Home

Read my latest posts on Harkham Hillel.

After 42 years being run by Rabbi Menachem Gottesman (Nov. 11, 2002 Jewish Journal article), Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy now seeks to define itself. In the process, it is weeding out teachers who don't fit its Modern Orthodox outlook.

Over the past eight years, enrollment at Hillel has fallen from 700 to 580 according to my sources (850 to 750 students according to the 11/11/02 Jewish Journal). "A lot of parents who signed petitions got bullied and they decided to go somewhere more peaceful," says a parent critical of the current regime.

Tuition is scheduled to increase 30% for the 2007-2008 school year. It is currently about $14,000 a year with the $2,000 a year mandatory contribution to the building fund. About a third of Hillel's students receive financial help.

While enrollment has fallen over the past three years, Hillel's budget has increased dramatically.

In the school year 2002-2003, Hillel's expenses were $5.488 million for 712 students (it was Rabbi Gottesman's last year). In 2003-2004, expenses ran $5.821 million for 680 students. For 2004-2005, it was $5.546 million for 695 students.

The 2005-2006 budget was never approved by Hillel's board. The 2006-2007 budget is at $7.575 million for 680-700 students.

As Morey Levovitz became president of the Hillel board in 2004, he made many changes at the school.

Levovitz is blunt and he has a mission and he doesn't care about niceties as much as results.

"At earlier board meetings (one or two previously)," says a source in January 2007, "Morey presented a motion to the board to get rid of the lunch program because he told the board they would save $300-400 thousand in the budget to cut expenses. Instead he used that money to hire four couples that are Beth Jacobs kollel. Morey still serves on the executive board of Beth Jacob (a conflict of interest). In addition when there was an opening on the board he appointed Rabbi Pilochowski (a rabbi from Beth Jacob) to fill that spot. That is....a conflict since he is an employee of Beth Jacob and Morey is his boss. Morey this summer also hired Caroline Kupietzky (a current board member and parent) to run the business office. She is supposed to resign her position on the board because it is... a severe conflict of interest. These are all examples of Morey's behavior of wanting to have everyone under his control and any dissenters are either harrassed off the board or out of the school."

Beneath Morey's bluster lies a man deeply afraid of attorneys. They are his achilles heel. Morey will keep pushing until he feels he's about to get sued.

Hillel's attorney is Joe Strapp. "His kids went to Hillel and he belongs to YICC (Young Israel of Century City)," says my source. "He is part of this Beverlywood crowd that Morey trusts."

March 3, 2008

Aviva Ebner Sued In 2006, Then Settled Last Year With Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy, Morey Levovitz, Rabbi Boruch Sufrin

This case was filed Nov. 20, 2006. It's documents are publicly available through LASuperiorCourt.org.

The case was dismissed June 12, 2007 after a settlement (the same time that Levovitz was pushing a change to Hillel's bylaws, this failed).

I wonder how much Hillel paid out to settle with Aviva. Even Hillel's board does not know.

Alya and Channa Shriki sued Harkham Hillel Dec. 14, 2007. That case has yet to be settled.

A child (Alya?) hurt herself in school. The parent (Channa?) was not called by the administration. She sent Rabbi Sufrin a letter as to why they were not called. I believe he told her to sue the school so that the insurance would pick up the expenses.

I believe that Morey Levovitz (the guiding force behind Hillel) and Rabbi Sufrin (Hillel's dean of religious studies) did not inform the school board about these suits. It was bad enough Morey hired Aviva Ebner without getting board approval, now he is using school funds for the attorney (Morey's Beverlywood pal Joseph Strapp) to defend the case and to settle the case. If the parents knew the tuition increases the last two years was for this and not for the education they would have not only a fit but they might possibly file a suit against him and his board and his executive board.

At a townhall meeting in 2006, Morey claimed that Hillel's executive board hired Ebner but according to her lawsuit, it seems like Morey hired her unilaterally. I doubt Hillel's board would've found her qualified.

When you hire people for $150,000 a year, you are supposed to get board approval.

At that meeting, Rabbi Weil stood up and backed his man Morey, saying "We have funds pledged for the position."

I think the good rabbi was being economical with the truth.

At least he's loyal to his friends.

From point 12 of Ebner's lawsuit:

During the course of Plaintiff's employment with Hillel, Plaintiff made numerous complaints to her supervisor and to the board members of Hillel regarding unsafe conditions and possible health and safety violations. These unsafe working conditions included, but were not limited to:

1. Out-of-date smoke alarms and lack of operative fire alarm system...

2. Unsafe elevator which type is known to cause injury;

3. Hazardous lighting which could explode and injury;

4. Lack of preventative measures to make the school earthquake safe;

5. Numerous tripping hazards throughout facility;

6. Lack of security measures, including failure to fingerprint employees...

7. Out-of-date and faulty heating system, and:

8. Other factors resulting in an unsafe working environment and unsafe school.

13. During her employment, Plaintiff contacted a number of contractors and vendors about the conditions at the school. After learning the extent of various hazardous and unsafe conditions at the school, Plaintiff informed her supervisor, SUFRIN, and the President of the Board, Levovitz, as well as other board members, about the conditions at the school and the need to make necessary repairs and/or replacements to ensure a safe environment for the staff and children. Plaintiff provided to SUFRIN, LEVOVITZ and other board members estimates and recommendations form contractors on what needed to be done. However, despite numerous requests and complaints by Plaintiff, SUFRIN, and LEVOVITZ failed to make the repairs required.

March 8, 2008

Sued Again

That's three lawsuits - but who's counting? - in the past year according to the LA Superior Court website.

I don't think the school was sued before this. I don't think Hillel's board knows about all these lawsuits.

Hillel's defacto board president Morey Levovitz has a way of alienating people.

The latest lawsuit I've found is by Carmelith Arfa (she filed Feb. 28, 2008, her case is about wrongful termination).

Aviva Ebner was given the order by Rabbi Boruch Sufrin (who received the order from Levovitz) and Carmelith was given 15 minutes by Ebner to clean her desk and to then vacate the school premises. Although the law suit says wrongful termination the case is more about whistleblowing mainly against Levovitz and Sufrin. Likely individuals to be deposed are Morey Levovitz's executive board (including Dr. Joel Kessler, Joseph Englanoff, Jonathan Schoen, Michael Loboda) Aviva Ebner, Tom Avery, Rabbi Weil. It will be interesting. to see which friend of Levovitz's is willing to perjure themselves for him in court versus at a town hall meeting.

Carmelith Arfa's case is unlike  Ebner's case. Ebner's case was strictly about the money she says she was cheated out of by the false promises from Levovitz and Sufrin. In Carmelith Arfa's case money is the not the main issue. As a longtime dedicated employee of the school her pursuit is to clear her name and bring out illegalities that she objected to during Morey Levovitz's involvement and continued involvement in the school. Many people who know Carmelith speak glowingly of her dedication to the school. Others not so much.

Morey wants Hillel to raise its academic standards. Those who agree with his outlook say that kids who went to Hillel got socialized into the Orthodox lifestyle but didn't pick up many skills (Hebrew, Judaica, etc). They claim Hillel graduates rarely blow you away with their learning in either secular or Jewish subjects.

Morey is a love him or hate him type of guy.

Here's a taste of Morey's inimitable style:

The recording secretary (Helene Lesel) emails nine people (the Hillel board?) Nov. 8, 2005:

Since the copy of the final motion made at the board meeting on November 2nd, 2005 has not been provided for the record as of this moment, please note the following:

1. The text of the motion is not to be enforced in any way.

2. The motion should be reconsidered after all members are provided a copy in advance for review.

3. In the future, all motions should be provided to all members in advance for review, which can be included in the mailing with the prior meeting's minutes and proposed agenda.

Morey responds:

Helene,

With respect I think your conclusion is ridiculous. A motion was made, seconded and voted on and for the 1st time that I'm aware, was actually written down and presented to the secretary so that there would be no misunderstanding or mistakes and you're suggesting that since you misplaced the motion, the vote should be nullified.

I have no idea what your agenda is but with each email I receive from you I'm getting more and more concerned about your frame of mind and concept of truth and fairness. I also don't know how you decide who gets copied on theese emails that in itself concerns me.

I believe Rabbi Sufrin and/or Yossi have the wording of the motion (as do I but I'm presently out of the country) and I'm sure they would be happy to get it to you.

