Hurricane season may be over but a fierce storm is brewing in the Five Towns of Long Island. Just a few minutes away from Brooklyn and Queens, the Five Towns is a nice suburban area where the Orthodox Jewish community, mostly made up of former residents of Brooklyn and Queens, live side by side in unity.
Until Now.
This Tuesday, there will be a vote in the Five Towns for School Board and Library Board. While the Library Board, now under the leadership of Jeff Leb, has been able to quietly select a candidate from the community to run unopposed for the Library Board, the Lawrence School Board and its leadership have been unable to do the same.
As a result, there will be seven candidates running for the three spots for the School Board. What’s even more shocking is that two of these races have frum people from the Five Towns running against each other and engaging in some very dirty campaigning.
How did this happen?
A couple of years ago, the school board, which is made up of 7 Jewish members of the community, 6 of them Orthodox Jewish, decided to close down a school where the student body was dwindling. This school was named the “#6 School.” The #6 School sat vacant for about two years while the School Board, who was responsible for selling the property, entertained several different bids, from real-estate developers, an entertainment center, the local JCC, and a few local Yeshivas.
After reviewing all the bids in closed-door meetings, the school board voted in a contested split-decision, to award the sale of the #6 School to “Simone Development” for $12.5 million. This firm is a real-estate development company that wanted to turn the school into an out-patient medical center.
Many in the community were outraged. They felt that if the school was converted into a medical clinic that would increase traffic and bring strangers from all over Nassau and Suffolk County into the community at all hours of the day and night. Even more shocking, the attorney and representative of Simone Development was none other than Benjamin Weinstock, the Deputy Mayor of the Village of Cedarhurst, and even more importantly, the longtime friend of the School Board President, Dr. Asher Mansdorf.
Conspiracy theories raged throughout the Five Towns. Some people thought that the decision was based on the friendship of Weinstock and Mansdorf. Other people thought that some school board members were biased against some of the yeshivas that wanted to buy the former school due to personal reasons. Some school board members themselves were disgusted by the decision and publicly accused the school board’s leadership of foul play. Fortunately though, for the community, the sale could not be finalized until it was approved by a community vote.
A community organization was formed called the CC5T (Community Coalition of the Five Towns). Under the leadership of millionaire Joshua Schein, the organization bombarded the community with ads and posters urging everyone to vote against this sale. They were successful and the proposal to sell the #6 School to a developer was defeated by a wide 2-1 margin. The community breathed a sigh of relief. The #6 School would have to be put up for bid again and hopefully go to a community organization.
Mr. Schein and the CC5T weren’t finished though. They were outraged with the leadership of the School Board and wanted to make sure they had a voice on the board. So they decided to put up two candidates, both Orthodox Jews from the community, and one of them an existing school-board member, to run in this Tuesday’s election.
The school board leadership had other ideas though. They also put up two frum candidates to run for the seats – against the candidates that the CC5T were running. This ignited the non-Jewish public school community. When they saw that for the first time in 7 years, the frum Jews were at odds with each other, they also put up two candidates to run for the seats. Their hope is that the Jewish vote would be split and their candidates would be able to win the seats on the school board.
Unfortunately, that appears to be what is happening. Rabbonim and other community askonim have tried to get both sides to come together, trying to reach a compromise. Mr. Schein and Dr. Mansdorf were unable to reach a compromise and the Orthodox Jews started running campaigns against each other, attacking their fellow Jews with claims that are not fit to print in this publication.
This Tuesday is a big test for the Orthodox Jewish community in the Five Towns. Will the community unite or will the community divide and set-back the years of progress in the Orthodox Jewish community? Keep your browser tuned to YWN for breaking news and results this week on this important race.
(Dov Gordon – YWN)
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34 Responses
Let them throw mud at one another and the voters decide the issue. Any backroom deal “brokered” by rabbonim will only add to the mistrust. These are public decisions and should be decided in a transparent way.
oyyy givalt
I am not a resident of the Five Towns, and I do not play one on TV. This article tells me little about the substance of the dispute, other than that a piece of real estate formerly used as a school is for sale, and some people oppose a use that would bring people and traffic into the area. That problem is hardly unique to the Five Towns or to the OJ’s (Orthodox Jews). I have the feeling, but no actual facts (which is what I expect from a news report) that there is in unspoken “dog-whistle” message recognizable to some of the players in this dispute that is buried somewhere between the lines of this report.
