Two Jewish high schools made national news in France by topping two of the French media’s annual education-ranking lists. More than 4,000 French schools are ranked in the lists.
The Le Parisien newspaper put the Beth Hanna high school, which is run by Chabad-Lubavitch, in the first spot on its list due to a 99-percent success rate among students taking matriculation exams. In addition, the school garnered 32 “added value” points based on criteria such as the percentage of students who took the matriculation exams, attendance rates, dropout rates, and grades.
Meanwhile, the France Televisions public broadcaster placed the Lycee Alliance in the Paris suburb of Seine Saint-Denis, also a Jewish school, atop its list.
Dominique Dahan, headmistress of the Alliance high school, said that her school is getting this distinction for the first time. For years, about 40 percent of its graduates have pursued careers in medicine, she said. “Ours is a tolerant, open Judaism… and we encourage its implementation [as part] of the urban environment,” said Dahan.
