Save Hillel

73 responses so far ↓

• 1 Hillel Parent // Jul 10, 2007 at 5:51 pm

  We have to make the board take accountability for allowing us to lose the most outstanding, respected program and PR piece in the existence of HIllel .

  Why do you think the program just got a $1million endowment????..nothing to do with the amazing quality of the program or with the Androns??? ..of course not!

  The nerve of them all , to dismantle a program that just brought us the first endowment in HIlle’ls history..but they and he know better….

  The high school has now lost the debate team, the newspaper, AP art program and the theater program, not to mention our college guidance counselors and many AP teachers……..

  Wow , a school that formerly offered amazing opportunities for our high school kids to show leadership and to to rise to the level of newspaper editor, award winning debater, thespian honors recipient , scholastic national gold medal art honors recipient etc. now has precious little to offer them.

  How will the high school compete with all the other local schools that have these programs..Krop has a specific college counselor that is devoted full time to developing and mentoring potential Silver Knight award competitors….

  What will our kids have for their college applications..what will the school we have for our high school promotional brochures…sports programs and a few AP’S ? …

  Blueprint to excellence??????!!!! The board has to be fired for abdicating it’s responsibility to the school’s continued well being and success.

  We all need to flood the Schoo l with outrage..with emails and letters to this incompetent , irresponsible , inexperienced board! NOW!!

• 2 Anonymous // Jul 10, 2007 at 5:54 pm

  228 Anonymous // Jul 10, 2007 at 5:29 pm

  THE ENVY OF THE GREAT

  Anyone who is truly EXCELLENT is a threat to Holden.

  If he gets rids of all the truly excellent and is left with the mediocre and all of his new lackeys, there will be no one left to contest his power.

  He is a brilliant Machiavellian dictator…up there with Castro and Stalin.

  And the board feels NO remorse??

  Raquel Rubin´s daughter was a star.

  Dale Bergman´s children were too. Michael Andron CHANGED CHAIM´S LIFE!!!!!!!!!

  Certainly Jill Shockett knows what a loss this is.

  And the other parents on the board? Perhaps their children are too mediocre to be part of the EXCELLENT program or perhaps these adults are too mediocre themselves to appreciate the outstanding performances that were indeed the crown jewel of Hillel. These people have no aesthetic sensibilities and they think they are qualified to give our children a taste of culture and Excellence?!

  I wish Michael Andron the best. He will no doubt change lives wherever he goes and bring acclaim to any school he attaches his name to.

  There is much to mourn.

  Mazel Tov Adam Holden! That parent in Kansas was right. You are as slippery as a snake and ten moves ahead of everyone else. You are a truly evil human being. I would say that you are the living embodiment of AMALEK . You may crack open the bottle of champagne now but be prepared to rot in hell where you belong.

• 3 Anonymous // Jul 10, 2007 at 5:56 pm

  Rafael Russ, President/Chairman
  Gil Bonwitt, Executive Vice-Chairman
  Jorge Woldenberg, Treasurer
  Dr. Judith Dach, Secretary
  Ellis Sinyor, Immediate Past President
  Lynn Elovic, HIP/PTA President

  Michelle Amselem
  Dale Bergman
  Helena Broide
  Michelle Diener
  Lynn Elovic
  Rossana Franco
  Anita Givner
  Anita Lapco
  Sherri Lebwohl
  Jeff Levinson
  Rabbi Ezra Levy
  David Lichter
  Rabbi Avrohom Lipszyc
  Dr. Janet Mitrani
  Diana Mundlak
  Jennifer Olemberg
  Joanne Papir
  Raquel Rubin
  Rachel Sapoznik
  Marty Scheck
  Dana Yemin-Schrager
  Mike Shalom
  Jill Shockett
  Hedy Whitebook
  David Wolf
  Ilanit Yanovich

  Board@hillel-nmb.net

  Many people have the individual emails of these people. Start with the executive board. Start flooding their email now.

• 4 Anonymous // Jul 10, 2007 at 5:59 pm

  From the archives:

  Hillel Board of Governors
  March 27th, 2007

  The Jewish community is small. It should not be difficult to locate emails. However, the official conduit to avoid mass emails is supposed to be:

  Rafael Russ: rafaruss@bellsouth.net

  Hillel “Administration”:
  Dr. Holden: holden@hillel-nmb.net Head of
  School
  Rabbi Druin: druin@hillel-nmb.net, Rabbinical Head

• 5 Anon // Jul 10, 2007 at 6:03 pm

  The endowment should be rescinded immediately.

