By COLlive reporter
The new Jewish year is bringing more than just a procrastinated new school year at the Associated Bais Rivkah Schools in Crown Heights.
After delaying its opening due to financial woes, a new Board of Directors has been legally installed at the school in the hopes of finally stabilizing the flagship Chabad institution for girls.
Effective Monday, members of the new board are Chairman Rabbi Avraham Shemtov, and members Mr. Ephraim Goldfein, Mr. Yerachmeal Jacobson, Mr. Dovid Junik, Mr. Yoseph Kazarnovsky, Mr. Itchik Orimland, Rabbi Moshe Pinson and Mr. Dovid Sputz.
Although most of these individuals were named for the board last year, they were only instated this week after a reshuffling of the school’s executive leadership. Most of the members of the previous board -many of their names unknown- have either resigned or passed on.
Filling a newly created position of CEO at the school is Chaim Botwinick, former director of Jewish education and culture at the UJA-Federation of New York who has 35 years of experience in the field of education and management.
A graduate of Yeshiva and Columbia universities, Botwinick led fundraising, development and public relations for Jewish day schools across the country, including the Center for Jewish Education in Baltimore, Center for the Advancement of Jewish Education in Miami and the Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy and Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School in Livingston, NJ.
Another promising addition to the staff as Director of Development is Rabbi Moshe Pinson, founder of Congregation Bais Shmuel Chabad and Mikvah Mei Chaya Mushka in Crown Heights. Pinson has been known to successfully move projects to success, while motivating donors and promoting causes.
Stepping down from the Board of Directors will be long-time Bais Rivka Administrative Directors Laime Minkowitz and Benji Stock.
Stock will be remaining in the role of administrator, COLlive was told. A dedicated and beloved figure in the school, Stock will continue to be responsible for the school’s day to day operations. His financial responsibilities will be transferred to Botwinick.
BOARD’S NEW PLANS
Close to 2000 students study in the school’s 4 divisions, ranging from preschool through seminary, at their 2 locations: The early childhood center and elementary school at Campus Chomesh at 470 Lefferts Avenue and the high school, seminary and administrative offices at 310 Crown Street.
“The new board coming in is a historic, epic moment for Bais Rivkah,” Board Member Yerachmeal Jacobson, owner of a real estate investment and management firm, told COLlive. “This is the kind of progress that the school hasn’t seen in 30 years.”
“This wasn’t a campaign to get people out, it was a campaign to get the right people in,” he said about the incoming board which will be working on implementing new initiatives in the school, such as enhanced Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and a gala dinner – the last of which was held in 2006.
Fundraising, a key component in running a community Jewish day school of this size with many frum families paying reduced tuition, will be enhanced as well, say the new board members.
The new board faces a million dollar deficit to cover past due salaries. “Potential donors told us they will join in supporting the school once the finances are in order and things are being done right, with full transparency,” Jacobson said.
At a meeting on Monday evening, members of the new board informed the teachers and faculty of their installment and promised that teachers will be receiving paychecks every 2 weeks, on time throughout this year, beginning with 2 paychecks this week.
They said that Rabbi Avraham Shemtov, Chairman of the Board, takes responsibility to pay back all past due salaries, beginning in January until June of this year.
After the meeting, the principals informed teachers and the board that they would let them know if they are willing to accept the agreement and officially begin the school year.
Many parents have expressed frustration and anger that they have been uninformed about developments, not knowing whether the school would be opening, even after the new board has promised that they will be stabilizing the school’s finances.
Thank you Rabbi Minkowitz, you were always nice to me when i came to sign up my daughter, a real mentch and understanding. I never walked out traumatized like some of my friends did. Hatzlocho rabbo and thanks for all you’ve done for Beis Rivkah
thank you! it was painfull to see my little einikl dressed in her uniform, so exited to start in BR, staying home …….and now [BH to see how happy she is, and to hear that she has a great teacher gives us all some fresh air and hopes that IYH this will be a very important part of her growth as a bas Chabad
thank you , broche vehatzloche
A woman or women on the board will probably be guided by her emotions in decisions. Having to approach a board of women concerning tuition payments would be a disaster. Women can be judgmental of trivial matters. For example, I’m very thrifty. I buy good quality almost always second hand clothes/shoes/bags which I keep for YEARS add life to old Shatel by having them dyed/adding more hair, and overall care about my appearance. Other women take note of this and mistaking believe I’m well off because I haven’t allowed myself to go to pot! I would HATE to approach a… Read more »
Respect goes both ways. The admins might be great individuals on a personal level, but as administrator of a large entity they failed plain and simple. As a working parent who pays tuition, I did not feel respect this past week when the school did not contact me at any time with an official update. Rumors were rampant online but we were not kept informed. While I was taking my child to work with me or paying someone to watch her, depending on the day, nobody in the administration reached out to apologize for the delay and extra cost/hardship on… Read more »
Micro the schools into separate admins for each class = nightmare of duplicity if each class ran own finances.
The larger the entity being PROPERLY administrated, the more efficient (think of major corp e.g. IBM, Micrsoft etc).
