10 Responses

1. This is indeed vey tragic.
   In these hard times when people have to cut back,there is simply too much duplication.
   The purpose of the yeshivas is to educate our children,not to provide jobs for people and not to build fancy costly structures

2. This is not so good. It’s the second time this year a cheder closed down. Something has to be done to financially support chadorim.

3. What can I say but “Shame on you Toronto”

   It is pathetic that there are so many g’virim that could single-handedly have supported this Yeshiva, whom I know for a fact support out-of-town Mosdos/Organizations.

   “SUPPORT YOUR OWN COMMUNITY FIRST”

4. Rabbi Kamenetzky is A Tzaddik and is totally moser nefesh for Talmidim – it’s a shame that Toronto Ba’alei Batim and gevirim have allowed this to happen. Hatzlacha Rabbah to Rabbi K and all the other Rebbeim.

5. While it is a shame that this school had to close down, there are obviously too many spots available in Toronto and not enough students to fill the space. Running a building for 100 students is not economically feasible in today’s climate. The article states that most of the students have been absorbed by other schools, meaning that many of them have space available. Do not mislead yourselves – this is the tip of the iceberg. More closures will follow. Amalgamation is the only way to ensure the survival of many of these smaller schools.

6. Kol Hakavod!

   Yes! I say Kol Hakavod for closing the school. There are other schools who are struguling and DON’T pay their teachers and Rabeyim, they owe them alot of money – they should close too. It is not fair for the teachers. This Yeshiva Ketana in Toronto has the guts to admit that we have no money and we are NOT going to make their teachers suffer any longer and just keep on promising to pay

7. 1. TTT is not a yeshiva ketana. It is an elementary school cheder.
   2. The reason it was so small is because it has a different mehalach than the regular chadorim. It follows the Zilberman shita.

8. I’ve been following the chinuch scene in Toronto for quite some time now. This was the ONLY Cheder in town which catered to the needs of Ba’al Teshuva families and B’nei Torah who wanted their children nurtured in a total Torah environment free of media influence, commercial professional sports obsession, and adherence to the strictest standards of Tznius. There were Sefardim, Ashkenazim, Chasidim, Misnagdim, Gayrim and many single parents. That is probably why Rabbi Kamenetsky accepted accepted the position of Menahel. I once heard him say at a Tehillim gathering for women that his Zaidy, Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky, ZT”L NEVER differentiated between classes of Jews and always encouraged a unified blend of the diverse communities within Klall Yisrael. And that is what existed in the TTT. As diverse as they all were, they listened to the Da’aas Torah of the Rabanei Ha’ir, Harav Moshe Mordechai Lowy, and the the Rosh Kollel Harav Shlomo Miller who were emphatic about the need for this school to survive and thrive with the support of what is known to be one of the wealthiest communities in North America. In fact they both went out to campaign and raise money for the school. When Baalei Batim do not heed the feelings and wishes of their leaders and Rabbonim and insist that since it’s their money they will decide which school is necessary, it is quite frightening. It is a fact that those who feel the school had no right to exist does not even know where the school was located let alone never EVER wished to walk into the school. Others said that these children should learn to get along with the mainstream children. It’s too bad that these affluent commentators do not realize that it is THEY who created an atmosphere in the city that Baalei Teshuva families leading very modest lifestyles were labeled and taunted by other children and families as “not conventional” and of another “class” of Yidden. The only school that embraced these families and students was the local community day school. They are to be commended for it. But let us realize that it is from this school that these families originally came. However, when their boys began growing up these parents wished to have their children educated in an English speaking Yeshiva/Cheder atmosphere. Yet they were made to feel “labeled” and unwelcome in every other school. At that time the well established Day School graciously offered to create for them a “Cheder” track under the banner of the “Derech Maharal” but their Rabbonim felt that once the children would reach the upper grades a rift and cultural divide would be created between the two tracks of the day school. Sure enough they were right. In fact the Machlokes in that day school between the “Classic Track” and the Mahara”l track has created terrible friction among the administration, parents and students. Every one of the families of the TTT completely submitted themselves to the P’sak of those Poskim and Rabbonim who are brought most of the decisions of “Major Importance” in the city. Had they said to close the school every parent would have submitted with no doubt. I was told that at the parent meeting where the closure was announced by the Chairman of the Board, there was NOT ONE negative comment or finger pointed in blame. Later when the Rosh Kollel, Rabbi Miller arrived to give Divrei Chizuk, NOT ONE PERSON expressed resentment or anger. The fact that Baalei Batim could comment in such a negative way is the biggest proof that the city was in need of a chinuch institution which would be loyal to Da’as Torah to the extent of Lo Sasur.. “Afilu omrim al hayemin shehoo smole.”
   It’s too bad that many of these “opinionated” benefactors have invested millions of dollars into opening the eyes of thousands of unaffiliated young college kids to come close to Torah but when they build their families in a very serious way and want to follow the Torahdikeh lifestyle of their mentors they feel abandoned. These supporters of Beginners Yeshivos have not educated their communities and children to accept these families and children into their schools. Instead, they resent their determination and perseverance and want them to settle for a community day school where there has to be flexibility and “open-mindedness” regarding media, Tznius, mixed social events, and other issues that are universally accepted as non negotiable in virtually every cheder and Yeshiva Ketana. Unfortunately despite strict guidelines in many other mosdos there are many who are not adhering 100% to the standards. That was not the case with TTT. We have a number of very close friends (we have daughters) Baalei Teshuva and FFB who were parents there. They were thrilled with the Torah Ruach throughout the school and its families. They commented that they had NEVER seen in ANY parent a compromise on Tznius or place emphasis on trendy styles or materialistic pursuits.
   Enough said. What’s done is done. But certainly no one has the right to put the blame on the victims.

9. no kidding they couldnt afford it, 100 students and 30 facukty is a 1:3 ratio !!! that doesnt even include food, building cost, water, gas, electric! no kidding

10. #8–It would seem that the baalei batim saw things differently, but they should not be attacked for their decision where to give tzedakah, as long as they are already supporting other mosdos. If these children felt unwelcome in other schools means there is a problem with the schools, not the people who didn’t want to support it. If anything a school that caters to BTs, all that does is solidify the BT aspect about these people. Maybe some effort should be spent on teaching tolerance for other Jews, rather than catering to the sensitivities of one group