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No English Classes for Bais Rivka Students – Until Further Notice

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn [CHI] — A recorded message on the Bais Rivka, Campus Chomesh call line informed parents that ‘due to technical difficulties Pre-1a through 8th grade will only have Hebrew classes 12:00pm starting Wednesday Chof Bais Elul until further notice’.

CrownHeights.info received dozens of emails from fuming parents saying things such as ‘will Bais Rivka reimburse the parents for the babysitters, along with loss of work to have to rearrange for someone to be home to pick up the kids?’ along with statements such as ‘How can they do this?’.

CrownHeights.info received word that the technical difficulties are stemming from the English teachers going on strike due to ‘lack of pay’ and that it is expected to last until the matter will be resolved with the Bais Rivka Administration.

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146 Comments

  • mawa

    I wish mrs Lieberman would teach again in bais rivka sooooo much. she is such a dugma chaiya, always happy always dressed so beutifully and tzius and always gave such gr8 classes.

    ad mosay

  • mother

    There will be tons of comments on this, as parents are already so frustrated with the goings on at Bais Rivkah. Last year’s shenanigans of how the school harassed the parents, and humiliated people, and forced them to take loans, etc – against the arrangements with the tuition committee – a hard working bunch of voluteers that don’t need this headache.
    So now that they choked the money out of everyone, where is it? why didnt teh teachers get paid???
    And to pull these things at the last minute, I better stop before my comment gets obscene…

  • mad mother

    Well, maybe now they should extend the limudei kodesh classes, and follow Oholei torah and Bais chaya Mushka
    Maybe our kids would learn a little more Torah, especially now before Yom Tov

  • yfa575

    Finally, the teachers stop taking it lying down and are actually striking.

    Until now they kept working in the vague hopes of getting paid some day but now they finally realized that the day they are hoping for is not to be.

    The administrators keep lining their pockets at the expense of the poor teachers who are struggling to feed their families.

    Good work teachers and please don’t give in or settle for anything less than full pay!

  • BrookAve

    Wow! Such news. Lets see. If I give my 10 year old daughter $10.00 to buy lunch, 2 slices @ $2.50 per slice and 1 drink @ 75 cents, will she be able to have enough money left to enter the Holy Ice Cream Shop and get a milk shake for $3.75 ? If she gets this word problem correct how important is the rest of the english corriculum? Come my daughter, lets roll out dough and get ready for Rosh Hashana.

  • someone in the know

    att all parents

    this is just plain mismanagemnet from the administration and the board.

    here is the contact info for the board members send them emails and demand accountability
    the following names are the members of the board

    Mendy Gansburg email mgansburg@aol.com

    Mr Yosef Karzanovski at JIKAZ1@aol.com

    Rabbi Shalom Duchman at Sholomduchman@colelchabad.org

    Rabbi Shemtov himself at shevi6@aol.com (put in subject att rabbi shemtov)

    Meyer Eichler at meyer@eichlers.com or meyer@libertypointebank.com

    Faitel Levin at samlevin2000@verizon.net or Samlevin@optonline.net

    send anything with a return receipt

  • anon CH-er

    I feel empathy for the parents that are going through this, but enough is enough with the BR school administration that is now years behind in paying their teachers. Finally, someone has stood up for themselves.

  • Zalman

    Bais Rivkah doesn’t need english anyways

    Ohelei Torah & the parents seem to be fine without it

  • former beis rivka teacher

    Finally people are taking a stand on what’s right. It’s gone on way too long that the teachers have been treated like garbage.

  • Anonymous

    If someone (i.e. one of these parents) has a job and they are not paid, everyone expects that that person would quit.

    Why then when it comes to a "Teacher" all of the sudden everyone is up in arms "How dare they!?" are these parents willing to provide food at the table of these teachers (and I mean this in the literal sense)*?

    So while yes it is unfortunate that it has come to this, what choice do they really have?

    *And I don’t even refer to the ones who live elaborate and expensive lifestyles and yet they balk when it comes to paying tuition (but yes I know it is very expensive and there are many who cannot afford it)

  • X PARENT OF BAIS RIVKA

    HEY GUYS THERE R OTHER CHABAD SCHOOLS
    IN THE SHCUNAH , ITS ABOUT TIME TO MAKE THE SWITHCH, SO YR DAUGHTER WILL DRESS MORE TIZNUS , SO THATS WAT U HAVE DO , ITS WORTH IT . MAKE HER HAPPY , AND THE REBBA 2

  • BR alum

    to yfa575 – you said it!!! How long ago was it that the article in the Algemeiner drew such responses – how ironic!!

  • dream on

    Parents, you think teachers are going to teach a full day lemudai kodesh, without getting paid? Keep thinking. You’re missing the point and realize the problem, the school should close completely, maybe then crown heights will wake up and see what’s going on.

  • Listener

    This is (sadly) the most comical line I heard all day:

    “One is making a Chassuna, another is sitting Shivah, and the poor parents are making a ‘kriah’”

    (Vedai Lamevin)

  • the scared anonymous commenter

    Whoever has the audacity to say things like “parents, pay up” you are dead wrong. The parents were squeezed for every last dollar, they all paid up, be it with Gmach money, cutting back on some luxuries they all managed to pay up, since no parents that had a balance left over was accepted this year.

    So what this means is that somehow somewhere there is a leak and funds are being grossly mismanaged, to the point where teachers are forced to strike! Don’t forget that teachers need to pay tuition too, where will they manage that from if they aren’t getting paid, or if not giving the opportunity to receive a pay raise.

    I, the scared anonymous commenter, call for something, im not sure what, but something to have this resolved, once and for all!

  • qkfngers

    Of course this is very difficult for parents. I myself have also had to take off work to be home with my kids. But there is never an excuse not to pay your employees, let alone teachers! For all of you who are advocating all hebrew anyhow…I feel the English program (elementary) is wonderful. Especially in such a secluded community. Is there anything wrong with being quick with math, knowing your spelling, and where other countries are on the map?? Of course not.
    So, although this strike definitely affects me, I understand. The teachers work hard, put up with a lot (administration AND parents), and deserve to be treated with respect and paid for their work.

  • concerned

    The English/secular curriculum is necessary — perhaps, at this point, beyond crucial.

    Why?

    Read the user comments and certainly read Shmais. The grammatical errors and the spelling errors are glaring. Of course, this is purely superficial, and thus, secondary to the actual message.

    But, regardless, it does not present the Chabad-Lubavitch community as educated; simply, it does not represent the kehilah well.

    I am not championing the implementation of, chas v’shalom, the natural sciences or American/world history. But, rather, I am inferring that the implementation of English and mathematics is necessary, as is a greater emphasis placed upon the aforementioned.

    Young adults and young couples are encouraged to venture out into the world, to establish themselves as shluchim. Yet, how seriously and how much respect can the young adults and young couples garner, initially, if unable to form a complete sentence?

    Please, understand, that the purpose of my message is not to incite an argument, nor is it to claim that shluchim are inherently disrespected or unappreciated.

    Understand, rather, in light of the above user comments, that an English/secular curriculum is needed.

  • BrookAve

    To: Harry P.:
    I didn’t know that Harry Potter was on the Bais Rivka required reading list?
    BTW Hogwarts is a lot prettier than that corner, and more organized and financially stable too.
    I am certain that the Hogwarts staff gets paid, or Dumbledor will be turning into a toad or some such thing.

  • jw

    To mad mother and zalman
    whattt? They dont need english – fine without it, have you tottaly lost it???

