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| Nicky Morgan condemns Orthodox Jewish sect's female driver ban | Nicky Morgan condemns Orthodox Jewish sect's female driver ban |
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| The education secretary has condemned an ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect’s decision to ban women from driving, saying the edict was “completely unacceptable in modern Britain”. | The education secretary has condemned an ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect’s decision to ban women from driving, saying the edict was “completely unacceptable in modern Britain”. |
| Nicky Morgan, who is also the minister for women and equalities, spoke as the Department for Education launched an investigation into the order issued by the Belz sect, which runs two schools in Stamford Hill, north London. The group said that, from later this year, children driven to school by women would be turned away. | Nicky Morgan, who is also the minister for women and equalities, spoke as the Department for Education launched an investigation into the order issued by the Belz sect, which runs two schools in Stamford Hill, north London. The group said that, from later this year, children driven to school by women would be turned away. |
| Parents in the area defended the ban on Friday, saying it was part of the choice they made when they agreed to live within the Belz community. Women rejected the characterisation, in media reports of the ban, that they were oppressed. | Parents in the area defended the ban on Friday, saying it was part of the choice they made when they agreed to live within the Belz community. Women rejected the characterisation, in media reports of the ban, that they were oppressed. |
| A letter issued by the group said that, from August, any child driven to school by their mother would be turned away at the school gates. The letter said the ban was based on the recommendations of Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach, the Belzer spiritual leader in Israel. | A letter issued by the group said that, from August, any child driven to school by their mother would be turned away at the school gates. The letter said the ban was based on the recommendations of Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach, the Belzer spiritual leader in Israel. |
| It said that if a mother has no other choice but to drive her child to school – such as a medical reason – she should “submit a request to the special committee to this effect and the committee shall consider her request”. | It said that if a mother has no other choice but to drive her child to school – such as a medical reason – she should “submit a request to the special committee to this effect and the committee shall consider her request”. |
| The group runs Talmud Torah Machzikei Hadass, a boys’ primary school, and Beis Malka, a primary school for girls. Both have been rated good by Ofsted. | The group runs Talmud Torah Machzikei Hadass, a boys’ primary school, and Beis Malka, a primary school for girls. Both have been rated good by Ofsted. |
| Morgan condemned the edict, which was first reported by the Jewish Chronicle. In a statement provided to the Guardian, she said: “This is completely unacceptable in modern Britain. If schools do not actively promote the principle of respect for other people they are breaching the independent school standards. Where we are made aware of such breaches we will investigate and take any necessary action to address the situation.” | Morgan condemned the edict, which was first reported by the Jewish Chronicle. In a statement provided to the Guardian, she said: “This is completely unacceptable in modern Britain. If schools do not actively promote the principle of respect for other people they are breaching the independent school standards. Where we are made aware of such breaches we will investigate and take any necessary action to address the situation.” |
| The Department for Education later confirmed that an investigation was under way. | The Department for Education later confirmed that an investigation was under way. |
| Outside the schools on Friday, the Guardian found parents were broadly supportive of the decree. Jacob – not his real name – who said he had sons at one of the schools, said he and his wife had actively chosen to be part of the Belz sect because of its strict regulations. “My mother drives, my mother-in-law drives, if my wife wanted to drive, she could drive tomorrow, we could take our children to another school. We’d have a discussion about it as in any marriage. | Outside the schools on Friday, the Guardian found parents were broadly supportive of the decree. Jacob – not his real name – who said he had sons at one of the schools, said he and his wife had actively chosen to be part of the Belz sect because of its strict regulations. “My mother drives, my mother-in-law drives, if my wife wanted to drive, she could drive tomorrow, we could take our children to another school. We’d have a discussion about it as in any marriage. |
| “It’s not forbidden in Jewish law. But this is our tradition, this is our choice to be a little more pious. So my wife doesn’t want to drive. This isn’t Saudi Arabia, no one’s going to be punished, or whipped or whatever, or even ostracised.” | “It’s not forbidden in Jewish law. But this is our tradition, this is our choice to be a little more pious. So my wife doesn’t want to drive. This isn’t Saudi Arabia, no one’s going to be punished, or whipped or whatever, or even ostracised.” |
| Jacob insisted the group did not want to impose its rules on others. “We’re not saying ‘all the women of London shouldn’t drive’, that would be ridiculous. We’re saying, let us get on living our lives how we want to live it – stop saying that we are oppressed.” | Jacob insisted the group did not want to impose its rules on others. “We’re not saying ‘all the women of London shouldn’t drive’, that would be ridiculous. We’re saying, let us get on living our lives how we want to live it – stop saying that we are oppressed.” |
