Following an event on safeguarding homes from the dangers of unfiltered internet usage, Bnos Menachem Girls School in Crown Heights has notified parents that all devices in a student’s home must “bear appropriate internet filters.”
In order to help facilitate this important school policy, Bnos Menachem has formed an arrangement with TAG, a technology education group, whereby the school will subsidize the cost of the filter, capping the family contribution at $15 per month, they wrote in a letter to parents.
The letter advises parents to coordinate installation of the filters before they commence their summer plans, as this is a prerequisite condition for their daughters’ return to school in the Fall.
The internet filter requirement followed a letter in which Rabbi Motty Gurary, Director of the school, wrote to parents with new guidelines for tznius attire, which was publicized beyond the neighborhood.
The new rules require mothers of students in the school to “completely cover” their elbows, feet and neckline. The letter also demands mothers wear sheitels which “length should not exceed the shoulder blades,” and to refrain from wearing leggings, tight clothing or denim and “nail polish should be conservative/soft colors.”
Bnos Menachem School’s new internet filtering rules follows Bais Rivkah High School, which introduced the TAG filter system last February to parents of students.
They held an awareness educational event with Alex Paskie of Technology Awareness Group (TAG), who discussed the risks of unvetted access to the internet:
Video: Alex Paskie of Technology Awareness Group
Call tag and they will give you the options.
You may get a better deal for multiple devices.
TAG helpline 1-732-730-1824
Unfiltered devices in the home is a real danger, no matter whom it belongs to, as someone who grew up in a home with unfiltered devices, fell victim to the dangers and currently recovering, I can, unfortunately, attest to this first hand. This cannot be stressed enough; FILTER ALL DEVICES WITH A GOOD, PROPER FILTER, a PROPER filter, one recommended by a group such as TAG, there are way too many filters out there which are not up to par and can easily be worked around, PLEASE install a proper filter on ALL devices. In addition, please speak to and… Read more »
To all those that think its a great idea, why haven’t you already filtered your computer? Or have you?
Why must you wait to be coerced?
Yes it’s a private school and they can make any rules they like. However, at some point you need to get your head out of the sand. There are many families unfortunately who have children who are not currently keeping Shabbos, kosher etc. asking them to filter their devices is beyond a joke. Does the school really refuse to except children who have any siblings who are not yet totally on the right path. If so, then they are truly veering off the path of our holy Rebbe. Maybe call the school Bnos Yakkov.
rabbi gurary, thank you for doing whats right for our girls and the famies too! internet has a very big impact on one in many different areas.
thank you for taking a stand against one of the biggest challenges in this generation!
you are making a difference in this world… thank you!
Can anyone recommend kosher filters for classroom computers and iPads?
I teach in a day school but this is a very good idea.
THIS IS AN ALL ROUND GOOD IDEA. THE INTERNET & SOCIAL MEDIA SO GREATLY INFLUENCE THE ATTITUDES OF SO MANY PEOPLE THAT IT’S A MUST TO FILTER OUT AS MUCH OF THE NEGATIVE AS POSSIBLE.
naah let them have unfiltered internet, like all the other people who have it so that they can do kol dovor assur.. Even choshuveh people are nichshal in this, its a fact.
NO one is talking about seams or navy skirts. GET WITH THE PROGRAM! all other frum communities are doing this. Why do you think chabad has such a bad reputation? because many of its members are lax in these things.
Ein apotropus Larayos
I guarantee you that BM will rise to the top as a pinnacle of chassidishkeit and ehrlichkeit.
….Let your child play all night on the phone. just filter the phone.
To the one complaining about K9. So, pay for a filter. One like Netspark for example is $55 an ANNUAL subscription. Is your childs neshama not worth less than 5 bucks a month?
But no when my child who works really hard in school comes home from a very hard day at school she sometimes just needs an half hour on her phone which I respect because i also need that sometimes after putting the kids to sleep.
Great job I challenge the other schools to do the same!!
internet without a filter is the same or worse than a TV witch as chabad chasidim we know the rebbe was very strongly against for us to have in our homes
I want to install filter but the k9 one crashes a lot and has poor reviews. Is there a better FREE alternative?