On another note I'm still waiting for the minutes from the meeting two years ago when rabbi Sufrin was voted in.

Also in November 2005, Helene emailed all board members this note with this:

After careful review of the minutes from November 2, 2005, I feel compelled to notify all board members of the following:

1. The meeting agenda, which is normally mailed to all members, along with the prior meetings minutes - was not sent in this manner. instead, our President chose to e-mail all members that a meeting was to take place, and include the agenda in the e-mail. He did not provide...the previous minutes.

...It is my obligation as secretary to advise all members of the following:

As a board, we are not being given the information required by the by-laws:

Article VII, section 4, details the responsibilities of the Finance Secretary. Among the dutes prescribed, note the following requirement. "He shall render quarter-annual reports to the Board of Directors of all financial transactions, and he shall submit a complete itemized account of the financial condition of the schoola t the end of his term of office."

For the record, please be advised that our last budget report was pressented by Meg Feitelberg at the meeting held on March 21, 2005.

By my calculations, that was eight months ago. A quarter is every three months.

I respectfully request the board be provided with a current budget as soon as possible. If there is a lack in revenue or increase in spending, we need to be advised. In the past, revenue was brought in by Rabbi Gottesman. As a result, few questioned his authority or expenses. Today, those spending the revenue are not bringing it in in the same way. Hence, the board needs to know the details...

In March of 2006, after the Hillel board meeting in the cafeteria, Morey confronted Helene, about 5'7", and would not allow her to take the budget details home (as she had done for the more than ten years she'd been taking the board minutes). Morey, who's a big 6'1, stood in front of her yelling at her. Aviva Ebner stood behind her.

Helene called her husband, an L.A. city attorney, and put him on the phone with Morey. Then Morey backed off.

Helene did not press charges for assault but resigned that same month.

"Helene sent this out before the meeting since minuites were normally sent to board members to keep them informed as required by law," says a source critical of Morey. "She challenged Morey by informing the board their legal responsibility which infuriated him and placed her in his doghouse which later led to his assault of her after the board meeting when she was taking a copy of his presented budget home. Helene was the board secretary for 10-12 years and had been taking the minutes during that length of time. It was customary for the recording secretary to include in the minutes any handout (like budgets etc...) in the minutes so that they can be legally recorded for future reference . Morey did not want her to take a copy so he confronted her face to face and had Aviva stand behind her to prevent her from leaving the school cafeteria."

Morey consequently hired a security guard to keep visitors out of board meetings.

Dr. Chavee Lerer Mellon emails her friends and fellow General Studies Committee members June 16, 2004:

It is with deep regret that I sent this email, my last as the Co-Chair of the General Studies Committee. Certain events transpired at Hillel during the last several weeks that made me seriously question whether I wanted to continue on in the capacity of co-chair. But my decision to resign was pre-empted by the nominating committee. Several days ago I was notified that the General Studies Committee and the Va'ad Ha'Chinuch were being disbanded at the rquest of the new Hillel President nominee. At the same time, I was informed that I would no longer be a member of the Hillel board -- and, as you may know, this co-chair position is an executive board position, so I was effectively being removed from the executive board. Most of you have served on our committee, working hard on behalf of HIllel, for a number of years and I feel you deserve to be informed that we are all being dismissed... I am deeply disappointed as I believe our input is so essential to our children's education and well-being at Hillel, and that we made a sincere and concerted effort to be supportive of the new Administration...

As for me, it has become apparent that the Administration does not value my opinions and contributions to the school and that they do not care to hear any opinions dissenting from theirs. It has been a long journey in just one year --- from being the honoree at the PTA luncheon in May 2003 for service to the school to being unceremoniously bounced from the board in June 2004. Those of you who know me know that I can be outspoken when I believe the Administration is acting in error.

A key determinant for the direction of Hillel is the comfort level of Hillel's board. They could be personally accountable if Hillel gets sued by disgruntled employees.

Beth Jacob owns the land Hillel is built on and has always enjoyed a close relationship with the school. Hillel does not pay rent.

Former employees of Hillel are considering a lawsuit against the school and its executive board president -- Morey Levovitz (he was president of Beth Jacob in 2004 and got Rabbi Steven Weil a big pay raise, Morey's donated about $50,000 to Hillel). The ex-employees claim Morey harassed them (not sexually).

Here are minutes of the closed December 19, 2005 Hillel board meeting. I thought that the Bureau of Jewish Education required that all board meetings be open unless they dealt with financial or personnel matters. Morey now keeps the minutes of Hillel board meetings.

A bookkeeper at the school for 25 years, Carmalith Arfa, was fired in March. She's retained Century City attorney Jonathan S. Weber who sent Hillel a threatening letter on her behalf.

"The situation with Carmalith is very sad," says an observer. "She gave her life to the school and then was told she had 10 minutes to clean [out] her desk!"

Around April 20, 2006, a board member at Hillel wrotes his fellow board members that they should meet to discuss Carmelith's dismissal:

Likewise, I believe that the resignation last month of Cecile Wizenfeld, Hillel's Early Childhood Director for over ten years, raises many similarly disturbing questions about the current management and administration of the school and at the same time lends credence to the very negative press that Hillel is now publicly receiving...

Further, immediately prior to Passover, it was announced that Mr. Tom Avery was not returning next year, that he would be "leaving" after his last day of service... There are still many unanswered questions concerning his sudden departure, particularly in the wake of the "cover-up" of an aborted investigation surrounding the misappropriation of almost $5,000 in cash funds raised by the Eighth Grade student for their annual class trip.

Rabbi Sufrin had Avery depositing funds raised by the eighth graders. One staff person had been doing it for years and there was never any problems. Then Sufrin took it away from her and gave Avery the responsibility.

Meg Chan Feitelberg resigned as Hillel's financial secretary in August 2005 after just a year on the job. She grew increasingly incomfortable with the Levovitz regime.

She emailed Morey March 3, 2005:

I would assume that review of the quarterly reports would include the annual reviewed financials -- that would be my preference to play it safe. I can't believe they don't need to see the school budget but I would play it safe on that front as well. I would not want to be accused of under-reporting the school's finances so my preference is to get approval on everything - I know it takes up more time during the Board meetings but I wouldn't feel comfortable doing otherwise.

Feitelberg emailed Morey March 8, 2005:

...Carmelith says we have added some people (or maybe one person in admin) onto the payroll - can you please enlighten me on this because my payroll budget is already blown and I need to know if I need to plan to up that number for next year. You know my feeling about admin people in the front office - I think we already have too many (in case you didn't know my feeling). I am sure you or Rabbi have good reason but I worry that we are spending too much money on admin areas and raising tuition to cover these costs would not be wise in my book.

Feitelberg emailed Morey August 10, 2005:

I have of course given the decision a lot of thought. It's not like me to quit after one year. I think I still have a lot to contribute. I am doing quite well with Carmelith so that side does not worry me at all. ...My concerns are more from more frequent reporting to the Board for major decisions (i.e. contract renewals, major financial expenditures, filling executive positions etc). The feedback I have from several Board members is that they feel they are not in the loop as much as they should be on these major decisions. For your safety and for others on the exec committee, I am kindly suggesting that we decide at the Board level what sort of decisions should be approved by the Board so that no one can come after any of us for making decisions singlehandedly. In addition, I think the Exec. Committee should meet at least once a month and the Board at least every other month. ...I am being very upfront with you because these issues have been nagging me for a while and I didn't know how to bring them up. They are not meant as a personal attack on your management style but I am passing on my sentiments along with sentiments of several other Board members.

If you can think about this and get back to me, I am more than happy to stay on as financial secretary. I like to be involved in the school and I like to contribute in any way I can (just don't make me fundraise - can't stand that). I have many more years at Hillel with my youngest only being in pre-1 so I have a vested interest in making sure Hillel is strong and around for a long time.

...The audit is required by Case... The last audit was in 1999 and we are required to have one every five years according to Carmelith so we are probably one year overdue...

On Sept. 26, 2005, Meg Chan Feiltelberg (who reports to the Hillel board on the school's financial situation) emails Rabbi Boruch Sufrin (Hillel's dean of religious education):

Shalom Rabbi,

I got a long email from Aviva [Ebner, the Hillel comptroller at the time who was paid about $150,000 per annum] so this is my response to explain to her my concerns. I was very blunt with her because I need her to understand that the budget is very tight and I am very worried. She also has to understand that I can take the heat when we run over. Her email to me only gave me an hourly rate of $85 per hour which is not cheap and I still do not know how much time the consultant is going to take in total. I assume she is working on that but still the question lies, why is she unable to do what the consultant is doing?