    If the boys are not getting (any) secular education it is a choiv (must) that at least the girls get some, yes a Choiv

  • rochaberry

    the saddest point of it all is that our kids are sitting home after 12:00 doing absolutely nothing !!!! they have been doing that since day camp was over 2 weeks ago !!!! thats what sad!!!!!

  • soooooo frustrated!

    well, all i can say as a husband from a former teacher. It’s a tough call!

    tough on the teachers who actually care, and tough on the parents.
    and by the way… three out of the 15 checks my wife received over the year bounced! and two of them right BEFORE PESACH!!!! (and they are still behind by another 10,000!!!!!!!)

  • you should of known last year

    dear teachers

    you should of known last year that you are going to loose.

    because YOU should of look at poor kids taken out of classes on the first day of school crying and say NO NO NO not here. and now a year later and you are crying.

  • fed up

    Well, B.R. got what was coming to them. I hope they finally start treating their teachers well, AND the parents. I hope they realize that they can’t do whatever they want, and that people will just take it. they should realize that the teachers have other options, and so do the parents

  • mom

    its about time we tell the goverment
    they cant have tax money from anash
    towards public school when we dont send our kinds there

  • enough is enough

    all you smart people with the great comments

    maybe one of you will stand up and give a donation for once to beis rivkah so they can pay their teachers

    no school can run on what the parents pay

    find me one school that can unless they charge thousands which beis rivkah charges 10% what they should and need to pay the teachers

    maybe some of the rich people in shcuhan will stand up and help these kids and get the school back together instead of holding their money for their political gain because they don’t like the head of beis rivkah

  • some1

    english is in my opinion the most important in our now daily lives,,, taking regents helps u get a degree etc… if BR doesnt have an english cirriulam these girls will not know how to face high school.. let alone careers.. high school is very high on the english cirriculam and u need it!

  • mad woman!!!

    whoever wrote that BR should close down so CH would wake up is obviouslynot thinking straight.. how dare they say that and shut down the school and the kids education be stopped and have more of thewm walking on the streets during the day not appropriatly… school is what keeps them inside and normal instead of walking aroound thew streets in a way there not supposed too!!!

  • In Shock

    To Listener –

    There aren’t enough words to describe how sick and disgusting your comment was.

    I wonder what kind of chinuch your children are receiving at home.

    Enough said.

  • yasher koach!

    yasher koach to the teachers!

    i’m sure that the striking teachers are reading this… but, please know that everyone is sticking up for you!

    each of you are clearly stuck between the proverbial "rock and a hard place" but know that you’re doing the right thing.

    if nothing else, you’re setting a fine example to your students that no one should be taken advantage of.

    again, yasher koach!

  • BrookAve

    To: mad woman!!!
    When public school staff strikes and the students are on the street all day, organized activities in groups keep them off the streets. Take a peek out of your venetians. The neighborhood is filling up with truck loads of girls from the whole planet. Who knows how long this strike will last?

    Your choice. Keep them occupied making honey cake and kreplach, or they will be at Baguette and Holy ice cream store with the waifs, beggars, Tishrei hoppers. Only one week left. The fish are trembling, and I dont mean the ones on my stove.

  • Dovber

    It’s time for Merkos Leinyonai Chinuch to step in and do what the Rebbe wants.. Ultimatly it fell on the Rebbe’s shoulders and Merkos should pick up the slack.. 1st things 1st. Get the teachers paid up. Then Send in forensic accountants to where the money went through the years.. Country Homes.. Cars.. Real estate investments.. Then hunt down the current administartion who by that will have already escaped probably to Israel.

  • We have hobbies

    Yes, I was thinking straight when I wrote that the school should shut down, I am actually a teacher there, and yes, teachers should not work in a school where they are not paid. Every single teacher should not come to school if she does not receive pay! How dare open a school if you cannot pay teachers, maybe then the Hanhala will realize teachers mean business. Enough is enough…. and as _ _ _ _ _ puts it- "teachers teach for a hobby", we will teach him what our hobbies really are.

  • br alumni

    when i was a student we used to have off very often due to strikes, broken boiler, etc. those were the good old days. then i though they some how straightened up…but this is all part of the school experience

  • we need english

    i read half of thies coments and im getting sick. my grammer and my english is horrible. is the boys in oholi torah will not know english some 1 should. excuse me but i perfer taking my english deploma over my hebrew who will look at my hebrew deploma who cares if i got it or not? what will that help me to get a job or some thing. it is really not my falt that my english is this way its the education i was getting. obviously a very poor education. so now im in high school and struggling with my reading comprehention and my spelling ect. ect. and i thank my ENGLISH teachers in 8th grade who gave me a boost and worked so hard on me and keep in touch with me and want 2 know what i got on my regents and history tests ect. english is important we will not b a bunch of dumbos that live in a box and dont know any thing out of our religon. we need english subjects and if they dont get it now then when? im not saying that the strick is wrong the teachers r 100% right. im taking about the comments posted. WE NEED ENGLISH AND WE WANT ENGLISH!

  • BR is Great

    I personally am very happy with BR curriculum and teaching. I just hope they can pay their teachers and move on to a great school year.

  • BRM alumni

    The same thing happened in BR Montreal around ten yeard ago. The secular teachers (non-Jewish) went on strike for more pay. I was a student then in elementary and I remember having school till three oclock with our Hebrew teachers till the strike was over. No way were we let out at 12!

  • Realistic

    Let’s all be realistic:

    We’ve seen this many times before. The teachers play tough and strike. The yeshiva eventually makes some "concessions". They throw the teachers a bone to put a band-aid on the problem without really solving it. The teachers give in and go back to teaching and not getting paid for another few years…

    Then the cycle starts again…

    I hope they will prove me wrong and really stick to their guns this time arrange not give in until EVERY SINGLE one of their demands is fulfilled.

  • Curious

    Wait a minute.
    Bais Rivkah only pays their Hebrew teachers and not the English teachers?
    The Hebrew teachers should go on strike too!!

    PS: Most of you guys are giong way off topic……………

  • Yossele

    Who is the Board of Directors for BR? Is there a reason why they wouldn’t sack the hanholah? Especially after consistent mismanagement?

    You know, in the business world it’s customary to pay payroll FIRST, before anything else (including your own salary).

  • bbc

    I feel that the teachers need to be paid, yet at the same time the students need to be schooled. Perhaps, funding can come in from other sources or perhaps everyone donates something to B.R. I am happy with B.R. There are required tznious guidelines as sent to me in the mail. Everyone needs to pitch in order for the school to function.

  • to enough is enough!

    WELL SAID "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH"

    I AGREE MOST OF THE RICH IN CH SUPPORT THE OTHER SMALL SCHOOLS, AND IT TOOK AWAY LOTS OF FUNDS FROM BEIS RIVKAH

    ITS VERY HARD TO MANAGE WITH JUST THE MONEY PARENTS PAY.

    IT HARDLY PAYS TO KEEP THE FLOORS CLEAN

    WHERE IS SHOLOM BER DRIZIN WHO PAYS FOR THE YECHI COURTS, AND FOR ALL THE YECHI GUYS TO COME TO CH??? WHAT ABOUT THE SCHOOLS IN CH MAYBE HE CAN GIVE SOME $$$ FOR ONCE TO A SCHOOL IN HIS OWN HOMETOWN – THE REBBES SCHOOL

  • Teachers- supporter

    About 18 years ago (was it THAT long ago?!) we BR teachers worked 5 1/2 months without seeing a penny. We threatened to strike but didn’t, & I think at the time it was the right decision.

