Children driven to school by their mothers in an ultra-orthodox Jewish sect in north London are set to be turned away at the school gates.
In what is thought to be the first formal directive of its kind in the UK, rabbis from the Hasidic sect Belz have told women in Stamford Hill who drive that they go against “the traditional rules of modesty in our camp”.
In a letter sent out last week and seen by the Jewish Chronicle, they add that there has been an increase in the number of mothers driving their children to school which has led to “great resentment among parents of pupils of our institutions”.
The letter was signed by leaders from Belz educational institutions and endorsed by the group’s rabbis. They said that the leader of their ultra-orthodox sect in Israel Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach, has advised them to introduce the policy.
Dina Brawer, UK Ambassador of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, told the Standard: “The truth is that this has no scriptural, textual or legal basis. There’s nothing in Jewish law from which you can actually derive anything like that.
“Blocking women from driving portrays this very patriarchal society where traditional values are upheld, but they are facing a changing world and they are reacting with an almost extremism.
“They see any role that women take outside the home space as a bit of a problem and somehow it’s really hard for them to see women being independent and doing things on their own. They see it as a perversion of the traditional values of modesty.
“They would be denying children’s education because of this perceived breach in modesty. They can afford to say they will bar children from school because they think people will comply.”
Ella Marks, of the League of Jewish Women, said: “If it’s a matter of driving children to school when they should be walking then I am quite happy about that, but if it’s because they think it’s immodest for women to drive children to school then I would have very contrary opinions on that.
“I can see no question of it being immodest and I would not want a repeat of the situation in Saudi Arabia [where deeply held religious beliefs prohibit women from driving] which is certainly a patriarchal society.”
The Belz, who originated in Ukraine in the early 18th century, are one of the most prominent Hasidic sects and re-established their headquarters in Israel after the war. When its leader’s grandson celebrated his wedding in Israel two years ago, some 25,000 guests attended.
In a joint statement from the Women of Belz Community organisation, directors Chaya Yakter and Neshei Belz said: "As Orthodox Jewish women belonging to the Belz community in London, we feel extremely valued belonging to a community where the highest standards of refinement morality and dignity are respected.
"We happen to believe that driving is a high-pressured activity where our values maybe compromised by exposure to selfishness, road-rage, bad language and other inappropriate behaviour.
"However, we respect that there are many who conduct lifestyles that are different to ours and we do not in any way disrespect them or the decisions they have made."
It is not the first time the Jewish community in Stamford Hill has caused controversy. In September last year posters put up by a Jewish group for a religious parade warning women to only walk on one side of the road were removed by Hackney council after they were deemed “unacceptable”.
