Members of the Oholei Torah Board and administration pose for a photograph at last annual diiner.

Oholei Torah Administration Reconciles with its Board

Following a very public fight between Oholei Torah that began with a ‘war of letters’ and later dragged out in a brutal court battle, both parties have signed a letter signaling the end of the rift and that “[they] have reconciled [their] differences.”

The rift became public after months of speculation that matters were amiss between Rabbi Joseph Rosenfeld, the schools executive director and the institutes recently expanded board. A war of letters erupted confirming the rumors and further entrenched both parties into what appeared to be a long and drawn out fight.

First indications that something was amiss came after Oholei Torah’s longtime dean, Rabbi Hershel Lustig, “retired” and the board along with Rabbi Rosenfeld announced the hiring or Rabbi Michoel Druin as the new interim dean.

Organized outcry and pressure on Rabbi Rosenfeld led him to walk-back on the hiring of Rabbi Druin and calling the board to a Din Torah, exposing a rift between the administration and the board. Over the course of a few months, a number of Din Torah summonses were sent to the board, and recent attempts to quell the dispute were rebuffed.

Matters took a major turn for the worse following the school’s recent successful fundraising campaign, in which more than $2 million was raised for the institution, prompting people involved in the dispute to begin sending messages on social media and messaging apps making all sorts of allegations about their rivals.

The fight then ended up in court with the board suing CitiBank to have Rabbi Rosenfeld removed as signatories on the schools accounts. The case, which is still on the court calendar, never made it beyond a number of hearings – which the court found in favor of the board, likely prompting this purported reconciliation.

In their letter both parties expressed regret, “We deeply regret the discord caused this past year. We look forward to a conducive, respectful relationship in the future” they wrote, adding “Our first priority as a unified board will be to address the most pressing and urgent matters. In the near future, we look forward to sharing more details of our goals for Oholei Torah as well as celebrating the accomplishments and successes of our mossad.”

The following is the letter that was shared with parents:

Dear Parents, Alumni and Friends, שיחי,

We are on the onset of the month of סיון, where כלל ישראל stood before Mount Sinai כאיש אחד בלב אחד. In this spirit, we would like to share good news from the Board of Directors.

This past school year has been a most trying one for Oholei Torah. Many letters were circulated regarding a most unfortunate difference of opinion between the members of the Board.

We, the thirteen members of the Board, have a wide range of backgrounds, and various opinions. Nevertheless, the common denominator that unifies us, is our ironclad commitment to Oholei Torah and the Rebbe’s vision and ideals regarding the chinuch of the talmidim.

As this is our ultimate priority, we are pleased to share that we have reconciled our differences. Furthermore, we have reached a consensus regarding how to move forward to improve the mossad both ברוחניות and בגשמיות and to strengthen its stability for the future.

Our first priority as a unified board will be to address the most pressing and urgent matters. In the near future, we look forward to sharing more details of our goals for Oholei Torah as well as celebrating the accomplishments and successes of our mossad.

We deeply regret the discord caused this past year. We hope to regain and earn your support.

As you, members of our greater community, play an integral and important role in Oholei Torah, we value your opinion and would appreciate your input.

Please email us with your questions, comments and concerns at board@oholeitorah.com.

Thank you,

בברכת קבלת התורה בשמחה ובפנימיות

The Board members of Oholei Torah

Rabbi Joseph Rosenfeld,
Executive Director

R’ Boruch Brikman
R’ Kalman Brikman
R’ Yosef Brikman
R’ Shmuel Brook
R’ Zalman Chein
R’ Mordechai Deitsch
R’ Avrohom Lokshin
R’ Laibel Motchkin
R’ Yankel Pinson
R’ Shalom B. Rabkin
R’ Sholom Rosenfeld
R’ Eliezer Teitelbaum

ot board dinner 1 ot board dinner 2 ot board dinner 3 ot board dinner 4.16-149

11 Comments

  • Thank you

    Kol hakavod to everyone.
    Rabbi Rosenfeld for being with this moised of the rebbe through these years, and all taking on the challenges head on with all the horoas that he has gotten from the rebbe.
    And to the board for being there to help make the yeshiva even stronger and better than what it already is.
    Thank you to all of you
    -From the crown heights community

  • Zalman Feferkop

    Rabbi Rozenfeld gave his entire life to the Moisod 24/7 365.

    These “board members” heard there was a successful 2 million dollar campaign (that they had nothing to do with) and ran to Goyisher courts to have control.

    Now that they brought in the Goyisher law, Rabbi Rozenfeld is backing off.

    They are scandalous peope that would not attend a Din Torah, this is a horrible example for 2,000 kid to watch Chasdim bully Hanhala with ARKOES.

    There’s 2000 parents and none of us asked any of these board members to represent us, I want a election for board members that will follow the Torah and stop the Chillul Hashem.

    • Anonymous

      1. You are the one being a bad example for our students for posting such a comment.
      2. The board got involved on the $2000000 because the money was not put in an OT account!!!

    • Shareholders

      But some of them own shares, so they get to instruct they’re Hanhala “please make sure” to include that latest mandate from the DOE to keep our gvir happy, and “please report back to me”

    • Blatant LIE

      to anonyomus @ 11:29pm:

      You are a disingenuous liar who is attempting to bashmutz rosenfeld and the 50 years of hard work he put into making oholei torah what it is today.

      I would be shocked if your real name is YB, the one who began perpatrating this lie.

      In an affidavit by Moshe Susskind – the financial controller of oholei torah, filed by rosendfeld in court he unequivocally states that the money was always in accounts controlled by oholei torah.

      dont beleive me? read it yourself here: https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/fbem/DocumentDisplayServlet?documentId=ikhsuieXtkTzCxoPtoooUQ==&system=prod

      i guess this board really never put this fight to rest, rather beat rosenfeld into bloody submission… oy what a sad sad day.

  • Anonymous

    Thank you to the board for all your hard work. It’s a shame some community members are square minded and are not ready for growth and change
    As we’ve seen over the past 2.5 year, rabbi rosenfeld has bbeen making mistakes in his decisions and the board is definitely needed!

  • Wait,

    Harav Listing shlita has to report up to Mr Sam Luccyn? Vos Tut zich duh?

    I mean, I could understand he owns shares in the company, or writes the checks, but ver hut em gibetten to review my son’s report card? Something’s wrong

    But IL take it that if theyre talking sholem that’s certainly in the right direction, and we, the parents, are glad to hear the good news. Keep that up. Only true sholem to all.