• 6 Aaron // Jul 10, 2007 at 6:04 pm

  Agreed.

• 7 Anonymous // Jul 10, 2007 at 6:06 pm

  Does anyone know where this endowment came from?

• 8 Anon // Jul 10, 2007 at 6:09 pm

  I have a hunch either sapoznik or olemberg but i could be dead wrong

• 9 Anonymous // Jul 10, 2007 at 7:28 pm

  Mazel Tov Michael Andron.

  I have heard you have moved on to much greener pastures.

  Congratulations for having the sechel to leave such a toxic environnment.

  Adam Holden: You should eat sh&$ and die.

• 10 Anonymous // Jul 10, 2007 at 7:42 pm

  And ditto to several of the board members who have sat silently or have supported the dictator.

  EVIL TRIUMPHS WHEN GOOD MEN DO NOTHING. – Edmund Burke

  THE LIST OF CASUALITES LOST TO HILLEL DIRECTLY BECAUSE OF ADAM HOLDEN:

  Almost fired:
  Debbie Galitzer,
  Debbie Heber,
  Rabbi Lefkowitz

  Nonrenewed for no good reason:
  Rabbi Elbaz
  Mr Brody-the excellent music/band teacher – culture and aesthetics are not important to the mediocrity that runs our board

  ´´RESIGNED¨ BECAUSE THEY ARE SICK OF ADAM HOLDEN´S ABUSE OF POWER

  1 allegedly Amy Gallup warned of Holden´s arrival in advance-saw the writing on the wall
  2 Former Teacher whoever that may be
  3 Mrs Keivman-4th grade Judaic (no surprise there) teacher
  4 Michelle Holcman
  5 Rabbi Feinerman
  6 Michael Andron

  WHO´S NEXT???

• 11 Anonymous // Jul 10, 2007 at 7:49 pm

  Excellent Hillel faculty, counselors, and administrators that the board lost and never fought to retain:

  1 Gary Feilich
  2 Helen Gorin
  3 Jessica Fishbein
  4 Amy Gallup
  5 Ted Liebersfeld
  6 Lauri Cohen
  7 Dara Lieber
  8 Sue Enis
  9 Diane Zakon
  10 Rabbi Howard Bald
  11 Dr. Jerome M. Levy z¨´l

• 12 sara // Jul 10, 2007 at 8:26 pm

  I am quite certain the benfactor will have some strong feelings when this news reaches his/her ears– most certainly misled where his/her money was going…..

  Aaron, I hope you have started planning…….

• 13 Good Wolf // Jul 10, 2007 at 9:27 pm

  To the list of those not coming back

  from English….(for no good reason, no contract)
  Edith (who broke her knee and came back and worked her way into exhaustion and had been told she would never walk normally again but has learned to)
  Jason (who always stepped up to bat and helped everyone)
  I heard that there were two science teachers also.
  The Art teacher left…

  Who else?

• 14 DonnyNonny // Jul 10, 2007 at 10:22 pm

  Kuite a kast of karacters on that Board of Mass Destruction, no? Lezzeee….

  I spy a Mitrani, a Bergman, a Lebwohl, a Rubin, and a Papir. All these families have had kids in drama, and drama has helped these kids a lot. Haven’t heard much from them, no? (And of course there is the Shockett Goddess, who is overmatched.) I think Papir and Mitrani still have kids there.

  Hola! Que pasa! WHERE ARE YOU GUYS???

  I challenge you to look your kids in the eyes, and tell them the brilliance of Hillel’s new “vision”. Or tell them why you were too chicken to speak out. See how they respond. I DARE you!

  All the people I just mentioned need to come onstage, and speak out against the Board. Same goes for everyone who EVER had a child in drama. No more hiding.

  All the people I just mentioned–flood THEIR emails. ONSTAGE NOW!

• 15 anonymous // Jul 10, 2007 at 10:56 pm

  If this is true – - where is he going? Why did the board allow this to happen – - they should certainly be held accountable – -

  Shame on the board!!! Yes, the donor should rescind. Without the brilliance of Dr. Andron – there is no theater program at Hillel – - what does Ricki Rothstein and the others so devoted to his amazing program have to say???