As for the apparent surprise of the author that there are disagreements among OJ’s, I find that incredible. Who does not know the joke about asking 3 Jews for their opinions and getting 4 answers. Who is unaware of the Hareidi rock-throwers in Israel who object to the tznius compliance of school girls. I am pleased that there apparently has been no rock-throwing in the Five Towns (by OJ’s or others), but please don’t be surprised if there is a disagreement.
Oy, golus…
Although I’m not a resident of the 5Towns, I know that the school board is obligated under State law to accept an offer from the highest bidder for a school property. It is then up to the community to approve or disapprove the sale as the voters did. Although the proposed medical facility would have negativly impacted the community, it was the role of the voters not the school board to oppose it. On this issue the Board acted properly.
take into account of what happened with the demonstration in Israel (second day Yom Tov) What pain Hashem is in
to see his beloved children behaving in such a fashion.
No matter how much Chessed we do it doesn’t erase this.
As a five townser I think that the whole thing is ridiculous. The school was only about saving the building for certain Yeshivas, and it did not make sense for the community as a whole. Here, there are some people running who refuse to meet with the rabbanim as they know that the rabbonim don’t approve of what they are doing, which in reality is just bullying the community with their money.
I am a member of the community and the district and this is NOT a good description of what transpired. This article in itself is inciteful and will cause more harm than good and would serve the community better if it were removed. Poster #5, Yaakov doe has a better perspective and a more accurate accounting of the situation not even knowing the players. THE BOARD had the same obligation to accept the highest bidder as it did with the #1 school situation at which time the religious developer won over other schools and the beautiful but monstrously expensive Regency condos were built in lieu of another Religious school, JCC or even Touro College all of whom were bidding on the property. The author has a very short memory and should have referenced that and compare the two side by side apples to apples which he didn’t. The same thing happened then. The Board accepted the bid and the town voted on it just as they did now. What is different between then and now? Nothing! Why didn’t the author report that????
No one should blame the School Board nor its members for following the rules or the laws for which they are obligated to uphold. Nothing was done behind anyone’s back or to do anyone favors as this article has most offensively implied. The School Board has done what it is supposed to do now and has been doing exactly what it was supposed to do for all the years they have been working so effectively on behalf of our community. Kudos to them for all their unappreciated hard work. WE will continue to support them as we have in the past and will look away from all this false propaganda.
The author would serve the community much better if he would not try to capitalize on the negativity and controversy brewing but use his years of Torah study to minimize the obvious machlokes.
The School Board in the five towns has been doing a much better job then the board in Monsey-Ramapo which is under investigation for every move they make and its a mark of shame for the whole community. Would be a shame for the 5towns to elect people who will follow that path.
You reap what you sow…
I know Dr. Mansdorf personally and if there is a more selfless individual I haven’t met him. I know what he does publicly and some of the good things he does that most people don’t know about. Reading the article I had to laugh. Accusing Dr. Mansdorf of collusion is ludicrous.
The motzi-shem-ra here is blatant and should be disregarded. Most people who read this article are not affected and shouldn’t care. The truth will out (I certainly hope) and if the community is deserving, they will continue to have the services of Dr. Mansdorf. If all they can do is throw mud I just hope the good Doctor can forgive them and keep doing what he does so well.
In fairness to this whole situation, I think both current school board members Should be endorsed – Nachum Marcus and David Sussman and that the orthodox community should also vote for Jesse Lunin-Pack as its only right that at least one representative on the school board should be someone who sends his children to the public schools. This way all factions will have a voice in the new board.
Politics is a dirty business.
Good Jews don’t belong in politics.
