Concerned Parents of Yeshivat Or Chaim/Ulpanat Orot Schools (Toronto)

“The mission of Yeshivat Or Chaim and the Ulpanat Orot is to develop outstanding Bnei and Bnot Torah who are immersed in Talmud Torah. ”

The above mandate(from the school's web site) forms the basis for a group of concerned parents that include current, past, and prospective parents and alumni who have unified to present our views about the future direction of the schools to the Board of Directors and Executive. We are requesting the opportunity for a representative group of up to (10) ten parents to present these views to the school’s decision-makers before any final decisions are made with regards to senior staffing and administrative changes. We represent the stakeholders and as such, expect our voices to be heard.

We are cognizant of the current Board of Directors and Executive bodies that are in place and have confidence in this structure; however, we requeset the opportunity for the parent body to be heard before any final decisions are made at the board of directors level, which we believe, may detrimentally affect the schools in both the short and long terms.

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OUR PLATFORM
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1. We agree that Rabbi Gemara, who has been the Rosh HaYeshiva and spiritual leader for many years, is a vital part of the school’s future. His love of Israel and limudei kodesh are crucial to the future success of the schools. He has influenced and continues to influence the students in a positive way, and is a role model for Torah values. Many parents have chosen to send their children to the schools expressly because of Rabbi Gemara’s presence.

We recognize that the Rosh HaYeshiva is a complex role that influences the “heart beat” of the schools. The responsibilities are many, and we acknowledge that Rabbi Gemara needs administrative support to fulfill these responsibilities, and to best serve the institution. We request that this support be provided to him to allow him to succeed and at the same time, permit the schools to evolve in the right direction.

2. We are asking for more transparency of the board’s decisions and of any hiring processes to ensure that the parent stakeholders understand the rationale of these decisions and that more frequent communication be tabled as to the status of these initiatives. We feel that the current communication strategy has been inadequate and has raised more questions and uncertainty than anything else. We believe if this continues, it will adversely affect the reputation of the schools and thus, the future viability of the schools due to decreased enrollment.

We understand that the staffing issues are confidential; however, we must have the opportunity to meet with a quorum of 10 Directors from the Board of Directors to voice our concerns regarding the future of the schools based on the steps taken thus far.

We are requesting the opportunity for a representative group of up to (10) ten parents to present these views to the school’s decision-makers before any final decisions are made with regards to senior staffing and administrative changes.

Please sign this petition to show the Board and Executive that the parents are united on this issue and as stakeholders, expect our voices to be heard.