• 16 George Weasley // Jul 10, 2007 at 10:57 pm

  Congratulations, Michael! You got out before they passed Educational Decree Number Twenty-Five.

• 17 Hillel Alum Parent // Jul 10, 2007 at 11:32 pm

  Michael Andron’s resignation is sad, sad news for the school. The Hillel Community Theatre was one of the things that made Hillel special and different. It attracted many of Hillel’s top students. Even if a theatre program continues at Hillel, it won’t be the same without Michael.

• 18 Anonymous // Jul 10, 2007 at 11:43 pm

  Here’s the point –

  Dr. Andron’s HCT was a JEWISH, EDUCATIONAL program of excellence.

  The amazing productions were just the icing on the cake.

  Those who did not have children in the program have NO IDEA what the school has just lost.

• 19 Anonymous // Jul 11, 2007 at 7:01 am

  Okay,

  Thank you Nonny Donny to adding to the list of
  the board members whose children´s lives were changed by Michael Andron.

  WORKING WITH MICHAEL ANDRON IS A LIFE ALTERING EXPERIENCE FOR OUR CHILDREN!!!!!!!

  Not to mention the PR this professional and his professional wife LILLIAN bring to our school ,you morons!!!

  JOANNE- IS THIS WHAT YOU, JUDY AND ROSANNA AND MICHELLE- CALL EXCELLENCE?????

  JOANNE YOU KNOW BETTER!!!!!

  THIS HORRIBLE MAN YOU CHOSE TO SUPPORT RATHER THAN YOUR TEACHERS HAS JUST PUSHED MICHAEL ANDRON OUT THE DOOR AND THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHERS WHO ARE AT THE BREAKING POINT TOO

  JOANNE- WAKE UP
  WAKE UP
  WAKE UP

  HELLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOO

  JUDY you wake up too. YOU LOVE ANDRON.

  ARE YOU GUYS SO BRAINWASHED THAT YOU REFUSE TO LISTEN TO ANYONE AT ALL?

  HAVE YOU GONE MAD AND LOST YOUR WITS????

  Sherri and Janet- You are sensible women.

  You have understood the problem from day 1 but have been too weak to fight the vultures alone.

  Your children benefited from this man and from several other educators on the lists above (names of the truly EXCELLENT) who are now gone.

  Future generations of Hillel children will be tremendously deprived. A tragic loss of epic magnitude. This is the worst production Hillel has ever staged in its history.

  Janet and Sherri: You 2 ladies need to band together now with Jennifer, Rachel, Jill, Raquel, Dale, Lapco, (maybe Helen too) etc. and tell these stupid stupid board members what´s flying here. Enough is enough is enough.

  That´s at least 8 of you on the board I just counted who have a head on their shouldders.

  You good people are not in the minority of the board. Make yourselves heard against Joanne and Judy and Ellis.

  Rafa will ultimately support you too.

  Marty and Gil and Jorge could care less one way or another.

  So STEP UP you 8 already! What´s taking you so darn long?

• 20 Former Hillel Parent // Jul 11, 2007 at 11:18 am

  To those writing vituperative comments – please leave that to Adam Holden and his minions. The rest of us should take the high road that Michael and Lillian have taken.
  My children learned wonderful life lessons from Michael and the theatre program – the importance of a mentor and teamwork are only two. Fortunately, the theatre will continue on and continue to teach those lessons. Just the venue and name will change. Change is a part of life but Michael and Lillian will always welcome all those who wish to continue to excel. The horizon is expanding for all the thespians and the addition of those who envied the program at Hillel can now take advantage of an incomparable theatre program.

• 21 Theater Fan // Jul 11, 2007 at 1:03 pm

  An incomparable theatre program…

  Hard to believe that just 24 hours ago, someone on the board (or someone with advanced knowledge of this catastrophe – maybe even Adam himself!) posted on this very site that “Today something glorious will happen. Today Hillel repairs a mistake two decades old.”

  Rafi. D, whoever you are, you were right about one thing. You don’t have to worry about the school being “too excellent” anymore!