Feltelberg emails Aviva Ebner:

...I think I am a bit confused as to your job description. I understood from speaking to Morey [Levovitz, Hillel board president] last year that we were hiring someone to run the operations of the schoola nd this person would also manage the business office day to day. I do understand that the smooth running of the business office is quite critical. To this end, I did ask to interview you prior to your being hired but Morey forgot about my request. I work full-time and as a volunteer could not have spent the amount of time it would take to correctly set up the business office. I could only meet with Carmelit and Leah about 1-2 hours per week and it was not enough. I was not being paid to do that job. I understood that you were coming with the expertise to make the necessary changes to the business office that were much needed. I was quite relieved. Now, it has become apparent to me that you need to go outside to get help on this matter. The school is running on a very tight budget. We raised tuition by 10% last year and after many years, eliminated the lunch program. Many parents are already quite upset but we felt we were doing this for the good of the school. These monies have been diverted to pay administrators like yourself and others. Now, even with the tuition increase, we have to raise about $600k extra... It will be difficult for me as finance secretary to justify your salaries and to tell the Board that you also had to hire an outside consultant in order to accomplish the job that you were hired for. I really need to ask you to curtail any unbudgeted expenses. I had expected Morey to hire someone who could take over most of the volunteer work that I had to do last year, including managing and fixing the running of the business office, issuing finacials each month, creating the school budget, etc. I did not expect to do much of this except review and approve year. I really need to understand what areas of the school you were hired to work on. I guess I am a bit confused. My job is oversight and I have to ask these tough questions. I am the one who has to answer to budget overruns to the Board. ...I plan to be even tougher on the administration. I will expect monthly financials and explanations for any budget overruns.I have a fiduciary responsibility to the parents and I have had one year to learn that I cannot just accept decisions made by the administration and Morey. I have to be firma nd I will. It will not be easy for this school to raise $600k - we could not do it last year either and we survived the summer because parents prepaid their tuition. ...[T]he school's reputation is at stake and has already been ruined by not planning how to pay down payables.

Your consultant at 8 hours a day at $85 per hour can easily run up a large bill... Money that we do not have at this time to spend. Please explain to me why you cannot spend the time or do not have the expertise to fix the business office so that I can understand this.

A source writes:

Morey hired Aviva as controller. He handed out to-do lists on. He likes to micromanage. everyone by handing out to-do lists. When Nancy Fields (head of secular education at Hillel) was given her list she told him where to stick the list and that she answers to the parents and to the board and not to Morey. Because of that, Morey did not want to renew her and made her miserable by sicking Rabbi Sufrin who sent Florette to make her life miserable. He sent Joe Englanoff and Joel Kessler on 12/7/2005 at 5 p.m. and on 12/19/2005 at 10 a.m. (witnesses saw the two going to her office). Their ultimatum to her was sign a resignation letter saying she could not get along with R. Sufrin or they would not write her a letter of reccomendation. She told them no and they fell back to plan two of Sufrin lying to the board saying he could not get along with Nancy Fields and it was either Nancy or him who would leave. Mind you Nancy was not at the board meeting to be questioned. Normally administrators were required to be at board meetings so members could ask questions but Morey told them they are no longer needed at the meetings. It happened during the meeting when they said Tom Avert never embezzled the 5k from the kids trip fund. Sufrin had Aviva, Tom's friend, lead the investigation and conclude it was one of Tom's staff who recently left to Dallas who took the money but Tom felt bad and was going to reimburse the funds. Legally police are supposed to be called in to investigate but they would not allow. When the Beverly Hills PD heard Hillel hired Aviva they said don't you guys do background checks on your new employees? She was fired in mid year from El Rodeo Elementary School. Also Aviva was Tom's regular lunch date on a regular basis hardly the unbiased person you want leading an investigation into embezzlement. Aviva's only qualification for her job was she was classmates with Englanoff's wife. But she did fulfill Morey's wishes by following his to-do lists and wasting school money (tens of thousands of dollars).

In 2005, Rabbi Alfasi did not have his teaching contract renewed at Hillel. He took Rabbi Sufrin to a Beit Din (RCC?) and won $50,000. Hillel picked up that bill. Rabbi Alfasi now teaches at a yeshiva in Memphis.

"Board members are getting nervous about Morey," says a parent at the school in late 2006, "because they found out that board insurance is voided if the by-laws are not followed. At the townhall meeting last October [2005] in front of about 150 people, Morey said, 'I broke the by-laws and I will continue to break the by-laws.'

"He's exceeding his scope of authority. But if they want to file a grievance against him, the grievance committee is all Morey's cronies. They're not going to rule against him.

"When Morey illegally took over the school presidency... To be president of Hillel you have to have been on the board for at least a year and he was Beth Jacob's president for two years which is an advisory position and not a full fledged [Hillel board] member because you cannot vote nor was he elected by the parent body. In addition while he was president at Beth Jacob for his two years he proudly brags about never attending any Hillel board meetings. One of Morey's first acts as president was to give Rabbi Sufrin a raise [to approximately $150,000 per annum, an increase of about $30,000]. Aside from not informing the board, he had no legal right to since he never conducted a board meeting nor had his executive board approved by the board."

Rabbi Steven Weil went to bat for Morey at that townhall meeting in the fall of 2005. Rabbi Weil talked about all the pledges of financial support Levovitz has collected to cover his additional spending on administrators.

Numerous parents love the current regime, including Michael and Tina Loboda (executive board member). Tina wrote this letter to Morey's critics.

The contract for Educational Director Nancy Fields was not renewed in June 2006 and she moved to Etc Jacob (a dayschool in the Fairfax area) in the summer of 2006. In December 2005, a couple of leaders at the school yelled at her to sign a resignation letter. She refused.

Rabbi Sufrin claimed he could not get along with her.

"Rabbi Sufrin answers to Morey," complains one Hillel parent. "He doesn't answer to the parents."

I believe Nancy Fields is assembling a lawsuit against Hillel.

"Morey sends out these little pitbulls to get people to do things his way, and people get scared," says a member of the Hillel community who prefers to remain anonymous. "They fear for their scholarships."

About 40% of the students at Los Angeles Jewish day schools are on some kind of scholarship.

Last year and this year a dozen or so parents signed petitions against Levovitz.

He presided over a tumultuous townhall meeting last October forced by a petition of 25 parents.

Levovitz's critics claim he has no right to be president because he was not a member of the board prior to taking office. They claim he's hired people (such as comptroller Aviva Ebner who lost her job at Emek Hebrew Academy after a year but was paid at the rate of $150,000 per annum at Hillel but didn't last more than a year) without board approval and made significant expenditures without board approval.

Levovitz critics charge there was an embezzlement at the school that got covered up.

Tom Avery from Emek was also brought into Hillel running the carpool and lunch program (for about $80,000 per annum). There was an uproar at last October's townhall meeting about him. Some parents claimed he yelled at them.

Many parents believe that millions of dollars in endowments to the school have not been reported to the board.

I'm told:

The previous Hillel president, Alan Schoenfeld, resigned early and there was a vacancy for the presidency. The person (or people) who are now making a lot of the noise (sending a letter to the whole community) were passed over on the Board in favor of Morey Levovitz.

Morey is the kind of person who people either love or hate. He is extremely blunt, doesn't really care whose feathers he ruffles, but also one of the most quietly generous people in the community with his money and the person who has really improved the school working closely with Rabbi Suffrin. He has pushed a lot of positive changes that have put Hillel out in front of the other Orthodox schools (teaching girls Mishna and Gemara, Hebrew immersion, skills-oriented curriculum, etc.) The dissidents on the Board include people who were pissed off that he leapfrogged Rosenberg (and maybe someone else?) but are also pissed off about his management style. On erev Rosh Hashana (or YK?), they sent a letter to the whole school complaining that the bylaws were not being followed. They may be trying to pull some dissatisfied Persians who feel like second-class citizens in the school, but their issues are different. There is a bit of culture clash. There is "white flight" away from Persians that are elements of both the major exodus out of Hillel for Yavneh and Maimonides (which was over 5 years ago in the last few years of Rabbi Gottesman) and also the minor exodus out of the early elementary and early education when Shalhevet launched this past year.