    However, it’s 18 years on, & NOTHING has changed. Today’s BR teachers are 100% right. I wish you all much Hatzlacha & hope the Hanhala realizes the fabulous job you do & pays you NOW!!

    Limudei Kodesh teachers can’t/won’t strike; we understand why, but their Meseiros Nefesh shouldn’t mean NO PAY!!!

    In the end, the children do suffer, but parents need to be understanding.

  • stop being so narrow minded!!!!!!

    let’s get a few things straight:

    a) secular education is needed. how are girls supposed to support their families if they are not educated? (on that note, how are boys supposed to support their families after school? BOYS NEED TO LEARN SECULAR SUBJECTS!!!)

    b) BR has always embarrassed girls by calling them out of class and asking for money. they shouldn’t be asking the girls, they should be asking the parents.

    c) if BR closed down, there will be a lot of girls going to school outside crown heights

    d) it’s time for BR to pay their teachers!

  • lalalala this is a laugh!

    this situation is just insane!
    First off, yes the BR building does look like something out of a ghost story. That fog does nothing for the building, which would look way prettier in a normal blue sky setting.
    Secondly, the blame is irrelevant. GET OVER IT!
    Fact: kids are without teachers.
    So just get a financial adviser in there to work out a plan for now and the future (bring in some new blood. somebody who can look at it from a different angle-no I am not applying for the job).
    This whole thing is just ridiculous! But my neighbors are all having the time of their lives. They spent the day at the park. Tomorrow, they plan to visit the library. Perhaps they’ll visit the JCM and throw some culture in.

  • AN EXTREMLY HAPPY BEIS RIVKAH NICK

    TO ALL THE BEIS RIKAH GIRLS, DONT YOU LOVE YOUR TEACHERS NOW?

  • SUPPORTING THE TEACHERS

    FINALLY THE WORLD WILL SEE THE MENTALITY OF BEIS RIVKAH…TEACHERS YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO WORK FOR FREE, YOU SHOULD BE LUCKY TO WORK IN OUR SCHOOL, AND HOW DARE YOU COMPLAIN, IF YOU DO YOU ARE REPLACABLE, ITS NOT THE QUALITY ITS ALL ABOUT MONEY!!! THIS IS THE PHILOSOPHY OF THIS SCHOOL, AND THE TEACHERS ARE FED UP THEY HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO DO WHAT THEY ARE DOING! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!

  • Loyal Bais Rivka teacher

    The public should be aware that it is not the teachers that are striking,but rather there are many teaching positions that have not yet been filled. The reason for this is because the principles cannot get teachers to work for Bais Rivka. Everyone knows that A. they don’t get paid B. the salaries are not competitive to other schools. all the teachers that have remained feel a sense of loyalty to Bais Rivka. Again the teachers are not striking, it is the administration that failed to do their job.

  • a disturbed crown heightser

    all the teachers should get paid on time no matter what it takes!!!!!

  • think again

    to:enough is enough
    BR, on there tax return shows a total income of over 9 million dollars. wheres the MONEY.

  • BR Junior High student

    I’m happy for us students at getting out at 12:30, but am also sad that us poor Pre-k,Elementary,and Junior High students can’t get a proper English education without some one messing it up in some way or another.BTW it’s the student opinion of wether they want a Hebrew education,an English Education, or both(I think.)So far I like getting out early, but in a day or two I’m going to be sick of it,and if I was any parent out there in Crown Heights,Long Island or Manhattan,I WOULD want my kid(s) to get an english and hebrew education.(and you should see how the students are treated,what lunch they get,almost always has hair in it then you should decide if want your children learning there

  • IN THE SAME BOAT

    Number one: Parents NEED to stop fuming and speaking negatively about the school that their children attend, RIGHT NOW, THIS SECOND, BECAUSE WHAT THEY HEAR FROM YOU TODAY WHEN YOU ARE angry effects everything for the REST OF THEIR LIVES

    NUMBER TWO: USE THIS OPPURTUNITY NOT TO RANT AND RAVE ON THE WEB. WE NEED TO STOP PEOPLES’ SUFFERINGS, ILLNESSES, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND PARNOSA CHALLENGES. NOT MAKE MORE DAMAGE TO THE WORLD

  • IN THE SAME BOAT

    Number one: Parents NEED to stop fuming and speaking negatively about the school that their children attend, RIGHT NOW, THIS SECOND, BECAUSE WHAT THEY HEAR FROM YOU TODAY WHEN YOU ARE angry effects everything for the REST OF THEIR LIVES

    NUMBER TWO: USE THIS OPPURTUNITY NOT TO RANT AND RAVE ON THE WEB. WE NEED TO STOP PEOPLES’ SUFFERINGS, ILLNESSES, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND PARNOSA CHALLENGES. NOT MAKE MORE DAMAGE TO THE WORLD

  • Rebbe please come back

    Dear Teachers, had you stood up for the poor kids that were not allowed into class last year until the parents took out loans, you probably would not be in this situation today.

    The money that was “collected” on that day last year never even made it to your pockets. when children are used as pawns by the administration the only people to stand up for the children are the teachers.

    Any teacher that had their students pulled out of class on that horrible fateful day had no right to walk into their class and teach. they had to walk out right then and there until all of the innocent Neshomas were returned to their classrooms.

    What goes around comes around.

  • Bored on Empire

    Could someone please educate me
    1) How much backpay are the teachers behind

    2) Are the hebrew teachers behind the same?

    3) Doesn’t BR get goverment funding for their english program

    4) At whose desk does the buck stop at in BR?

    And all those comments about english? The Rebbe’s sichas are well known, and no one is forcing anyone to go to any specific school in Chabad

  • a BRES teacher

    to whomever said "why wake up now", Id like u to explain to me, why you think, I should teach a NEW school year when I havent been paid since FEBUARY 15th!!!! I do not volunteer, I have bills to pay. I stuck it out last year bc I love those kids and I know that they killed parents over the tuition. NONE OF US took any kids out of class for not paying, it had nothign to do with us.
    What would be nice is
    1)PAY
    2)APPRECIATION AND RESPECT from parents and the community for our selfless devotion
    3)COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PARENTAL PRESSURE it’s ur money demand that it goes where it needs to

  • Toishav

    i suggest they get an outside group that they will feel comfortable with – maybe Rabbi Herson From Morristown, Rabbi Wolf from Chicago, Rabbi Korf From Miami and Rabbi Fradkin from S. Diego, all have experience with school budgeting, we’ll pay them 5,000 a piece and we’ll get down to the bottom of this!

    There is something wrong there. I dont believe its stealing by administration like others seem to believe – its simple mismanagement.

    Lets get the ball rolling and some chabad execs in there…

  • Crazy place

    Unforunately I feel sad for the teachers for their low pay.

    Any of the "guys" on here that mentioned "why not be like O.Torah where this is no English is the EXACT reason there SHOULD BE!! If the girls stop with English courses, Lubavitch girls (boys already) will never know how to sign their names.

  • A thankfull employee

    Baruch Hashem, I work at a local school that always pays on time. Thanks to the Adminstration’s hard work and devotion.I know the staff appreciates this, now maybe our parents will too

  • BR 7th Grader

    I am a bit happy that we are being let out early, but i feel bad for the little kids who didn’t learn how to read yet, for me, i will be going to high school in 2 years. but for the little kids- well lets just hope BR pays the teachers soon B4 we all 4get Everything we know.

    and i agree with -BR Junior High student-

    The lunch they serve us is barely Edible
    and like everyone else said: what are we supposed to do a whole day???
    and i agree, the picture looks like it was taken in a graveyard….. but the way they treat us, it really does feel like a graveyard…..

