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Speaking Out of School

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By Avi Frier - FJN Publisher

A standing room only crowd filled the Broward School Board meeting room Tuesday to sound off on the latest School Board vote affecting the Ben Gamla Charter School, scheduled to open next month. While some in attendance seemed disappointed to learn that the vote would have little effect on whether or not the Hebrew language charter school would open at all, many stuck around just to have their opinions heard.

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The Ben Gamla school was already approved by the School Board early this year; Tuesday’s vote was merely scheduled for the purpose of amending two clauses of the school’s contract with the Board: its curriculum for middle school and its primary location.

The proposed curriculum change (a switch from the NETA Hebrew curriculum, which School Board staff felt contained too much religious symbolism, to the Hayesod curriculum, which has already been approved by the state and has been previously used to teach Hebrew at Hollywood Hills High School) was made to allay concerns regarding separation of church and state, which have been voiced since the school’s charter was approved in March.

The change of location was required due to the unexpectedly high enrollment the school has already attracted, even before opening its doors. The Hallandale location originally planned for the school could only accommodate 200 students; school officials expect the proposed Hollywood location to be ready in August to accommodate 432 students, and say that once upgrades to the building are complete, it will be able to hold as many as 600 students. They requested that the Hallandale location remain available to them for spillover, if needed during the retrofitting period.

After three hours of discussion, with School Board members, parents, organization heads, and other concerned citizens speaking emotionally both in favor of and in opposition to the existence of a Hebrew charter school, both proposals passed by votes of 8-1.

Church & State Concerns

Susan Onori, the county’s coordinator for charter schools, assured the Board that she had assembled a monitoring team that would watch out for any violations of the Constitutional law mandating separation of church and state. Onori told the Board that the school would be monitored to ensure that subject matters were limited to Hebrew language, history, and culture, with no teaching of Jewish religion. But District 6 Board Member Phyllis Hope expressed concerns over the need for such measures.

"I hate to have to monitor one school more than any other for this," Hope said. "If we’re okay with this, we’ll have to be okay with Christian, Muslim, and Buddhist groups wanting to do the same thing. I don’t want to start going down the road of picking which is the right religion."

But Interim Superintendent James Notter told Hope that monitoring is the same in all 55 of the county’s charter schools, and that Ben Gamla would not be treated differently than any other.

And Board Chair, District 2 member Beverly Gallagher, reminded Hope that the teaching of Hebrew was not necessarily synonymous with the teaching of Judaism.

"Just because a school teaches Latin, that doesn’t mean they’ll be teaching Catholicism also," Gallagher said, sparking the first of several outbursts of applause from the gathered crowd. "Monitoring is to ensure they are keeping to all of our standards, not just to make sure they aren’t teaching religion."

But the most vocal in opposition to the school was District 1 Board Member Eleanor Sobel.

"My older brother learned Hebrew in a [public] high school in New York, and I was originally excited about this one," Sobel said. "But your principal is an Orthodox rabbi, and your original location was going to be a synagogue. You’ve brought this [controversy] on yourselves by dressing your school in religion! The only way we can know what’s really going on is if we have a mole in your school!"

A further concern was raised by Hope after she read from the Hebrew language book intended for use with the Hayesod curriculum.

"Challah is bread eaten by Jews on Shabbat and holidays," Hope read. "I don’t like these religious overtones."

The audience speaks

Gallagher reminded board members that the purpose of the vote was not to decide whether or not the school would open. "We’ve already approved the charter. If we all vote 9-0 against the school’s proposal today, all we’ll be doing is reverting back to the original curriculum and their original location."

Upon hearing this, some audience members left the meeting, but others stepped up to the podium to express their views.

Ivan Reich, an attorney at Becker & Poliakoff, and Vice Chair of the David Posnack Hebrew Day School, posed the question of why parents were sending their kids to the school.

"Is it because they want Hebrew?" Reich asked. "If so, that’s something that can be fixed within the public school system. But if it’s because they want to send their kids to an all Jewish school, we’re facing segregation issues here."

Eric Johnson, who spoke on behalf of his father, Rev. Joe Johnson, Pastor of the Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church in Hallandale, addressed Reich’s concern.

"We have enrolled kids from our church in this school, because we see this school as the best place for them," Johnson announced. "Not all of the kids in this school are Jewish. Now we need to stop all this talk and start focusing on the kids!"

Responding to Hope’s reading from the Hebrew textbook, Dr. Henry Abramson, Dean of Touro College South in Miami and former tenured professor at Florida Atlantic University, said, "Challah is one of about seven Hebrew words for bread. If you omit that one word because of its religious connotation, you could end up with a Ben Gamla graduate attending a one year program in Israel, and when someone offers him Challah, he reaches for the gefilte fish."

Eric Stillman, President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Broward County, urged the Board to carefully monitor the school for church and state violations, pointing out that in a catalog describing one of the Hebrew books to be used by the school, the publisher describes it as a book that will help students properly read the Siddur. Stillman later told the Florida Jewish News that the Federation’s Community Relations Council, which regularly speaks out on church and state issues, had fielded a number of calls from people concerned by the opening of the Ben Gamla school, and that he was at the meeting to make sure their voices would be heard.