An umbrella org for modos chinuch is NORMAL, e.g. Chinuch Haatzmoi, Torah Mesorah etc. provided it has QUALIFIED admins running it.
There is a reason why we say a special Mishebeirach prayer every Shabbos and highlight those who are Oskim Btzorchei Tzibur Bemuna Hakodoish Boruch Hu Yeshleim Zecharam! There is almost never adequate appreciation for those who get involved in communal matters… They don’t sleep and are often resented or at a the minimum underappreciated for their dedication, devotion and tireless work. We all don’t agree how to do x or y etc. but basic respect and i can say respect again… and minimal appreciation for one’s dedication and efforts isn’t too much to ask for – or is it? If… Read more »
it would be duplicate salaries if these schools had a handful of students each. as it is each mossad had (KI”H) thousands of students, and each need the administrative staff that they have, and probably more. if you think that they have too much time on their hands, start naming names.
This is only in addition to (what i understand to be) the Rebbe’s instructions to NOT merge the schools. I understand that the Rebbe felt people would give more tzedakah if they are 3 different schools, rather than if they could discharge their responsibilities with one check.
If they collected all the outstanding tuition they can pay all the back pay right away.
Thank you Dovid Sputz for your hard work and dedication for the school! Much success,
from the west coast
Glad Benji Stock will still be around! Always warm and kind
I don’t agree with this “woman on board” hysteria, and I am a woman, and an educated one, who cares about the rights of women, but to me, I understand this situation as being a financial crisis and some men stepped in and are willing to help put Bais Rivka back on its feet financially. And that’s very kind and noble and heroic on their part. In most of our homes, and Chabad Houses, and generally, (dare I say traditionally??) the men bear the brunt of the financial burden, whether it be the fund raising or the support of the… Read more »
Make no mistake. Rabbi Leizer Shemtov, I know
for a fact, has devoted the pas
t almost two years
of his life ( as a volunteer!) to help move BR forward on every level. His perseverance, vision, modesty,
insight and wisdom BIYH, are the attributes of a true leader and the BR community will be beneficiaries of that
leadership. The school is now well positioned for success.
Let’s move forward in partnership. There is no more
room for negativity. It’s Ellul… It’s time !
Yasher Koach Reb Leizer!!!!!
While working as a consultan once a very distress Japanese make-up company contact us. When we sat with the board they did not know what was the couse of their issues, they tought the strategy was clear and alling with the owners (parents) perspective. They failed to realized that 100% of the board were men thiking about a product they woudl never consume. This was their key issue. Yes you understand the analogy, this group of people will never understand the needs of the girls 100% they are “not consumers of the product”. I have seen many board of jewish… Read more »
Rabbi minkowitz was very well compensated over all the years calm down
im glad to hear benjy is staying on, he is a kind chasideshe person whom understands parents.
A hidden gem that has started the winds of change for bais rivkah. Yasher koach!!
A proud relative!
Women have no place sitting on a board for an all girls school in this community. Actually, Using the same logic. I can’t believe they even allow women teachers in this all girls school. All jokes aside, Maybe if they got rid of all the male self-proclaimed “ministers of education and finance” and hired Women to take charge of the girls “Mosdos” this whole fiasco could have been a avoided. You don’t need boards, You need people that care and that will do anything (Even the unthinkable task of giving up a luxury in their life) to take charge. You… Read more »
Mazeltov Beis Rivkah, thank you Reb Leima and Rabbi Benjy, congratulations to the new board and a huge yasherkoach to Rabbi Eliezer Shemtov for all the effort in making this gigantic step, with Hashem’ help, a reality!
מחיל אל חיל!!
The orchestrator of this whole operation, as far as I know.
No women on the board! I’m very surprised.
If you don’t want a “mixed” board then make it ALL women. We don’t need a board full of men representing a school full of women.
The new boards are pure Angels! When doors kept shutting in their faces they pushed forward until they succeeded! We are all so great full! Thank u guys so much for your tireless work in starting from the ground up. Iyh bais Rivka will be better than ever!
Did Lubavitch Mosdos which were founded, directed, and guided by the Rebbe or Previous Rabbeim , including Bais Rivkah have women on the board?
If not, wondering why?
Rabbi Minkowicz served tirelessly for decades and deserves much thanks. To #8 and all, lhoir Rav Hendel OBM paskind in Montreal that formally appointing a woman to a board falls under the prohibition of appointing women dayonim, as is mashmo from the text. A shliach had to resign as rabbi of the Shul that did this. Ask your local rov of course, but just saying that the amount of negativity and complaining is uncalled for.
So glad you are still part of this. You bring to the table what no one else can. Hopefully this new board will take off some financial pressure allowing you to continue the chessed you still do day in and day out!
Kvcht
Thank you to all those involved in getting a the wheels turning. running a school is a thankless job that require tireless effort. A personal thank you to Mr Stock who we all know on a first name basis because Benjy presents himself as a friend who is always there to lend a helping hand behind the scenes. Most of us don’t know even a fraction of the chessed and kindness he has shown our community. He is often people who have no where to go, turn to in crisis. May this new establishment in Bais Rivkah come with Hashem’s… Read more »
Why is 1/2 the population not represented on the board of an all girls’ institution?
