174 Comments

• Anonymous

  Too bad.
  You might have a point, but your rantings and attacks are on the same par as failed messiah….

• out of towner

  we also have a “phantom committee” that determines how much financial aid we receive. also, the people who handle the money in our school are tough, no-nonsense women. don’t expect their sympathy!

  to a certain degree the school has to shield/protect itself from the personal dramas and financial crises of their parents. they need to collect money for the services they are providing. so for this, i think you need to have a more realistic view.

  regarding mismanagement of funds, that is a different matter and most certainly the staff MUST be paid.

• KOL HAKAVOD!

  KOL HAKAVOD!!!
  It’s about someone spoke up.
  I remember the days when saying “Beis Rivka” it was said with PRIDE of being the REBBE’S school.
  …but that was MANY years ago!
  and it does not have the same ring to it

  when one sends their girls to a school, one hopes that the girls can get the MOST of the Rebbe’s teaching.
  when the administration comes in for themsleves, the teachers for their pay and no one could very much care how the girls are, how they are doing, what they are thinking etc how can one be surprised that the is absolutely NO pride

  • unreal

    i have a few questions.

    there were a few years that BR paid on time each week, did any of you commenter’s do or say anything to thank the administration, which is the same as current administration?

    when Bnos Menachem opened up, which had a tremendous effect on the fiances of BR since they took children from BR. and took Pre School slots from BR did anyone of you complain? lets be real, Bnos Menachem took most of the teachers from BR and has all similar teachers to BR, has the same Yechi or non Yechi as BR has the same tzinus and non tzinus parent body as BR. so in reality there was no real or good reason for the community at large to allow this to happen.

    (unlike CM which doesn’t learn English)

    the fact is after all the screaming and shouting BR has never ever sent a kid home for not paying tuition, BR has never ever not accepted a kid because of tuition issues. BR is the only moisad that takes into consideration the family size and the amount of real income the parents have.

    who of you and how many of you ever picked up a phone to thank Rabbi shemtov for putting up the building single handidly on lefferts? until he came along our kids had to go to bedstuy? we should be ashamed of ourselves that it took an ousdier to save us.

    how many of you called rabbi shemtov each and every year to thank him for for paying off the previous years payroll. YES ultimately the teachers do get paid, and the teachers know it that is why they teach there.

    i dare anyone to pick up a phone and call the administration to get the facts.

    i must conclude that you guys are missing a lot more then a rov who does or does not have smicha.

• Yossi

  We live in Chicago and ALL parents from ALL day schools that desire a scholarship of any form, complete forms from an organization that advises the school on what scholarships to give the parents. This removes the administrators from getting involved in the nitty gritty of each parents financial issues, except when absolutely necessary.

  I and my fellow from Chicagoans have done this for years, and I have never felt humiliated, quite the contrary, I feel it maintains the respect and dignity of the parents.

• SAD BUT TRUE

  THE WAY BEIS RIVKAH IS ADMINISTERD IS THE BIGGEST SHAME TO LUBAVITCH

• Chana

  It seems a little cowardly to so openly point fingers and mention people’s specific names without signing your own name…

  • Your right

    your right. However, by this individual being afraid to disclose his or her name just shows how bad the situation is. In other words, this person and many more are scared to voice their opinions regarding their children’s education. They are afraid this will lead to seclusion by the admin and people in power. Education is a business, understandable. Just a shame this business is ran like a mafia.

• To the author

  Dear Mr./Mrs author,
  3. points to make you aware of.
  A. Almost every single school in the world Lubavitch or otherwise does tuition this way. Its the only way to make sure that parents are paying what they need to. You complain about the mismanagement of finances but then when the school finally is making a Seder with tuition you write this terribly disrespectful email.
  B. out of towners including shluchim ALL pay decent tuition and don’t get in town discounts. They may get a slight discount but nowhere near the bottom discounts of locals, trust me I know.
  C. Most importantly, The politics of crown heights has alienated the gvirim of ch. please write a public letter calling on the rabbonim of ch to allow R’ Dovid Fischer to donate to the moisdos. Then let them publicly right that its incumbent upon all residents to donate to the schools, even though Rabbi Shemtov is in charge. How you continue to allow your rabbonim to play politics at the expense of your kids chinuch is ludicrous.

• a parent

  I vote giving Laima raise. A big raise! The teacher’s will just have to wait a few years.

• a new low

  blaspheming loshon hora on a public forum, right after pars has metzora.
  wonderful.

• DONE!!!!!!!

  B”H I am done with that school.

• Grandparent

  Yasher Koach! We put our daughters through Bais Rivkah and paid tuition,as much as we could which was difficult, but we did it. Today, my kids are crying. My son in law was out of work for a while and the debts they had just grew and grew. Now they are both working, not earning a lot but they are afraid to answer the phone because its usually collection agencies.

  Now they have to deal with this. Paying any tuition is hard enough for them but they do it, but they are humiliated and degraded which is disgusting. We have helped them out where we could but we can’t pay their tuition. I wish we could.

  I have heard the same story from other young parents I know, they all feel like zero. Meanwhile, as we all know the people at the top have gorgeous homes, great vacations in Israel & Florida & one of them owns a lot of property in Brooklyn.

  I don’t know what the answer is. They’ll say they are behind in paying their teachers (nothing new there either) but how can they run a school based only on tuition? What happened to all their govt programs?

  First thing they need to do is reduce the administrative staff. There are probably over 50 people who can be let go. Do it. Take a pay cut! Consolidate.

  Stop harassing parents and making them feel like garbage. Go after the scammers including the ones who work there and stop humiliating parents.

• Goldberg

  right on. its time

• Anonymous

  You are a sour jealous crown heightser who probably wasnt able to go on shlichus and now you dont like it that the shluchim get a small discount. the shluchim that get the discount now pay your rent bc you charge them when their girls stay in your basement! the same shliach who has to pay for tickets for their kids to come to school while you put your kids on a bus….

• parent

  I have relatives who are Bobev, Ger, Belz. They also have large families who attend local schools as well as out of town schools. There is a maximum amount requested by the school (mostly $2,500 per child) with a cap of $5,000 per family. If you are an administrator of a school, act like one. Do not scream, belittle and humiliate someone who comes to register a child. Bais Rivka does this all the time. Part of the administrators job is to raise funds for the school not just to sit in an office and collect the salary. Why is there no open books for everyone to see? Naki b’ainei Hashem v’yisroel. If you have noting to hide, you will open your books.

  • Yossel

    It seems to me that other chassidic groups (e.g. Satmar) have a well-defined community infrastructure, their members tend to be successful (e.g. working on 47th st or owning big-scale businesses), and don’t have the responsibility to support Chabad Houses all over the world. All of that being said, those factors mitigate against a well-run commuity school. Unfortunately none of the managers or directors of Bais Rivkah are experienced and trained educators as far as I can tell. They sort of “fell in” to the job due to politics or the “theory of relativity” which has nothing to do with Albert Einstein.

    In order to run a school the size of Beth Rivkah, you really need TRAINED PROFESSIONALS who can be adept administrators as well as caring educators.

    And yes, if you lease a Lexus or have money for fancy vacations, you are being very selfish if you cry to the school that you’re “broke.”

• Thank you

  For saying what most of us are not brave enough to.

• FYI

  I Would like to as the person who posted this oped if he gives a discount when he rents out his basement for the kinus?

