Teveriah’s Ateres Rachel high school, where the vast majority of pupils are Sefardi, was forced to close down after it defied instructions from the Education Ministry’s chareidi department and refused to accept a student regarded unsuitable for the school. As part of a new zero-tolerance policy, the ministry cut funding from the school for the past few months.

“For the past two months we were pressured to give in to the dictates of the Education Ministry and accept a student in contradiction to the decision of the spiritual committee,” the school wrote to parents. “The Education Ministry’s interference was condemned by gedolei Yisroel of all circles… As a result, we hereby inform you that we are forced to close the high school.”

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The school’s hundred students reacted to the sad tidings by going in tears to the municipality and begging Mayor Yosef Ben David to save their “second home.”