The bottom line is that all of the Orthodox schools have their warts (e.g. all of the liberal BDJ families at Maimonides who have to eat s--- all day from the right wing Rabbi Kupfer on girls learning mishna and gemara).

Morey's father was a macher at the Maimonidies school in Boston which Yosef Solveitchik founded.

"Morey was born with a platinum spoon in his mouth," says an observer.

Levovitz operates www.waferreclaim.com in San Jose. He flies home for Shabbos and holidays.

The Committee of Concerned Parents at Hillel Harkham (841 Victoria Ave, Venice, CA, 90291) sent out this letter Sept. 20, 2006 to members of the Hillel community:

The By-Laws have been ignored by the curent leadership for the past couple of years...

If you have been concerned about the lack of transparency and accountability, lack of adherence to the By-Laws of the school, the growing number of children and families that we have lost to other schools, how the atmosphere of the school has changed over the past few years, and how we seem to have lost the concept of Hillel's stated mission as a community school open to all Jewish children, then join the committee... Please report to any member of the committee immediately any attempt to intimidate or threaten anyone and we will deal with it forcefully and in all appropriate venues with all the public and private resources available to us.

The same committee sent out a letter in September 2005 concerned about the "extremely negative atmosphere at the school," administrative personnel changes, school leadership, and the lunch program:

Also, it is difficult to navigate between all the new administrators and more importantly, it remains unclear as to why so many new positions at the school are even necessary. We were told that the school was raising tuition this year and doing away with lunch being included in the cost of tuition because Hillel was operating at a deficit... [I]t seems the savings [from axing the lunch program] were surreptitiously used to hire several new administrators. This is a seemingly blatant misappropriation of school funds. If Hillel needed to save money, it had no right to hire an Operations Director for a substantial six figure salary. Who actually hired her or our new Director of Discipline?

The Committee of Concerned Parents at Hillel Harkham sent out another letter in December 2006 to members of the Hillel community:

In October 2005, several hundred disgruntled Hillel parents gatheredin the Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy cafeteria for what was to be a "town hall" meeting with members of the executive board of directors...

1. President Levovitz publicly acknowledged his disregard for the school's bylaws, and stated that he, "plans to continue" ignoring the school's bylaws. When questioned as to why he ignores the bylaws, he replied, "I don't read bylaws."

2. President acting solely on his own...on matters of significance...

a. Exceeidng the scope of their authority by implementing non-board approved raises in administrator salaaries and hiring new top-level administrators without disclosure to the board of directors... Ms. Aviva Ebner was hired at an unprecedented salary level of $150,000, with neither the board's knowledge nor approval...and for an amount more than double the board approvred salary limit of $69,000... To make matters worse, another top level administrator, Mr. Tom Avery was surreptitiously hired without board knowledge...

Currently, the budget deficit is suspect to be over $1 million and as as high as $2 million.

The 2004-2005 budget deficit was reported as $250,000 - $300,000.

Fifteen years ago, about half of Hillel's students came from families that were Sabbath-observant. Now almost all the students come from observant homes.

Last year, a couple of Persians were discouraged from running for the board of Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy (a Modern Orthodox elementary school located right next to Beth Jacob on Olympic and Doheny Blvds in Beverly Hills). They were told they weren't the right type of Jew (not observant enough).

"We'll teach the Sephardim and the Persians a thing or two," said a prominent Yekkie (German Jew).

All the Ashkenazim at Hillel are Sabbath observant but most of the Persians are not.

Thirty years ago, almost all of the Orthodox shuls in Pico/Robertson had mixed seating. Now the 20 or so Orthodox shuls within a mile of Pico/Robertson have separate seating for men and women.

Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance Sunday Meeting In Westwood

A source emails Nov 6, 2006: "Rabbi Boruch Sufrin [dean] of Hillel apparently came off smelling like a rose on the subject of girls learning mishna and gemara, while none of the other Orthodox schools (other than Shalhevet, if you can call it Orthodox) even bothered to be represented. For whatever problems Hillel may be having, I have heard rumors that an exodus from Maimonides may be coming next year. There are plenty of Modern Orthodox families who can't abide Rabbi Kupfer's total opposition to girls learning mishna and gemara and who are going to switch over either Shalhevet, Hillel, or Pressman. It may not be an issue for the people who choose Yavneh and definitely not for schools further to the right (Toras Emes, Ohr Eliyahu), but Maimonides is full of people who are liberal enough to care about this issue."

Is Rabbi Boruch Sufrin Good For The Jews?

He's the head of religious studies at Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy.

A source writes:

He is Lubavitch, but he regularly davens at BDJ, Beth Jacob, and YICC because that is where his students and their families are.

There has definitely been a lot of housecleaning, because there was a desire to reform the school and that meant getting rid of people who either were not responsive to the agenda. For example, it was not clear that the teachers who were there were even willing to teach girls mishna and gemara, even assuming that they were decent teachers, which some of them were not. There were other teachers who felt the school was moving away from religious objectives (i.e. inculcating a sense of emunah) too much and were openly critical of Rabbi Sufrin and the school and I know they were asked to leave. There has been an attempt to bring in more young teachers and also to require them to get Masters degrees in Education through a program at the UJ Ed School.

So far, I am impressed with him, and I would say the other 4-5 Hillel families we talk to about these things generally like him and find him responsive. Which is much more than you can say for Rabbi Kupfer at Maimonides or Rabbi Deer at Yavneh, which are institutions far less responsive to their parents. Families routinely leave Yavneh as soon as they discover their kids have any behavioral issue because the school administration makes it clear they will do nothing to help them.

Rabbi Sufrin was brought in to Hillel in 2003. He got a big raise to circa $150,000 per annum when Morey Levovitz took over as president of the school board in 2004.

Rabbi Sufrin spent about 20 years at Miami's Alexander S. Gross academy (named for the father of Rabbi Gross at L.A.'s Maimonidies Orthodox day school) before leaving in 2003 in a conflict that saw the president of the school board resign.

Why do Modern Orthodox schools choose leaders from Charedi Judaism? Because there are few Modern Orthodox qualified and willing to take such roles.

"Charedi" means those who tremble before God. In other words, they are the separatist Orthodox Jews as opposed to the Modern Orthodox who try to blend in with the larger society (at least to make money and find entertainment, if not to influence the wider world for good).

Modern Orthodox schools are filled with Charedi teachers because Charedi Jews, in general, are far more devoted to Judaism than Modern Orthodox Jews. The Charedim know more Torah and are willing to sacrifice more for Torah. They are willing to accept low incomes in exchange for the privilege of teaching Judaism to children while the Modern Orthodox prefer higher-paid professions.

Special-needs children are a problem for most private schools because they lack the government-funded resources of public schools. Thus many Orthodox Jews who send all their normal kids to Jewish schools will send their special-needs children to public schools so they can get the help they need.

Out of all of L.A.'s Orthodox day schools, Hillel is reputed to be the most friendly to special needs kids. Etta Israel, a program for kids with special needs, started out of Hillel.

One Orthodox couple, however, alleges that one teacher at Hillel was not amenable to working with their son who had trouble writing. The couple emailed Hillel's dean last fall:

We were therefore astonished when, at our meeting on September 8 of this year, without a hint of any notice, you told us in no uncertain terms that you had concluded solely because of graphomotor delays affecting his writing, and despite his advanced academic performance in a number of other areas including reading, [the lad] would not be able to perform at the level expected of students at Hillel, and you instructed us to send him to public school.

...When we informed you of our own feelings regarding the importance of [a Jewish education], you suggested that [the lad] might attend Yeshiva for an hour a day so he could "hear the shofar" and be in a Jewish atmosphere for a little while...

The boy has since transferred to another Orthodox school in Los Angeles where he is reportedly thriving.

Longtime Educational Director Nancy Fields, who was let go from Harkham earlier this year and is now at Etz Jacob, writes Morey Levovitz, the president of Harkham's board of directors, on August 9, 2005:

Morey,

You told me many times that I need to yell and scream at you when I believe in something. Not my style, but let me give it a go.

I sat in the meeting yesterday, and took it while you "lectured" me and treated me with disrespect. But it is time for me to tell you how I feel.

