In happier timesCrownHeights.info has reported that Mr Shmuel Gurewicz's seminary in Israel, Michlelet Morasha, has closed it's doors only days before the new academic year was due to begin. According to the article this is due to financial difficulties...
I can only imagine how the parents and girls who were planning - and looking forward to - the coming year learning in Yerushalayim are feeling now.
One issue is obviously all the money that has been paid in tuition to the Seminary and in fares to travel there. From the sounds of the letter that was sent to parents they are unlikely to see the tuition refunded anytime soon.
But, from the many comments to the article on CrownHeights.info, one of the main issues is that a number of girls have already left Australia! I can only imagine the distress of the girls who are left stranded in Israel, and on route to Israel, who have nowhere to stay once they arrive.
This is an extremely vexing situation and raises many questions for our community and for the owner of the Seminary. I would say that this is an issue for the new Vaad Ruchni but there is certainly a conflict of interest in this situation.
I hope that the girls all find another seminary for this year - but considering that most of the schools finalised their intake months ago this may be difficult.
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