  • Bas Malkah

    I wonder what the Rebbe would say about his daughters not receiving the education that their parents were moser nefesh for?

    It was bad enough that the Hanhala of BR planted the seeds of resentment towards Yiddishkiet in the hearts of the children of the families suffering financial difficulties, by telling their parents to either pay up or get out. I personally know people that were asked to leave their schools – either in front of their peers or what became common knowledge- because their schools had a similar policy to BR . They are the ones who vowed never to step foot in a shul again, raise their children frum and for the most part disassociated themselves from the frum community beacuse of the treatment and bad experience from the Frum adults that they had has chidren. Some actually returned to frumkiet through the kindness of Chabad!

    Everyone talks about going out on Shlichus and helping others return to Yiddishkiet.. what about educating our own precious children first? We here in Crown Height are the homebase for the Tzivos Hashem -Army of Hashem!

    The drug and alcohol problems that are rampant amongst our teens and young adults in this community stem most probably from their being treated like garbage because their parents cannot afford tuition or being kept out of school doing nothing constuctive and spending time looking for things to do.. which usually ends up with them getting friendly with the goyim and other bad influences or most probably from running away from their stressful home enviroments where money is always an issue, sholom bayis is on the rocks because both parents are stressed beyond belief trying to make ends meet and nothing makes a person feel better than drowing their pain and hurt.

    Where did all of the money that was extorted from the students’ parents this year go to? To purchase textbooks that BR gets from the government for free and then charges the parents for? Certainly not the teachers as we see. They should have been the first proirity everything else second.

    The Halacha states that a worker must be paid by sundown. Today’s times mandate that workers get paid at the end of a pay period. We haven’t heard that teachers from the Board of Ed haven’t received their paychecks for 6+ months! No wonder there is such a high demand for teachers.. No wonder our young adults are looking elsewhere for jobs.

    IY"H the teachers will be paid soon so that they will be able to pay their bills and buy food for Yom Tov and pay their children’s tuition.

    But after this whole long comment… I still wonder… What would the Rebbe say?

  • Annonymous

    Wow!
    Ok, so is anyone going to open their eyes and see what’s going on over here??? Don’t let the evil inclination get the better of you like that!!! – That’s exactly what is there for – for times like this, when the going gets tough…
    This situation at worst, could be an opportunity for a major amount of growth in our community, & instead it’s having the exact opposite effect.
    Were talking about the Rebbe’s school over here, does anyone even remember that?
    Whatever happened to ‘Lechatchila Ariber’? It doesn’t count anymore?
    Each and every one of you, look inside yourself, and see what you have inside you that can help the situation, as opposed to doing the opposite.
    Forsure it’s hard, everyone has these built up emotions and opinions…but by giving in, your only making the Yetzer Hora stronger, which in effect only makes the situation (appear) worse. Think about it, think about your comment, your opinion – if you think that it will honestly help change the situation for the better, then go ahead. If not, please don’t let it win, your a much bigger person then that.

  • So very Sad!

    This is all so Sad! This is the Rebbes Moissed! This is the Mainstay school of Lubavitch. Bais Rivkah of Crown Heights is the Dugma to all the other Lubavitch schools out there and it needs to be helped. We must not sit with folded arms. Woe to the wandering Kinderlach.

  • STUPIDITY

    FOR ALL THOSE PEOPLE SO WORRIED ABOUT JUST LEARNING TORAH.. WHY ARE YOU WASTING YOUR PRECIOUS TIME WRITING COMMENTS. GO LEARN!!!! QUICK!!!!

    BTW….. GOOD JOB TO THE TEACHERS WITH GUTS. NOT GETTING PAID= NOT WORKING!!! VERY SMART. DOESN’T TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST!!!

  • BR Is not so bad

    The teachers in Beis Rivkah are doing a great job both Hebrew and english. I am sure that if parents will pay what they have to pay school will not get to this point. If people can afford sitting in the country for 2 month which cost a furtune and rest they should be able to come across and pay full tuition.

  • Former BR student

    Dear Anash,
    I can’t believe I am reading the above comments. At this point in time we should be kissing the ground the administration walks on. They work endlessly to make everyone happy, to make everyone pay as little as they can and to give the children the education that every anash parent wants. Here we are bashing them??? NOTHING COMES FOR FREE!! You want your child to have a good education and with a teacher who isn’t stressed out about how she will pay for her daughters yom tov outfit??
    Pay for it!! With money and with time. I’m not a big fan of the education system myself, but how dare you blame this on the administration? It’s all of our children, our community and most of all OUR responsibility! And how many of you actually recognize that responsibility? Compare that with the amount of people that just wait for a miracle to occur and the system to fix itself and the adequate amount of money to be raised?

  • Sell the Building

    Bnos Menachem is Knein’h growing. They have issues of their own, but from a parent/teacher that has worked with both, there is no denying that BM manages thier affairs better than BR both fiscally and spirtually.

    Swap buildings! Bnos Menachem will pay a premium to finally have a building they will not outgrow too quick and BR will A) have the money to pay their teachers B) scale down their maintenance expenses, and C) give them a second chance to make things right.

    One thing that boggles my mind and I hope that someone here can provide a reasonable answer:

    Holding back wages from your employees is an issur deroysa. That’s right, payroll comes before paying the electric/gas bill, the mortgage payments, the vendors that are providing schools lunches and a host of other expenses. Con Ed and keyspan are still providing electric/gas so we know that those bills are being paid. The bank has not forclosed so we know the mortgage payments are met. Where does the adminstration come off being oiver this midoryassa while simoultennously telling us that our 2.5 year old daughters need to wear tights?! where are the priorities here? how have we lost our values soo much?! This question is not only for BR but for many moisdes where teachers payrolls come somewhere between the janitors payroll and the janitors supplies expenses. This question is in earnest, is there a heter to do this to the teachers? how can a moised teaching chinuch blatenly disregard this midoraysa?! Would we stand for it if BR started serving treifos because it is cheaper? how is this different?

  • BROKE

    can someone please explain to me why we need to pay for books, when we sign a paper that the government should fund the books. whats up with that? anyone??

  • Chinaddict

    The simple answer for most of the financial problems in our chinuch moisdos, is to be honest about what we want for our children and what sacrifices we are ready to make for it.

    I believe that the first step is for our schools to define their goals and excel at those. No resources should be allocated that would even minimally affect in a negative way those stated goals.

    If that goal is a chinuch al taharas hakodesh and the school can’t afford the cost of the secular studies program it should be honest and end those programs. Moisdos whose stated goal is a chinuch al taharas hakodesh should not need to raise tens of thousands of dollars for secular studies if a secular education is not their goal.

    But if parents want a “well rounded education” then parents should pay for it. If they can’t, then the community of parents who want the secular education should go out and raise the money for these programs and start a school with a stated goal of providing that “well rounded education”.

    Has anybody studied the possibility of home schooling secular studies or even semi home schooling (home study five days a week and one day of class)? You can teach way more students for less money and actually give more attention to children’s individual needs with these programs.

