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Thursday, 27 Adar I, 5784
  |  March 7, 2024

Board: Strike “Close to Resolution”

The board of Bais Rivkah has issued a statement on the teacher's strike, which they say is "close to resolution and will be finalized within the next few days." Full Story

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A parent
April 30, 2017 1:05 pm

Thank you to the board of bais rivka for taking so much time out of your already busy day to get our kids back in school. I am shocked to read all these negative comments about the board. If everyone doesn’t know already, the only reasons that the teachers weren’t paid is because 1) so many parents are not paying full tuition or even at all. 2) stock and minkowitz take a hefty check for themselves every month. The board has given money from their own bank account to pay all the teachers for a few months now so everyone… Read more »

Did any Rov give a Heter for the teachers to strike?
April 29, 2017 9:15 pm

Frum Yidden ask a shaylah to a Rov before they do something, especially when it affects others. Did any Rov give a Heter for the teachers to strike?

To #49
April 29, 2017 6:55 pm

Rest assured: There are many job applicants for teaching positions in our school. Every teacher is replaceable by many qualified and youthful applicants.

To# 43
April 28, 2017 3:39 pm

If you are truly the adminstration then why don’t you fire these “evil” teachers that are striking? These “Essential works” that you describe would have long ago left there job not stick around so long to need to strick. Perhaps no new teacher wants these positions seeing how you treat them and then blame them for the damage.

To #47 pasta guy
April 28, 2017 11:55 am

A teacher spends many hours preparing lessons, marking tests, calls to parents etc. The only preparation the pasta guy does is maybe washing his hands before doing his mindless work.

the pasta guy
April 28, 2017 8:30 am

is dishing 12 hours a day. how many hours is teacher teaching?

Teechars are underpayed
April 27, 2017 8:21 pm

The average annual salary for the person who dishes out pasta salad at my neighborhood deli is $24,646; the man who collects my garbage in the wee morning hours earns $38,028; and the guy who walks my neighbor’s dog makes a whopping $42,000. The teachers at my daughter’s Jewish preschool earn about $18,000 a year. The rabbis of the Midrash wrote, “If you see cities uprooted, know that it came about because they did not maintain teachers’ salaries.”

True
April 27, 2017 5:16 pm

“If you see cities uprooted, know that it came about because they did not maintain teachers’ salaries.” ~~ Simeon b

From afar a guest for a while...
April 27, 2017 2:48 pm

These comments are all laughable and shameful. The desecration for Lubavitch and the Rebbe’s name immense. A total disaster all ar

Irreparable Damage
April 27, 2017 2:46 pm

When the teachers are paid the money owed, they are made whole again. They return to work. But the students cannot be made whole again for the days the school was closed. When the teachers get paid, and eventually they will, a significant amount must be DEDUCTED for each day that they damaged the students. In fact, the longer they strike, the less they are owed! We are deducting a significant amount from each teacher that is striking. Future contracts of BR teachers WILL include a clause that they are FORBIDDEN to strike, like ALL ESSENTIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS! Did you… Read more »

To number 36
April 27, 2017 11:33 am

Just out of curiosity;
Do Satmar schools have these problems?
If they don’t, how do you manage to avoid them?
Perhaps an outside perspective on how to handle these issues, might be refreshing and possibly point the way to new and better ways of doing things.
It can’t hurt just to discuss it.

Where are the leaders?
April 27, 2017 11:01 am

Why arent the leaders of our community doing anything about this? Theres radio silence.. If this happened in a boys school, it would have been resolved more quickly, and with alot of the Rabonim in the communities voices heard.. This is trajgic, and yet there is community wide silence..

Rabbi shemtov
April 27, 2017 10:51 am

Why do parents think they are the ones who vote in a board? That’s not how it works, it’s the head of the school Rabbi shemtov who chose this board

WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE???
April 27, 2017 10:09 am

Kids out of school with no end in sight, WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE??? WHERE ARE ALL THE SO CALLED COMMUNITY ACTIVIST RUNNING AFTER EVERY CAMERA, WHERE ARE THE RABBONNIM??? THE SILENCE IS DEAFENING!!!

It's easy.
April 27, 2017 7:16 am

Just follow the money. The old admin has had their hand in the pot for a very long time. So is there any surprise that a power struggle ensues when a bunch of new not voted in “boared” shmembers want to get a piece of the action.
Why is Rabbi Shemtov so quiet on this issue?

