ABOUT THIS LECTURE: Most Hasidic boys’ schools in NY and NJ provide little to no secular education to their tens of thousands of students. Nearly 100% of Hasidic boys graduate without a high school diploma. New York State Education Law requires that non-public schools provide a curriculum that is “substantially equivalent” to that of public schools, meaning a minimum of English, math, science, and social studies lessons. Most Hasidic male high school graduates are illiterate in core subjects, barely fluent in the English language, unqualified for most decent-paying jobs, and ill-equipped to navigate the broader world. Hasidic Jews are the fastest growing population in NYC, outpacing every other Jewish denomination. By 2030, 30% of Brooklyn’s youth are predicted to be enrolled in Hasidic yeshivas.