    Let’s start thinking out of the box. I hate to say it, but some of the people that we have entrusted with the chinuch of our children are failing us big time and guess who pays. As a friend of mine once said “chinuch is the only thing that we pay for (in many cases up front) and we know that there is a pretty good chance that we won’t get what we paid for and we do it anyway”.

  • to: A thankfull employee wrote

    its very nice but to pay a few workers is not as hard as paying 300 workers

    every large school has their problems dont try to make as if your school is that great

    the other small schools dont take you unless you pay their full high amount of money up front! if you dont pay they say you dont have to come to us if you want our school you have pay the cash go to BR – so BR is left with all the people who cant pay

    go figure

  • A request for Webby and teachers

    Webby – I have never seen you do this but by you keeping this article at the top of the page until the strike is over will give our teachers and children voice in this tragic event.

    Teachers – Post annomously here to ensure that toshvei hashchuna understand what you go through and support your cause to the bitter end. Like before, this will probalby blow over by the admin. raising a couple of months salary and bring you back to being a 2-3 months behind instead of 6-7 months, don’t give in lest the problem repeats itself. A solution must and will be found if the admin understands that a band aid approach that has already been tried will not work.

  • mother m.o.

    look at all the kids thiy seem so happy
    just give it a fhu days thiy will going out of thiy box

  • This is distorted

    Besides teachers, Bais Rivkah is way overstaffed. Look at a large public school of over 1000 kids, they have ONE principal and ONE assistant principal. Why does BR need 3-4 for each department? It is ridiculous. And why does each department need so many secretaries? If 2/3’s of these were eliminated, and the others work a little bit harder and get more organized, there would be far more money to pay teachers. And besides, shame on any member of higher administration or principals of drawing a salary before your hard working and dedicated teachers.

  • HappyPublicSchoolTeacher

    Dear teachers. Go to work in good public schools. Maybe it is not as "fulfilling" as teaching jewish kids, but you have families to feed too. Who thinks about that? The current public school salary is around $50,000, and you get pretty good benefits. VACATIONS ARE PAID! You can be upstate the entire summer, while your checks keep coming in. You have a union who negotiates for you…

    Just think about that.

  • i dont get it

    I substitued in br once, and didnt get paid. I have never subed there again. I was asked to teach and said no whyd i teach and not get paid??!

    I NEVER unserstood all those teachers who would complai they dont get pain. why didnt this happen a loooooong time ago…. if a teacher didnt come to school because she didnt get paid, and no teacher would take this kind of treatment, they wouldnt get awayt with it! its about time the teachers stick up for themselves and stop letting the school get away with not paying.

  • PATRIOTIC JEWS

    To HappyPublicSchoolTeacher!

    Oh, By the way, we are Jews here on this website and we are patriotic.

    I’ll have ‘The Benefit of The Doubt’ and guess that your not Jewish. So please don’t discourage teachers from teaching at Lubavitch schools, or else Yiddishkiet will fall apart.

  • me

    there are lots of schools- especially lubavitch mosidas that are behind in pay and the employees are all struggling financially- the diff. is that over there, the administration is struggling financially as well

  • To happypublicschoolteachher

    Em, you have to have a masters degree to get a 50k salary in a public school. To get your foot in the door as a teacher you have to have a bachelors degree (and then get your masters within 5 years) and when you just have your bachelors, the starting salary is in the 40’s. But most BR teachers do not have degrees (if they did, they WOULD be teaching in public schools, or at least jewish schools who pay that type of salary

  • HelpfulFriendCH

    Just a thought…We the parents should pay our tuition directly to the teachers instead of the people that have been raping us for the sub-standard education that has become BR.

  • Anon

    Why do all the comments avoid mentioning the Rebbe’s opinion on secular education? English is vital in pursuing a career but is that our goal? Should we shift the entire curriculum to focus on entering the secular world and ignore the resultant damage to all things important to the Rebbe and Chabad?

    I believe a balance must exist. Bocherim must be taught basic life skills. It is not enough to allow these skills to develop on their own through alternative sources. They must be taught in a school setting with a torah-true focus.

    On the other hand anything beyond basic skills are not necessary and should be discouraged. Finding the balance and resetting the subject material to fit a torah-true format is the hard part. We need a frum educator with the expertise and a school administration open to reform.

  • HELLO

    kol hakavod to the Hebrew teachers- I think the fact that limudei kodesh is going on, despite not getting paid- gives over an important lesson to the students

    we may not be getting paid, but limudei kodesh is not something you could mess around with. A yid has a responsibility to learn every day

  • halacha

    isn’t halacha say that you have to pay your employees the day you (on time the day that was set b/t employer and employee) and that an employer should be paid before the upper staff?

  • No child will be left behind

    I don’t understand how people are so blatantly critcizing and advising people to send their children to other schools in the shchuna. At the end of the day the school that will take any child regardless of fincacial backround or fancy money is Beis Rivka – In Beis Rivka no child is left behind!!!
    Learning english is very important! I have had connection with children from other schools and besides for their ignorance in basic english vocabulary they didn’t even know that columbus discovered america!!

  • betting on after succos

    I’m pleased to see that so many comments are in support of the teachers. As expected, the students are complaining about everything, except having only half a day.

    Bottom line…the administration must pay their teachers IN FULL. NOW.

    FYI, I was told the last check was February 15th. That’s appalling!! I don’t want to blame any one person (or more) but someone has to take responsibility to get these teachers paid. I don’t think they should go back until their checks clear. I think they’ll bounce.

    So I’m taking bets…I say there won’t be school till after Succos. Any other dates??

  • some1

    i ahve an idea…. to occupy the elderly students of elemantry the high school students can come in after 12:30 for like and hour or so and occupy the kids so the parents can work in and not be distrubed… its a great idea until this problem is resolved!

  • astonished

    ye it would be great if the high school students can take like an hour of there time to occupy the elemnetry kids with come programs so that there parents can work

  • Concerned Lubavitcher

    To: Happy Public School Teacher
    I don’t know if you realize it, but as it stands, if every teacher would go work in the Public Schools, who would be left to teach in our schools? Money is a big part of it, but money isn’t everything. What’s good for one person, isn’t necessarily good for another person. B"H you are doing well teaching in a Public School. Obviously it was Hashgacha Protis that led you to teach there. The fact that these teachers took the job in BR, is proof that they were meant to be there as it says, "Hamaychin Mitzaday Gaver," Hashem prepares the steps of man.

    To all the rest: I wholeheartedly agree that people have to be paid upon their agreement. I was in a place that had made up with me that I would get paid every week or two, depending on the week. Suddenly my co-workers and I were told one week, that unless we completed a certain task, one that WAS NOT written on the contract, we wouldn’t get paid. What kind of mishigas is this? If you are told that you are going to be paid at a certain time, for a certain reason, then no matter what else happens, the payment has to be made. I don’t understand, how in a Chinuch of the Rebbe, such an important aspect of the Torah is overlooked? If the faculty was indeed having such problems paying the teachers, they should’ve called in the experts instead of taking such drastic measures. I really hope that this problem is resolved soon because it would be very sad to see our precious kinderlach wasting away their day doing absolute shtus. Parents! Instead of kvetching about the children, try to do something useful. Maybe arrange different study groups for your children in order that they don’t fall behind. Wishing you all much hatzlacha and may we see the ultimate coming of n’eNOw!

