New Jewish leader bans women from higher education

The ultra-orthodox Jewish movement Shas’ new spiritual leader Rabbi Shalom Cohen announced his strong opposition to ultra-Orthodox Jewish women entering higher education, Israel’s Haaretz newspaper reported today.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews generally oppose undergraduate studies and are encouraged instead to study in a Jewish seminary, which focuses on studying the Torah and other Jewish religious books.

Haaretz quoted Cohen as saying, in a letter he circulated 10 days ago: “Women should not even consider academic study in any framework, because this is not the way of the Torah.”

The newspaper pointed out that although Cohen was very clear on women enrolling in higher education, his position includes men as well, an attitude which prevails among ultra-Orthodox rabbis, especially Lithuanian ultra-Orthodox Jews.

The paper said that Cohen’s position, which contradicts his predecessor’s and the Shas movement’s views, has embarrassed party leaders.

The former spiritual leader Rabbi Yosef was always a guest at an academic college run by his daughter, and has repeatedly expressed his support for academic education.

Cohen pointed out in his letter that his opposition to the academic study stems from the “fact that subjects taught in colleges are based on research and scientific methods which contradict the opinion of the Torah! Therefore, women should not even consider academic study because it is not the way of the Torah”.

A research was released two months ago, pointed out that a fifth of ultra- Orthodox Jews at the age of 25-39 years have college or university titles or are studying to obtain one. This is an increase of 41 per cent compared to 2007.