• 22 Mr. Pink // Jul 11, 2007 at 4:55 pm

  Rafi D is a satirist. Learn to read between the lines. He has told us that he is on the exact same page of the exact same book that we are.

  He is mocking them and letting us know exactly what they are saying.

  He does it so well, he had me fooled at first too.

  Don´t worry, they will come up with more propaganda to explain away while Michael has left and why how this fits in with THEIR STRATEGIC PLAN to eliminate EXCELLENCE at Hillel.

  Wait for the lies you´ll be hearing soon from the parent body.

  It´s sickening.

• 23 Aaron // Jul 11, 2007 at 5:41 pm

  I would love to hear them spin this one.

• 24 Theater Fan // Jul 11, 2007 at 6:12 pm

  Sorry, Mr. Pink, but as much as I’d like to believe that those hurtful words toward the theater program (specifically the two-decade mistake) were satire, it doesn’t add up.

  Some of Rafi’s postings earlier (before the theatre announcement) were clearly a pro-Holden-ite. Take a look at post 182 on the Blueprint to Excellence update.

  And how did he know about Michael leaving? At the time he/she wrote the “glorious day” post, the news had not yet been made public. Only a select few people – mostly board members -could have known. Are you suggesting that Rafi is a board member who secretly despises Holden (and supports the theater program)?

  I like sarcasm as much as the next guy, but if Rafi is a satirist, he’s not a very good one.

• 25 Good Wolf // Jul 11, 2007 at 6:14 pm

  Sigh…

• 26 Ivory // Jul 11, 2007 at 6:15 pm

  Sarcasm when done intelligently can make a point.

• 27 Mr. Pink // Jul 11, 2007 at 6:31 pm

  Theater Fan,

  you´ve missed the entire point

  Verbal irony is always the most difficult concept for people to grasp.

  It is there. you have missed it because it was done too well.

• 28 Mr. Pink // Jul 11, 2007 at 6:32 pm

  Ivory is correct, this was sarcasm and it was done intentionally for the purpose of satire.

• 29 Theater Fan // Jul 11, 2007 at 6:42 pm

  Here’s how you spin it: You call the program a mistake two decades old. You lie to the board about how much it was actually costing the school. You come out BEFORE the announcement is made, before everyone goes into an uproar, and say that some wonderful changes are coming, so people have a subconscious predisposition that this is good, even though there’s no basis for it. And then you stay quiet for a while, and wait until the uproar dies down and people go back to normal before making your next move.

  So, pretty much everything they already did.

• 30 Aaron // Jul 11, 2007 at 6:51 pm

  They lied to the board? I’m shocked! Shocked that there’s gambling in this establishment!

• 31 Theater Fan // Jul 11, 2007 at 7:13 pm

  Mr. Pink, I’m not a stupid person, and I appreciate sarcasm, verbal irony, and satire as much as the next guy…

  But I can’t find any of that in the “mistake two decades old” line. Glorious day for Hillel? Maybe. The future of Hillel’s political structure isn’t theatre? Sure.

  So, to give you the benefit of the doubt (because nothing would make me happier than to know that no one really called the program a 20 year mistake), I’d like to take this opportunity to say:

  Rafi, sarcasm can be a wonderful tool, but if you go too far with it, it can be hurtful and distinctly un-funny.

• 32 Anonymous // Jul 11, 2007 at 7:17 pm

  And scary too.

• 33 Mr. Pink // Jul 11, 2007 at 7:48 pm

  Theater Fan,

  I agree totally.

  Rafi since you agreed with us you shouldn´t have played head games like this –
  you could simply have told us that this was the board´s spin

• 34 Anon // Jul 11, 2007 at 7:51 pm

  Why is it so hard to believe that Rafi is a Board member (or even administrator) who really believes that Hillel was too excellent with its current theatre program?

  MAYBE he (or she) isn’t a satirist.

  You don’t know, so don’t jump to conclusions.

• 35 Mr. Pink // Jul 11, 2007 at 7:55 pm

  Well I guess we´ll never really know but I think Rafi gave too many hints to the contrary. Reading between the lines is what I do for a living and from what I´ve been told, I´m quite good at it. But I´m not infallible.

• 36 Theater Fan // Jul 11, 2007 at 8:00 pm

  You can also read too deeply into something. Rafi knew things no one else knew. Pink, assuming he’s a satirist, where did he get the info that this was coming? Who leaked it?