  • to: we need english

    i think that hebrew is the most important thing of u’r life
    what will it matter if u miss a few days of english?
    hashem is looking at your hebrew diploma

    not that as a student i mind a few hours vacation

  • Learning From Life

    Here is a little piece of advice from a mother a little further out in golus: HOMESCHOOL! Let’s face it, anyone teaching in Bais Rivkah knows more than enough to keep their own children learning and happy all day. Why should teachers continue to work for beans and feel humiliated with the added pleasure of being estranged from their precious children while they care for someone else’s children?

    Besides, there is a lot more to education than workbooks and tests. Why should these girls be bored all afternoon simply because they are not locked up in school? There are many practical and beautiful activities and skills they could be learning that would benefit Crown Heights while raising their sense of accomplishment and appropriate forms of self-expression.

    Stop waiting for someone else to raise and teach your daughter. Probably 9 out of 10 girls, if asked, would rather be home with their mothers having real-world experiences and quality time. This is not a fantasy. Many frum Yidden are doing this. And it is much easier than constantly reinventing "small, personal, creative" schools for girls who have already burned out. I’m doing it and you can too.

  • to: This is distorte

    oh please amd if they didnt have that many staff everyone would say they dont have enough staff and the classes are to big for one teacher

    enough

  • CONCERN

    I know that is hard to pay the tuitions, but BR get very litle money for tuitions if you compare to other places.

  • Outspoken BR Student

    I strongly support the teachers and their strike. I also wish they would demand better lunches, longer recess, and more sports.

    PS.When will the limudei kodesh teachers join the strike?

  • confused BR alum

    this situation is really crazy!
    i knew the paying was really backed up but not this much!!
    all i want to know is, if the teachers who have college degrees are getting payed.
    because, if they are, when Beis Rivkah goes around preaching about not getting college degrees, something is very wrong and hypocritical about that.
    when we ask them, how can someone earn a proper living without a degree, they say Hashem will help, don’t worry about it!
    but the hard facts are that without a college degree you can’t get a normal job and get paid for it!

  • Previously employed by BR

    Hi Everyone.
    It is very hard to see what is going on here. As a former br teacher, which I left for my own personal circumstances, it quite amazes me the negativity that is going on here.
    Firstly, if u check amongst many schools in the neighborhood, like was mentioned above, beth rivkah is one of the schools that have the least amount of tuition that needs to be paid. Compare that with any of the schools in the neighborhood and out, most people are getting a lot greater bargains then they realize for their children’s education. No, that does not mean G-d forbid that your child’s education should be shortchanged in any which way which I very much believe is not.
    Secondly, instead of pointing fingers, especially during the month of elul, why don’t people band together and find ways to keep your children occupied. Set up in someone’s home a small playgroup, yes even for 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders. There are plenty of people who have large enough homes to accomodate groups of children. We are not talking 30 kids in a house, but smaller groups of 10. And guess what, u don’t have to pay astronomical amounts of money for this, because u can get the 6th, 7th and 8th graders to be working and helping out with these children which i know they would love. Charge a small amount of money, have an adult supervise (almost like a daycamp)have a small curriculum, and the younger helpers will come away with a few dollars, which can be enjoyable for them to purchase something for themselves before yom tov.
    So in short, lets stop pointing fingers at each other and lets see what we can do to help the circumstances until they figure things out.
    Wishing everyone the best for a happy and healthy sweet new year!
    P.S. If there are grammatical errors I am apologizing now for them, grammar wasn’t my forte in school, as for spelling errors there shouldn’t be many since I loved that in my BR education.

  • Bored on Lefferts

    You can’t blame the teachers. They are watching as members of the Administration are collecting real estate and summer homes like it’s going out of style. How are they supposed to believe that there’s no money to pay them?

  • Befuddled parent

    Broke wrote:

    <<
    can someone please explain to me why we need to pay for books, when we sign a paper that the government should fund the books. whats up with that? anyone??
    >>>

    How odd. I was wondering about this very same thing today. This doesn’t quite seem to add up here.

  • A happy BM Parent

    I am gladly a parent of BM and I am grateful to BR. After being viciously interrogated about my financial situation by BR, I meekly turned to BM who gladly excepted my offer and head checks.
    It is painfully obvious that the BR administration has funneled the tuition money in other directions. Need I say more!

  • observer

    A religous school can never run as efficiently or productively as a for-profit business because it is forced to make bad business decisaions like reducing tuition for low-income families. A for profit entity doesnt lower prices for low-income clients – they tell them to go elsewhere and so far BR has not doen that. The question no one knows is just how much it costs to educate a child. What does the BR budget look like? A for-profit business has a proper business plan; a budget which outlines projected income and expenses The buudget can be modified if it is unrealistic. We need to an independent for-profit minded business person to revieew the business plan to see if it makes sense. If the plan dosent make sense it is sure to fail. And failure for us dosent mean financial bankruptcy – it means something much worse – spiritual bankruptcy.

  • We are Educators-watch what you write!

    Dear Parents, Teachers and everyone posting comments,
    Please, please be careful with what you write! We are all in the education departments even if we are not an ‘official’ teacher and YOUR children and students are reading your comments! How could we teach them respect if we ourselves are not showing respect? In a couple of days hopefully this story will I"YH be fixed miraculously and we will Chas Vesholam be left with girls who say "When our parents were placed in a challenging position they didn’t show respect and dignity, why should we?" This is the last thing we want!! As it is we have our struggles in this generation! Yes, we are all frustrated, no doubt- but let’s go about this with dignity and self respect and not use this site as our personal diary! Moshiach Now!

  • Missing the point

    You people are totally MISSING THE POINT ABOUT ENGLISH!!! English is not the issue at all. The teachers in both departments are not getting paid! BUT since it would take away from the Chinuch of the kids not to learn Limudei Kodesh the decision was made to do a half day school. Of course the Hebrew teachers will not teach Kodesh a whole day if they don’t get paid for half. Bais Rivkah principals work very hard and there is one secretary per floor!! Some ppl hear complain without having any facts at all! Maybe all those angry parents should take shifts to come in the afternoons to babysit/entertain the kids. There is even a bigger problem. Bais Rivkah has a hard time getting teachers to even apply for the many openings due to the poor pay record. There are a number of classes with no teachers at this point!

    All those parents worried about Chinuch, did you ever hear about not talking Loshon Horo especially in such a public place like a popular website!! Yidden it’s Elul, how can you publicly point fingers at people! Even if what you’re saying were true, it’s still MAJOR LOSHON HARA!!! What kind of Ahavas Yisroel is this? If you think there is mismanagement, go do something about it, but don’t hide like an anonymous coward and bad mouth people without even knowing if you have your facts straight.

  • Crown Heights Wake Up!!

    Dear Friends,
    First of all, let’s go to the source of this problem; as some of you agree that this is in fact the problem.
    You are saying that parents aren’t paying tuition. I personally know some families with 10 or 12 kids, that kill themselves to pay tution, but the bottom line is that everyone tries.
    The thing is, in the end of the day, according to what we were taught in school, is that the husban must sit and learn a whole day, and the wife should be the bread winner. Forgive me, but that’s not right.
    If we (men) had a normal education to begin with, then we would be able to support for our families, and have more sholom bayis, and pay tuition.
    I myself had to break my back to get into college, so I can have a brighter future and to be able to support for my family.
    How can you say that now the girls don’t even need education??????????? And even with the education that they get, it has so much value, but because ”college” is forbiedn they have to work at these 9 dollar an hour jobs, and support a whole family. THAT’S NOT RIGHT, THAT’S NOT FARE!
    Wake up and realize, that spite of what some of you will reply and spite of what you think, english education is IMPERATIVE. That’s the bottom line.
    It’s enough that boys don’t get it, but girls, there is no question in my mind that they need it and they deserve it.
    Please wake up and realize what the problem is.

