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Bern, 1st Jamada al-Akhir 1431 / 13th May 2010
(qi) Jewish schools are in Switzerland for a long time. The primary school "NOAM" in Zurich is an example of the functioning of such jointly organized schools. Simon Christian from the Swiss TV News program "Schweiz Aktuell" visited "NOAM" and spoke to the headmaster, Rabbi Michael Goldberger, about his views on Islamic schools which the Islamic Central Council Switzerland (ICCS) brought to the discussion recently.
Goldberger emphasized that it needed necessarily Jewish schools to communicate to the children an identity, which in turn guided to positive self-esteem: "Afterwards, as self-confident Jews, they can meet others and contribute their share to the prosperity of this country."
In this sense, the rabbi understands that also among Muslims the call for their own schools is growing louder. He could even support it and sees in it an opportunity for Switzerland. Condition is that one kept the cantonal teaching program guidelines: "I am convinced is that in Switzerland we need to establish a pluralistic society. A pluralistic society lives of many people with their own identity. A rainbow is made up of different colors. These colors are not mixed. That would result in a rather ugly brown. It must be bright colors: one makes the other shine. This means that the condition for pluralism is actually particularism. This means: In the beginning their own schools - and later join with others."
Also Herbert Winter, President of the Swiss Jewish Communities (SIG), joined, at the request of the Swiss News program "Schweiz Aktuell", this attitude: "We have no problem if Muslims, as churches and other religious communities, operate their own schools. This must of course comply with government regulations which are applicable to all schools."
ICCS President welcomes Jewish commitment to pluralism
Nicolas Blancho, president of the ICCS was tonight, by request, impressed by the positive opinion of Rabbi Goldberger. He welcomed the Jewish commitment to pluralism, and stressed that the Islamic Central Council had always committed itself to this value so cardinal for our country.
On this occasion he wanted to reiterate again that the Central Council actually never had "required" Islamic schools in the sense that the state should finance those, but always in reference to the Jewish or Catholic model was working on being able to establish schools on its own power in the future. Furthermore, it was natural that Islamic schools also have to abide by the cantonal teaching program requirements.
Source: SF (Swiss TV), Tagesschau Online (News online), Rabbi would support Islamic schools, 13th May 2010.
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