Mizrahi girls in Israel refused entry by religious schools despite court rulings

Petition filed last week claims Ashkenazi seminars use vague and secret 'entrance tests' to justify discriminatory policies against Jews who come from Arab lands

PARENTS OF GIRLS with roots in Arab countries filed a petition this week alleging discriminatory and intentionally vague admissions exams and practices that infringe on their daughters’ rights to attend schools in the ultra-Orthodox town of Elad.

This comes six years after a court required all high schools in Elad to admit students in accordance with school enrolment zones.

The petition filed in Jerusalem District Court, with legal assistance from the Justice Ministry, is the latest legal chapter in the longstanding battle over alleged discrimination against Mizrahi girls by Haredi schools, which are run by Ashkenazi organizations (groups with roots in Europe.)

According to the petition, admissions tests “serve only as cover” for improper considerations on the schools’ part in deciding whether to admit girls of Middle Eastern descent.

The petition also claims that the Education Ministry is not fulfilling its role of supervising these schools and that the Elad municipality is failing to comply with previous court rulings on the matter.

FULL STORY Mizrahi girls in Israel still refused by religious schools despite court rulings (Haaretz)

Photo: Two female students at Lada’at Hohma, last week (Hadas Parush)