  Or I dare him to post how much he owes in his already discounted tuition.

  Yes beis rivkah is an international school. It is where your future daughter in law will come from.

  And just to let you know all money to build and extra funds needed to cover the funds that you and your ilk don’t pay comes from OUT of CH.

  So get back into your hole and plant some seeds on your farm.

• wow

  here come the farmers with the picthforks.

  FYI

  the school is owed over $2.300.000 in tuition $1.120
  000 just from the past 12 months 87% of which is owed by pepole living in CH Kan Tzivah.

  what say you about that?

• wow

  you sound like you are awesome person, why not sign your name so we can know who should run bais rifkah.
  seems like you would be a great candidate!!!

• Uncle Mendel

  I did my prison time when all my girls attended this school. Not only do I question the quality of the education they received, but the insensitivity of the “board” regarding tuition was astounding.
  They are a dark spot against the light of Lubavitch.

• What's your name ??

  Dear writer,

  1. You should’ve signed your name as “bnos Menachem” that would be more appropriate.

  2. You talk about how low people are in your article ? Hmm. And YOUR not low for not stating your name ? How sick of you.

  3. You sound like the type of women who abused the tuition system for years, and all you want to do is TAKE TAKE TAKE TAKE,

  4. I think Bais Rivkah should release your tuition papers from the last ten years so all can see how much you got a with,

• BR teacher, Parent

  Although this letter was written without proper logic or sensitivity and with much anger and finger pointing, there is still an important idea underlying all the messiness that should in fact be addressed.

  Namely: If there is money coming in through tuition AND government funding, why are there not sufficient funds available to pay teachers ON TIME and cover year round costs?

  I believe if teachers got paid on time and school ran properly without constant crises there would be no anger among parents when asked to pay tuition (no matter what format the forms take.)

• I agree

  the big moisdos in this community (oholi torah and bais rivkah) are horrible educational institutions that make our children dread school and hate Judaism. they are corrupt and no one knows where all the money they get from grants go to. its time for new schools like Bnos Menachem to strive and give our kids the education and love for the rebbe that they deserve and maybe we will see a day when crown heights will once again be a place full of chasidish boys and tznius girls.

  • Danny

    why would you mix OT? their books are open and run very professional

    you either have something personal with the school or have no idea what you are talking about

  • um no

    OT is run “very professionally”? Are you joking? And open books? In what reality?!

  • says who

    1) says who that the mosdos not started under the Rebbe’s clear directives, will do a better job.
    2) the lack of tznius’dike girls / chaddishe guys has nothing to do with the school system, but rather the homes that their raised in.

  • genius

    u want chassidishe boys and tznius girls, get the tvs and internet with who knows whats on them, out of the community.. Don’t do whatever you want in your house and public and expect your kids to come out any better..

• No more BR for me

  Thank G-d my youngest daughter is graduating HS and I never have to go through that stomach turning, demeaning & humiliating process again.

  I have children in other Crown Heights schools and have never been treated as poorly as I have been in BR. Well, actually Crown St is beginning to smell the same.

  Thank you Hindy!

• A concerned parent

  On behalf of all of us; Thank you so much for exposing this outrageous humiliation.

• resident

  This packet is DISGUSTING, as someone whoo works on the books to make and HONEST living , I hear my friends gloating how since they hide all there income they will now have to pay so little. rabbi stock , do you know how honest i work , I dont eat sushi with food stamps or go on vacation. Ilive with a budget and my wife and kids understand. no we are not rich ,we are middle class, the working poor. Can i a bunch of forms and some online site ever understand what i go through??? can they know that my neighbor took six kids to a pesach hotel and work two incomes cash and is on the papers UNEMPLOYED> I dont lie ,I dont cheat all i want is some of your time so i can discuss with you in a respectfull way what I can afford to the best of my ability.

  • CH Mom

    I feel like I wrote this comment. My husband & I both work, ON THE BOOKS, don’t go on vacation, don’t go to the country, are married legally so we don’t get benefits like food stamps etc, pay a fortune in medical insurance because we don’;t qualify for medicaid…We deal with 2 schools in this community & let me tell you, BR are the more difficult ones to deal with…

• Loser!!!

  If u put a name in a article sign ur name!!!!

• resident

  i fount this to be DISGUSTING!! Can a online packet ever know how hard I work on the books just to make an honest living. I dont claim divorce or any of these despicable terms on my marriage to game the system. I dont use food stamps for sushi or lease the newest car. Would this packet know that? My friends are gloating since they are all off the books. Does this packet know that my own dear relative took six kids to the hotel for pesach and works two incomes cash?! Will this pakcet show that I live simple, my wife and kids dont wear fancy things, we live within our means or that we are simple middle class because we chose to be hones t and work instead of loafing off the government forever. Dear rabbi stock , all I ask of you is for some time to discuss with you in a respectfull manner what is the best I can do .I value my childrens chinuch and want to give the most I can. But please talk to me , why try the easy way out with a packet that was not designed by members of our community with our understanding.

• E.E.

  Well said. Could not have said it better myself. I have the envelope sitting on the side and every so often my gaze falls on it and I quickly look away and pretend I never saw it.

• RANTING AND RAVING

  PUT YOUR NAME SO PEOPLE CAN CALL YOU AND WORK WITH YOU!

  WHERE IS YOUR BACKBONE!!??

• Chometz

  The main points of your article are on target, however it seems a little chometz found its way in.
  “And yes, if you went with your family away for Pesach you should pay more tuition.” – This statement lumps together those who went to a fancy hotel with gourmet meals included, which costs a small fortune, with those who got together with a group and found a cheap place to rent and brought their own food to make Pesach there. In the latter group could be a couple with a very large family who both have to work to try and pay bills and tuition. For them to stay home, taking off work, thereby losing income, to make pesach, and buy appliances needed etc., would cost more than going away to the cheap rental place. And who knows, maybe those who went to the fancy hotel had it all payed for by some grand/parents that were only interested in spending Pesach together with their grand/children, and refuse to pay for any tuition.
  The bottom line is, stay away from the Lexus or going away for Pesach, keep it simple like Matzo and just say: If you can afford the tuition, then you should pay the tuition.

• bais rivkah

  i must say i read the above article with a shake of my head. i am bh finished with bais rivkah dont get me wrong my children loved br the staff is amazing but the administration is something. the all have homes in the country one member has quite a few for himself and children in a well known lubavitch bungalow colony.their families and extended are employed in br doing seit and working in the head start.it is time that members of the community make the administration open up the books of br.a number of years ago there was a wonderful committee who dealt with the parents and staff was paid ,as soon as they asked to have the books opened they were fired. they did it on there own time as a gratis to the community.let rabbi shemtov go back to philly and run things there……

• to the writer

  you are obviously those that are making money but do not want to pay their tuition

  enough is enough its about time we pay our teachers first

• moti

  Um… this seems to be full of loshan hora (“some parts you don’t want to know”…) or at least conjecture, is it appropriate for this time of year?

• rivka

  I dont understand why most Chabad moisdos these days depend so heavily on tuition from parents. This is not what the Rebbe wanted. The Rebbe was in favor of not sending away even one child who could not afford tuition. Schools have to FUNDRAISE. yes, it is as simple as that. It is time that schools start to feel the pain and humiliation of that parent who cannot afford the tuition and is pressured to pay more than they truly can. And so what f they went away for Pesach?? does a school honestly believe that if a parent takes a vacation once a year they should be penalized by higher tuition?? They also need a break. They also need to live and breathe in today’s difficult times. For schools and seminaries to keep raising tuition costs in order to supposedly cover their expenses is outrageous.

