[Avodah] Coeducational

[Joseph Kaplan]

In the ongoing discussion about teaching secular education, RZS wrote to prove a point: “But everyone will agree that that [coeducation] is bediavad; surely nobody will argue that it's lechatchila, let alone that it's actually desirable and should be done even when there's no pressure to have it!”

Many say that RYBS, in starting Maimonides, did not agree, and, in fact, did argue it was a lechatchila and desirable in elementary and high school. I understand that some say he too believed it was a bedieved, but there’s lots of scholarship for the lechatchila side. My purpose is not to convince anyone what the Rav believed and, quite frankly, we’ll never know for sure. My only purpose is to note that according to many serious people, Zev’s statements that “everyone will agree” and “no one will argue” might be a bit too broad. 

Joseph

Sent from my iPhone