Jewish school with Muslim students in UK

[2xx1xy1JD]

Not really snark, but I found this article on a Jewish school with over 60% Muslim students to be really interesting:

www.kveller.com/blog/parenting/the-only ... ay-school/

Remind me again - are all UK schools part of some religion, even if it's nominal Christian?

[OkToBeTakei]

State schools ie. Not private, can be many religions/denominations or non denomination. My child went to a catholic primary for example, a child cannot be denied a place at a state school based on religion. It's more about catchment area.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/educa ... 34481.html

"We actually bought a flat in the catchment area for the children to come here," says Nahid Shafiq, the mother of Zainah, four, and Hamza, nine, and wife of Mohammed, a taxi driver. "We were attracted by the high moral values of the school, and that's what we wanted our kids to have. None of us has any problem with it being a Jewish school. Why on earth should we? Our similarities as religions and cultures are far greater and more important than our differences. It's not even an issue.

But what about learning Hebrew and the Jewish prayers? "I think it's great. The more knowledge, the more understanding," says one of the mothers. "They learn all they need about Islam at mosque school. Actually, the kids often sing Hebrew songs in the bath, which is a bit confusing because we speak Gujarati at home, but I think it's great."

The Jewish parents and teachers I speak to are just as enthusiastic. "You know, in these difficult times in the world, I think we show how things should be done. It's really a bit of a beacon," says one teacher, whose three children all went to King David and ended up at Oxford University.

Could not agree more with the bolded.

[browncoatslytherin]

i think this is interesting. i'm not sure i'd want my children going to a school that promotes a religion of any kind, but that's just a personal preference.

in my personal experience, the jewish people i've come across aren't concerned at all about getting people to convert to judaism. nothing like the christians i grew up with, where omg everybody needs to get saved!!!!111elventy11! so that may help the non-chalantness. i'm curious how they would feel if the school was an aggresively christian school that tried to convert their children.

[2xx1xy1JD]

i think this is interesting. i'm not sure i'd want my children going to a school that promotes a religion of any kind, but that's just a personal preference.

in my personal experience, the jewish people i've come across aren't concerned at all about getting people to convert to judaism. nothing like the christians i grew up with, where omg everybody needs to get saved!!!!111elventy11! so that may help the non-chalantness. i'm curious how they would feel if the school was an aggresively christian school that tried to convert their children.

Yes, converts are accepted, but definitely not sought out.

Here, the Jewish schools are totally private, and we don't really get non-Jewish kids (unless you count kids where one parent is Jewish and the other is not). I guess in the UK, with public funding, the basic understanding is that even religious school take any student who wants to attend.

Theologically, Judaism and Islam have more in common than either does with Christianity, so it's possible that plays a role.

[It'sFunToRun]

i think this is interesting. i'm not sure i'd want my children going to a school that promotes a religion of any kind, but that's just a personal preference.

in my personal experience, the jewish people i've come across aren't concerned at all about getting people to convert to judaism. nothing like the christians i grew up with, where omg everybody needs to get saved!!!!111elventy11! so that may help the non-chalantness. i'm curious how they would feel if the school was an aggresively christian school that tried to convert their children.

Rabbis are obliged to turn down potential converts three times before accepting them to make sure they are serious. In Judaism, a non-Jew who keeps the Noahide laws is not committing any sins, and it is perfectly okay for him to eat pork and work on Shabbat. The only people Jews actively try to "convert" are Jews (children of a Jewish mother) who are non-religious. Then you'd better watch out! ;)

[It'sFunToRun]

Yes, converts are accepted, but definitely not sought out.

Here, the Jewish schools are totally private, and we don't really get non-Jewish kids (unless you count kids where one parent is Jewish and the other is not). I guess in the UK, with public funding, the basic understanding is that even religious school take any student who wants to attend.

Theologically, Judaism and Islam have more in common than either does with Christianity, so it's possible that plays a role.

I definitely agree with this. I think Christianity is like the step-sister in the family; even though she is between the other two in age, she is a lot less similar.

[aquitana]

"The only people Jews actively try to "convert" are Jews (children of a Jewish mother) who are non-religious. Then you'd better watch out"

Is isn't a Jewish tradition to seek to convert people of other faiths, hence no Jewish missionaries.

So what are you talking about?

I've only seen the Jews for Jesus trying to draw people in, and they are a very small sect.

[Marianne]

I definitely agree with this. I think Christianity is like the step-sister in the family; even though she is between the other two in age, she is a lot less similar.

I hope for you that one day this book :

http://www.amazon.fr/Histoire-relations ... 222624851X is translated in english. It's called "history of relations between Jews and Muslims.", written by Benjamin Stora ( historian, jewish from Algeria), and Abdelwahab Meddeb, a writer from Tunisia.

On the "cultural" point of view, when I go to a Jewish or Muslim ceremony, I find myself in "another world", there is "another language" (Arabic, Hebrew), a great reverence, a great tradition ... this is rarely the case in Christianity (perhaps in orthodoxy, and of course the Christians of Ethiopia, although I've never had the chance to go to Ethiopia and Catholicism which has preserved its heritage Gregorian). That's ... Normal. People who speak my language. Nothing fascinating.

[It'sFunToRun]

"The only people Jews actively try to "convert" are Jews (children of a Jewish mother) who are non-religious. Then you'd better watch out"

Is isn't a Jewish tradition to seek to convert people of other faiths, hence no Jewish missionaries.

So what are you talking about?

I've only seen the Jews for Jesus trying to draw people in, and they are a very small sect.

Jews don't try actively try to "convert" other people, but by Jewish definitions, it isn't "converting" to get a non-religious Jew (child of a Jewish mother) to become religious; it's "kiruv" ("drawing them closer"). So the atheist/agnostic child of a Jewish mother, if he goes and hangs around Chabad (for example), will probably feel like a precious El Salvadorian hanging around the Duggars. :D

Jews for Jesus is a tough subject. Some of them aren't Jews at all. Others are Jews (children of a Jewish mother), but they aren't practicing Judaism.

[I live off the state]

Yes the Jewish/Muslim dimension does make it interesting but Muslim students in non-Muslim religious schools is not a new thing in the UK. When I stareted secondary school in Glasgow 20 years ago there were quite a few Muslim students in my class (non-denominational, non-religious state school) but there was a far greater proportion in the Catholic school nearby. Many Muslim parents chose the Catholic school over the secular one as they felt that some religious instruction is better than none, that a school that focused on God and building religious habits (even if those habits were slightly different from the ones in their home) was better than an education without. There was the additional bonus that the Catholic school was an all girls school.

[Anny Nym]

Yes the Jewish/Muslim dimension does make it interesting but Muslim students in non-Muslim religious schools is not a new thing in the UK. When I stareted secondary school in Glasgow 20 years ago there were quite a few Muslim students in my class (non-denominational, non-religious state school) but there was a far greater proportion in the Catholic school nearby. Many Muslim parents chose the Catholic school over the secular one as they felt that some religious instruction is better than none, that a school that focused on God and building religious habits (even if those habits were slightly different from the ones in their home) was better than an education without. There was the additional bonus that the Catholic school was an all girls school.

The same experience here!

When it comes to choosing a school, reputation and international standing of a particular school plays a big part too.

I went to a catholic private school, who has it´s heritage proudly displayed and celebrated on occassions.

The main part of the student body was evenly divided in catholics, russian- orthodox ones, muslims and either secular or "les affaires" buddhist chinese students :lol:

In India, traditional hindu parents often choose private christian schools for girls for the sole purpose as a "gold star" on their daughter´s CV.