“Young man, we haven’t changed our curriculum in over 3,000 years— and we aren’t going to change it now”
Photo: Yeshiva Bais Moshe
ATYeshiva Bais Moshe’s 58th annual dinner last week, the Scranton Rosh Yeshivah, Rav Chaim Bressler shlita, shared with the attendees an incident from years ago.
Like many yeshivah gedolahs in America, Bais Moshe is certified by the Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools (AARTS), the accreditation agency for yeshivos recognized by the United States Department of Education, which allows them to access government funding. At one point the Scranton yeshivah missed a crucial filing deadline, and its accreditation was revoked.
The yeshivah appealed the decision, and Rav Bressler had to make the trip down to Washington, D.C., to present at a hearing at the Department of Education. When he arrived, he realized the scene didn’t portend good news. The atmosphere in the room felt stiff and unforgiving; the officials were stern-looking, and Rav Bressler had a sinking feeling that the appeal would be refused, which would cost the yeshivah a significant amount of funding.
When he finished his presentation, the most senior member of the group got up to speak. He recalled attending an initial hearing on the topic of granting accreditation to Talmudic schools.
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