funny. finally we admit it that our schools provide just baby-sitting services. and americans in israel expect the same. if i am not mistaken schools in israel are free of tuition charge. it is too bad that after school activities cost money. i guess babysitters even in israel want to get paid.
faruq | 09.16.05 - 9:17 am | #

also, the school day in brooklyn yeshivos is ridiculously long. why is it a problem that a school starts at 8am? and to have it finished at 1pm or 2pm seems to be reasonable. in short, parents that want to work full time can not avoid day care expenses. and it is NORMAL!
faruq | 09.16.05 - 9:22 am | #

A mesivta here in Boston is 8am to 9pm. This is bound to crush any soul.
Tzemach Atlas | Homepage | 09.16.05 - 11:58 am | #

re: sunday. i suspect that the school on sundays has an ideological bend to it. i get this impression that the rabbis do not want us to spend too much time with our children. shabbos is fine for obvious reasons, there is not much that you can do with your children on shabbos that could be objectionable. sundays are different though.
faruq | 09.16.05 - 12:43 pm | #

there is not substitute fro parents actually doing things together with kids.
Tzemach Atlas | Homepage | 09.16.05 - 12:49 pm | #

Although I do agree that there are too many hours at Yeshiva in a day, and kids should have more time with their parents, it seems to me that it has always been this way for the "learning" segment of the population.
They want to train kids to be masmidim and become the future lamdonim of the world, so they must learn day & night.
I don't really think it's healthy and I don't thinks it's working, but it's not a new idea.
chabakuk elisha | 09.16.05 - 1:04 pm | #