The board members mentioned herein as well as the deputy mayor are all upstanding individuals and will weather this storm of unprecedented and malicious hearsay and speculation. It is unfortunate that those who give of themselves to help the community and who have for so many years are now being maligned by those whose accomplishments are none other than to ruin the names of selfless community leaders. None of their accusations have amounted to anything at all. Whether or not those spreading these lies feel justified by having been wronged by a turn of events that they did not feel favored them, they do not have the right to create and perpetuate lies that suit them simply because the school board followed the law. Which by the way, is the right thing to do. And regarding the statement implying that a friendship between two parties was anything more than coincidental in this case, is a blatant and unfounded statement that does not deserve any attention at all. Again, accusations and implications based in no truth other than one that is manufactured. I agree with a previous poster that a removal of this post is in order. It continues to perpetuate the same vicious lies that began this ordeal.
I am a frum Jew who grew up in the 5 Towns in the 60’s and 70’s a time when there were plenty of Jewish families but not many frum ones.. We all went to either the Lawrence public schools or Woodmere Academy. Despite the fact that there were real philosophical and religious differences between the various Shuls and denominations most families got along and socialized with one another not to mention many of our non-Jewish neighbors. Every group was represented on the school board the library board, the PTA etc. Our parents worked for the good of all the children in the area and as a result we had a school system and community to be proud of. It is with great regret and embarrassment that I have followed this story over the last year or so. I am sad that the place that holds so many wonderful memories for me no longer exists and I am embarrassed that the cause of that are members of the frum community whose lack of midos and derech eretz is appalling. How will we ever merit the coming of Moshiach if this sinat chineem is allowed to continue? Please step back and take a good look at your behavior. Is this really what you want to teach you children Is this the face of frumkeit you wish to show the world? Derech Ereth Kadma l’Torah.
For an enlighten people we can be so backward. In this day and age, the rabbonim should not be brokering secret deals for school board seats. Neither should sitting school board members. Only voters are entitled to choose who sits on our elected school board.
Our current school board has really NOT been doing the best possible job. We assumed they were because we didn’t hear of any problems and our tax bills are reasonably low. Now we have learned that we were just being kept in the dark. Problems were kept hidden from us.
Once a trickle starts – a flood usually ensues. So, we are likely to start hearing more and more about how this school board behaves when aren’t watching – and we haven’t been watching for some time. We were too complacent. That’s why I think it’s time for new people and new ideas like Mr. Dov Herman and Rabbi Nachum Marcus.
Deblee: Socializing with non-Jews or irreligious Jews is simply wrong. And can have seriously negative consequences.
YWN, were you paid to post this story? It’s so blatantly one-sided (not to mention outright wrong) that it’s not possible this was a well researched story by a reliable reporter.
Wrong. They have been doing a great job. There are no leaks. They followed the law. The entire platform of the opposing side is basically saying that by following the law the school board didn’t please them. There is really not much else to say.
How did this happen? The answer: Several well-entrenched Orthodox school board members seem to want to split their community’s school election vote.
The reason: They just don’t see eye-to-eye with two frum candidates – one an incumbent Rabbi and the other a small business owner who was first to announce his candidacy.
So school board members handpicked a last-minute candidate to run against the business owner. And they recruited another Orthodox candidate to challenge the six-year incumbent Rabbi who is seeking re-election tomorrow.
By engineering these two ballot contests, the school board has threatened to divide the Orthodox community and jeopardize the progress it has made in the Lawrence School District over the past decade.
Among those errors, the school board used a poorly-defined bidding process; it made too many closed-door decisions about the bids, and it signed a one-sided contract that benefited the healthcare developer instead of their community.
One set of candidates insists that the current school board has an unblemished record and they just want to help it continue on its current course.
The other set has pledged to unify their community and to make the school board more open, transparent and responsive to parents and taxpayers. Tuesday’s election hinges on which slate voters truly believe.
BoroParkBoy – Is that a campaign pitch? There’s really no need for that here. (Most of us are from Bkln anyway.) But tk890 says the board has been doing a great job and you say that they haven’t. Clearly they’ve been doing a much better job than the Monsey school board. Can you tell us specifically what the board is doing wrong?
thank you
Hmmmm, Would it shock you to know that one of the “Boards” two candidates is the sister of the Assistant Superintendent of the East Ramapo School District or Monsey as you call it ? The board also interestingly enough shares the very same attorney with its brothers on the East Ramapo School Board who is responsable for all of the Monsey trouble. So does the Five Towns want to become the next East Ramapo ??? Still think everything is fine ?