I feel that I need to share with you how disappointed and dismayed I am with you and your constant negativism. In the meeting, you set the tone of hostility and had an antagonistic air. Maybe, as you have readily admitted many times, it truly is your lack of knowledge of the educational process and the whole field of child development, but I can say unequivocally, that your comparison of children to machine parts with serial numbers that you may manufacture in your factory, teaching professionals to factory line workers, and manufacturing processes to the craft of teaching is so far from reality that I hardly know where to start other than to say that even making such an analogy is offensive to me as an educator and parent.

Let me see if I can help you with your total misunderstanding of the last 2 years at Hillel, where we are today, and how we got there and the educational process including the quality of just about all of our General Studies teachers.

As I told you in our meeting, we have many great teachers operating at the highest professional standards and because of their training and positive attitude they are already inherently doing probably 85-90% of what I outlined for you yesterday in the Grade:1-8 Curriculum Guide. Until now it just hasn't been formalized or written. In your e-mail to Annie, you said that we are in a predicament. The only "predicament" that we face is figuring out how to help you understand that your analogy of a school to a factory just doesn't work. Children are people and unlike machine parts, children come to us with family and cultural baggage, with a variety/level of skills, illnesses, sensitivities, problems, likes, dislikes, good days and bad. We must take them as they are, be sensitive, and nurturing, to their daily changing needs and their issues, and teach them with compassion using our skills as educators to find how to make each child successful on any particular day. Dare I say that a machine part never had a bad day?

About 2 ½ years ago, Hillel hired me to come into our school and to co-lead it with a new Head Master. While Rabbi Gottesman had spent 43 years at the school doing wonderful things, general studies and organizational skills were not his strength, so when I started in July of 2003 there was a lot of work that needed to be done at Hillel.

Hillel hired Rabbi Sufrin and we formed what appeared to be a strong team. He was fixing the Judaic side of the school and the finances. I was fixing the GS side of the house, the teaching instruction and the organizational processes and general administration (including support staff, facilities, teacher supervision, lunch programming, discipline etc.), preparing handbooks for teachers, parents and students, desegregating the classrooms and doing whatever else was necessary to get Hillel running in a fashion appropriate for the 21st century.

At that time, we had, and have today many children with widely different capabilities some coming from different cultures and speaking languages other than English at home. It was the school philosophy to try and give Jewish children a Jewish education. The then Board of Directors and both Rabbi Sufrin and I recognized that organizing, transitioning and moving forward with our educational staff to the next level was an evolutionary multi-year task.

In or about August of 2004, you became President of the Board and decided to set a new course. You decided that Hillel was to become the "LA's Jewish Harvard Westlake." You also unilaterally decided to change the scope of my responsibilities as delineated in my two year contract, in the middle, stating that the prior Board didn't know what they were doing when they hired me or what they wanted and that you were going to fix it.

As you set the new course for the school, I tried to be accommodating and work with you. It was clear that you had no understanding of education and the fact that changing an educational program is evolutionary and not an over night process. It was not and could never be revolutionary. It was clear that you didn't understand why you just couldn't dictate that a change be made and that it would happen. It is because we deal with people not manufactured parts. As a result, one must lead and work with a team and encourage them to join in and I believe that we need to provide them with an understanding of why and what the benefit will be. Each team member must be vested in the outcome and must take personal responsibility for the success of the operation.

Unfortunately this philosophy flies directly in the face of your demand, the in-your-face style, and it must have been very frustrating for you to find that your orders were not bringing the immediate results that you demanded.

Despite your misunderstanding of education, I felt that with time you might begin to realize that changing Hillel will take time and that by working together with you as part of a team would bring about the desired change.

We spent many difficult weeks negotiating my new school contract and you made it very plain to me that I was to be in charge of the GS staff and the curriculum and as a result the student. You were supposed to, in good faith support my endeavors to make the changes needed to continue to reinvigorate the General Studies Curriculum, staff and programs.

However, rather that working with me and giving me your good faith support, you have challenged and undermined my every effort. Just one example is Rita W. I started telling you and Rabbi Sufrin in January that we should not rehire her, but both of you slow rolled the situation. No matter how many times I advised you and Rabbi Sufrin that we should not rehire Rita W. you refused to take any action and wouldn't allow me to do so.

Finally Rabbi Sufrin told me that it was so late in the school year that we had to offer her a new contract. Rita is not the kind of teacher that we need and your failure and refusal to act on my recommendations has resulted in a weak staff member returning for yet another year. While I intend to work with her to help her be the best that she can be, do not try and blame me for your unwillingness to act.

Unfortunately, last year, your demanding, in-your-face style caused me to have numerous Vertigo attacks brought on by extreme stress. In addition, I found that I spent too much time trying to justify and defend my every action to you and to Rabbi Sufrin. This constant harassment and your constant demands unfortunately took away a significant amount of the time that I would have otherwise spent working with our staff and students. Your constant complaint was that I was too top level, all I gave was the big global leadership picture and you wanted details, details, details. I can only assume that your need for more details, then the details that I have already provided, was driven by your educational inexperience.

Now, let me turn to yesterday and our meeting regarding the Curriculum that I was specifically requested to compile as well as your e-mail to Anna Baum Novack and Maria Himmelman.

First, I was expressly asked to prepare the provided curriculum and I did it in extreme detail so that you might get a better understanding as to the scope of the job that the teaching profession imposes on and expects from our teachers. Rather than seeking to understand what we were trying to accomplish and notwithstanding the comprehensive nature of the Curriculum Guide, you nit picked everything that you could while not ever being able to get out of the minutia.

You came to the conclusion that the roughly 500 pages of curriculum was all new and that the teachers would be overwhelmed. Truthfully, very little of it is new, rather it has been complied as a guide for our teachers. By way of example, we are currently using Open Court in grades pre-1 through 3. The program is extremely comprehensive and all the teachers have to do is to continue to follow the course of study that they have already been using for a year, and the program will hit on all of the language arts segments necessary for the foundation to move forward to the next level. In grades 4 and 5 we are using the Houghton Mifflin Reading Program and a core literature program. While in 6th -8th grade, English/language arts skills all being taught through literature and writing. While this gives the teachers more flexibility, the continually advancing skills are still being taught and now we have a written curriculum guide for a teacher to reference if he or she feels the need to do something new or different or is uncertain or if there is some skill that they need to really hit upon. You must realize that for the past two years I have familiarized the teachers with the state standards and that they have been working on teaching them and more.

Well I am sure that you are asking if all these skills already exist, and are already being taught, why aren't our children the best in LA? To answer that, you must look at how we got to where we are. For 43 years Hillel had a culture of trying to meet the needs of all Jewish children. By necessity, that meant that we had a very diverse cross section of the community. Children came to us with all skill levels and we took them in. Under Rabbi Gottesman, teachers were allowed to teach the program that they individually felt appropriate. Language arts programs, by way of example, were not used consistently and if we had not made the change to Open Court our ERB results would continue to have been disappointing and be the same as in previous years. Changing the teaching culture has got to be evolutionary where you weed out those that can't get with the program, keep the ones that are trying as well as the good ones, and hire the best and brightest to fill the openings. That is the path that we were on.

Similarly, changing the kind of student and student performance is evolutionary. Of course you could refuse to take back all but the best and brightest students and make a step function change, but where would that leave those average Jewish children. Instead, we have formed a concentrated program to reach each child at the level where they are and maximize their learning by using differentiated instruction. How does one do this? With great teachers, great programs, a lot of time and true educational leadership. To reach our objective we are changing a culture and that can only be done with time and with a comprehensive TEAM effort. The schools that you alluded to back East, in our meeting, that might have the reputation that you want Hillel to have, had such a culture embedded in them for years or even decades, only the brightest apply and they only take the best and the brightest. We do not have such a culture or reputation at this point in time, and truthfully, while we can work towards it and while I have no question that we will achieve greatness in our community, whether we will ever be the Jewish Harvard Westlake or even if we should be-- is not a decision that you alone can make for the school.

Now let's talk about "buy-in" and "partnerships." Let's be very clear about what you said yesterday. You told me that I was to micro manage curriculum through the teachers, that I was to be on the teacher's backs constantly, that I was never to let up, because they should never get a chance to breath and say, "oh good she is leaving me alone." You need to understand that you need to treat people with respect and as professionals. You treated me yesterday without any respect, dignity or "menchlichite." You "lectured" at me for 45 minutes like I was a child, and in a tone of anger/force, repeating over and over and over again about my focus. Well, I am not a child, I am an extraordinary educator, and children aren't products, - and learning is a process, not a product that can be churned out.