• Parent

  Just be clear on the issue

  anyone that wants to pay FULL tuition does not need to give any personal info, for those that want a discount need to and why not? if you want a mortgage or food stamps or health insurance you would need to give your personal info why shouldnt you if you are asking for a break from your school?

  • Helloooooo to #36

    I think the difference is we KNOW how corrupt the govt is. But the people who do the means test & look at your info aren’t checking out the rest of your family or questioning your priorities, like eating occasionally. They have sympathy if you have a disabled child or you lost your job. BR doesn’t seem to do that. Lastly, the govt may not be very nice to deal with but they don’t embarrass you or make personal comments because they are not your neighbors. They aren’t part of our community, they don’t tell you to go to your parents for tuition money (I was told that).

    The problem is basic. We pay high taxes and don’t get vouchers for schools and have to pay tuition out of post-tax dollars. We pay $2.79 lb for chicken. Treif is $0.49 lb. I don’t know the price of other Kosher food v treif but I bet its a big difference. Also, goyim generally have smaller families although tuition is the new birth control for Chabad.

    Get it???

• Change

  There needs to be transparency as to where the money is going.

• you are wrong

  most parents abuse the system and the only way to stop it is to make them fill out the paperwork?

  how else would you do it?

• parent of ULY

  ULY got a board of parents in the last year or 2 and they changed over the entire school its time BR get the same

  maybe the same board can be a board of BR as well

  • Just Curious

    Really?

    And just how is it different?

• shame

  if you cant sign your name dont talk

  i want to put you (the writer) on the board of BR and see how they get people to pay

• crown heights

  i so agree with yoiu. even if you qualify or not they want you do this this is so insane they have to get ther e act together

• Danny

  we have money for a bungalow
  we have money to lease a car
  we have money to send our boys away to school
  we have money for sem
  we have money for pesach vacations
  we have money for camp

  but we have no money to pay for the education of our children? that is less then half of the above!

  its time CH wake up and start paying tuition like every other place in the world

  WHAT IS YOUR PRIORITY CROWN HEIGHTS?

• Touche'!!!!!!

  I am tG done dealing with the chicken thief who I saw with my own eyes taking a case of chicken from the kitchen at Bais Rivkah and putting this into the trunk of his car. Bais Rivkah continues spiraling downwards. I don’t imagine anything good can ever come from this administration, ever. They are running their own little fiefdom…where nothing can be done.

• Mendel

  What did the “package” say?

• Yossi Serebryanski

  CH Info.Please remove this article till the author is willing to use their real name.
  To the writer.. There are now many schools in CH so there is no monopoly anymore, If you do not like the hanholo of BR, vote with your feet and send your children to the other private schools. (as many have done over the last few years)
  You write “is Beis Rivkah a Crown Heights school, and therefore to be geared for that? Or is it the “International Lubavitch Girls Schools” that happens to be located here in Crown Heights?”
  If Rabbi Shemtov raises moneys for scholarships, should he not be able to let the donors designate their giving?

• Pathetic

  Once again a coward who has no problem naming others but hides behind anonymity. Had you done any research before writing this drivel you would know that this new method is only new in crown heights. Many yeshivas have been filling out forms online through a third party for years already. Whatever point you want to make, either be proud and own it or if you are embarrassed of what you have to say, do us all a favor and don’t say it.

• must be the other schools

  most be someone from the other schools trying to shame BR, i cannot see any other reason for someone to write such a article

• here we go

  all the “nice people” from out of town calling all of us in CH farmers and all other nice names …

  do you come here to visit ?
  do you send people here ?
  do your children come here?

  and where do they stay?
  did you ever fundraise here ?
  did we ever call you names when you came?

  whatever the author wrote you may agree and disagree but don’t call us all names.
  we treat all that come here nicely we open our homes to the kinus both of them .. we open our homes to pegishas … we donate a lot of money to many of you shluchim and your causes … we don’t call you names please don’t call us any ..

  with love from a crown heighter

  • Well said

    I’m adding something. Please DO NOT COME HERE & SHNORR OFF POOR CH FAMILIES AT TISHREI.

    And don’t you dare call us names. We have hachnasos orchim like you will never have. YOU don’t open your homes to US.

  • Farmer

    Oh really??

    How many people from crown heights land in some far off town then ask the Shliach to come pick them up from the airport, serve them a hot meal, a roof to sleep under, etc….

    Shame on you.

  • shtinkowitz

    oh really?
    I have news for you, dear “$liach with ahavas yisroel”

    people In crown heights work.for a living so that they can pay tuition. they don’t have time to visit your small towns and ask the busy shliach for a ride and your “hot meal” that you serve with $uch love.

    shame on you if you are a shliach and shame on you if you are not, cause you are giving the good. guys a bad rep.

  • genius

    hey number 60, I live on shlichus, and there are too many times that I sit in the Chabad House at late night hours working and receive calls from Crown heightsers about where to stay and how to get food, or if their son or daughter can have a place to stay or even ask to pick them up from the airport early in the morning, forgetting about maybe considering that their is a time zone difference with the East Coast.. Work for your money as you wish, but shluchim are saving lives and dont work 9-5 they work 24 hours, including receiving calls from crown heightsers.. without shluchim and the Rebbe’s vision Judaism would be on the brink of complete assimilation..

• private vs public

  To those of you commenters throwing out names like Bnos Menachem etc…

  Bnos is a PRIVATE SCHOOL, privately opened, privately owned and privately run. They DO NOT answer to the public like Beis Rivka should.

  A private school has every right to charge whatever they would like and not have to open their books…

  Beis Rivka on the other hand belongs to the community (in theory) and not to one private person or persons, their book should be open and a yearly expense (P&L) report should be made available to every single tuition payer – since they are all partners in this community institution.

  I think this Op-Ed is mostly decrying the lack of transparency rather then any sort of corruption… though I admit, it is really difficult to cry poverty when certain administrators are livin’ large…

  • wrong

    who decided who should be public and who should be private? BR was a public/community school because they were the only school in town so they co uld not turn anyone awaynow that there are other choices in CH why should BR suffer, its time they throw out all those that cannot pay let BM or BCM deal with those parents BR is as private just as the other schools are

  • Attn: Coment 56:

    Am I correct in the assumption, based on your vernacular and grammer, that you’re the mysterious author of this Op-Ed?

• gr

  wow, pretty straight to the point!!

• A CEO's Pay

  It is well know that the Bais Rivkah’s administration feel that the need to get a CEO’s Pay even though this comes at the cost of the hard working and devoted teaches. This letter was well overdue. It is time that we put our foot down as a community and ask the administration to leave.

  ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY WE ARE ASKING THE BAIS RIVKAH’S ADMINISTRATION TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND STEP DOWN ASAP!!!! DON’T DO IT FOR US DO IT FOR OUR KIDS AND OUR FUTURE.

• open letter

  Finally someone has told the truth and those who bash the author are out of touch with reality. Only Hashem and the Rebbe can save Bais Rivkah.