• 37 Mr. Pink // Jul 11, 2007 at 8:01 pm

  We´ve had a lot of satirists on this site.

  The best one was called Hillel Breaking News…it´s in the archives

• 38 Mr. Pink // Jul 11, 2007 at 8:02 pm

  Well I guess we will never know.

• 39 Mr. Pink // Jul 11, 2007 at 8:03 pm

  anonymous lower case underline also knew

  it seems that there were several in the know

  many hillel parents also knew this was coming before it was announced. I have spoken to a few of them.

  rafi could be anybody…

• 40 Anon // Jul 11, 2007 at 8:21 pm

  Theater Fan: just because it wasn’t public didn’t mean nobody knew.

• 41 Mr. Pink // Jul 12, 2007 at 12:10 pm

  Listen, I have no idea who Rafi D. is. However, there are quite a few things that led me to believe he was being tongue and cheek

  The following statements on the thread-this just in Blueprint update:

  These statements below sound very tongue and cheek. Yes the board spins but this type of spin is way over the top.

  I would expect the board to say that Michael Andron wanted to leave to operate on a grander scale and larger platform, but I wouldn´t expect them to say the following:

  ¨¨Today something glorious will happen.

  Today Hillel will take one more leap forward into its new brighter and bolder future.

  Today brings a big change for Hillel and its students.

  Today Hillel repairs a mistake two decades old.

  Today we can start anew.

  Today we can be excellent and not too excellent.

  Any guesses on what happens today?¨¨

  _______________

  Also, these comments were made to me by Rafi D.

  ¨¨Pink Dan:

  I wish you could realize that we are on the same page of the same book.¨¨

  ¨¨Dear Steve Buscemi:

  I believe we see things eye to eye.

  It won’t be long until your hate turns into love and your anger turns into respect. Then we can share a coke and live in harmony.¨¨

  THE SUBTEXT IS THAT THIS IS BEING SAID SARCASTICALLY

  who knows who said it

  Now the real question I had was who the heck is David at Federation and which member of the administration is he related to?

  I´d like to touch the bottom of this swamp already.

• 42 Ivory // Jul 12, 2007 at 9:44 pm

  Does this swamp have a bottom?

  It gets worse and worse!

• 43 Satirist // Jul 13, 2007 at 1:02 pm

  Pink, you and I share the same beliefs about Hillel, and I appreciate all of your comments. But there is no way Rafi is a “satirist.” And here’s why:

  1) Sarcasm, satire, verbal irony, whatever you want to call it… only works AFTER everyone knows about it. If that same message posted today, MAYBE it would be viewed as satire, but even then: try posting something calling the theater program a 2-decade mistake and see whether people find that “funny” or serious. In fact, I’ll do it myself under a different username.

  2) The comment in question was posted 3 days ago. If it was satire, and Rafi is really “on the same page”as us, all it would take is a simple “Hey, guys. Sorry for the confusion. It was a satire. This is a devastating loss for Hillel.” That’s it. In fact, now that I’ve written it already, he can just cut and paste it. I’ve saved him the hard work of actually having to type. But Rafi has been mysteriously quiet since the uproar happened…

  3) If your basis for satire is Rafi saying “we’re on the same page”, then let me point something out (for I, too, make a living out of interpretation): we are ALL on the same page. Whether you’re pro-Holden, anti-Holden, board member, theater fan, whatever, we are ALL claiming to want a stronger Hillel for the future. In our national presidential debates, Democrats and Republicans BOTH say they want a stronger America… but HOW we do that is where we differ. Saying “we’re on the same page” proves nothing other than that he wants to build a stronger Hillel for the future. The subtext there is “if you could only realize that he also wants to build a stronger Hillel, you’d see that Adam Holden isn’t such a bad guy.” But you and I (and not Rafi) agree that Adam Holden’s methods for doing that are outrageous.

  Again, Pink, please don’t get defensive, because you and I really ARE on the same page. I just think you’re giving the person who started all of this – and the only one who has had anything destructive to add, satire or not – the benefit of a doubt that he does not deserve.

• 44 Different Name // Jul 13, 2007 at 1:17 pm

  I, for one, think that Michael Andron’s departure will help make Hillel a stronger school for the future.