Micro-managing curriculum/teachers is not getting buy-in and commitment and that is certainly not partnering with the staff. That kind of demeanor creates a hostile work environment and one that I do not condone. In your e-mail to Anna and Maria you said that you didn't see any evidence, on my part, of partnering or interaction with the teachers regarding curriculum planning. I told you many times in the meeting that this curriculum was a DRAFT, because I wrote it alone, and it needed input, revising, changing and modification by the teachers. A curriculum guide can't be written without teacher input. Further, your e-mail was attempting to say that you were asking me to "work with them on a "micro level" showing a true sign of partnering and sharing of responsibility." Nothing could be further from the truth. In a true educational leadership role, one provides the framework. Then it is the teachers using their diverse style, creativity and communication skills that add meat to the bare bones of the curriculum guide. You stated anything less than such complete and total involvement "will continue our current policy of not having a curriculum for teachers to follow and having a final product that we are not proud of".

Let's review, our teachers are and have, since I am here, been following a comprehensive teaching curriculum that will provide the kind of results that you/we are all looking for. However, calling our children a product and suggesting that we will not be proud of them unless they are straight A students is just wrong. You have the "chutzpa" to say, "So far, I personally have not seen this focus on partnering or interaction with the teachers regarding curriculum planning and I'm sure that without specific, plans of action, with follow through on Nancy's part the end results will be disappointing."

It is clear that you have no clarity or insight into our staff or into educational leadership, and are totally negative in your thinking. Certainly one will always find those that whine and complain and you can listen to those individuals forever and they will never change. Nothing you do for them will ever be good enough and they will never be happy even if you leave them alone, because then they will complain that you are leaving them alone. Unfortunately, that is not much different than what I have heard from you; give me detail, detail, detail and when I gave you detail yesterday, you complained that 500 pages of curriculum was still not enough and you nit picked for 3 hours. You even questioned where the computer section was and I told you, it was already in Rabbi Sufrin's hands.

You also said that we revisited the question of class grouping, true, but let me tell you that I will not track children in elementary school. What I will do is "group" children and work non stop to give the best services to children, whether gifted or challenged, and meet them where they are with differentiated instruction.

Your type of management, rather dictatorship, makes for a very unpleasant, working environment. We should be working together for the good of the children and Hillel. You said to me that "you were my biggest asset, and that I should be glad/thankful that you are the "boss" and have taken on Hillel as your project, and this is how you want things done. Leadership models today are not a dictatorships, but rather collaborative partnerships. You need to realize that the "administrative team" and the teachers, are this schools biggest asset, and you need to invest in this asset.

So, what is new in the curriculum? The Language Arts through History Program is new and yes we have a new basic curriculum that will need to evolve throughout the year ahead. I plan to spend a significant part of my time working this so that we can greatly enhance our students' language arts skills now, before they go on to high school. I will not neglect any other aspect of the GS team or their needs. However this years focus throughout the grades is on language arts. If the students ask, yes it always counts and it always will.

So where does this leave us, you, I and Rabbi Sufrin? We have a new year ahead of us and I plan to work with the staff to build teams, to build relationships and to build skill sets. I will address attitude issues and identify staff individual areas for growth and global GS program needs. I will advise you and Rabbi Sufrin of our GS needs and you can get with the program and work with me or you can work against me - Your choice. I understand what my job is, and I may not do it the way that you want me to operate, but it will get done with class and professionalism. I am the ultimate professional, and no one needs to tell me how to be a professional. After 34 years of being in education, and only receiving the highest of accolades, the type of treatment that you have dished out over the past year is not acceptable or warranted.

What I need now is the reading teacher that we discussed and the additional Language Arts teacher that we discussed. By the end of the month, I will have reviewed how to get teachers their planning and collaboration time and advise you as to what other staff I feel the program could use. What I will not do for the rest of this school year is worry about Morey and spend a lot of time justifying myself to you. If this means that you choose not to re-up my contract for next year, so be it, but such will be Hillel's loss.

You said you wanted me to scream and yell in your face. Now you have it, and I hope that you will now decide to support our school wide program rather than continuing to tear it and me down at every opportunity. I am not your scapegoat for anything and everything that may go wrong during this school year, but I do hope that you choose to join in our collaborative effort to bring success to our school.

On July 28, 2005, Nancy Fields emails Rabbi Sufrin:

Boruch, In response to your email of 7/27/05-

Over the past few months our e-mail chains have clearly shown that our leadership styles have become somewhat divergent. I can tell you that my focus has been and will continue to be team oriented. I believe in people and in our teaching staff. I believe that as a leader I provide the framework but that individuals have different styles and that such diversity should be valued and fostered and that each person should not only be allowed to use their creative energies and skills for the betterment of the organization, but encouraged to do so. In my heart, that is what I believe and I know from 34 years of educational and leadership training and experience that I am correct.

During our first year of working together I believe that we had a team leadership relationship. While we shared everything, we each had focus on our respective leadership tasks, knew where we had to go, how to get there and trusted the other. Your were taking care of the Judaic side and the financial aspects of the school and I was taking care of the general studies side and the procedural and administrative aspects of the school. You had staff working for you and I had 2-3 principals to manage our teachers and their day-to-day teaching. While all that education was in process, I was working on leading with you the teachers, staff and students to a level of excellence never previously found in this school. Somewhere over the last year it seems that you made a phase shift in your thinking and rather than following the successful team model that we had going you changed and began to pursue a completely different and outdated control model. You have made this shift in your philosophy poignantly clear by continually telling me it is "my program" and "my vision" and that you hope that "I" can get there and that you are behind me. Unfortunately it doesn't ever seem that you are with me and no matter how good I really am, I can't get the job done alone and I certainly can't get the job done when you as Headmaster undermine my leadership role.

In contrast, I look at it as our school, our vision, our approach to success and our staff. If someone needed teaching strategies and that someone was on the Judaic side of the house, it was always my pleasure to help.

Yes, that was then and this is now, and people and circumstances have both changed. However, what doesn't change is the requirement and the expectation that we have the courage to do the right thing together. As leaders, our challenge is to provide the environment that keeps people motivated to continuously improve our educational results. Unfortunately, while I find the current situation unacceptable and counter productive, I know what we had and that we can work together very well and will endeavor to help us re-find that team approach -for the credit for succeeding lies in our school-wide team and not in any one of us.

You and I are looking forward to a new school year rapidly approaching and a fresh start one filled with mutual respect, hard work and fun (yes I have fun at education because I love it). However, I not only look forward to the 2005-2006 school year but I look forward to many, many years after that. While I believe in you and I believe in myself, I too must come to know that you believe in me and not question and challenge my every action. Your last series of e-mails has again caused me dismay and thus for hopefully the last time, I will respond in a direct fashion in hopes that you will come to understand that we are supposed to be the leadership team. Yes, I know and have always known that my focus is on general studies education but success cannot be reached without taking care of all educational aspects. So, for the last time, let me be direct with you so that I can as of Monday, focus on general studies leadership and stop wasting time with minutia.

Yes, I did feel that your email was sharp, even caustic, and most of all, unwarranted. As I have told you before, I know exactly what my position is, and I am continually working on it. I have definitely, to quote you: "internalized the key points" of this job. It is funny that you write: "when you come in to begin your new academic year, after a break, that you are able to come with clarity and focus." What do you think I have been doing over this break? I have spent significant portions of July on curriculum development, staffing and working on creating a schedule. Once I shared it with you and Roi, additional changes were made and I had to re work it again. Then Roi, after speaking with you needed a time block for the HJS teachers, and asked to move the Mincha period, and therefore, I had to re work the schedule again and again to accommodate you both. This small change caused a change in schedule for EVERY teacher. This was hours and hours of work. You call this a break from work? I don't.! You want me to be prepared to discuss the curriculum and its implementation on Aug 8 - when did you expect me to do this work? I have spent the last 2 weeks at home working on and refining the Middle School Course of Study? If I didn't do it on my break, how else could we be prepared to present this to Morey? I have spent 4 days of my vacation in the office interviewing for teachers? Is that in my job description to give up 4 days of vacation? Am I supposed to spend my entire break thinking about and working on school work? Do you also notice that I ALWAYS use the term "we" and you always use the term "I "or "you." Why is that? I thought we were a team.

