Avi Ludmir - Srugim
Feb 26, 2025
No Child Spared – a new documentary by filmmaker Meni Philip sheds light on the darkest corners of the Jewish ultra-Orthodox education system.
Meni Philip, the creator of Let There Be Light, returns with a bold and piercing new documentary about violence against children in Haredi (Jewish ultra-Orthodox) schools. No Child Spared is a personal and courageous journey that exposes the painful stories hidden behind the walls of ultra-Orthodox educational institutions.
Philip, who grew up in a Haredi family and later left the community, once believed that the physical and emotional abuse he experienced as a child in ultra-Orthodox schools had long since disappeared. However, a viral social media post and the flood of testimonies that followed proved otherwise—the phenomenon persists to this day.
The film presents the accounts of former and current students, revealing how the violence they endured in classrooms has shaped their lives. Throughout the documentary, Philip plays recorded conversations he conducted with a rabbi who beat his son in a heder (traditional Jewish school) and with a school principal who justifies such behavior, offering viewers a rare glimpse into the hidden realities of these institutions.
No Child Spared is not just a collection of personal testimonies—it is a deep examination of the broader implications of this violence on ultra-Orthodox society and Israeli society as a whole. The film captures the tension between tradition and change, between respect and fear, and between silence and speaking out.
Throughout his career, Philip has demonstrated his ability to tell complex and sensitive stories about the Haredi community from an honest and personal perspective. From his award-winning short film Sinner, which won Best European Short Film at the Venice Film Festival in 2009, to No Child Spared, his work provides an unfiltered look into the realities of ultra-Orthodox life.
Watching No Child Spared is not easy, but it is essential for understanding a reality that many try to conceal. This is a film that must be seen, even if it evokes discomfort.
The documentary No Child Spared will premiere on Sunday, February 3, on HOT 8, HOT VOD, and NEXT TV.
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*This article was translated from the original Hebrew version.