  First of all,Hillel doesn’t need a strong theater department. What business do Jews have in show business? None, as far as I’m concerned.

  Secondly, the constant media accolades for Hillel shows takes away from the real crown jewel of the school; the althetic department. When was the last time you read in the paper about a Hillel student getting an athletic scholarship to a Big 10 university? Never. And that’s because the media is too busy fawning over Michael Andron.

  Thirdly, refreshments are sold at intermission of these so-called “productions.” Do you have any idea what those refreshments do to the floor of our otherwise pristine cafetorium? I’ll tell you what. They make it sticky. Who needs that?

  Fourth, kids need to express themselves through their studies, not theater.

  Fifth, the kindergarten, elementary school, middle school and high shool are separate entities, and should be treated as such. All this “togetherness through the theater program” is hurting the individuality of each school.

  Sixth, are there even any straight people in theater? Homosexuality is banned according to Jewish law, and having a theater program promotes gayness.

  I agree with Adam. It’s OK to have a theater program, but it shouldn’t be too excellent (or as those theater-folk put it, ‘fabulous’). I hope Hillel hires someone not too excellent to take Michael’s place, so we can have a more standard program, and keep the balance in the school.

• 45 Aaron // Jul 13, 2007 at 1:31 pm

  To Rafi:

  Clear this up already!

• 46 sara // Jul 13, 2007 at 1:50 pm

  Different Name: Wonderful piece!

• 47 sara // Jul 13, 2007 at 2:43 pm

  Here are some more:

  Seventh, too many parents are involved in Michael’s program. We don’t need this involvement; we need parents who will do what parents on the Board do: leave the running of things to Holden.

  Eighth, the campus should be cleared out at the end of the day. Instead we have kids hanging out at school after school hours.

  Ninth, what business do alumni have in a Hillel Andron production? These kids have graduated.

  Tenth, what about their planning? Too often performances were sold out. Too often extra performances needed to be scheduled to meet the demand. Who needs this type of director? We need a director who knows there will be no demand for extra performances.

• 48 Satirist // Jul 13, 2007 at 2:59 pm

  He can’t clear it up, because he can’t come on this site and say “No, I actually meant it.”

• 49 Rafi D. // Jul 13, 2007 at 3:48 pm

  “Hey, guys. Sorry for the confusion. It was a satire. This is a devastating loss for Hillel.”

  I’m being serious Mr. Satirist. I really am. This is an incredibly huge loss. We should all be devastated. This was the final sign of the end. Enough tongue-in-cheek.

  Here are some facts:

  90% of everything I post is verbatim what They tell me or let me hear (or don’t think I hear).

  The other 10% is their stupidity taken to the extreme.

  For example, I wrote “Today something glorious will happen.” and “Today Hillel repairs a mistake two decades old.”

  What what I heard was “It’s about time he’s finally leaving” and “I’m glad I’ll never have to deal with him again” and “It was a mistake to ever let him get so big.”

  (And yes, I heard all this the night and morning before all this was made officially public and I feared They would spin Their spin shortly. I figured if I beat them to the punch, and out-spun their spin, They would have to take a different tactic. And They did. Sort of. What They send out publicly is different from what They say to parents privately.)

  This will probably be my last post. Up till now, They have been trying to figure out which one of Them was posting, and now that They realize it is not one of Them, They will probably be able to figure out who I am, and the information spigot will be turned off.

  Since this will be my last post, let me your main question:

  Who is Rafi D?

  I am one of you, but I walk among Them.

  They have told me Their secrets and Their thoughts.

  I tell you what They tell me.

  I never post until many of Them have told me Their thoughts.

  Know thy enemy.

  They are the leakers of half-truths and spinners of dung and They spew lies with glee.

  I am drowning in Their lies.

  They plan Their plans and I can watch and listen from the sidelines, but I am powerless to do anything.

  They should not have put Their trust in me.

  Soon They will pay. I and Others have been keeping records. We know who to send them to.

  They will be held accountable.

  I have but one regret… That I was forced to use satire.

  It has been said that satire is the highest form of flattery. They do not deserve flattery. They deserve to be called out for who They are and what They are doing. They should suffer in a hell of Their on making.

  I am sorry for the confusion.

  Keep fighting the good fight.