More misrepresentation. And more desperate attempts at slinging mud. Not pretty and not nice.
I don’t understand what that has to do with everything you’re saying about the board in lawrence. Can you explain what this board is doing wrong? Your explanation sounds more like a whodunnit mystery.
Boro Park Boy – you dont sound very much like a boro park boy…you sound much more like a cedarhurst boy with a vested interest in this election.
As an outsider looking in, it seems that BoroPark Boy is missing the point. The law is the law, irrespective of the community’s “best interest,” the law must be followed.
Riddle me this Boro park boy – why so vindictive? If it is so important for a “frum” candidate to be elected to a public school board, it only seems logical that it should be someone that the entire community would be proud to support. I am fairly certain that if Webster’s dictionary had a defition of frum, it would not include bitter, ill intending, shameless, motzi shaim ra, lashon haro, chillul hashem, or the like. It does seem that there are two very different sides to this campaign – and irregardless of the issues – it appears to most of the people I have spoken with that only one side is running a dirty campaign – and I get the feeling you are on that side.
Take a hint and head back to boro park…if they will take you.
This whole story is a terrible shame. I just spoke to a friend of mine in Woodmere who says that the negative campaign against the board is all paid for by one person who has personally been very successful in business and has an axe to grind with the board’s president. People don’t understand why anyone would sacrifice so much and cause such a big chillul hashem to make a statement like this.
The LAW is the LAW. Our Lawrence School Board MAY or MAY NOT have actually followed the law. Only their hairdressers know for sure.
Yes, the law says our school board is required to accept the highest bid. However, Simone Healthcare DID NOT make the highest bid for School #6. It was second highest.
The school district was offered $13 million by BDG Development Group who wanted to build a neighborhood health club and leave the ball fields outside the school intact. Simone offered $12.5 million. Without pre-written bidding procedures — the school board went behind closed doors and simply decided to give the deal to Simone. Why?
BDG Development only offered a cash deposit of $250,000 until it had a signed contract with the district. Simone offered a deposit of $1.2 million. So, they passed over the highest bidder and preferring to lose $500,000 in the end. It make you wonder why?
None of us are in a position to ever truly know what really happened here because the current board members scurry behind-closed-doors all the time. That’s the problem when elected officials operate in secret — we can never ever be sure what they REALLY did or do — only what they TELL US they do. So, there is plenty wiggle room for shenanigans to be played.
I’m confused by all of the roundabout suggestions of wrongdoing without ever getting to the point. The only thing that’s for sure is that BoroParkBoy and Bertha are one and the same person with a knack for cooking up conspiracies. So the lawrence board is in cahoots with the monsey board and is plotting behind closed doors to do what? Sounds very intriguing but can you explain why a board would have such sinister plans?
I would imagine that Big Bertha is referring to the unbelievably qualified legal opinion that the board provided from Bingham that explained the logisitics behind the school board decisions. Well it seems that big bertha and boro park boy are in dear need of a quality public school education because their (his/her?) reading skills are wildly subpar. It is very convenient to read only what one wants to see – but the legal opinion clearly states the board’s reasoning for not choosing BDG’s offer. Additionally, Big Bertha writes that the board scurries behing closed door’ all the time…riddle me this – Bertha old pal – how do you know this? Do you attempt to go to meetings, get involved? I have a feeling, well its more than a feeling, that you had absolutely zero interest in school board politics prior to the six school sale – so you would have no idea!
I am sure that you were happy with low taxes, bussing that was not available before this group of board members, books that were not available, services that were unheard of in elementary schools and all of the other countless contributions that this school board has provided the community with. But now, when the school board decides to follow the law, the well defined law, and produces a legal opinion that would not only be accepted in the greater market at large, but would be championed. As I am sure you are not aware because of your apparent ignorance, David Butler is one of the nation’s foremost experts in this field – not long island, not new york, the nation.