  Shemtov must resign and the rest of the administration replaced with people who really care and know what they are doing

• a parent

  As someone who is personally going through the enrollment process at Bais Rivka for my first daughter entering pre school, I beg to differ. Though it is true that a scholarship application was included in the registration package, and its submission was mandatory prior to requesting a ‘break’ in your tuition meeting, there is nothing degrading about it. The school is merely requesting you fill out paperwork to determine whether you qualify for government funding to supplement the reduced amount you are requesting to pay. If the school is agreeing to accept your child below the official tuition, does it not have the right to funding to make up for that difference? Moreover, I was reassured by the preschool administration that any scholarship received would not preclude me from getting further reductions approved in my meeting, nor would being denied a scholarship altogether. It is merely a first, and fair step in allowing parents to pay less tuition, without unnecessarily impacting the school’s income. Timely payment of teachers and administration is a separate issue.

• there is a boss

  please post the letter and link so people know what your talking about

• one big cholent

  lets make it clear EVERYBODY has to bend over backwards to pay their fullest school fees possible.

  Your complaints about admin. were valid way before the “package” why mix the two?

  and to make one more thing clear and money that admin made in school or thru shmay dray with school to fund the life unpaid teachers can only dream about is blood money.
  They deserve nothing less then divine intervention.

• Professional

  If indeed, as appears, there are many other schools using such a system, and it wasn’t an idea concocted n the minds of a hanhola, then the letter to parents should have described this.

  In short, a professional approach to change, is to prepare the ‘beneficiaries’ (or ‘victims’) of the need, the past experiences which are failed, and a sympathetic letter, sensitive to the burden (and ‘pain’) being transferred from hanhola to parent.

  The professional approach of the anonymous op-eder, needs no comment.

• H.

  While I am not a fan of B.R. or of the new package I received, one thing I can say in praise of B.R. is that they take in your daughters. To all you praising Bnos Menachem try get your girls into their school and you will see. They will not take them. Not unless you are very well connected. Have money. Kids very smart……

• question

  do you have a say when your child gose to any other school?

  bais rivka is the only school that helps people.

  no other school you can get away with not paying.

  so i would shut up before they put out a list of who dose not pay all those rich people that has 3 cars and has 3 houses and gose on vaction will be there to they have to pay!

• Fundraiser

  When was the last time BR had a fundraiser?

• If the author is a bais rivka graduate

  If the author is a bais rivka graduate then she is spot on, that school has what to be embarrassed of.

  The incoherent and immature ramblings of an illiterate parent, while continuously blaspheming Rabbis left and right is a testimony to someones gross negligence.

  Dear author, I strongly urge you to reassess the manner in which you are dealing with this and focus in a more dignified manner. One befitting the “shchuna” which you apparently love but dont bother protecting its holy name.

• MO

  Time for Torah Umado ….

• Fundraiser

  Not to take sides in the point at hand, but why is it that the largest school in Crown Heights nay, Lubavitch, is the ONLY school probably in the world (besides public schools) that does not have a fundraiser/s!
  It’s mind boggling how an institution can function and depend on gvmt funding and tuition, unheard of!
  No a lousy dinner or even a Chinese auction…
  IMHO this itself is the greatest failure of the current admin of BR.

• Wow

  not impressed if u put someones name in an article and post it , u need to write ur own . And besides just to put this out there this is bad and loshon Hara on so many levels

• it will never change

  The last time I went to talk about tuition I left shaking. Rabbi M. Just looks at u and laughs in ur face!! He is a disgrace and he shouldnt be running the rebbes school. How pathetic is it that I cant wait until my daug hter graduates high school and I dont have to deal with him no more!!!

• In the know

  Do you know that FACTS will decide how much tuition you can pay and the school has to abide by it. In other schools there has been cases where the parents were earning so little that the school owed the parents money.

  • not true

    The company only gives recommendations the dpes not havr to abide by it… call them to verify

• No Names

  The writer should NOT write his name. When people cannot debate an issue they go into private attack mode. They’ll take apart him, his family and his great grandfather etc…. There is NO point in writing your name in a lubavitch article anymore. The unintelligent commentators have proven that fact, even without his name people seem unable to debate the issue. Why? because they can’t find someone to attack…..

• mother of 5

  I think we should start homeschooling. I’m really serious.

• to 6

  Why would she? She has children in the school only they would suffer if she signs her name. The admimistration however is responsible as mashpiam.I can tell you that I have a sister in the school and my parents pay , the pay a lot and still the administration demanded more then they can. Once summer my mom came home crying after they refused to talk to her and humiliated her because they were angry that she came to speak about the price and come to negotiate with them. It doesn’t matter who is right or wrong it was the denigration that is totally wrong their are other ways to deal with disagreement. Lashing out out of anger and humilating ,well …. I remember her telling me that their wad no one to speak to their. Now as a br graduate plus chosid of the rebbe, what am I supposed to think?

• Grandparent

  Something has to be done about tuition. My son was just told that he has to pay $14,000 and this is for one son and he is paying tuition for another 8 children. The person that wrote about administrators taking a large pay and owning many properties in Brooklyn is right. But any way no school can exist on tuition alone. The administration must raise money and if you can’t step away and let someone who can get the job

• country home and a job

  To the author and many commentators,
  The fact that someone in administration in a moisod has a country is not any sign that there is something wrong.
  What exactly are you trying to say???
  Maybe they own it for years, or maybe they have other income such as investments that they have made and receive income from.
  They are not required to not have any other means of income.
  The tuition and school financial situation needs to be re-examined, but that does not mean that you can decide what people who work in a school can or can not own.
  Present yourself without hate or hidden agendas so that your audience will be more willing to listen openly.
  Thank you

• to all those asking why she didn't sighn her name

  She has children. Duh

• someone on a thrown

  so, basically the guy in charge sits on his thrown in his mansion house throws glamourous weddings in the face of his teachers that he hasnt paid in months…something is wrong here!!

• disgusted with the whole chabad system

  it is known that this school is manipulated only by the yechus and gezher families that have the best teachers and education while the rest of stupid BT’s and poor FFB families are tossed around with the worst possible teachers. I hope the city and the NY state Department of Education should investigate how are they using the money funding and who’s really benefiting from it. It is time that people should wake up and smell the coffee and realize what is all about.

• Yanky

  Sounds like the one who wrote this is te same one who drives a luxury car and has a bungalow in evergreen I bet he pays full tuition NOT what goes around comes around. Just remember you are messing with the Rebbe Moisid.

• To Rabbi Shemtov and Mr. Perelman

  Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

  Thank you Rabbi Shemtov, for your dedication to the charge that the Rebbe gave you to look after Bais Rivka. I know of know of no one else who would work do hard and not even get a drop of appreciation in return. You do not do this for appreciation. You don’t even do it because you think that you have some Gan Eden waiting for you. You do it because you simply don’t know how to do anything different than the Rebbe told you to do.

  Thank you Mr. Perelman for generously supporting Bais Rivka even as you know that many of the rich of Crown Heights who studied in Lubabitvh Yeshivas and Bais Rivka could care less. Please believe me that we are in awe of your commitment and thank you for the example that you set.

  Thank you to all involved with Bais Rivka for working so hard and accept all the accolades in private and criticism in public.

• It is appalling

  Let’s call for a community meeting with the administration. They must open up and show their books to the community. They are bh getting paid but how about our dear teachers? The whole system needs and overhaul and a good change time for a younger administration and younger principlals and teachers who are more up to date. Yes people are reporting that the administrators just help themselves to food to take home. And also friends of the administators get reduced tuition charges. Who is ready to call for a meeting of our community to adress these problems and no this is not loshon hara.