  • To Sell the Building

    You need to realize that a. Your an am ha’aretz. Byomo titen schoro is only a schir yom someone hired by the day.

    B. Most of the time the teacher would rather have them pay electric than have them close the electric and then have the school closed down.

    I am a teacher in a mosad that pays late – They always pay but they pay late. You know what – I understand it. When I am stranded for cash i go to accounting and tell them I NEED MONEY – and they give some of it. In all my years teaching i have never been shafted. At years end I am always paid in full.

    I think you guys need to realize that it takes millions of dollars to keep BR afloat. Avremel Shemtov raises that money. The fact is everyone that does not like Avremel ARE NOT GIVING TZEDAKAH TO BR THUS PUTTING YOUR CHILDREN;S EDUCATION IN JEOPRADY.

    LET US PARENTS GO KNOCK DOWN THE DOORS OF THE DRIZINS, BOYMELGREEN, HD KRINSKY, POPACK, SAM MELAMED ETC ETC. AND DEMAND THEY BE RESPONSIBLE TO KEEP THE SCHOOL RUNNING.

    THEY SHOULD BE HARRASED IN SHULS AND IN THE STREETS FOR NOT LIFTING A FINGER IN A CRISIS SITUATION LIKE THIS!

    HOW COME WE HAVENT READ HEADLINES THAT MR. SO AND SO PLEDGES 1 MILLION, HALF MILLION, QUARTER OF A MILLION?

    MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE GOING TO BUILD A HACHNOSAS ORCHIM FOR THE TZEFATIM. THOUSANDS ARE GOING TO FIGHT KRINSKY IN COURT SO THE TZEFATIM CAN SCREAM YECHI AND DRIVE US ALL OUT OF 770 BY FORCE.

    WE NEED A ‘VAYITZAKU’ IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY’LL HEAR IT IN TORN UP LOUISIANA!

    TROOPS – UNITE!

  • parent

    I would be happy to stop/cancel my checks to Bais Rivka, and write out a check to a teacher
    Anybody up to negotiating that with the administration? If so, post it

  • hebrew teachers cant strike

    The Hebrew teachers can’t strike halachically, if I understand correctly.
    But the English teachers should make sure not to go back until ALL the teachers are paid, also the Hebrew teachers – band together
    Parents should start stopping tuition head checks, and if BR has a problem, make out the check directly to the teachers

  • To All Closed Minded Crown Hieghtsers

    I don’t know how many of you know that being a Lubavitcher doesn’t only mean you have a pinched hat. We have a Rebbe, and he’s addressed the issue of Limudei Chol MANY TIMES!!

    In addition: Bais Rivka is the Rebbe’s Mosad (one of the few non-mushroom mosdos in CH) and instead of showing you’re fustration by bad-mouthing everyone who runs the place, GET UP AND DO SOMETHING!!!

    If the Rebbe’s Mosad isn’t flourishing, then everyone should think what they could do to help!

    You are right though about the filthy rich in CH (names above) who don’t help b/c of politics. SHAME ON YOU!!! George Rohr shouldn’t be the most open minded Balabus. You are Lubavitch. Make the Rebbe proud.

  • YOSEF

    ANYWAY ITS ALL A WASTE .UR GROWING UP A GENERATION OF NON FRUM BOYS AND GIRLS. SO WE NEED AN OVERHAUL OF THE SYSTEM .

  • Surprised

    Hanholas must PAY and teachers must TEACH. However if they are not paid on time, striking is NOT an option. There is a letter from the Rebbe – who was educationlist number 1, to secular teachers in a Montreal school imploring them NOT to strike because it not good for the CHILDREN. Following the Rebbe is not just when things are easy!

  • Sell the Building

    a) Can you confirm with a Rov that the mitzva is only for a per diem worker? If so, does torah (shel bal bpeh) not address how salaried employees should be treated? If not, I would assume that Dina demalchusa applies and civil law mandates paying your employees on time.

    b)Your ad hominem attacks do nothing for your view. It decreases peoples respect for you.

    c) You did not address the main point of my comment

    d) Your idea of having the rich pay for the poor is not enforceable. People have been complaining about this for years but no one can force Drizin or anyone else to put their $$ to the moised of you liking. Rich people make many friends and many enemies and generally don’t care what most people think or shout; often times this is part of the reoson for their success. Don’t you think it is odd that the entire Kingston Avenue, between Empire and Leffarts is owned by one of the individuals listed above and of the many other CH buildings in CH he has barely a handful of Jewish tenants? You think that anyone can convince him to bail out BR even though no one was able to convince him to get rid of the trouble makers in his building and replace them with anash?! Get real, the rich will not bail out a moised with allegations of fraud, mismanagement, and a Shemtev at the helm.

  • letsgetittogether

    I work in an administrative capacity in a nonchabad mossad. There are bills taken care of by the government, eg the phone bills by erate, the food bills by NY state, gas and electric for religious institutions are highly discounted, vouchers for income eligible students (approximately $600@). so, the real question is…to whose pockets is all the out of pocket parents tuition going if not to pay the teachers???

  • anon

    What Bais Rivka needs is a proper fundraiser!! and someone from the outside to look at the books! yes a school cannot run just on tuition… especially from a community that does not advocate getting degrees – which equals lesser paying salarys. people in other communities need to pay much more tuition (which they can afford due to their better paying jobs) and yet the school still fundraises and the teachers do get paid a lot more andb on time!! So all the more so here the school needs to fundraise properly!!

  • Have_A_Happy_New_Year

    America is a free country, so we are all entitled to our opinions.
    But opinions have to based on facts otherwise it is just slander.
    I know of only 2 facts that are for certain .
    1) Teachers have not been paid for a while.
    2) Most comments on this page would not have been made if the identity of the writer and their email addresses would be published with the comments.
    So let’s sort out the facts from fiction and deal with it and stop this slander.
    I am not defending anyone, but a lot of what is written here, (some of it is even entertaining) is based on pure fiction and has nothing to do with the facts.

  • think a second

    you get money from a rich person by giving them honor and respect. not by harrasing them.

    as you can see gd gave them the money not me and you

    so look at what they do in other places how they get money from the rich.

    honor
    respect
    etc.

  • ITS A CHUTZPOH! OUTRAGED!!!

    WHY IS THE DISCUSSION DEVOID OF ANY REFERENCE TO THE REBBE’S VIEW ON THE SUBJECT??!!

    ITS NOT LIKE THE REBBE DID NOT MAKE HIS VIEWS CLARE RE SECULARE STUDIES!!

    A CHOSSID SIDESTEPS THEIR OWN OPINION FOR THAT OF THE REBBE’S JUDGEMENT!!

    THE REBBE FACTORED IN ALL THE ARGUMENTS … THE REBBE KNOWS BEST!!!

    WHO CAN ARGUE WITH THE REBBE?! CHAS V SHALOM!

    ENOUGH SAID!

  • concerned

    Having a secular education is very important especially for the girls. Men can go off and get married and study in a Kollel, someone needs to make the money. In the world today, more women are working.
    Knowing a little bit of culture is also important. Being Chabad and going on Shlichus, you talk with many different types of people. If you do not know who Shakespeare is, or the constitution of the USA or a tiny bit of algebra you seem ignorant.
    If BR has no secular, I will have to go out of the community to send my child to school.
    Why doesn’t some parents get together and volunteer their time to do a program in the mornings with the girls? Even if it is just reading a novel together or playing some math games.