It is very interesting to note that when I speak with you personally, you are friendly and almost make me believe that we are a team. Then, by email you send me this type of letter. You are trying to constantly micro manage me? You are constantly following me up and checking on me like I am a child? Sara Escobar called me, and asked me why you had called her about her job. She said to me," Doesn't he believe you when you share with him the information that you and I have discussed." (meaning: her only teaching 4 periods after the baby, returning after the baby etc.) Your failure to display support for me with the teachers and staff is creating a hostile work environment and making it doubly hard for me to do my job. You must stop sabotaging my relationship with my teachers by allowing them to run to you any time they choose to complain! Over the last 6 months, you have made my life and my job very stressful - to the point of over the top.

I wrote you an email at the end of the school year, in June, that addressed the word "team" and "working together." You make me feel that I am out there on the limb all by myself, without you, Morey, and the lay leadership. You should be supporting all of my efforts, giving me suggestions, brainstorming with me, instead of tearing me down, and constantly questioning me. Everyone of you should be working WITH me to pull this radical change off rather than pointing at me and seeing if I can succeed on my own. Leadership is about collaboration, and working together, and delegating jobs that need doing , and doing whatever it takes to get the job done etc. I feel that I am working on curriculum, and my objectives are not being supported and pushed by you. I should not be the sole proprietor of the curriculum vision for school excellence; the more visionary, reflective, and passionate "the team" is, the more likely our school's performance will improve and move to the next level. Through development of goals, objectives, and strategies, the SHARED vision can be realized in part, revisited often, and revamped as needed. You need to be supportive of helping me move Hillel to the next level. A vision is great, but moving a vision from concept to practice is the formulation of the day to day instructional goals (what is taught and how it is taught) and objectives. This is part of my role.

I give more than 100% of my efforts, and a major part of my life to Hillel. My life revolves around Hillel. Do I have my priorities in the wrong order? I have taken Hillel on as my own and it is my school too, and I want it to be the best it can be. All you do is criticize, and constantly tell me to focus on my task - like a child has to be told over and over. I am not a child, I would appreciate it if you stop treating me like one. It would be nice if you said one kind word once in a while. Everyone needs a positive comment.

You wrote in your email, that the game plan is only as strong as the weakest link. Here, your week link in the Middle School is Rita W. I have told you that over and over again throughout most of last year that she had to go because she was not up to date with teaching strategies and techniques, nor was she creative or exciting, and making this shift in curriculum was not something, she can do. -and I have told you this many times as well. However, since she was a member of the community, 'rolled,' you wouldn't allow us to let her go. So, we are stuck this year and we will have to make the best of it. As I wrote to you in my other email, I will not make her lesson plans for her, but I will mentor, guide and assist her in her efforts to teach what is expected. She needs to be willing to put in the extra effort and plan and collaborate with her colleagues.

I am a principal/director in the core of my soul, and as such I DO SEE THE "BIGGER PICTURE." You seem to not want me to see the bigger picture of Hillel in all of its aspects. I see all of the things that need doing, I see all of the organizational needs of the teachers, students, and school, I see the need for a conference room, and the need for getting certain things accomplished before the school opens. You want me to wear blinders, I will! You want to pigeon hole me into just doing curriculum, and not looking at the bigger picture, I will. In the 34 years of being an educator, I have never had a headmaster tell me not to mention or discuss things, or do things that have to be done, in order to have a well running school. Every time I speak with you about a concern, or send you an email about a suggestion on an organizational topic, you file it into your memory bank, and then throw it back at me when you write a harsh email to me You seem to want to build a case against me. You need to start convincing me that you and I are on the same team because right now I certainly don't feel that way. You need to have the confidence in me that I will get the job done, and stop following me up, and questioning my teachers about things that I have already shared with you.

I will definitely only do the things that are in my contract, and job description, and no more. That way, you will see that I have "clarity, and focus."

I do believe that educating our students is more than just ONE focus. It is multi-faceted and branches out as do branches from a tree trunk. I will simply be one branch of the tree. I too, must be very straight and forward with you, as well as honest. Since you seem to want to have total control over everything in the school, and don't seem to totally trust your "administrative team" to accomplish their goals, I will list for you some of the things that I have been doing ,but are now on your plate. I will not be doing these things now. They are not relevant to my contract, but need getting done. In that way, I am "letting you know, and putting into your radar" items of concern...

On November 22, 2005, Nancy Fields emails Rabbi Sufrin:

Rabbi, I am again sending this email in the spirit of accommodating teacher concerns, and working together for the benefit of Hillel. I thought all day about the email that you sent to me this morning, and at first I decided not to reply at all, but after thinking about it all night, I feel that a reply is necessary in order to set the record straight.

My goal at being at Hillel is to accelerate the academic performance of the students, and that is happening!! The data proves that- in the number of students that have now qualified for the gifted programs. Now - in response to your points:

1. I do not spin anything. I tell it like it is, perhaps not with enough subtlety, but I am honest, forthcoming, and always truthful. I do not play games. I am still at a loss to understand why a small group of teachers have your ear, and why you are not taking the time to hear what the majority of teachers have to say. Last week when a teacher called a teacher that had been in the small meeting, and asked why she wasn't invited to this meeting, the response was that she was purposely not invited, and was told that the issue at hand didn't pertain to her. The teacher replied, "How do you know?" and the answer was, "We know. You have a different relationship with Nancy."

It would be interesting for you to hear what the rest of the teachers have to say. It is obvious from what you shared that they didn't say anything that couldn't have been said in front of me. I do take offense in your comment, " …you are not accomplishing your goals per your contract and your directives.." I am most definitely accomplishing my goals per my contract, and if your perception is that I am not, then that certainly needs a face to face meeting immediately. I have shared with you over and over again in Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov etc. about how unhappy I am working in a school that has a hostile environment with a board president that doesn't speak to me, a director of operations that doesn't acknowledge my presence, and a headmaster that doesn't support me. Yes, these are MY perceptions. I have asked you over and over again to support me, but you don't stand with me regularly. If teachers want a meeting, we should do it together, and speak with one voice.

In reference to the items in section 1. You said that none of them deal with curriculum except the mapping. I disagree totally. Lesson plans are curriculum, teachers send out monthly letters about curriculum/ what is being taught is curriculum, bulletin boards reflect current curriculum, Hillel Happenings blurbs discuss what goes on in the classroom, and it reflects curriculum. You are right, Rosh Chodesh is not curriculum. I will be happy to give it over to Rabbi Zadok this month, since it is not GS curriculum.

You mentioned that the H/JS teachers are more overwhelmed with work than the GS, and yet their morale is fine. Sure it is, you are in charge of them, and they have no one higher up to run and complain to. GS run to you if they don't like what I would like to see happening with instruction, and I feel that you work to placate them rather than supporting me. Are you saying that the morale of this specific complaining group of teachers is low? Perhaps, but you haven't heard from all of the teachers, so you can't generalize that morale is low for the GS. Remember, when we don't speak with one voice we cause confusion.

Item #2; I ask questions on lesson plans when I don't understand what is being written, nor understand if there is continuity to them. I ask only specific teachers to clarify their objectives, strategies, and assessments when all I see is page numbers of what the children need to do, and numbers of questions to answer without the purpose for the questioning or what skills are being taught. It is oddly strange that most of the teachers have no problem at all in sharing objectives, strategies, and types of evaluations in their plans. In fact, I not only note a variety of strategies when I see them, I circle them on the plans, and write specific comments. I take a lot of time to review plans, and comment on them. And although this small group of teachers complains that they don't understand me or why I write questions, you know they will complain about anything. I totally agree with you that plans need to come in. But I am no longer going to nag them about it. After almost 3 years, don't you think that teachers shouldn't have to be run after. I specifically wrote in the email to you that I will continue to be in the classrooms monitoring activities.- even if I don't get their plans in- in a timely fashion. Personally, 3 years of chasing has resulted from us trying to be overtly accommodating to the whining of the vocal minority.

It is interesting that you heard those teachers say that "my comments are not clear." --did you respond that perhaps their plans were not clear!! I need you to back me 100%, and I definitely feel that you do not. This is my perception.

You are definitely correct when you stated that "you should not micro manage me." I really needed that small group of staff to convey to me, not you, their concerns, (paper overload, questions on plans, etc.) We would have, and could have worked through them together. But knowing that they can run to you and go around me, allows them to have a powerful feeling and undermine our plans and progress.