• Scary Thought

  If shemtov resigns who in their right mind would agree to take over?

• Shliach

  Facts you may not know:

  1- Generally, out of town parents pay more tuition per child than in-towners.

  2- Out of town parents have the added expense of tickets ranging from 500 to 2000 dollars per child per year.

  3- Out of town parents have the added expense of room and board which cost 5,500 per year per child. That said- we are paying “seminary and Mesivta tuitions” YEARLY, for numerous children KH.

  4- The average shliach does not have large donations to support his personal education expenses. Most of his travels and expenditures are “needs” not “wants”. What most shluchim DO have is credit card debt to cover the tuition and above mentioned expenses, (which for many is approx. 60-70% of their income.)

• Yitzchok

  Why is it incumbent on the administration to cover the tuition of the children of Bais Rivkah or Oholei Torah?
  After the war when so much of klal yisroel was lost there were many people that felt that in order to rebuild they would work day and night to cover the costs of and the shortfall that the yeshivas needed to operate. To name a few; the rashag, rabbi Weinberg, Rabbi Teleshevsky and quite a few more. Today that particular need is gone and so it is up to us the parents to stop passing the blame and step in and take some responsibility. It is our moisad, after all he whining and complaining there is nobody that would take the jobs of Reb Leima and Benjy and do it better. You can’t give someone potato peels and ask them to make you steak! I for one am going to find a way to pay the few months that I am behind on tuition to BR. Lets pull together and help Beis Rivkah instead of just complaining?

• a former student

  as a former student and now bh mother of children-i would NEVER send my children to beis rivka….. even as a girl i never undertood how EVERY ADMINISTRATOR lived lavishly beautiful homes, kids with toys we could never dream of *( i was in 2 of their homes several times) but somehow there was never money for the teachers and us the students “paid” for it by having mostly uncaring teachers.

• hey first time parent

  Don’t be so naïve.

• Thank you!

  I am a former student of B.R. I am now a mother b’h and I cannot send my children to a school that operates the way B.R. does. I thank Hashem that other schools exist that can educate my children. B.R. needs to shape up – exactly as the author says.

  Everyone who is bashing her because she didn’t write her name: do you blame her? She would be kicked out in a second if her name was on the letter. She is writing this letter because there is no other way anymore. The situation has been out of control for way too long. You can deny it, but it’s your children who will lose out.

  The people in charge of a school should use the money coming in to pay the teachers. If they don’t then they don’t care about the teachers. And we all know that it’s the teachers who count the most.
  Why are you defending B.R. I don’t get it.

• Parent

  I think the school does have a right to ask for information. Paying your child’s tuition is a TOP prioity, not something you spend your whole life trying to get out of paying.
  If you want a good education for you children, then we need teachers who are accomplished and dedicated, and that ONLY happens when they are being payed

• Parent

  I just went through the application process and have two comments:

  1) Why is there a $30 charge?
  2) Many people work off the books, so the working middle class gets screwed again!

• BR parent

  To all parents complaining and bashing your own daughters’ school! Your open negative attitude towards the school affects your children’s attitude. Even if u feel so negatively about the schools your kids go to, u must keep it to yourselves! This is where your kids chutzpah comes from

• parent

  I do not see anything humiliating or demeaning about this form. It is another way for BR to put the burden of education solely on the shoulders of the parents while leaving the administration free to do what they want to do.
  “FACTS” only takes into account what they see on the tax return. They do not take into account kosher food, camp (today a necessity), bungalow which is also a necessity today to some families living in certain homes, yom tov (food clothing, seats in shul), cost of tefillin, cost of chasunah, helping children on shlichus, buying tzniuz clothing in frum stores, etc. etc. etc. Do they have any idea what Pesach costs for a family with 8 growing children? Chol Hamoed? I had to buy 2 sets of tefillin this year B”H (cost of $3,500 – and don’t tell me to buy less mehuder tefillin!)
  How can they decide what is an accurate amount for a frum family to pay. On the other hand if they say the amount is to pay nothing BR will not abide by it but if they say to pay a high amount BR will most definitely abide by it.
  A frum school out of town tried it and stopped it when they saw that it does not work for the frum family.

• Daddy M

  I admit the article reeks of contempt for anything proper.
  While it may have some merit – whatever the case every normal school in the country requires you fill out forms.
  If you don’t want to – simply send your daughter elsewhere or put a lid on the complaining.
  Many of you have been milking the system for years.
  Enough already – if you have $ to spend on cars or vacations than surely you have $ to pay for your child’s education.
  It behooves the soul to read this enormous amount of rubbish here. oh my!
  Someone compared or knocked Bnos M. too
  What’s up with that? You have an issue with that school too? Maybe you should live in cocoon.

  I actually commend this site for posting this letter as it shows the true colors of more than a few parents.
  Yikes.

• emes

  Stop trying to avoid the issue by bashing the author of this article. The point is the administrators are living the good life with real estate, fancy simchos summer homes for themselves and their children, vacations, getting paid on time with fat heavy salaries, while the teachers are getting minimal pay and 6 months behind at that, and then they have no rachmonus on the poor families in crown heights and suck out their last penny, or worse making them put it on credit cards and getting them deeper into debt as thay have no way whatsoever to pay such bills. No one is arguing that the rich shoudn’t pay full tuition adraba thay should pay more then full tuition. Point: the poor and middle class are being way overcharged for tuition and the money is not even going to pay the teachers but rather to line the pockets of the greedy administrators

• out of town

  you write how out of towners get to pay less. who say they do? are you living in others bank accounts? and do you know how much it costs to sent a child away to learn, so they can grow up simply to be a frum, proud lubavitcher? and that’s despite the fact that it isn’t easy to send a child away from home. why are you so selfish? there are other people in the world that the crown heights community!

• maybe

  we work hard but are BEING messed up like telling somone else not to pay them to much I wish I can pay full if only I get paid wat I ask for let no one else decide

• to 3# pay????

  the teachers are clearly not showing up for the money as they do not get paid!

• everybody must be honest

  parents, how much they can really pay
  admin, how much they embezzle

• Another Professional

  Folks, you can’t get it both ways! You can’t go through life without providing your SON’s with a proper education that will allow them to pay for the cost of living and then complain that funding the cost of living is not right.

  Follow the lead of all those smart Lubavitchers that got a college degree and are now Doctor’s, Lawyers and Accountants and can pay their bills!

  • not true

    The doctors lawyers and accountants dpnt pay full they cant afford it… go check the books

  • i disagree

    its a chutzpah v’he’ozah to call them smart lubavitchers if they went to collage clearly against the ratzon of the Rebbe

  • Anonymous

    As an accountant i can tell you that despite BH having a decent salary, having to pay tuition and other expenses those of us who live OOT have to pay, i have no idea how the shluchim and mechanchim of out community can pay for their houses, cars, clothes, sheitels, vacations and other luxuries while i have to daven that i can pay the rent on time…

• why is everybody scared?

  parents if you honestly cannot meet your tuition obligation why are you afraid of the”package”

  admin do you dare fill out a “package” before they collect their next pay check.

  imagine if both parties completed the package teachers might actually get paid!!!!!!On time!!!!

