The Ministry of Education today (Monday) published for the first time an official director-general's circular establishing a uniform national policy on the subject of putting on tefillin in state schools.
The circular, which was formulated after the work of a professional staff, is intended to replace the local interpretations of the directors of educational institutions, which have often led in recent years to friction and misunderstandings with students and parents.
According to the new guidelines, public school principals will be required to allow students who wish to do so to wear tefillin on the premises of the educational institution.
To this end, each school will be required to formulate a clear internal procedure that will be incorporated into the official regulations.
The procedure will define a dignified place designated for this activity, and will set regulated times - with the circular emphasizing that putting on tefillin will be allowed only during breaks, and not at the expense of study hours.
The Director General's circular further clarifies that the logistical responsibility for bringing tefillin, as well as the obligation to be on time and to arrive at the class regularly, lies exclusively with the students who choose to do so.
The Ministry of Education recommends that principals implement the new policy while maintaining early dialogue and communication with teaching staff, parent leaders, and student councils, in order to prevent conflicts and maintain the existing educational climate in schools.
""Wearing tefillin in the Jewish state is not a matter of controversy or local interpretations," said the Minister of Education. "The lack of regulation that has accompanied the system for years has created friction and uncertainty that has harmed students, parents, and administrations. The Director General's circular brings order: it provides administrators with clear rules and ensures that any student who wishes to do so will be able to pray and wear tefillin in a respectful, regulated, and natural manner.".