  G-d bless. And have a good Shabbos.

• 50 Anon // Jul 13, 2007 at 3:50 pm

  The expression is tongue IN cheek, not tongue AND cheek

• 51 Satirist // Jul 13, 2007 at 4:11 pm

  I stand corrected. My humble apologies.

• 52 Aaron // Jul 13, 2007 at 4:15 pm

  Thank you, Rafi.

• 53 Anonymous // Jul 13, 2007 at 4:24 pm

  So who do we believe – the first Rafi or the new Rafi?

• 54 Satirist // Jul 13, 2007 at 4:30 pm

  If I’d heard those things he claims to have heard, I might have also thought “a mistake 2-decades old” was approprite satire, so I believe him.
  It’s less satirical when the rest of us aren’t in on the “joke,” which is why the debate of serious vs satire went unresolved for so long.

• 55 Avi Frier // Jul 13, 2007 at 4:40 pm

  I sure would like to see Rafi D’s records…

• 56 sara // Jul 13, 2007 at 5:29 pm

  I would think lots of people would like to see those records.

  If there really are records, and if “soon they will pay,” it is too bad you could not come forth before the Androns walked- for all the reasons already stated in all of the responses. It will not be easy for Hillel to recover from this loss.

  People are waiting……

• 57 sad parent // Jul 13, 2007 at 5:33 pm

  How odd that the Androns are forced out ( and they were forced out) months after the $1M performing arts endowment is announced. i wonder if anyone on the board will bother to check how the money will be spent.
  sad

• 58 Anonymous // Jul 13, 2007 at 5:36 pm

  A loss for Hillel is a big gain for the JCC and the whole community.

• 59 Someone // Jul 13, 2007 at 6:04 pm

  Actually, the formula used was not “endowment” but “endowed chair”. But if so, why didn’t they make Dr. Andron the chairman?

  HEGEMONY.

• 60 Anonymous // Jul 13, 2007 at 6:18 pm

  Because “they” wanted him gone!

• 61 sara // Jul 13, 2007 at 6:20 pm

  “endowed chair” most often includes provisions

• 62 sara // Jul 13, 2007 at 6:27 pm

  I am not an attorney, but it seems that since Michael WAS the program for so many years, the expectation (on the part of the donor) is Michael’s program would benefit. Now there is no Michael’s program.

• 63 Mr. Pink // Jul 13, 2007 at 6:47 pm

  Thank you Rafi D. for the clarification. That was the socially responsible thing to do. I rest my case for now. I am glad we are all on the same page and do not need Cliffs to interpret for us.

• 64 Anonymous // Jul 13, 2007 at 6:50 pm

  Someone // Jul 13, 2007 at 6:04 pm

  “Actually, the formula used was not “endowment” but “endowed chair”. But if so, why didn’t they make Dr. Andron the chairman?

  HEGEMONY.”

  Exactly right…why didn’t they name Andron the chair too??? Definitely HEGEMONY or as I say OLIGARCHY. Same difference.

  And by the way, none of the names of the donors suggested on this site as to who gave the endowment are accurate.

• 65 Here's an idea... // Jul 13, 2007 at 6:54 pm

  “And by the way, none of the names of the donors suggested on this site as to who gave the endowment are accurate.”

  I heard it was Norman Braman.

• 66 Anonymous // Jul 13, 2007 at 7:26 pm

  Braman would make sense

• 67 Anonymous // Jul 13, 2007 at 7:39 pm

  Too bad he didn’t give it to the JCC

• 68 Good Wolf // Jul 13, 2007 at 11:15 pm

  This is a mess.
  It is like traipsing through the Red Queen’s Garden when her cards are painting the roses red and she is screeching “off with his head”!
  At the same time it is like falling down an endless chasm only to meet the White Rabbit at the bottom running around, yelling, “I’m late, I’m late!”

  Of course, Holden needs to do penance for a very long time. So does the Board.
  But they all get to sleep in the destruction they’ve made but as this is so vampiric I would question the day…
  By the way, why did Holden have his office sound proofed?

• 69 Mr. Pink // Jul 13, 2007 at 11:35 pm

  “This will probably be my last post. Up till now, They have been trying to figure out which one of Them was posting, and now that They realize it is not one of Them, They will probably be able to figure out who I am, and the information spigot will be turned off. ”

  Rafi D.

