Yeshivah-Beth Rivkah - is there a future?

My post about Yeshivah-Beth Rivkah Colleges and the many problems that we as parents have with the schools has caused a lot of comment and a number of suggestions. In the less than 3 days since it appeared there have been over 1500 visits to this blog and 162 comments on this particular post. While this is gratifying to me personally, the main point is that there is a general discontent with the Lubavitch administration in Melbourne (the PTB = "powers that be") in general and YBR Colleges in particular.

I would like to make some important points before I continue.
· Personal attacks on the PTB or individuals are counter productive. If you are serious about change and improvement it has to be approached in a menchlich manner. We all know the truth of what "Maven" said here but we must rise above their tactics.
· Chabad in Melbourne is not corrupt, the PTB are not corrupt they are a group of well meaning people who, on the whole, are dedicated to Chabad and the Yeshivah Centre. The fact that the system needs a complete reorganisation and overhaul is the point that we must get across to them.
· Melbourne Lubavitch is not the only institution in the city with problems. Look at the Caulfield shul situation. Mizrachi and Adass have their problems (Adass, being like Yeshivah, sweeps them under the carpet). Kollel Beis HaTalmud have had their issues in the past. We are not unique as Lubavitchers and we feel the problems with our mosod deeply.
· The school is not always 100% to blame for problems with our children. The comment by "Bloke" (here) put the valid argument that parents have to take responsibility in all ways for their behaviour and that of their children. Where the school is to blame is in the way they deal with problem children.
· While there are, obviously, many children who thrive in the schools this often appears to be despite the education system rather than because of it.


The time is overdue for change. Not change for the sake of change but change because of the problems that are endemic in our organisations. Unlike some commenters here I believe that the PTB will take notice if enough people complain in a calm and rational way (bedarkei noam ubedarkei sholom). They may not do anything but they will take notice.

In my mind there are two ways to go about it. From within by organising meetings with the PTB and communal meeting to discuss the correct way it should be run. From without by giving up on the Yeshivah Centre conglomerate and forming our own schools.

With regard to changing the school there have been a number comments. Some from "Plotter" here which summarises the main issues. "Trying to be Constructive" wrote lucidly about organising a meeting here and the way in which we should approach the PTB.
The problems of lack of financial accountability and the non-democratic way the executive is appointed would be amongst the first issues to be tackled. If it ever came about that there were elections for a committees that would be a major start to revamping the schools.

But, when one looks at the way the Yeshivah Centre has been run over the last 20-30 years it would appear that there is no way that change will happen from within. When the PTB feel personally threatened by well meaning comments and suggestions for improvement it becomes virtually impossible to effect change. The only way to get anything done in Melbourne these days is to be independent - whether it is by starting your own Chabad House or new school. What is needed is money - and lots of it! I know very little about running a school but imagine that it is like any business. Rent, salaries etc etc cost big bucks. A school would need either one or more wealthy people who would sponsor it and/or a number of committed parents who would dig deep to support it until it got off the ground.
I feel that there are many talented teachers who would "jump ship" if there were a better alternative than YBR in town. As someone mentioned there is no shortage of young people looking for jobs in chinuch and other Jewish areas.


Talk is cheap - but it is a start. What is needed now are level headed and down-to-earth people to get together and organise. I am prepared to use this email address as a start (aussieecho@gmail.com) or if someone else is prepared to step forward as an organiser kol hakavod! It will take a lot of intestinal fortitude but will be worth it when we see schools turning out frum, chassidish children.