not taken place. Katz said he is very interested in meeting with her, and Vigodsky told Israel National News that she is anxious for the meeting to take place “within a week or two.”
Ben Caspit, a long-time journalist, added his comments: “Today’s youth knows a lot about computers and the like, but in terms of general knowledge and tradition, they don’t have even minimal knowledge. By the way, I want to note that the religious-Zionist youth are an exception; during my coverage of the Disengagement, I spent much time with them, and I saw that they are an island of sanity in the ocean of ignorance among Israeli youth.”