• Anonymous

  tons of people in the school can be fired. Their jobs aren’t necassary!!!!

• what are you thinking

  this would have never hapend if everyone would just pay. what if all the teachers went around asking for you tuition you didnt pay so they could put bread on there table would you give them the money that the school ask for from you. when you go to sign up your child in school your not paying the person you are talking to it goes to the teacher maybe everyone should think of it like that.

  • Anonymous

    pay tuition directly to the teachers

• Levi

  ” minkowitz out, rabkin in.

• FRIEND 770

  TO #43
  You are so rich so fare your money with other people. Crown Heights is NOT a rich neighborhood and those schools/yeshiva/sem. are enjoying our money and I WILL AGREE WITH OTHERS WRITINGS THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPOSING TO BE DIRECTORS AND ADMINISTRATORS THEY HAVE ALL THIS CONFORT IN THEIR LIFE AND DON’T FORGET F R E E T U I T I O N FOR THEM AND THEIRS ENTIRE FAMILIES. ENOUGH!! SOMEONE STAND UP AND SPEAK KOL HAKAVOD!!!

• to 50

  you are an immature mad idiot

• public documents

  http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2011/112/163/2011-112163504-086abb49-9.pdf

  • very enlightening

    assuming this document is not a forgery…it is very nice to see admin getting a 6 digit salary..most probably on time….

  • are you serious?

    So you complain that the administrator makes $120,000?????

    when this was posted, I went to the link to see how much they were making. You will not find ANYWHERE an administrator that makes so little.

• I agree!!

  I think this article is right on. The ridiculous comments that this writer is terrible or that he didn’t go on shluchis and has money coming in from people in his basement. Get a life. The truth is WE are all struggling!! The irony is that Bais Rivkah teachers their students that money comes from Hashem (which it does) and we are encouraged to have many many children. and when we tell Bais Rivkah we cant afford to pay because of our many many children B”H they don’t care. The Rebbe said that the mosdos are responsible to fundraise. All the boys yeshivas have Chinese auctions and many fundraisers. I dont see Bais Rivkah taking on this responsibility! The only reason I send my kids to Bais Rivkah is because of LACK of choice . if there was another school that had room for my children I would switch in a heart beat!

• emetis

  I can really only say after thinking into this, that the person/parent/shechune member who wrote this is really thinking….
  and truthfully, the only thing that was not said was that
  “its about “the Rebbes Chabad girls”. Each Bas Yisroel.
  If anyone has ever gone through seeing a girl be misunderstood and mistreated (or mal-treated), they will realize that whatever happens because of this above letter, and the above comments, is:
  ABOUT THE CHILDREN. I for one , thank you for helping bring about a process of change which is sometimes necessary FOR THE CHILDREN. Who else and what else is it about……

• To crown heights

  Get permission to ask money from Dovid Fischer then get all crown heightsers to stop fighting with Shemtov and give donations.

• to #79-ridiculous!

  I am from you call “gezhe” and do not get the teachers I ask for-not even once.
  Please stop with this gezhe vs BT baloney business.
  Maybe the big mouths and the ones with a lot of money get what they want. Who knows? Maybe not. But it’s definitely got nothing to do with gezhe or BT.

• Other schools in Crown Heights

  Other schools in CH do charge nice amount of tuition too, although maybe a bit less than Bais Rivkah. I have friends that were told quite matter of factly by other girls schools in Crown Heights, that they need to pay pretty high tuitions or else…
  This is for all the former BR students who now have it soooo amazing everywhere else.

• Schools out of Crown Heights

  Five Towns, California, Florida have tuitions way, way higher than Crown Heights. Not that that’s right either, but just something to keep in mind.

• Teachers need to be paid on time

  Even if it means that the school takes out loans

• Niz

  Kudos to the author! Totally get why he/she didn’t put a name. Who would with an insane bunch of commentators here? Many of whom have not had a proper education and are ignorant.

  BR’s administrative overhaul is long overdue. Education is #1 to me and I will not put a dollar amount on my child’s head. My child will learn where I feel it’s best for him/her. That said, there is a respectful way to treat people and BR has not learned it yet. You don’t have to treat people like garbage, honest. I have been paying BR for YEARS on a monthly basis. 97% of my total payments have been on time. Yes, there were a handful that were a little late (a handful over 10 yrs) but always paid up at the end of the school year. And yet at each registration we were treated as if we owed them thousands of dollars when in fact we owed $0.

  As a matter of fact, after a whole discrepancy where they said I owed money and I in turn paid it they discovered their error and credited me.

  Newsflash, you attract more bees with honey.

• Sholom Dovber Rappaport

  Parents of medium to large families cannot afford to pay the school tuition necessary to cover their childrens chinuch and education.
  Government grants food programs etc may increase the schools income but there will always be deficits.
  The solution is not easily found.
  All that can be expected from parents is they pay the maximum they can afford.The administration need to find as many fund raising opportunities as possible.
  the administrators must report to an elected board or the board which the Rebbe appointed.
  I sense at the top there is much tension about that point, who is the boss of whom.
  There are humors that the administrators draw large salaries, that needs to be clarified, especially when teachers salaries are paid late and the same individual talk to parents about school fees.
  The public do have rights where public money is concerned.
  Its painful but where no transparency exists, trust is destroyed and rumors abound.
  If Beis Rivkah wants the support of parents and major potential donor a new atmosphere of accountability is unavoidable.
  Parents however must pay the maximum tuition what ever happens.

• I understand

  I totally understand why this writer did not put a name on this article. If I wrote it, I wouldn’t either as the backlash would be even worse.

  Thank you for writing!

• If you didn't receive the package, don't comment about something you know nothing about

  If you didn’t receive the package, don’t comment about something you know nothing about

• anon

  so is it normal that the parents who can afford to pay tuition don’t and are the biggest complainers of everything? Even when they have multiple kids in a school that is already struggling? What should we do?

• SD

  “BASIC FACTS ABOUT EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTES”

