Bnei Brak

Monday I had two meetings in Bnei Brak in Israel, a city of some 165,000 exclusively ultra-orthodox Jewish inhabitants. The main purpose was to meet with two agencies that the Foundation is working with, Ezer Mizion and Achiya. Ezer Mizion is working on introducing play in the curriculum of preschools and the training of male teachers, to create what is called ‘an active nurturing playground environment’; Achiya is working on the introduction of concepts of science and mathematics in the programme for preschool children to stimulate what they call ‘creative thinking’.

These projects may seem to introduce ideas that are already generally accepted in secular preschools in Israel, but in the context of the ultra-orthodox world of Bnei Brak, where new ideas have to be approved by the Rabbinate, they can be considered as very innovative.

Although it is not my first visit to Bnei Brak, I am again impressed by the world I see. Men and women in their traditional clothing, men walking the streets with books in their hands, probably going someplace to study the scriptures; women with their long skirts and often surrounded by children (families of 10 children or more is common in the ultra-orthodox world); heavy traffic, but also small pathways to walk, a city which is not in particular attractive in terms of urban planning.

On Friday afternoon when the Shabbat starts the city is closed for all outsiders and traffic until the afternoon of the Saturday when Shabbat ends. A world which is difficult for me to grasp and to understand, but also fascinating and intriguing. One of the things that call my attention is how, in this ‘traditional’ world, modern media finds its way and is accepted. I see many men and women walking the streets with a cell phone, almost everyone I meet has one; the offices where I go are modern and all equipped with computers (although access to information sources on internet may be controlled).

The teams of the two organisations that I meet are very professional. They manoeuvre in a way that is respectful to traditions and beliefs, but also innovative as they aim at enriching the curriculum in the preschools. Preschool study for boys mainly focus on developing their reading and writing skills (starting at the age of three) to prepare them for a lifelong study of the Torah and the Talmud, the holy scriptures. Introducing play, introducing concepts that stimulate children to be inquisitive and  to enhance their curiosity are merged with the traditional way the often untrained male teachers (melamdim) are used to work.

I listen to the teams how they explain their ideas and projects and realize again that ‘modernizing’ the preschool system and focusing on ‘quality’ are relative concepts that have to be valued in the context. The Foundation’s support to the projects is greatly valued and considered of key importance to support the process. Bnei Brak and the world of the orthodox Jewish community is, without doubt, complex for me to understand but also fascinating to work in.

Marc, Visit to Bnei Brak (Monday, 23 April 2012)