It is a sad commentary on a community that common sense must be legislated and dictated and is not standard operating procedure.
You are ao right. All the bashers….go away….its a free world…live somewhere else…dont send your kid to his school. He will have the last laugh when his school graduates true bnos yisrael!
It is nice that they are doing this, but what about the notices that Parents need to sign for this –
1. Can’t lie and steal in business with other Jews from your neighborhood (at least)
2. Can’t flip houses in the neighborhood for exorbitant amounts
3. Can’t claim that you can’t pay full tuition while driving your Lexus/BMW to your summer home upstate
4. ….
I am sure people can add to this list
If you did not know that there is a yeshiva in crown heights that has been on top of the phone situation with Internet for the past 3 years if you wanted to have your smart phone you need to get a filter otherwise you warent able to have a phone with internet and the yeshiva provided you with the filter so don’t say the boys school should learn they know very well what to do.
this isn’t a new topic but one that is still ignored. why don’t the schools also make guidelines on how the fathers should dress? one could argue that halachically theres nothing wrong with wearing leggings if your socks completely overlap. but if bnos menachem wants to make that a rule they have the right. my question is why don’t they have a rue telling the fathers not to wear tight pants, ie. leggings. or only conservative color shirts? this is not ok that the rules are only for the woman. i wonder why but i can shed a bit of… Read more »
Thank you for the video
To all readers and commentators: This is a private school. They have the right to decide however they wish to run their school. If you have a child in the school and do not approve – you are free to move your child to another one of the other Chabad-run girls schools in the community. If you wish to have your daughter remain, then these are part of the school’s guidelines. If you do not have have a child in the school and do not approve, please do not comment negatively. Nothing good or constructive will come out. It is… Read more »
Kol hakavod.. they show theyre not scared to do whats right.. Unfortunately many young teens in our community have smart phones.
איך שרייב אידיש ווייל איך קען נישט קיין ענגליש אבער איך מיז זאגן איך האלט דא ניט לעצטנעס די וויכוחים וועגן תקנות און פשוטע אידישע הלכות וואס איז אנגענומען און ”אלע” היימישע קרייזן און ליובאוויטש וואס באדארף צו זיין די שפיץ אידן וואס טוהן מצוות מיט אהבה ויראה און פנמיות שרייבן מעינטשען אזאנע שטותים כדוגמת ס’איז נישט אונזער דרך צו אינפארסירן אידישקקייט ענינים יא ס’איז נישט אונזער ס’איז די תורה ובלשון הרב הרבי תורת חיים שמורת חיים בגלל שהוא תורת אמת איז פול מיט תקנות כלשון הגמרא תקנה גדולה שנו כאן און דארט רעדט זיך פון נייע תקנות און דא… Read more »
Instead of backing down after the last onslaught of rebellious teenager wannabees, you stepped up to the plate again. Haters are gonna hate. but those who choose to send their neshamalach to the school under your tutelage are blessed indeed. ASHRECHA!
Torah true schools, need to have standards….If someone does not want to follow the rules then why are they going to a school with such rules? I would not go to a Muslim school, since I do not believe in and do not want to bow down to ‘Allah’ 5 times a day. Why go to a Torah school if someone does not want to follow Torah rules? The kids are forced? Perhaps the school should admit only those kids who say on their own, that they want to be there. Then if they do sincerely want to be there,… Read more »
WHAT WILL THEY COME UP WITH NEXT ?
הרב גורארי אני חייב להגיד לך שאתה מחיה נפשות ממש! כי איככה אוכל וראיתי באבדן מולדתי! המצב בשכונה היא איום ונורא! אמר לנו חבר שיותר נעים לו ללכת במנהטן- בקיץ- מאשר בשכונה! אני ב”ה לא יודע מה קורה אני בעזהשי”ת לא מסתכל מה שקורה אבל זה מה שאמר לי חבר! אני לא מבית חב”די התקרבתי לפני 35 שנה, ומפעם לפעם יש לי וויכוחים עם חברים ומשפחה, על כל הטענות שלהם על הכל יש לי ב”ה מה לענות וכשמתחילים עם העניין של צניעות אני ממלא את פי מים בגלל שאני מאמין ויודע שזה עניין עיקרי ויסודי ביהדות (שלא כדעת הטועים שיש… Read more »
In practicality it’s much to controlling to make such a rule. Its going a little to far!!