  THERE IS NO SCHOOL IN EXISTENCE THAT CAN COVER IT’S BUDGET STRICTLY ON TUITION.EVEN IF EVERY STUDENT WOULD PAY FULL TUITION IT WOULD NOT COVER MORE THAN 60 % OF THE BUDGET. WITHOUT A PROPER FUNDRAISING PROGRAM WHICH ENTAILS SEASONED FUNDRAISERS,DINNERS,AND OTHER MEANS A SCHOOL WILL BE IN A HOLE THAT IT WILL NEVER CRAWL OUT OF. AS ONE THAT SAT ON SCHOOL BOARDS,OTHER BOARDS, AND ON TUITION COMMITTEES, ANY INSTITUTION MUST HAVE A BOARD THAT THEY ARE ANSWERABLE TO. IT IS A CRIME AND A TRAVESTY TO SEE WHAT I HAVE SEEN IN THE OPERATION OF SOME OF OUR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTES. MANY OF THOSE IN POWER IN SOME OF OUR MOSDOS HAVE THEIR OWN PRIVATE AGENDAS, AND REFUSE TO ANSWER TO ANYONE. IT IS ALSO UNFORTUNATE THAT THIS MONOPOLIZING CONTROL HAS BEEN APPROVED BY SOME OF THE RABBONIM. IT IS ALSO A SHAME THAT FOR YEARS AND PROBABLY STILL TODAY SOME PARENTS FEEL A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT IN GETTING AWAY WITH LOW TUITION. TUITION TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER ANY TZEDAKA. WE ARE NOT FAMILIES IN FLATBUSH OR LONG ISLAND WHERE THE PARENTS ARE PROFESSIONALS AND SENDING 2-4 CHILDREN COSTS THEM 10-15 K A CHILD FOR TUITION. WE ARE IN THE SAME BOAT AS OTHER CHASSIDISHE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE 6-12 CHILDREN TO PUT THROUGH THE SYSTEM, AND VERY FEW FAMILIES CAN AFFORD MORE THAN 3-4 K A CHILD. THE SCHOOLS KNOW THIS, THEY KNOW YOU CANNOT GET WATER FROM A STONE, AND IT IS INCUMBENT UPON THEM TO SEEK THE MEANS TO COVER THE GAP. WE MUST GIVE KUDOS TO ALL THE MECHANCHIM AND MECHANCHOS THAT REGARDLESS OF THE BACK PAY DUE THEM STILL CARRY ON THEIR DUTIES SO DILIGENTLY. IT IS HOWEVER THE DUTY OF THE ADMINISTRATION TO CUT EXPENSES AND LET GO DEAD WOOD EVEN THOUGH IT IS NOT POLITICALLY EXPEDIENT.
  OUR CHILDREN ARE THE ONES THAT SUFFER DUE TO ALL THIS. THIS IS NOT THE WAY THAT THE REBBE WANTED THINGS TO BE. I AM NOT NAMING NAMES AS I WISH TO AVOID ANY RECHILUS, BUT I BELIEVE MOST PEOPLE KNOW THE WHAT IS GOING ON AND WHO IS RESPOSIBLE OR RATHER WHO IS IRRESPOSIBLE..
  SD

• Where The Heck Is the Money??

  Open the books so there is transparency !!! Where is all the gov money going? Where is the tuition money going…its definitely not to the poor teachers who have to put their weekly groceries on account cuz they haven’t been paid in ages and have nowhere to pay the bills from! WHERE IS THE MONEY???? Israel vacations, bungalows, the latest gadgets, real estate etc for the top few in BR thats where!

• Avraham

  Homeschooling in the Chassidic community is booming. Ohelei Torah pays the teachers on time. Let the people at BR learn from them or resign. Also lets get a response from BR official.

• a former student

  yes 112, many of us pay much higher tuitions than beis rivka but the education our children get is incomparable. The care our children get is incomparable. The teachers get paid on time and the administrators are on the street every day raising money for the school and living modest lifestyles.

• to 100

  Then the admin would just up the “price” to some to high amount even for professionals, so what’s the point? I know what i’m talking about, and oh yeah I would like to know where the money is going to if not for the teacher :'(

• Writer is a looser

  If bais Rivkah is so bad leave
  No one is forcing you to stay

• To the writer

  Why don’t u go to school and see where all theory goes on paper
  Because you know the truth your just cheap and don’t want to pay tuition
  Send your kids to the “better” school

• MG

  Firstly, from my experience, shluchim need to pay FULL tuition, + flights + room and board + many other extras that in towners do not need to pay, so lets not go there.
  Secondly, in response to some, true no one should call you names, and CHers do have a lot of Hachnosas orchim, but how can you say that Shluchim do not. Their homes are literally open day and night to anyone and everyone and Im sure if you were ever stuck in a city where there is a shliach, you could call them for a place to stay.

• Dovid

  This past Shabbos someone was passing around the Sholom Zochor list commenting that there were only two and the list has been short for a while.

  For a community as large as CH to have only TWO Sholom Zochors is frightning. 25 years ago when the community was half the size there were 5 at a minimum.

  There is no doubt in my mind that the overwhelming cost of tuition is the cause of this crisis.

  It’s time to wake up and smell the coffee.

• shocked!

  Doesn’t Avremel Shemtov ‘do’ bais rivkah of the goodness of his heart and as his shlichus from the Rebbe? Do you mean he takes/took a kickback of generous Ronnie Perlmans contribution?

• the chosen one

  minkowitz and benji they must go ,get some professionals to educate and administer, you might have a chance.

• tax returns-

  the tax returns only show the salaries from Bais Rivkah.

  the Administrators are drawing additional salaries directly from government programs that does not show up on the tax returns.

  http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2011/112/163/2011-112163504-086abb49-9.pdf

• number 81

  Teachers are not getting paid
  I assume admin is also not getting paid

  Teachers can’t buy basics
  and admins has investments?
  did the all have a rich zeida?.

• Shluchim

  I would like to see you give free room and board to anyone not a non frm person. You do that as it is your job. I built my basement to get money to help my kids on shlichus. There are plenty poor people in ch ang plenty poor people on shlichus and vice versa. It will even out. Please

• Moshe

  The schools should fundraise. parents that don’t have
  Money for tuition should not have the burden
  On them. And not have there children humiliated
  By the school send them home no administration card etc. ANd thoes that do have the money to pay
  To pay start paying in full

• Past tuition

  I am finished with tuition. But sitting at a simcha someone said publicly that when she went to register in br and could not pay the asking price she was told” by the administrator “so stop having kids”. A second woman said she was told so send your kids to public school”

  • wow

    “stop having kids” Smh.

• FACTS

  Just so all of you know………
  The FACTS system happens to be a very good system. those of you who are not familiar with how it works look it up, and learn before you talk.

  ENOUGH WITH ALL THE HATRED!!!!!!! ENOUGH WITH ALL THE SINAS CHINAM. maybe we can all learn from the chasidim in wiliamsburg how we can have achdus if not for the world at least for our own community.

  IT IS THE REBBES SHCHUNA MAYBE WE ALL CAN START SHOWING A LITTLE BIT OF THAT TO ONE ANOTHER> AHAVAS ACHIM AHAVAS YISROEL AND TRUE ACHDUS AMONG US ALL……….

• NO CHARGE

  Bais Rivkah needs to be overhauled. the people memtioned above should be retired and some fresh young blood should be put in. The same goes for many of the teachers. Some of which should be whipped for the damage they did to so many of the girls with their shaming them in public and generally turning them away from a chasidishe and many times frum life. When Bais Rivkah got competing schools in the neighborhood was one of the happiest days of my life. Bais Rivkah should be paying their students for attending their disgraceful school. It is a school that is totally devoid of ahavas yisroel, devotion and caring for the girls. It is a school where every girl is guilty until (if she’s lucky) proven innocent. My grand daughters were third generation Bais Rivkah students and not one had a good experience in Bais Rivkah. B”H for Bnos Menachem, at least one grandchild looks forward to school as a place wher she is appreciated as a gem of a bas yisroel, rather than a criminal that needs to be sent home every second day for breathing the wrong way,.

• Yossi A

  Just a few questions.
  How much does Leima & Benjy make salary?
  Do they get paid as often as the teachers?
  How many bungalows does Leima own?
  Why are other schools in CH (same parents) paying their teacher on time?
  Yes we have to pay our fair share, but where is the money that BR is asking really going to?
  Why was ZC thrown out of the vaad?
  A; he wanted to see the books!!!!

  When I went to Bnos Menachem they had no problem taking me in paying with vouchers plus $1000. per child. When we approched ZC He agreed to take the same money. We were all ready to go until Laime called and said trhat ZC has no right agreeing to anything. The next thig we heard is ZC is not on the board anymore. Our daughters are B”H at BM ever since.

