schmoozED

Well, for the King David School in Birmingham, England there was one obvious solution – encourage non-Jewish children to join. According to news reports half of the students in the school today are Muslims (35% of them are Jewish). So what makes it a Jewish school? Well, everything but the student body. They learn Hebrew, celebrate Yom ha-Atzma'ut and say Keri'at Shema in unison every morning.

From the story in the paper it does not sound as if intermarriage is a problem, although the students are said to stay in close touch and attend each others' weddings. In fact, it seems as though everyone – especially the Moslems – are excited about the opportunities for intercultural interaction. One Moslem parent is quoted as saying "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."

So I am torn. I really believe that in school – certainly in primary school – Jewish children should be surrounded by Jewish friends who share their basic value system. On the other hand, is it better that the Jewish school should close down and stop servicing the local children? And wouldn't it be a great thing if all of us grown-ups would decide that "our similarities as religions and cultures are far greater and more important than our differences" and get along a little better with our neighbors?