But isn’t it all about conquering your nefesh habehames, yes filters will help that but you should also realize it on your own. And if the person really wants they’ll find a way. But hey it’s still a good thing.
The best of luck
Here we go again – authoritarian methods just don’t work. No one claims it’s not a good thing to have filters, but anyone with any sense knows that these methods just don’t work!!!
i hope the boys schools take lead
Looks like most are in favor of this one, good job! I know I need internet filters…
forget about the effect unfiltered internet has on yiddishkeit/frumkeit/chassidisheit if that bothers you. But realize that unfiltered internet effects our health, emotionally, physically, and mentally as well. It negatively affects our happiness, peace of mind, the ability to prioritize family and time, ability to focus, and many other things. Bnos Menachem, and so should every school that truly cares about their students, is trying its best to develop happy and healthy adults. And lets be honest – it is almost impossible to control oneself from using the internet for negative things. So sometimes, yes we need someone to just block… Read more »
What a breath of fresh air!!!
KOL HAKAVOD BNOS MENACHEM!
By all the girls school have tag brhs,bm and bcm! Good job
My kids are not in beis rivka or bnos menachem and I plan to do the same thing! I am no fan of motty gurary, but I fully agree with him on this….. And I don’t know why he keeps getting picked on?
it’s none of the school’s buisnes!
Thank you for trying to save this generation from destruction. Everyone should have filters even if you are not in school.
You can always leave…
And make room for those of us that do!
You are able to tell them what to do the 8 hours in school its not right to control the other 16. And what a shame it is that there bringing the whole family into this. Its the girls that are going to school not the family. Yes there needs to be some restrictions but this is not how it should be done.
Wow! I have hope for the future…. If only parents knew what was going on…the only medicine is that everyone needs filters, no exceptions… If we would watch how the Rebbe spoke about television, we would be embarrased to have unfiltered interent…it 100000 times worse
Get in touch with TAG-.
Filtered internet is a must for every kosher home. Do it for yourself, your marriage, and your kids!
I’m glad BM is helping us get into this cuz we all know it’s Soo necessary! Today more than ever! Better have a hard time doing it now- than having the hardships for not having done it
We need people to stand up for what’s right. If you don’t like these standards, then don’t send your daughter there!
Thank you motti for taking the stand!
And protecting our future in our kids!!!
I’m sure the rebbe is so proud of you!!!
Bsis Rivkah made this move months ago. Keep up your great work Motty and Bengy.
At least someone (Rabbi Gurary, by name) is trying his hardest to safeguard Yidden.
As the Rebbe said, and any informed Jew knows: “Tznius is the wall protecting Klal Yisroel, and more must be done, and the more the better.”
Thank you Bnos menachem for taking leadership positions when everybody else is scared to open their mouths.
The internet is so destructive, and it’s affected me and my siblings. My parents unknowingly continue to provide us with way too much unfiltered Internet access. How I wish my school forced my parents to filter all the Internet in our house!
Bnos Menachem, you are doing the right thing. Pay no attention to the haters because what you are doing is so, so important!!!
Coming up next..
Bnos Menachem new rules for all parents (meaning mothers)
-you must wear black or navy skirts only
-only stockings with seams
-you can only wear flat shoes in dark colors
-a hat must be worn over the sheital
-vests or sweaters over anything you wear (to ensure its not too tight or see through)
Gosh BM you can only enforce rules that teachers and the ‘vaad ‘ need to keep too!!!! With all your rules I’m thinking to move to lakewood!
I’m ordering popcorn now so I can have a party Watching comments come in…
This school is doing the right thing. We may not be happy about it but it’s the right thing. All chabad schools should do this, we need to make the Crown Heights lubavitch community great again. Not a community where your walking down he streets and think your in Flatbush or some other modern community.
…FOR helping us do what we all know we SHOULD do!
WE LOVE BM
Thank you to Bnos Menachem for taking a stand!!!
…It is a real shame when control is wielded in this manner, even if intentions are good! לא זו הדרך!