The business approach is to merge BR with OT and ULY). This saves duplicate salaries for administrators and combines resources. These schools all serve the same community – brothers and sisters from same families. They must merge into one united entity. It will SAE a fortune in duplicated salaries. It will coordinate fundraising efforts and strengthen the individual schools. That’s what is done in the business world!!!
Shocked that the new board dosent give as much as a thank u to Rabbi M and wish him well, true, many may not agree with how things were handled over some yrs, however a THANK U or at least WE WISH U WELL is not to much to expect, mentclichkeit….
I see this drama unfold online every year. It’s sounds like a systemic issue on both administrators and parents part. Books should be opened and parents who can afford to pay tuition should do so. This is your kid’s education which is worth fighting for and getting an extra job for. Most out of towners have the same struggle yet our tuition is close to 15k and scholarships are minimal. And if the school still isn’t living up to your expectations, don’t complain in front of your children. Be proactive and consider yourself lucky that you live within driving distance… Read more »
Just a suggestion. Please for the honor and success for the Rebbes mosad ,do not make a mixed crowd dinner.
Step up and be financially responsible and solvent. Great Idea! Parents, that’s gonna have to include you eventually too though. A community with a large proportion of the people living in debt or by virtue of others’ chesed is not sustainable.
i think that if a family works hard a whole year to bring in money, and pays their fair amount for tuition, that they should be allowed a not-over-the top vacation without having to made to feel guilty that they did not give it for tuition. People should be able to relax. Of course, every situation is different, but the general topic of if you have a car, vacation house, vacation or whatever, pay full tuition simply isn’t fair.
@15 @8 Why do you care. Seriously, what religious or philosophical dictate governs your concern for the gender makeup up of any particular institution’s board of governors. You can create an institution and you can install a board of whatever gender makeup you wish, because it’s your institution. Perhaps, the board is all male because it so happened that the group of people who coalesced around that role were male, or perhaps the founders just felt men would do a better job — or perhaps the founder’s religion dictates that men occupy the positions of communal responsibility. So what of… Read more »
Thank you Rabbi Shemtov for all the work and money you poured into Bais Rivka until now!
agree
So happy Benji is staying I can not see Bais Rivkah running with out Benji!!!
As a parent and teacher, thank you to the new board for stepping in and helping to make things happen, and hopefully, Hashem should give you strength and Hatzlocha to be able to have Bais Rivka up and running as the glorious school that it is, financially comfortable, and the teachers should once again have bread on their tables, and money to pay their rent, and babysitters, and credit card interest that has piled up. I do want to say, as a mother and teacher, that Rabbis Stock and Minkowitz have kept the school running all these years; we have… Read more »
Now at least rabbi shemtov wont be the only one pouring money into the school. till now he was bringing in over 2 million a year for the benefit of crown heights residents. now hopefully the board will also bring in money through fundraising and other projects they will be doing.
Women clearly have no place on the board of directors of an all-women’s school. #Lubavitch
Thank you for your hard work, we know its not easy to please everyone, but we have to be patient as parents, as teachers and as community to do the right thing for our kids and grandkids, although my granddaughter is been home for the past week, we know you have her best interest in heart, yasher coach.
a huge THANK YOU to all the members of the new board for your tireless efforts. I can only imagine that your task is not an easy one and commend you for getting involved instead of sitting and gossiping on facebook as many other have been. I wish you tremendous success and may you be bentched in your personal lives in this zchus
ALL members of the board who stepped in. It was courageous to undertake this and may your efforts be blessed.
As a mother of a few kids in various CH school, I have to say that ONLY Benji had a heart when it came to some major financial difficulties and took my daughter without charge at the time. BH since then we have been able to pay our tuition. However this mess will never get cleared up if parents who hide their income under business names ect. beg for tuition breaks, then dont even pay the lesser amount, instead spending money on leasing cars, summer bungalows and vacations ect.
Yasher Choach, A Good G’Benchted Year to all Yidden & Moshiach Now! Thanks for some good news at last!
Awsm news that we have allllll been waiting for!!! If Moshe Pinson is on board it’s sure to be successful!!!! Thank you to all the board members for working to hard! And Bh for the changes which are long over due
Why is not one woman on the board or in a senior administrative position at the school?
This is all nice and well, but my daughter is still at home. Can the board open schools tomorrow?
So let’s talk tachlis.. when can we expect our children to start school?
HATZLACHA RABBA TO THE NEW BOARD
I am so happy to hear that Benjy is staying. His devotion and care cannot be replaced. Thank G-d the board realized that.
Thank you Rabbi Lazer Shemtov who set out a few years ago to undertake this daunting task. Nice to see the fruits of your hard work.
May Hashem bentch you with much revealed brocha and hatzlocha in both this project and in your personal lives
we want moshiach NOW
Hopefully plan will be successful