  They have NO idea who you are and it’s driving them bananas. They are now dropping bits of information..some real, some false…all over the place trying to discover where the leak is.

  I assure you they will never find you or any other leak because what they have failed to realize is that from the beginning there have been so many leaks…more than you can imagine

  Many of their own friends and family members have ratted them out several times.

  You are not alone.

  They have no way of knowing who’s who anymore and it’s making them CRAZY.

  But they’re looking for you.

  When O’Brien comes to talk to you about the Brotherhood make sure not to enter the room with the rats.

• 70 Mr. Pink // Jul 13, 2007 at 11:45 pm

  Brilliant Satire. Satire is not flattery. It is criticism in a way that makes people look at themselves in the mirror. When you lecture people, they shut off, but when you satirize them, some of them start to get the point.

  “Different Name // Jul 13, 2007 at 1:17 pm

  I, for one, think that Michael Andron’s departure will help make Hillel a stronger school for the future.

  First of all,Hillel doesn’t need a strong theater department. What business do Jews have in show business? None, as far as I’m concerned.

  Secondly, the constant media accolades for Hillel shows takes away from the real crown jewel of the school; the althetic department. When was the last time you read in the paper about a Hillel student getting an athletic scholarship to a Big 10 university? Never. And that’s because the media is too busy fawning over Michael Andron.

  Thirdly, refreshments are sold at intermission of these so-called “productions.” Do you have any idea what those refreshments do to the floor of our otherwise pristine cafetorium? I’ll tell you what. They make it sticky. Who needs that?

  Fourth, kids need to express themselves through their studies, not theater.

  Fifth, the kindergarten, elementary school, middle school and high shool are separate entities, and should be treated as such. All this “togetherness through the theater program” is hurting the individuality of each school.

  Sixth, are there even any straight people in theater? Homosexuality is banned according to Jewish law, and having a theater program promotes gayness.

  I agree with Adam. It’s OK to have a theater program, but it shouldn’t be too excellent (or as those theater-folk put it, ‘fabulous’). I hope Hillel hires someone not too excellent to take Michael’s place, so we can have a more standard program, and keep the balance in the school.”

  A+

• 71 Good Wolf // Jul 14, 2007 at 10:24 am

  My Dear Mr. Pink: Dr. Andron was a very positive asset, as was Mrs. Andron.
  In fact all of the dismissed people and all those that resigned out of the “I am getting out of this hole” attitude were of great value to the school.
  The fact of the matter is that advantage has been taken of Forida’s ill-devised right to work laws in order to replace EVERYONE who can be replaced. This has been done by the unscrupulous and ruthless to the dedicated employees who made the school a magnet for learning and intellectual growth…
  The Head of School has a diploma mill piece of paper that proclaims a Doctorate where there is none. That is against various statuates quoted elsewhere extensively on this blog. The fact that exquisitely well qualified and moral people have been dumped like so much white trash is appalling and a sign of mental degeneracy, a pre-cursor to the apparent sociopathology of the administration and the Board. Would I work for the current Hillel? Would any of us? I do not believe anyone should work under such incredible stress: BEST PRACTICES for teacher evaluations were dumped into the sewer. I hated being reviewed fifteen times in five minute increments in a two week span. There was no follow up, period, just no contract yet every rating was according to their scale good or excellent. Best Practices used in most schools cover the school year, with, in the first year FOUR fifty minute observations, the first by the end of the first month with a pre-observation discussion about what is being looked for and a post on what was seen. The second observation must be done within 30 school days of the first but no sooner than 15 school days. Again with pre and post meetings. The third observation must follow within a forty-five school day schedule but no sooner than 30 days after the second, again with pre and post observations. The last observation must be at least twenty days prior to the end of school. THIS WAS NOT DONE!!! Not for anyone at all.
  The pathology at Hillel is metastic, carcinomic, and immune system non-responsive, the cardiac care bill is going to be huge.

• 72 Mr. Pink // Jul 14, 2007 at 9:15 pm

  Good Wolf, I am well aware of everything you have said and agree two million percent.

• 73 Good Wolf // Jul 14, 2007 at 10:02 pm

  72 Mr. Pink //

  I am so glad. I have been so concerned. I am glad you understand.