NYC’s yeshivas can offer a well-rounded education. Will Mayor Mamdani help them get there?

JTA – In the most intensely covered mayoral election in generations, the well-being of Jewish New Yorkers became a major flashpoint. And yet, no candidate took a decisive stance on a crisis affecting tens of thousands of Jewish children: the educational conditions at Chasidic and Haredi yeshivas. 

Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani hasn’t said much, and the few comments he has made have raised concern for those of us who believe the schools are characterised by grave educational neglect. At a New York Jewish Agenda forum during the primary, he questioned whether the enforcement of basic education standards in yeshivas was possible. This is troubling, given that New York State recently gutted regulations to provide a sound, basic education. 

In the absence of state oversight, new research has revealed just how deep this educational neglect runs. Sociologist Matty Lichtenstein captured the most granular data to date of course material in New York City’s Jewish schools, leveraging community researchers to survey dozens of people with on-the-ground knowledge of curriculum. Ultimately, the researchers gained a comprehensive understanding of what’s taught in 171 grades at 85 schools, including Haredi yeshivas. 

The results were astounding. 

In Chasidic all-boys schools, students spent an average of less than two hours per week on all secular subjects combined. At the height of their intellectual development, children’s growth is being stunted. 

And STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education was almost non-existent for Chasidic high school boys. Only 13% of male high school cohorts received any science instruction, and fewer than a quarter received maths. The denial of a STEM education essentially slams the door shut on many career paths in today’s tech-forward workforce. 

And though English received greater priority for Chasidic high school boys, many Chasidic boys have a limited ability to communicate with the outside world. A separate report that we released earlier this year about economic outcomes in the Chasidic community found that fully 13% of Chasidic male youth speak no English whatsoever, with much larger percentages languishing at subpar proficiency levels. 

As an advocate for Chasidic and Haredi education equity, I have seen that the impact of this deprivation extends far beyond the classroom. Too often, I hear stories like that of a man who had a bright mind and was a great Torah student, but when he enrolled in college to help build a career, he couldn’t keep up. Without the English fluency to do his course work, he dropped out within a year. 

His story is tragically common, and it is borne out in the data. Approximately 63% of Chasidic individuals live below or near the poverty line, and Chasidic men earn about 30% less than their non-Chasidic counterparts. 

Still, we have reasons for cautious optimism. The curriculum report found that some Chasidic boys’ schools – a small but important minority – include six to eight hours of secular studies per week. And Chasidic all-girls schools generally offered at least eight hours per week of secular course work as well as robust religious course work. This proves that traditional Torah study and secular instruction aren’t mutually exclusive within these communities. 

I have met many Haredi women who received a balanced education, and they credit it for their success. They’ve seen firsthand how access to both religious and secular learning opens doors, and how its absence closes them. Some have even stepped in to fill the gaps themselves, teaching their sons to read and write in English at home. 

These women want schools that honour their faith while preparing their children for the world beyond it. And supporting yeshivas in moving toward this balance would fulfil a core Jewish value: helping others achieve dignity and self-sufficiency. 

We cannot accept a reality where tens of thousands of Jewish children graduate without the basic skills they need to earn a living and support their families. Stronger education standards must ensure that Chasidic and Haredi students gain the tools to thrive as adults. 

But elected leaders cannot take action without knowing which schools are denying students an education. And because the state has shirked its role in requiring comprehensive school assessments, existing public data on Jewish school curriculum is sparse. The mayor and the New York City Department of Education can play a key role here by compiling information on what institutions are teaching. Mayor-elect Mamdani should fulfil New York City’s responsibility to track what students are actually learning. 

New York State has betrayed Jewish students by gutting education standards and failing to monitor what they are being taught. As the next mayor of New York City, Mamdani must stand up for the right to learn, ensuring that every Chasidic and Haredi Orthodox Jewish child receives an education that honours both their faith and their future. 

The well-being of the Jewish community depends on it. 

• The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media