Hebrew Brouhaha

The Telegraph

By Ben Harris · May 29, 2008

With tensions still simmering over an Arabic-language charter school in Brooklyn – a fight that spawned a (heavily Jewish) campaign against it, the resignation of its principal days before the school was due to open amidst charges she sympathizes with terrorists, and at least two lawsuits – news has broken of a Hebrew-language charter school in the same borough of New York City.

Both the Forward and the Jewish Week have stories about the new school, backed my mega-philanthropist Michael Steinhardt and pushed by his daughter, Sara Berman, who is submitting an application for the school next week.

If adopted, it would become the second Hebrew-language charter school in the country. Ben Gamla in Hollywood, Fla. was the first, opening its doors this past fall. Like the Brooklyn Arabic school, and another Arabic school in Minnesota, Ben Gamla has had its troubles. Critics – including some Jews – have charged that it's little more than a front for religious instruction and blurs the line between church and state.

But at least one commentator thinks the new school is protected under the Constitution. Check out Thomas Carroll's take in today's New York Post.