  Laime

• jewish

  please think before you write , there are enough people” sitting ” even if you are mad .anyone can read this . if you do not like it here maybe the grass is greener somewhere else .where you will fined a good job and a good school.

• not just financial admin

  While we’re on the subject of a beis rivkah overhaul – time to replace all the principals, who have completely lost touch (did they ever have a clue?) with what their jobs should be and are destroying so many of our girls year after year. Time to replace those teachers that don’t think before they speak and don’t understand the long term impact of cruel and thoughtless words. Time to insist that all staff attend classes/lectures given by successful educational experts on a regular basis, because most of them do not know how to teach! If this is supposed to be “the Rebbe’s mossad”, treat it like it is – treat our girls as individuals with feelings, as sensitive human beings who want to succeed and count on their teachers to actually care and inspire them to be the best that they can be and believe in themselves.

• Shmiel

  What you people fail to realize is that its very well possible that all this has to do with the new voucher system law that was just passed click on the http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/28/education/states-shifting-aid-for-schools-to-the-families.html?pagewanted=all
  maybe you shouldnt come to theses fasle conclsion

• best thing I ever did was to take my kids out

  I could not afford to send my kids to chabad school, even with both my husband and I working full time. Schools where I live are more expensive than BR. No matter how much we pleaded an begged to the point of pure humiliation they would not budge on tuition. I eventually sent my kids to not Chabad school since I couldn’t make payments on time. I felt so guilty sending my kids to a not chabad school but it was the best thing I ever did. My kids are more tznius, learn more halacha and have true derech eretz compared to their friends in chabad, including their cousins in BR who now make fun of them for being Too frum! Not onlydid they give me a tuition break, they work with us when it’s a tough month. With out humiliation! I can walk in the school with pride and not be treated like a nebach case,or worse made to feel like garbage everytime I spoke to an administrtor at chabad.

  It’s about time leadership view education like the rebbe would have wanted.

• Sent Home

  Whoever says they never send home children for not paying tuition…I am in my thirtees and recall until today the humiliation I was subjected to time and time again when I was sent home from school because my parents couldn’t pay on time. It is a feeling you don’t forget. And today, I pay full tuition for my daughters, while their unqualified teachers don’t get paid. This whole institution has become an embarrassment to our community. Enough is enough!!!!

• wondering

  If tuition is $8,000 and they charge you $6,000. If you fill out the form will your tuition go down more and you’ll have to pay less than 6,000 or does the form just cover the $2,00 that they didn’t ask you for?

• BR needs a makeover

  I went to BR and had a miserable experience. If you don’t fit the mold, you’re toast. Am I bitter? No, I am just trying to get across to you people how the system and administration needs to CHANGE. The ignorance and apathy demonstrated by most teachers and principles is disgusting. They go on an on trying to protect the little neshomeles from “shtus”, when in reality most damage was perpetuated by teachers words, ignorance, and apathy. If your a administrator or teacher at BR, and have some sort of soul/conscience, resign. If you’re reading this and have some sort of power, enact change, starting from the administration to the teachers. Hire people who are brilliant, passionate and caring to run the school. Teachers should not be hired unless they have at least a BA in education. BR should not be about providing a paycheck to teachers but about hiring the best people to provide a wonderful education for our girls, both in Limudi Kodesh and Chol; both academically and emotionally.BR has the potential to be a great and beautiful haven for Lubavitch girls, it just needs a makeover. If its all about funding, I am sure there are talented people who can raise money to compensate for parents not paying full tuition.

• Former bais Rivkah student

  Thank you Benjy
  Keep up the good work you do
  The rebbe put you in our position don’t listen I tis non sense and in stead be proud and stand tall

• To see what the Administrators are making on the books

  http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/112/112163504/112163504_201108_990.pdf

  Check out link

  This is only what they report.

• crown heights

  You also have to understand that living in Brooklyn is very exspencive.

• My thought

  I wouldn’t give a nickle to support BR until Reb Leima retires and Reb Benji takes a course on Administration. Otherwise it’s just another money pit.
  Reb Leima you dont need this job, you have plenty 501c3 non profit organizations under your belt. You have profited enough of BR. Remind us how you bought those houses on Empire?

• ?

  BR is not the only school that charge tuition.
  Most of you pay double for your boys.
  pay much much more for seminar. and yeshivos.

  why every one wants to pay BR less than anywhere else ? bec We got use to it ???

  Yes i think they should fire unnecessary secretaries and people that get triple just bec they are working 40 years there. but Than Every one is going to be very upset that there Bobby lost her job after so many years. and again Scream at Rabbi Shemtov !! he is the only Guy that brings in donations to this school. The only problem with him that he is afraid to fire all the people that sit there and need to go home.

• DON'T HAVE KIDS, CAN'T AFFORD THE TUITION! THEY ARE SICK

  EVERY YEAR, PARENTS ARE CRYING AFTER MEETING WITH THOSE STUPID ADMINISTRATORS AND OPENLY SAYING “””‘DONT HAVE KIDS IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT'”” SO WHAT MESSAGE THEY GIVE TO THE YOUNG PARENTS AND WHAT A BIG CHUZPAH THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO TALK THAT WAY AGAINST OUR TORAH AND THE REBBE!!! BUT AGAIN AND AGAIN THEY CAN AFFORD THEIRS TUITIONS —THEY HAVE FOR FREE— FREE BOOKS, FREE TRIPS, FREE CAMPS, FREE PROGRAMS, SO THINK ABOUT…. WE NEED JUSTICE.

• Past tuition

  How exactly did the Rebbe put Benjy into that position? As you say.

• m.e.

  It is a smart thing of B.R. to do, but it gives an advantage to those that do not report there income properly, and I would wonder who is behind the decision making. I am not sure what to do myself as I do not want the wrong people looking at my finances

• Chaim GoodmaN

  Shem Tov once had a board, they could never find out what was happening with the finances.they quit
  Benji and Minkowitz, live an upper middle class life style houses in CH and the country, who know how much ST allows them to take out.
  Its a closed shop.Things must change.
  Why do the teachers wait months for there money.
  I bet Benji and Minkowitz dont wait?
  I bet the Rebbe is horrfied

• neiber mendy

  There’s a solution move to yerushalayim they have the best education and I hear its paid for by the government.no more worries.

• #165

  Yeah you think your smart going to take a corse you’ll be paying a lot more then you are paying now
  I guess all you loosers are so worried how much your paying tuition it shows how much you care about your child education

• Parents of Bais Rivkah

  Two main points.

  We are all willing to pay $30.00 for FACTS to verify all information. HOWEVER, as we are paying for them to give their honest assessment of our financial situation. We request two things of them.
  A. To report to us (parents) their decision, whether they have a “sliding scale” of a percentage which should be paid, based upon their findings (example: Tuition $8,000.00 they can pay 20% =$1,600.) or any other way they calculate their markings.

  B. We should be given the reason how they came to “that number”. and have a chance to challenge it. (just like a credit report, they give you your Credit Score (600), and give you the reason.

  That’s fair!

• I want a RESPONSE

  There has to be A RESPONSE and an APOLOGY
  I have a few friends working in Bais Rivka and do NOT get paid. BR is Multiple months behind !!!
  They can’ t pay thier bills!!
  WHERE IS THE YOSHER ??
  or maybe its an OLOM HASHEKER till Moshiach comes