The long-awaited article by Avi Frier has been published.
A grassroots campaign aimed at changing the direction of the Hillel Community Day School in North Miami Beach ended last week in what many considered to be a landslide defeat of the group dubbed “Hillel4Change.” The slate of officers originally proposed by the school’s Nominating Committee garnered an estimated 65% of the school membership’s vote to beat the slate of nine challengers, which comprised five current and two former Hillel parents, a former Hillel teacher, and a 2003 Hillel alumnus.
To read the remainder of the article, click here.
7 responses so far ↓
1 Jessica Fishbein // Jun 14, 2007 at 3:11 pm
“But Russ admitted that the high school and teacher morale are two areas in need of the board’s attention. “The high school is a top challenge of the school,” he said. “Teacher morale is also a top priority, but it wouldn’t be fair to present it as something that is new this year. The ADL did a study ten years ago that showed that teacher morale in Jewish schools was faltering. This is an old problem that needs to be fixed once and for all.”
Correction: The ADL Report from 1998 that I furnished to the Current Board of Directors was NOT a study that showed that morale in Jewish schools was faltering; rather, it was a report that specifically discussed the problems being faced at Hillel alone. All high school teachers were present when that study was conducted. No administrators were present to ensure that all teachers could speak candidly without fear of repercussions. The problems were detailed and solutions were offered. The administration at that time made sure that every single teacher received a copy of the report. The high school faculty, or rather, the entire school faculty, is still waiting for those solutions to be implemented. I have a copy of the report if any current Board members or Avi Frier would like to see it.
Let’s make sure that we don’t gloss over the real issue of low teacher morale by saying it’s one that applies to most Jewish day schools when, in fact, it applies specifically to Hillel.
Rafa Russ was not the President at the time and has only learned recently of this problem. It is my sincerest hope that the Current Board of Directors address the issue of low teacher morale that NUMEROUS teachers within every division of the school (i.e. several elementary school teachers have currently voiced the same exact concerns) are still expressing to date.
2 Hillel Teacher's Association "Wanna-Be" Member // Jun 14, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Jessica,
Thank you for your further explanation regarding Avi Frier’s most recent article. I know that Avi tried to be as neutral as possible and reported on the current “situation” with unbiased professional journalism. Of course, in order not to air Hillel’s “dirty laundry” in the public arena, some of the most damaging issues were ignored. So, I guess it’s up to the writers on “Save Hillel” to keep spouting the truth.
3 Jessica Fishbein // Jun 14, 2007 at 3:36 pm
It is my hope that I can help all current Hillel teachers in a way that is respectful to all parties concerned. Let me know if I can assist you further. My heart will always be with Hillel.
4 Michael Newman // Jun 18, 2007 at 8:52 pm
Is the article “neutral” or completely lacking any of the information that would have shed light on the not-so-kosher practices of the board?
Why not ask the current board about the dean/headmaster distinction?
Or about the fact that the Student Council President, in the same speech at graduation, praised the “new vision” of Hillel yet also praised Rabbi Lefkowitz, who a couple months before had been asked to leave, and therefore, definitely not part of the “new vision?”
Or about the fact that it seems like certain board members have been on the board longer than the bylaws allow?
Or about the fact that the alumni and teachers have been left out to dry?
At least to me, this article seems to be a lot less neutral and a lot more pro establishment.
G-d forbid a news article air the truth about what is going on, dirty laundry or not.
So, people continue posting on this site without using their names, and an author of a news article doesn’t want to air “dirty laundry?”
Glad to see the United States has turned communist in the past few months. Maybe Castro will win the 2008 election.
5 sara // Jun 18, 2007 at 10:52 pm
Michael: This is what I posted on another thread. After you read it, write a letter to the editor (Avi’s newspaper) re: what you posted.
From Avi Frier’s article: “The Nominating Committee’s slate responded with professionally-designed flyers touting their recent accomplishments, including the creation of a Jewish & Student Life Division set to launch next year, financial stability, rapid growth in enrollment, and the purchase of additional land for future expansion of the high school.
The slick flyers raised suspicions (which were also posted on SaveHillel.com) that school money was being used to hire professional marketers to help with the campaign, however the Florida Jewish News confirmed that the design was done on a volunteer basis by a graphic artist who has done work for the company owned by board chair Rafa Russ.”
This only addresses marketing firms/money being used for the flyers. Does NOT address whether marketing firms are being used for any OTHER purpose.
6 Avi Frier // Jun 19, 2007 at 6:45 am
Send your letter to letters@floridajewishnews.com ASAP (our deadline is Tuesday evening). There is already a ‘clarification’ going in from Hillel so you can balance it with a letter. That’s how I know I was balanced: both sides think I was too kind to the other.
7 Michael Newman // Jun 19, 2007 at 7:26 am
You can honestly say with a straight face that the article fairly and equally expressed everything that is going on with both sides?
What about all the “other” issues that have been raised for the past few months?
I didn’t know it was my job to rewrite a news article. I expect the author of the article to talk about ALL the facts, damaging or not.
Was the board asked any difficult questions at all or were there answers simply not put into the article because that would be “airing Hillel’s dirty laundry?”
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