Eric Rassbach of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a group that has been providing consulting services to Ben Gamla, told the Board that references to religion and the Bible do not necessarily mean that religion is being taught. Rassbach pointed out that the speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. are fraught with Biblical references; while one would have to quote from the book of Amos to do so, it would not be illegal to teach students King’s "I Have a Dream" speech.

Rabbi Daniel Treiser of Temple Kol Ami Emanu-el in Plantation, whose day school has an enrollment of over 400 students, told the board that it’s not possible to teach Hebrew and Jewish culture without teaching religion. "You will not find a person in the Jewish culture who is not a part of the Jewish religion," Treiser said. "The two are inextricably linked."

But Ben Gamla parents who grew up in Israel disagreed, pointing out that in Israel there are secular and religious schools; of course, Hebrew is taught in both.

Elan Savir, whose children have attended David Posnack Hebrew Day School, and are enrolled in Ben Gamla for the coming year, criticized the people who had spoken out against the school, claiming that their only interest was to protect the tuition dollars their schools stood to lose when students made the switch.

"I’ve spent $38,000 a year just so my kids can learn Hebrew," Savir said. "And now Rabbis are coming to me telling me I shouldn’t pull my kids out of day school because they won’t learn religion in Ben Gamla. I don’t care if they learn religion. I just want them to learn Hebrew!

"We are being held hostage by the religious schools," Savir concluded.

Separating the issues

Once it seemed clear that at least the curriculum component of Ben Gamla’s petition would pass, Sobel moved that the two aspects of their request, the curriculum and the location change, be voted on separately. The motion passed unanimously.

A vote was called on the curriculum, and it passed 8-1, with only Hope voting no. "I don’t like either curriculum," she said.

Sobel then invited Jerry Graziose, the School Board’s Director of Safety, to the podium. Graziose told the board that neither the Hallandale nor the Hollywood location was safe for students. He said that the Hollywood location in particular was a problem because the building is three stories high, which required that it be equipped with sprinkler systems. The building did not have sprinklers, Graziose said, and probably would not have them in time for the opening of the school.

But former congressman Peter Deutsch, one of the school’s founders and pro-bono counsel for the school, told board members that he was confident the building would indeed be ready in time for the start of the school year.

"We have teachers and staff hired, we have leases signed. Our commitments for this year are already in the millions," Deutsch said. "And our architects are here to tell you that sprinklers can be installed in a one-week time span."

But the architects’ testimony proved unnecessary. Edward Marko, the School Board’s General Counsel, told board members that it is not within their purview to approve or disapprove of a charter school’s location for any reason. This vote was more of a formality, and it would be up to the agencies at the city level to determine whether the school met the physical requirements to receive its Certificate of Occupancy (C.O.).

Onori also pointed out that of the five charter schools approved in March, none of them had yet been awarded a C.O.

The location component of Ben Gamla’s petition passed by a vote of 8-1. Eleanor Sobel voted no.

Some in the crowd speculated that Sobel had moved that the two issues be separated as a last-ditch effort to stand in the charter school’s way. Since the curriculum issue seemed sure to pass, perhaps she thought the location issue might fail, since the buildings weren’t ready to safely house a school. When asked if this was the case, Sobel told the Florida Jewish News, "Possibly."

"I’m in favor of a Hebrew charter school," Sobel said. "I just want it done right."


Posted by Avi Frier - FJN Publisher on 07/27 at 11:36 AM • Hits: 206



Reader Comments

  1. When I read some articles concerning Ben Gamla Charter School, I was very disappointed with Broward County Department of Education.  I am also disappointed to hear that a school who dares to be different and show deference to a culture and people group is being denied an opportunity to achieve their mission statement. I think Ben Gamla Charter School should be allowed to teach Hebrew. Teaching is exposing, introducing and creating an interest to learn more.  If exposing children to a culture and language creates an interest to learn more about that culture, then that is their own decision.  If Harry Potter can be taught in the schools teaching and exposing children to wizzardry, don’t say that these children aren’t learning witchcraft and the like.  That too is a form of religion.  Don’t say that when a teacher or school celebrates Halloween that it’s not religion, yes it is!  I think, I perfer Hebrew, over that stuff.  Or how about when our children learn about the Greeks, the Romans, the Native American Indians, isn’t their gods part of learning about their culture.  I believe if the children can be exposed to other cultures and other religions in other schools why not expose them to the culture and language of the Hebrews.  It is part of our history past and future. I would love my chidren to learn Hebrew and we are not of that faith.  I feel that our schools are raising up a generation of children that do not respect authority, old people, and people of different culture. Perhaps, Ben Gamla Charter School should consier becoming a private school.  Another suggestion is to have all parents who wish to send their students to Ben Gamla, have them sign a wavier stating that they are aware of what is being taught in the school. 

    I am a former teacher now home educator and as far as I can see, the sampling of curriculum being offered besides the Hebrew language looks great!  I know that not everyone can afford to home educate their children and so we do need good schools for our children to attend.  I pray that Ben Gamla will have thier opportunity to teach their students in the way they had planned.  My wishes go out to Ben Gamla Charter School and May God Bless you!


