"Basically, we
have a big
problem at the
Yeshiva. The
problem is
finances."

Rabbi Nachman Kahn

Yeshiva Beth Yehudah's Joseph Tannenbaum School for Boys in Southfield.

doesn't haven't enough solid
reserves for tough times like
we're going through now.
"We've faced some real
problems concerning finan-
cial obligations and some
real differences of opinion in
the approach of educational
goals," he said. "If we've
learned anything from this,
it's just how good and profes-
sional our staff is and how
supportive our parents are.
If you were to walk through
the hallways of our schools,
you wouldn't know that all
of this was going on in the
background."
Rabbi Kahn said that even
in the best of times the
Yeshiva has had to live
"hand-to-mouth." He said
during a recession, an organ-
ization such as a yeshiva is
hit hard. Much of the fund-
raising resources come from
the real estate business,
which is a recessionary vic-
tim.
"Basically, we have a big
problem at the Yeshiva,"
Rabbi Kahn said. "The prob-
lem is finances. In 35 years
of doing this, I've seen this
sort of thing before. People
live high on the hog, they get
used to it, and then some-
thing like this comes around
and brings us all back to
reality."

Parents contacted by The
Jewish News were reluctant
to say anything more than
they were pleased with their
children's education, but
concerned over the behind-
the-scenes haggling. At least
one, Ida Kleid, did say that
the extra-curricular school
problems were being felt by
the students.
"My daughter can tell
things are in trouble at the
school," Mrs. Kleid said.
"She came home recently
and said teachers were on
strike again. It turned out
they were just having a
meeting. But last year, she
knew all about the teachers'
strike. Kids are in tune to
this."
Mrs. Kleid believes the
atmosphere at the Yeshiva
is financially unhealthy.
"My only concern is for the
kids," she said. "The only
concern the school should
have right now is the wel-
fare of its students — not all
this politicking about which
administration should have
more power.
"I still don't know which
board of directors is in
charge — the first one, or the
new one that formed after
the first disbanded. Someone
has to pass policy everyone
can adhere to."

The original board of di-
- rectors broke up in August
when they were asked to
rubber stamp a decision by
the Vaad Hachinuch (edu-
cation committee composed
of community rabbis) to
allow more time for religious
studies at the expense of
secular studies. Since then, a
new board of directors, not
officially recognized by the
school's administration,
formed.
All Mrs. Kleid wants is to
know who's in charge.
"There is too much talk
and misinformation in the
community," she said.
"None of this should be."
Rabbi Goldberg added that
the rabbinic committee
wants to make it clear there
are no "bad guys" in this
situation, that everyone's
best interest is for the school
to succeed.

"We're looking for a sense
of peace and of structure
now," he said. "The school is
consistently finding itself in
a situation where it needs
$30,000 by tomorrow, be-
cause it has nothing in re-
serve. By creating a climate
where we _are working
together as a team, we'll
avoid situations like this in
the future."

❑

Rabbi Nachman Kahn: "A hand-to-mouth existence."

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

31