A parent
April 27, 2017 6:34 am

Dr. Botwinck was hired in September as CEO and consultant of Bais Rivkah. He worked directly with the board and administration.
We paid him with our tuition! In the spirit of transparency and clarity, We the parents demand that the new board and administration provide a report from Dr. Botwinck an outsider to our school of exactly what went on and why he left Bais Rivkah.

bottom line
April 27, 2017 6:22 am

i’m a board member of satmar – its simple a community school cannot survive on tuition being a board member means dropping big bucks to keep things going – all this talk about structual changes just means a big tough tuition marshall . parents need to do their part . but a kehilla is always dependant on the gevirim

well thank you
April 27, 2017 5:48 am

it’s about time with r.m l’m glad it happened, l guess sometimes you gotta do the right thing,this has been a years long going , thank g-d it’s being fixed, yup beth rivkah will become great again

To number 24
April 27, 2017 3:45 am

You are literally lying, why would the board call money that is owed to the teachers a ‘prize’? You really sound foolish

Big Z Schapiro
April 27, 2017 2:50 am

My mistake before but what I’m trying to say is Bais Rifka is one of the greatest schools in Crown Heights all the teachers should get pay on time and it’s not fair for them and now that’s it’s not fair for the parents that the children are not in school so therefore whoever is in charge I suggested you one thing pay attention to the teachers and whatever they need and you should not ignore them I wish you all best of luck

WHO ARE THE BOARD MEMBERS???
April 27, 2017 12:10 am

There is only one way this will be resolved – an expensive, legal case, which ultimately will not be good for anyone. Meanwhile, my granddaughter goes to work with either her mother or father every day, and their bosses aren’t happy.

What is the crux of the problem? Embezzlement? Incompetence? Too many secretaries etc? A combination? If people know the real, bottom-line truth, maybe attitudes will change and solutions can be found.

to no 20 and 21
April 26, 2017 11:50 pm

20 – very funny post. build seniority in your field. become really good at what you do and be blessed with ‘work a 4 hour work week as well’

21 – count the hours of children on the street, on social media, hungry in nourishment for food and education and still convince us that this new pompous board is out for the good of the community – both teachers that can’t pay home and board, and children that are in need of safety.

To #23 Board shmoard
April 26, 2017 10:18 pm

Just because, I may not be a “successful businessman”, it’s not possible for me to be on the so called “board”? (Anonymous)

Confused
April 26, 2017 10:08 pm

There are some who are bashing a group of tzadikim who stepped up to the plate to get the school in order?? I’m a benefactor of one of those individuals he helped me in my time of need when no one did. They deserve the community respect and gratitude I’m sure they will complete the job and turn thus around.

Too big to fail
April 26, 2017 9:44 pm

Every organization that gets too big must be lead by a board. אין דן יחידי אלא אחד it is very often that the previous manager or administrator cannot shift to collaborative leadership. control is addictive and to loose it is very difficult.

Kol hakovod to the board!!!
April 26, 2017 8:16 pm

I know personally some of the board members and they are BIG BAALEI TZEDAKAH !! They are the cream of the crop of our community !!!! They will make BAIS RIVKA GREAT AGAIN!!!!

To 24
April 26, 2017 7:29 pm

Youre a little confused. The board is not supposed to pay instead of parents… If all tuition of this year would be up to date, there would be no salaries owed. Is the board supposed to collect tuition or is that the job of the administration?

Big Z Schapiro
April 26, 2017 7:02 pm

Bais Rifka is one of the great schools in Crown Heights 50 Church bus get paid on time and secondly it’s not fair that all the children is rolling around Crown Heights and around Kingston doing nothing teachers deserve to get paid parents are very upset and I agree with them a hundred percent

To 23
April 26, 2017 7:02 pm

If I recall the board told the teachers in a meeting that they don’t need to fear they will get their “prize”. Is that something to tell people when you owe them thousands of dollars.

Appreciation?!?
April 26, 2017 5:45 pm

Im shocked by some of these comments; ur school is falling apart, some really good ppl are giving up thousands of hours of their own time VOLUNTEERING to do all they can to fix this mess and ur COMPLAINING about them!?!?!!!

Seriously….You should at the very least thank them and appreciate

Aaron
April 26, 2017 4:12 pm

BS”D There is only one criteria for a board member-MONEY, moderately successful although well intentioned and even hard working individuals are not what will keep the school afloat.The Rabbinical College of America is an ex of a proper Board

About the new board
April 26, 2017 3:18 pm

For everyone’s info, the board members were practically begged to join and save Bais Rivka, no one ‘chose’ to be on it. It’s a lot easier to be uninvolved and sit back and see what happens next. These guys are all super busy, yet still have spent by now 1000s of hours trying to get the school back on track. Kol hakavod to all of the board members, there are actually some of us who appreciate all your time and effort Thank you!!