    Posted by Stephanie McLaughlin  on  08/24  at  08:34 AM

  2. The Ben Gamla School is an insult to the taxpayers.  Tax money should only be used on projects for good of the general community and not of any specific group.  If the founders of this school wanted this type of education, they should have raised the money themselves.  The school should be closed.  The founders are self centered and selfish without the concern for the ramifications upon society.


    Posted by Allan  on  08/26  at  01:23 AM

  3. I still think Ben Gamla Charter School has the right to freedom of speech and freedom to assemble even if they teach Hebrew. Yes, my children do not attend private or public school and my tax dollars are still being paid to public education.  I think, my money is being wisely spent if the school system is investing in good quality education that will reach the students not only educationally but the whole being.  Must I remind you that many schools teach Spanish and French only throuhout the whole entire day.  According to my knowledge and memory of teaching days, when students are exposed to a language, it seems to help them to learn the language if they can also learn about the people.  It helps them to identify the unique qualities of that culture. 

    I appreciate your comment but not the idea of closing down the school.  Thanks.

    P.S.  I think that most teachers have the good of our students in mind unfortunately, they have their hands tied up in Educational ramifications.  And yes you are right, our tax dollars need to be better spent rather than tying up educators hands. It’s not fair to our children and our community.


    Posted by Stephanie McLaughlin  on  08/30  at  07:55 PM

  4. Great thing A Charter School. Keep up the good work teach Hebrew. I guess all the Jewish Day Schools are a little nervous. It’s to bad.Peter you are doing a great job. Keep up the good work. You are helping kids that couldn’t afford to learn Hebrew and now they are. Big Mitvah.


    Posted by anon  on  09/01  at  04:37 PM

  5. Stephanie is correct, the public school curriculum celebrates and teaches the customs associated with the Eve of All Hallowed Saints Day (Halloween), Thanksgiving (a Christian holiday), Christmas, New Years Day (which celebrates Jesus’ circumcision), St. Valentines’ Day, St. Patrick’s Day and Easter.
    There does not seem to be any concern of proselytizing religion as long as the religion is Christianity. 

    Children in Public schools will read Greek and Roman mythology, C.S. Lewis and JRR Tolkien (both of whom are Christian theologians and their books are Christian literature written to teach Christian values).

    The problem is not about Ben Gamla teaching aspects of religious culture and possibly even relgious outlook or theology in the public schools. After all, the majority of public schools in the US spend a great deal of time teaching about Christian culture, holidays, customs and outlook.

    The problem that Americans have with a school like Ben Gamla is not about teaching religion in public schools, but it is about teaching a religion that is NOT Christianity in a public school. And of course the possibility that some American children might not be assimilated to Christian culture, thought and practice unless their parents can afford to pay day school tuition which is beyond the means of most Middle Class families.

    America is a Christian country and there is very little tolerance for anyone who is not willing to assimilate to the culture and beliefs of the Christian majority in the country in which we live.

    Just as a historical note, my family is from Morocco, Syria and Turkey. In the Arab countries, the extra taxes paid by Jews not only bought an exemption from the military but also paid for gov’t supported Jewish day schools, courts, Rabbis and synagogues.

    If you think that there is NOT a dhimmi tax in the US, I feel you are mistaken. As Jews we are forced to pay a more double tax in order to exempt our children from being assimilated to Christianity by the “public” schools (please don’t tell me that 12k per year per child in tuition is not more than double taxation) and then on top of that pay for synagogues, Rabbis, mikvot and Jewish courts, not to mention Hatzola, Jewish family services and other social service organizations that aid our communities in a way that does not conflict with our religious beliefs.


    Posted by Renee  on  09/01  at  09:48 PM

  6. Contrary to your opinion that so called “Christian” America has little tolerance for those not wishing to be Christian, I can only wonder where you have been.  My experience has been completely the opposite of yours.  This country has been so giving and open.  If you feel that your children need to be insulated from holidays celebrated in the public schools and by society in general, then you are absolutely free to set up your own schools.  But, these schools must not use public tax funds! It is a case of total hypocrisy to want to avoid assimilation
    in the public schools and then use tax money, which in large part will originate from the Christian community.


    Posted by Allan  on  09/02  at  10:50 AM

  7. There are schools that teach in Spanish, there are schools that teach in Creole.  Why does anybody make an issue from a school teaching in Hebrew?
    It is a free country and there should be total equality to all.  There are many Hebrew speaking students in Broward County and there are many parents who would love their children to be able to learn in their native tongue.
    I understand the tax money Story and pain, but it is also spent on the Spanish programs all over the country.
    Religion should not be a standard in the school program, but should be an elective even as after school option for additional fees to satisfy the needs of many concerned Broward residents that think that religion should not be taught in schools, but prefer to have the money spent on other educational programs like getting kids away from drugs, alcohol and etc.
    It is all about getting kids educated and off the streets.  School needs to be a place for being prepared for the world!  Religion is a great place to learn respect and love for their neighbors and friends.
    People try to keep things in perspective.


    Posted by Jimmy Glass  on  09/20  at  11:38 AM

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