An Experienced
Hand
"Those of us who have been fortunate
enough to be acquainted with Rabbi
Staff Writer
Poker on a more personal level know
that his integrity, warmth, sense of
highly regarded Detroit
humor and honesty, attributes more
educator has taken over the
rare and valuable than diplomas, will
reins at Bais Menachem
indeed serve the Bais Menachem
Academy, a Chabad day
mishpacha well at this
Academy
school serving students in preschool
important point in our development."
through sixth grade.
Rabbi Poker, who also will continue
Rabbi Moshe Polter, 61, has agreed
his private counseling
to fill the post of inter-
practice, was modest
im principal on a part-
about his accomplish-
time basis while the
ments. "My only
school's board of direc-
agenda is to help
tors seeks a permanent
bring the school up to
leader. He replaces
be the best school it
Rabbi •Yitzchok
can be," he said.
Bergstein, who has
Founded five years
accepted the position
ago
with a single
of principal at a newly
class,
Bais Menachem
formed day school in
Academy
now serves
Buffalo Grove, Ill.
76
children
in
A teacher at the
preschool
through
Sally Allen Alexander
sixth grade.
Beth Jacob School for
It has been an
Girls in Oak Park for
unsettled year so far
more than 30 years,
for the school, which
Rabbi Polter returned
has had three different
to school himself at
homes since Aug. 30.
age 55. Last year, he
We were at
received a master's
Shaarey
Zedek, then
degree in guidance
one
of
the
and counseling from
Lubavitcher build-
Wayne State
ings, within a month
University. He has
and a half," Rabbi
written widely about
Bergstein said.
educational strategies
The
rooms
available
at
for working with immigrant groups,
Congregation
Shaarey
Zedek
didn't
and is founder of the Fresh Start
meet
fire
regulations,
he
said,
and the
Counseling Center.
second
site
was
not
large
enough.
Although Bais Menachem Academy
The school is now comfortably set-
is run by the Chabad, or Lubavitch
tled in Congregation Beth Shalom's
movement, the Oak Park school wel-
newly built classroom complex, located
comes Jewish students of other denom-
Rod- in Oak: ark.
at-14601:W
inations, said Rabbi Chaim Bergstein,
te
Pr
choolers
attend
clAss at
,
father of the school's former principal
e05 -
neatkin:cdnter;
located at
and current executive director.
ROad in . West
"We had promised the parents lead-
addition
to classes for
In
Bloomfield.
ership in certain areas, such as deco-
3- and 4-year-olds, Ganeinu also offers
rum, that had to be addressed," Rabbi
' mom-tot classes called Ima and Me.
Bergstein said. "As we go through the
Rabbi Chaim Bergstein defined
search process, we decided to tap our
Bais
Menachem Academy as
local talent for the interim principal.
"Orthodox,
without a label."
"Rabbi Poker is an extremely per-
We
are
modeled
after our award-
sonable man and an outstanding
:winning
sister
school
in PitOnrgh,
teacher. We offered him the position
serves both
foundeciAn . 19.42,
and he graciously decided to accept.
the Orthodox and non-Orthodox. We
In a written announcement, the
hope some day to be like them."
school's board of directors said,
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Bais Menachem
Academy names
Rabbi Moshe
Palter as interim
principal.
: