Yaffa Rosenbaum, 45, and her husband have been married for 21 years. They live in Elifelet, a moshav (cooperative farm) in the Upper Galilee, near Safed.

Rosenbaum told Ha'aretz that about two years ago, in a routine meeting with an inspector from the state-religious educational system, she mentioned that her children attended a non-religious school. The inspector passed this information on to the Council for Religious Education, which summoned Rosenbaum for a clarification.

Rosenbaum said she was questioned about her way of life and about her children's school. How, she was asked, could she give the pupils in a state-religious kindergarten a proper education when she was unable even to persuade her husband to become religious?

The council reminded her that 26 years ago, at the start of her career, she had signed a contract pledging that her family was observant. Rosenbaum told Ha'aretz that she does not remember any such document and she was unmarried at the time.

In June 1997, she received a dismissal notice from the head of the Religious Education Authority, Mati Dagan. The letter stated that she had been "disqualified" as a teacher in religious schools "pursuant to information provided to [the Council]."

Because the dismissal notice arrived during the summer vacation, contrary to the teachers' labor agreement, Rosenbaum was permitted to work in the kindergarten this year. However, in March 1998 she was officially informed that she would no longer be able to teach in religious institutions.

Rosenbaum said she was "deeply offended" by the decision. She said she is observant, but her husband and children are not and "I live in harmony with them."