To #18
April 26, 2017 3:13 pm

Don’t believe it was done in middle of the night, rabbi Minkowitz is never in his office before 10:00 am and never there after 3:00pm, and he didn’t show up on Sundays or Fridays. So that leaves a lot of daylight time to do this while he is not in his office.

Not to mention all the other vacation days and weeks that he is away from his duty’s

Impressed with the Board
April 26, 2017 2:28 pm

They are doing their best to turn sour lemons into lemonade.

COWARDS
April 26, 2017 2:03 pm

So sad that you at COL have lowered yourselves to such a low level and don’t publish the truth!
Police was called to BR in FEB when “askanim” broke into Rabbi M’s office in middle of the night to change the locks !!

GET THE KIDS BACK INTO SCHOOL!!
April 26, 2017 2:00 pm

It appears the ‘NEW’ board memebers dont trust the ‘old’ admin are utilising the money wisely, thus the teachers are not being paid on time… parents should therefore pay their tuition into a 3rd party (i.e. a lawyers) holding account and all teachers can be paid via that method! Clearly there is a breach of trust going on.

To Moshe der g
April 26, 2017 1:58 pm

Is it true that they locked one of the administrators out of his office?

Not buying it
April 26, 2017 1:57 pm

Unless the next statement is that there’s a brand new administration then I’m not buying it.

Will not let my children be a karbon for someone else’s greed or ineptitude. That includes current power or parents who scam on tuition.

There’s plenty of options in NY. I’m not willing to experiment on my kids education and take a chance that maybe this time things will be different.

Moshe der g
April 26, 2017 1:57 pm

Can I ask​ you what the rumors are?

murky waters
April 26, 2017 1:53 pm

On one side you have a corrupt administration that that has been “mismanaging” the school funds for years. On the other side you have a Boared or a group of “successful businessmen” who have NOT been “voted” into this position trying to take over the school. And the childers, parents and teachers are caught in the middle of this bloteh.
Where does A. Shemtov stand on this???

Thank you board
April 26, 2017 1:33 pm

For giving up your time and trying to help. Where however does it say anywhere in the letter about being resolved in he next few days? I don’t see it

TWO BIG QUESTIONS
April 26, 2017 1:33 pm

I fully support the efforts and sentiment of the letter
But WHO ARE YOU!?
Who voted you in and what is your name/s why is this letter signed so ambiguously “The Board”
Can you put your name where your mouth is?
Can you stand behind your world AND name.
If you really want to help make a change in such a huge ongoing problem you have to put your whole self in it and that includes your name!

To #5
April 26, 2017 1:25 pm

I am a fantastic parent. I will give up my time to be mechanech your child no personal gain in doing this. But if my interference results in your child going off the deep end – would you blame me or say kol hakovod tto me?!

Education - out of towner
April 26, 2017 1:25 pm

B.H.
What kind of education are children – not only from Bais Rivka but from all over- receiving reading these articles and comments on the internet? Who will undo that damage? What does it do to their chinuch?

To #5
April 26, 2017 1:19 pm

Holding in my comments

moshe der g
April 26, 2017 1:18 pm

kudos to the board

let us hope they overcome this and all the rumors and may hashem help them rebuild the moisad back to its glory.

and the teachers need to be paid first…

and may we all have peace in our homes and institutions

Puzxling
April 26, 2017 1:17 pm

This has been going on for years Why haven’t the Bais Rivkah admin been summoned before a Bais Din? Irregardless of the politics here. Everyone this time needs to be smart besides an Iron clad written agreement There seemingly needs to be major changes & permanent ones All the Rabbonim need to be involved This concerns every parent teacher etc. With a child in Bais Rivkah now & those considering doing so. Additionally all tuition payments should not be made by any parent until an iron clad solution is in place.I suggest depositing all tuition payments with a 3rd party… Read more »

Fyi
April 26, 2017 12:33 pm

The board is a group of successful businessman​ who are willing to give up from their time to try and help the situation they have no personal gain in doing this. Just think why would someone want to put himself into the spotlight of this situation where you get criticism from all sides? So the only reason is to help the Rebbes institution!.
So kol hakavod to all those who got involved to help may hashem bless you with much success.

Yeye all talk
April 26, 2017 12:21 pm

Good luck, not convincing me though till i see 100% progress.

Someone who suffered because of this. (Not a teacher)

bla bla bla
April 26, 2017 12:14 pm

goodluck

Sounds wonderful but...
April 26, 2017 12:12 pm

Where are the checks?? Teachers should not be working without pay!! Classes will resume AFTER teachers get paid up. Not before.

Voted?
April 26, 2017 11:58 am

As a teacher parent and community member there was never a election held for this position

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