Second, to accuse Dr. Mansdorf and the school board of conspiracies is utterly ludicrious. As true members of this community know, Dr. Mansdorf is one of the most, if not the most, selfless people you will ever meet. If you can find a person more devoted and dedicated to the well being of others, most notably this community, please, support his candidacy. Your end of the spectrum, cloaked in malevolent, evil mongering, and almost unfathomably false accusations is most certainly the opposite of what Dr. Mansdorf and the school board represent. SO, boro park boy and big berth old pal – take a second to appreciate what this board has accomplished through years of its tireless and thankless efforts before choosing to champion candidates that certainly don’t exhibit the type of behavior you would like your children to practice. Then again, there is probably some conspiracy by the board members who have worked as hard as they possibly could to provide for this community to organize some sort of secretive membership with the monsey school district. YUP, that makes sense – entirely conceivable.
When the school board announced that one of their members wouldn’t be running for reelection, the CC5T saw it as an opportunity to get a voice on the school board, and decided to endorse a candidate for that position. They also decided to support a candidate for reelection who has been on the board for six years. THEN, the school board decided they didn’t like the proposed new candidate, so they chose to run their own. There’s nothing wrong with endorsing a candidate that they feel is more qualified. But to say that the school board is the victim here is absurd. If they didn’t want the orthodox community to split their votes, they shouldn’t have run an orthodox candidate against the orthodox candidate who was already running. If their priority is not to keep the orthodox community together, and there’s no reason the public school board (whether or not the current members are orthodox) needs to have that as a priority, then may the best man win.
Dear cholentfressers — the easiest answer is: “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” And, no I am not secretly a man (BoroParkBoy). Members of the Lawrence School Board have real problems. Getting elected went to their heads. They forgot that Orthodox parents and Orthodox taxpayers elected them to represent us. We not only have the legal authority – but are obligated in a Democracy – to take away their board seats if they do not fairly and accurate represent us. They DO NOT do that now.
We taxpayers (yes, I own a home, have kids and pay taxes) became complacent. I am guilty of mistakenly believing that other good Orthodox Jews were doing the right thing and taking care of our “public business.” Sadly, they were not. You – cholentfressers and I – and our neighbors and friends, have been deceived.
For example: Our taxes have been low since our community gained control of the school board. There’s good reason — Year after year this school board used money from the district’s “tax reserve fund” (surplus funds) that was built up 7-10 years ago to keep our taxes artificially low. They were living on borrowed time. Time’s up!
That surplus is almost gone. So, these school board members desperate. Why? Because they have to figure out a way to continue to keep taxes artificially low. They MUST sell the Number Six School or they will have to start raising our taxes every year, like they are doing this year.
It sounds like Democracy at its best. There’s certainly nothing wrong with different candidates running for the same position – YES, EVEN FROM THE SAME COMMUNITY. After all, that’s one of the tenets that has made our fine country so prosperous. But the comments above from Bertha and BoroPark are evident of the nastiness that one of the candidates has brought out. From only reading the comments here, I can tell it has been a campaign of insults and twisted facts. That is not Democracy at its best, and is a chillul hashem for the lawrence community.
No ones calling anyone a victim here. Just simply stating facts and correcting the misinformed author of this blog. The school board was justified in each step that they took and acted honorably and respectably. Obviously there are those that will continue to argue this point ad nauseum. May this absurdity end very soon.
Please stop referring to the CC5T as a legitimate organization – it is clear that it is no more than a haphazardly organized hate filled group that spews lies, hatred and chillul hashem in an attempt to mount a campaign spearheaded by a millionaire with an axe to grind. Nowhere within these comments has anyone painted the school board as a victim. There is nothing more telling than candidates who respond to legitimate concerns by entirely avoiding the issues and spewing further hatred. Please, enough, act like the supposed frum jew that you likely claim to be. Realize that these are human beings you are furthering lies against. Realize that these people have never said anything negative about you and your leaders. Realize that these people may have different political views as you, but that does not mean they are out to get you. Realize that your campaign should be political and not personal. Please, realize that if you saw your children acting like you are during a school election, you would be mortified. Please, do not return political disagreement with hatred. Please, it is enough.