  • BR Junior High Student

    We’re now instead of having 7 hour school days with a whole lot of vacation,Ex.tishrei,half day fast days, purim,winter vacation,pesach,and all those other things we have a 2 hour 5 minute school day,WITH RECESS!! Now all us students are home,in the library,and alot just plain being bored!If all you parents would really fight for teachers AND students rights,I think that BR would have the English teachers back in no time and most probably with on-time pay. and by the way did any one check out our lunch yet if you did you probably realise why your kids never eat lunch or ask you to make them some
    GET BACK THE ENGLISH TEACHERS NOW!!!!
    PS.I think BRHS English teachers also went on strike along with the BRES,and BRJH

  • just a thought

    I may be misinformed about this, but with shmitta year coming up, doesn’t everyone that is owed money have to sign a pruzbul to make sure they will still get paid? – otherwise those that owe are no longer obligated. If I am incorrect, please enlighten me.

  • BRHS Student

    I wish High School also got out at 12….. at least we fend for ourselves…. and we could help watch our younger siblings so our parents don’t have to pay for babysitters…. If only BRHS’s English teachers went on strike also….
    Wishful thinking

  • HappyPublicSchoolTeacher

    Thank you. That is exactly right. Teachers in jewish communities know just how easy it is to get a job teaching in a yeshiva. So why bother going through all that trouble getting all those requirements fulfilled (which I am so happy to have done…while having a family and kids). I am a Bais Rivka graduate, and one of the reasons that I had not even considered teaching in a yeshiva is that I wanted to work and be treated as a qualified professional. Many teachers in BR are truly talented, have wonderful skills and have so much to offer, so they really should put in that extra work into getting certified by the DOE. It is worth it.

    And to the Concerned Lubavitcher, you are right, money isn’t everything, but we have to keep our own families in mind. You can not expect teachers to have an endless devotion to other people’s children when, at the same time, while not being able to afford their own children’s tuition.

  • On The Bright Side

    While everyone is knocking Beis Rivkah, lets not forget to mention the other half of the story. The "Hebrew" teachers, despite putting up with the same non-payment as the english teachers, are still coming in and doing a exceptional job!!!

    Thank you very much to all of the "hebrew" teachers!!!

  • nauseated

    GOOD FOR YOU>>> EVERYONE NEEDS TO REALIZE HOW THESE TEACHERS ARE TREATED>> FORGET JUST BEING PAID!! THE ADMINISTRATION IS SO TIRED AND OLD!!THEY LOST THAT LOVIN FEELIN!!!YUCH!!!!!

  • a very eager 7th grader

    i certainly think that the teachers should be payed. my friend and i are great spellers and because of those teachers!! imagine all of us walking on the street, looking like bums, dressing like bums, acting liek bums, being bums!! dont you think you can try to get a babysitter for those couple of hours? doesnt it make you feel better to know that your child is getting a good edgucation rather than not having the english curriculum and ending up like bums? there are many 7th and 8th graders taht are happily willing to babysit for cheap and their parents will be glad to get them out of the house. call a few!! see if their will!! it kills 2 birds with one stone and maybe those who are rich should share those who need to put food on their tabls(the teachers)instead of making ur house the fanciest, and im talking about those who streeeeeeetch their house a mile long!! maybe share? then your children will have a good chinuch, and good teachers iy"h and good babysitters!! but the most important thing is that we want(I want) to have a good chnuch and to learn well, and for one, me, a 7ht grader, i really want to learn!! WE NEED THE ENGLISH CURRICULUM!! the teachers ARE doing the right thing because it IS time they got payed, but those who dont share and give the tzedaka that they can should give all that they can because it just happens to be taht we are in elul now.
    WE NEED ENGLISH!!

  • anonymous

    to someone in the know:
    its great that you are fighting back and showing that you care. i agree with u and it is 100% unacceptable for the teachers to just show up. however, u cannto well i shouldnt say u cannot but the mentchlich thing to do would be to call the school office and speak to the administration. giving out personal information such as emails is plain not nice. these people are volunteering and doing the best that they could to help out the school. they do not work for the school but are rather helping. instead call the school and speak to them in a civilized way.

  • fay

    By the way, the school isn’t opening due to lack of teachers…they are not on stike…they are killing 2 birds with one stone by asking for their salary.

  • Just me

    The Post Office

    There was once a fellow that was in dire need of money. He sent a letter to G-d.
    When the envelope, addressed to G-d, arrived at the post office, they didn’t know what to do with it. They decided to open it and try and get a clue from its contents.
    Based on the situation described in the letter, beinga small town, they realized who the sender was. Since all he was asking for was $100, they decided to pool together the money amongst themselves and send it to him. They managed to put together $85 which they promptly delivered to the poor man’s home. The next a week another envelope, addressed to G-d, arrives. They opened it and read: Dear G-d, I knew I could count on you in time of need. But, please, next time, do not send me the money by mail. The post office ripped off $15.

  • Parent-in-Need

    This situation is ridiculous. I can’t deal with this anymore.What do we do with our kids? Bnos Menachem is striving…I wanted to register my daughter however the classes are full. They have limited amount of space so kids can get individual attention…and you know what…the teachers DO get paid on time- NO MATTER WHAT! This can’t happen here…

  • teacha

    I am so sorry to hear that things have gotten so bad. I taught at BR once upon a time, and this kettle has been boiling, seemingly, forever. If you work you deserve money. The mismanagement of so many of our schools is atrocious. If I ran my home this way, I would be in foreclosure. To those who think secular studies are not important: if your child cannot do basic math, cannot speak decent english, and does not have any knowledge beyond Torah and Chassidut, you are condemning them to poverty. Look around you. How many people do you know are 25 and in a low paying job with no benefits? How many have no job at all? It is good to know Torah and to have an occupation–read Pirkei Avot and Rambam. Collecting government checks is not an occupation. I hope and pray for the sake of Crown Hts and for the sake of the kids who live there that this gets straighted out.

  • mushki

    im in 7th grade and on the first day of school my teacher asked us a question. why do we come to school? to learn? why dont we just learn from books? thats where the teachers get their ideas, not from memory. so why do we come to school? lets see if all of you bored souls can figure this out. WE COME TOCHOOL TO LEARN FROM THE TEACHERS!!!the teachers are there to make the children understand. to repeat. to explain. and most emportantly TO TEACH. and right now, you, those who are sending in these disgusting comments, know that the teachers cant just strike, and its NOT the right thing to do. we need english.its important,to us and to our family. i love english and it doesnt matter what any of you say. the teachers are wrong. they shouldnt strike. eventually, and i di say EVENTUALLY they WILL get payed. its not worth it. your giving bies rivka a bad name. the public school teachers read this and its a chilul hashem, for us and for the rebbes school. i may be much younger than you, but it seems that im much smarter than you. dotn write such nasty comments on a thing like this.

  • Lies about Bnos Menachem

    Anyone that said the Bnos Menachem only accepts Full tuition students is moitzei shem ra.

    A sibling of mine had to take her kids out of BR because they couldn’t afford it and sent to Bnos Menachem because BM was more accomadating tuition wise.

  • Hachofetz tzedek

    Sam Popack could and should give a million dollars a year to Beis Rivka. He can do it without any financial strain on him.It is time to give back something to the community that bears the brunt of his richnes.If you fail to help your community what good are you? .