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January 29, 1999/12 Shevat 5759, Vol. 51, No. 18
School, temple boards approve Beth Israel move
LOU HIRSH
Contributing Editor
The boards of directors of Solomon Schechter Day School and Temple Beth Israel this week approved a lease agreement that clears the way for the school's move to temple facilities, where it is slated to operate as an independent community day school, beginning with the 1999-2000 academic year.
The school's board voted in December to end its affiliation with the Conservative movement's Solomon Schechter Day School Association, effective July 1, 1999. Officials at the school and the Reform temple in Scottsdale had held discussions on a possible move for several weeks before that vote.
Under the lease agreement, approved in concept by the Beth Israel board of directors at its Monday, Jan. 25, meeting, the school would lease space in the temple's existing education building and also make use of its playground facilities. Temple President Herman Lewkowitz said use of classrooms and other scheduling issues have been worked out to the satisfaction of both parties. The pact approved by the Beth Israel board was then passed by the school's board for consideration at its meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 26.
Schechter board President Judy Laufer reported onWednesday, Jan. 27, that the legal review still to be done amounts to "dotting the i's and crossing the t's," but for the most part, the school's move is basically "a done deal."
Laufer said the school's board is planning an informational meeting for parents, designed to give families additional details on the changeover and answer any questions they may have. Call 944-6179 for details.
Laufer said that the parent meeting is among efforts the school board is undertaking to assuage concerns, which have been expressed by parents and community leaders since discussions on the move began last year, that the process was moving too fast and without enough input from the community.
Laufer noted, however, that testimony at the Jan. 26 board meeting, which was attended by about 60 parents, indicated to the board that a significant portion of the school community backs the planned changeover.
But several parents who were among those at the meeting told Jewish News they are upset over the pending loss of a local Conservative institution. In addition to parents, those expressing concerns about these issues at Tuesday's meeting included Barbara Gereboff, the school's principal.
Parent Marc Kelman, who attended the meeting and has been involved with the institution for the past 10 years, called the planned move "a real tragedy for the community." Kelman's wife, Ellen, is a former president of the Schechter board.
Former Schechter board President Marv Glazer, whose family was among the first to have children enrolled at the school, said in a statement faxed to the Jewish News, that "the Schechter school is being asked to sell off part of its heritage in order to make the move to the Beth Israel campus."
The school currently leases space at Conservative Beth El Congregation in Phoenix, where it will remain through the end of the current academic year.
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