Item #3: I wrote in my email to you that I will continue to give the teachers "high value" articles, but try to give it 1 time a month. Why respond to me that "if you feel that this method of giving many hand outs is effective - 3-4 times a week, that is your prerogative, and I am sure you have the research to back it up." I guess you missed what I had written.

On teachers coming to you: I am not a department chair, and if you feel that I am, we really need to discuss the definition of department chair. None of the teachers that attended your meeting ever brought up the idea about paper over load - in any of our staff meetings.. I constantly ask in staff meeting about concerns, issues, questions, observations etc. Perhaps they don't want to share in a large group, but you must advise them to talk with me. Did they discuss any of the positives of continuous staff development, learning in staff meetings about one or two new instructional strategies, the thought of teachers going into other teachers to observe each other trying new strategies, the offer over and over again of me asking to help model lessons, modeling of grouping for instruction or anything else? I doubt it.

In addition, as I discussed with you, there is a marked SPLIT in the staff, and even with the instructional assistants. I want the staff to work as a team and as one, but there are certain people that derail that concept and we will need to discuss this.

In reference to Florette. I again must reiterate, she is in your court with reference to everything unless I get backing on your part. You said that you would address her after the CAIS report - fine. To answer your question, - I do not have the same issues with Lori. Lori has found it difficult to make the change to grouping, but she is getting there, and she is willing to try it at least in some part. That is a step in the right direction. I feel that Florette is not willing to even take a look at what she is doing, and only complains about Open Court and how much she dislikes it. She feels empowered by your reactions.

You should have never let Florette raise her voice at me in the meeting where I walked out. I had asked her several times to chat together since she had returned, and she told me that she was busy with CAIS, which of course I understood. In the email that I wrote and never sent to Florette, I shared with you about exactly what transpired in our very brief conversation. But I will reiterate it again for you very briefly. She came into my office all upset with the letter from the Title I people, and asked why she received it. I explained to her that since Title I was a Federal program, the Title I teachers were required to go through our ERB results, and pull out names of students that scored below the 50%tile in comprehension. Since Title I in our school works with only 5-8 grade students, her son D. was not eligible for it in previous years and if Roz hadn't worked with him, then I assumed that he was staying afloat. I pulled out my book of ERB scores, and together we saw that D. scored a 17%ile in comprehension. I then told her that the Title I teachers tested all of the students whose names they had, and if they felt they needed support, a letter was sent home- not by me, but by the Title I teachers. That is how she got the letter. She then explained that D. had not gotten help from Roz, in the past, and that she had and has a tutor for him. I told her that the 5th grade teachers had nothing to do with the Title I teachers getting D.'s name, and sending the letter. This is a Federal program, and if we want to continue to receive funds, we must follow the protocol! I told her that if having a tutor is working for him, that was fine with me. It is solely the obligation of the Title I teachers to notify families of the need for support - plain and simple. And I am being blamed for choosing her child for Title I!! I can't believe this, and I can't believe that you didn't counter this idea when she shared this information with you. Parent or teacher feedback is not the issue here- the federal program is. On another note, -It is really too bad that she won't accept help for her child when it is clearly needed and offered. But that is strictly her choice.

You are right, Florette's issues with me go way back. She still blames me for Beth Hollander leaving- and harbors resentment and animosity. Why, I do not know or understand. I have never done anything to her, and yet she has tremendous animosity towards me. As she said, "She has taught for 15 years, and……" Well things have changed, and doing the same thing as the past isn't fine anymore. I don't think she likes ANYONE making constructive suggestions, or engaging her in a conversation about HER curriculum. I have worked hard to ingratiate Florette, her dad, and her family. But nothing works with Florette. Everyone of her sisters and her dad are wonderful but she clearly needs to adjust her attitude and stop all of the negativism.

You are incorrect about another thing that you wrote in your email. I never criticized her lesson plans. I asked about pacing. You said in your email why didn't I go in and adjust the pacing while she was away. First of all, she didn't do anyone a favor in writing plans while away. All teachers do it if they want their class to keep moving in the way they like, and she told Crystal that she would write the plans, and all Crystal had to do was follow them. You want to really hear her yell, - all I needed to do, was to make changes in what she wrote out to be taught, and you would really get a "HOW DARE SHE." Florette, doesn't want to hear anything about what to teach, how to teach, pacing etc.,

After our conversation about Title I, I again asked her to set up some time to chat. She again said that she was so busy, and of course I understood. Then before leaving my office, she said, "Why is it so important to talk?" I simply said that we need to talk about pacing a bit, and she again pushed me, and asked why. I said that her class was a bit behind Traci's in pacing, and let's sit down and discuss it. She left my office in a huff, and called an emergency meeting, in which I was to attend. It is interesting that when she wants to meet, I have to jump and be there.

I can not continue in this manner with Florette. She talks about me to other teachers, and spins a web to suit her needs. I need your backing here.

With regard to my last paragraph: I again repeat, that I do want to work together with you and with all teachers. I am and will continue to be the pro- active director of education, and I see the school moving in the right direction. I am certainly accomplishing my goals of my contract. Goals of accelerating student achievement are being accomplished; instruction is moving to a new level; there is grouping within the classrooms for instruction, there is meeting the needs of children, both on the lower end,; as well as with the more able child(middle school teachers are going into the elementary classes to work with reading groups of the more able child); there is differentiating of instruction within the classroom- whether group or whole class; there is collaboration taking place among teachers, and teams of teachers; students are being challenged; there is major growth in all middle school classes now that there is a focus on language arts skills being taught through the content subjects; there are high expectations for students; there are student-led parent teacher conferences where teachers are appreciative that a part of learning has to be the responsibility of the student and the parent; and there is team building happening with most teachers. The "role call" of grade level teams will begin shortly, and that will help promote even more of a collaborative feeling. I will be as sensitive as possible to address the needs and feelings of the teachers but will not sacrifice nor let negative attitudes derail Hillel from accelerating to the next level.

My job is to lead GS educational change. I view your job to be one that overtly supports me so that we can get things accomplished together.

Natalie Amster, a teacher for more than 20 years at Hillel who was disliked by Mr. and Mrs. Joel Englanoff, was fired by Sufrin in 2006. Her father presided over Young Israel of South Beverly Hills. Her husband, Rabbi Amster, teaches at Yavneh Hebrew Academy.

Sufrin and Levovitz say they're getting rid of the bad teachers.

Amster is now at Etz Jacob.

Amy Klein writes in the Oct. 27, 2006 Jewish Journal:

"When we were reviewing our curriculum and program goals three years ago, we wanted to make sure that we were giving a quality level of education to all of our students, and to be able to give everyone a product that would stimulate them and challenge them and increase their own fulfillment in having access to Torah learning," said Rabbi Boruch Sufrin, headmaster of Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy, an elementary school in Beverly Hills.

Sufrin will speak on a panel at the JOFA conference, with a representative from Shalhevet School and others, to be moderated by Julie Gruenbaum Fax, Jewish Journal education editor.

Two years ago, Hillel began teaching Mishna to girls as well as boys in fourth through sixth grades and now girls in seventh and eight grades are learning Gemara.

"As our students are exposed to so much more in their lives and as Jewish education encompasses both genders and so many of our current generation are professionally involved in Jewish life and Torah learning at all levels, there's no reason why both genders should not be exposed to girls learning all aspects of Torah. It gives them a very important key," Sufrin said, adding that that such study helps women understand Bible commentaries and understand areas where everyone agrees they should be involved.

"It also gives them a sense that they have a connection to the entire Torah, and in today's society that's important," he said. "It's not an issue of being equal -- it's an issue of giving them what they deserve."

But most schools have kept Gemara off the curriculum.

More from the Jewish Journal Nov. 26, 2004:

The biggest change is occurring at Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy, where Rabbi Boruch Sufrin, now in his second year as headmaster, introduced a Mishna program for fourth- through sixth-graders where girls and boys have identical curricula.

For now, while the seventh- and eighth-grade boys study Talmud, the girls pursue a halacha tract similar to that at Yavneh and Maimonides, but Sufrin plans to reevaluate that once the Mishna program is firmly established.

From the Jewish Journal March 18, 2005:

Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy hopes eventually to teach all Judaic studies in Hebrew, in addition to having Hebrew-immersion periods every day.

“We feel that if our children receive this at the age of 4 or 5, it will serve as a tremendous foundation for when we begin to teach them more formal Hebrew,” said Rabbi Baruch Sufrin, who heads the school.