| Another Stamford Hill man, who said he was part of the Belz community, said: “I agree with the policy of women not driving. Hassidic women have never driven cars. No one is unhappy. Not one of my friends would let his wife drive.” | Another Stamford Hill man, who said he was part of the Belz community, said: “I agree with the policy of women not driving. Hassidic women have never driven cars. No one is unhappy. Not one of my friends would let his wife drive.” |
| Many women in the community expressed the same view. Outside the Beis Malka school, as schoolgirls left early on Friday to get home in time for the sabbath to start, several women drove large people-carriers close to the school, but parked some distance away. | Many women in the community expressed the same view. Outside the Beis Malka school, as schoolgirls left early on Friday to get home in time for the sabbath to start, several women drove large people-carriers close to the school, but parked some distance away. |
| One woman, who was walking to collect her daughter, said the letter had not bothered her. “I walk everywhere, I don’t need to drive. I have five children, I would need to drive a very big car and that’s not an option for me. There’s maybe a few occasions where it would have been more convenient to have a car, but I can’t think of many. Everything we need is here in Stamford Hill.” | One woman, who was walking to collect her daughter, said the letter had not bothered her. “I walk everywhere, I don’t need to drive. I have five children, I would need to drive a very big car and that’s not an option for me. There’s maybe a few occasions where it would have been more convenient to have a car, but I can’t think of many. Everything we need is here in Stamford Hill.” |
| Another Belz woman said: “I don’t drive, because I want to be part of this community.” | Another Belz woman said: “I don’t drive, because I want to be part of this community.” |
| She said that the ban did not apply universally. “There’s no ban on driving in other parts of the Jewish community. I can choose to educate my children in a different schools, there are over 20 to choose from in Stamford Hill. But I believe that if you join a private school you have to abide by their rules.” | |
| Another Stamford Hill mother, who gave her name as Judith, said not only was she happy with the ban, but had rejected the offer of dispensation from rabbis who said she would be permitted to drive because she was divorced and had a disabled child. “I choose to be part of this community, it’s my choice,” she said. “Family purity is exceptionally important to us, there’s no bigger priority for us than raising a pure Jewish family.” | Another Stamford Hill mother, who gave her name as Judith, said not only was she happy with the ban, but had rejected the offer of dispensation from rabbis who said she would be permitted to drive because she was divorced and had a disabled child. “I choose to be part of this community, it’s my choice,” she said. “Family purity is exceptionally important to us, there’s no bigger priority for us than raising a pure Jewish family.” |
| None of the members of the community spoken to by the Guardian were able to say specifically what in Jewish law would mean a ban on driving was desirable. “If you ask me why exactly there is a ban, I’m not sure,” Judith said. “But we trust the rabbis, who have been studying this for many, many years. The Jewish religion says we women are precious jewels, we are not subjugated and oppressed.” No one had taken their children out of school as a result of the letter, she said. | None of the members of the community spoken to by the Guardian were able to say specifically what in Jewish law would mean a ban on driving was desirable. “If you ask me why exactly there is a ban, I’m not sure,” Judith said. “But we trust the rabbis, who have been studying this for many, many years. The Jewish religion says we women are precious jewels, we are not subjugated and oppressed.” No one had taken their children out of school as a result of the letter, she said. |
| Hackney council, which covers Stamford Hill, said it was “continuing to work with the Department of Education”, and confirmed that the Stamford Hill schools in question are independent. | Hackney council, which covers Stamford Hill, said it was “continuing to work with the Department of Education”, and confirmed that the Stamford Hill schools in question are independent. |
| The Board of Deputies of British Jews distanced itself from the decree, saying the letter was from a marginal and unaffiliated group. | The Board of Deputies of British Jews distanced itself from the decree, saying the letter was from a marginal and unaffiliated group. |
| A former member of another ultra-Orthodox sect said on Friday that she faced pressure from her family when she decided that she wanted to drive. The woman told Radio 4 that her husband was “very disturbed with the idea” as it was “unheard of in my immediate community, family and friends. None of the women drove.” | A former member of another ultra-Orthodox sect said on Friday that she faced pressure from her family when she decided that she wanted to drive. The woman told Radio 4 that her husband was “very disturbed with the idea” as it was “unheard of in my immediate community, family and friends. None of the women drove.” |
| The woman, who left the community just over two years ago when her marriage ended, said: “This is a very insular community with very little contact with the outside world. It’s actually incredible how that works: how you can have a world that exists within a world.” | The woman, who left the community just over two years ago when her marriage ended, said: “This is a very insular community with very little contact with the outside world. It’s actually incredible how that works: how you can have a world that exists within a world.” |