Rabbi Dr. Effie Kleinberg
Tech Support (and former Administrator and Judaic Studies Teacher)
“But Rabbi it’s a school tradition!” The number of times I have heard this refrain in my years as a teacher, administrator, and educational leader are too numerous to count. My wonderful students would say, “Why do you guys always have to take away the fun things?”, or “c’mon, the program will bring out school spirit and unity!” To be quite honest, during these interactions with students, nostalgia of certain activities I fondly recall from my days in school was awoken and occasionally brought a smile to my face. I support school traditions; I probably even had a hand in starting some of them when I was a student at Yeshivat Or Chaim.
I have witnessed and experienced school traditions that facilitate school spirit, unity, and fun, such as colour war or weekend retreats. However, I have learned over the years that not everything we called a ‘tradition’ was equal or acceptable. Sometimes these activities were really a code or cover for inappropriate behaviours that incorporated elements of bullying, hazing, invasion of privacy, mockery, lashon hara (evil speech), and even violence. One such example that comes to mind is a ‘tradition’ entitled “freshman initiation.” This practice was certainly not unique to Or Chaim, but it was a traumatizing experience for myself and many of my friends. To spare the reader the details, multiple lines of what many people would consider decent human behaviour were crossed, and in some cases personal humiliation, damage to personal items, and exposure to inappropriate content occurred. From what I have heard about other schools and colleges, these ‘traditions’ at Or Chaim were relatively tame, yet I look back with a sense of shame that such behaviour could have occurred. At Bnei Akiva Schools, these ‘traditions’ and many others were thankfully eliminated years ago.
What motivated these changes? We know that attempts to change a culture can be divisive and such initiatives are never easy. The answer is that Bnei Akiva Schools’ educational philosophy is rooted in the fundamental values of Kol Yisrael areivim zeh lazeh (to be a Jew is to take responsibility for the well being of our fellow Jews), that every human being is created b’tzelem Elokim (in God’s image) and is therefore entitled to kavod habriyot (human dignity). These core principles are articulated in the handbooks of both Or Chaim and Ulpanat Orot, along with the statement that:
“Bnei Akiva Schools considers interpersonal behaviour to be the highest priority in our students’ education. We strive to be a community of teachers, parents, and students who are invested in promoting values and behaviours that demonstrate what is best for the individual and school community as a whole.”
Furthermore, our Staff Handbook is aligned with the Ontario College of Teachers Duty to Report policies. Cultures that permit, or even promote, violations of a person’s dignity, self-worth, or physical or emotional safety, run contrary to Bnei Akiva Schools’ explicit mission to instill the values of communal responsibility and individual dignity. When a person or group marginalizes, threatens, or harms another, those practices must be excised, and positive communal norms must be taught and promoted in their place.
Last week, I read in shock the disturbing multiple reports of alleged gang sexual assault, bullying, and hazing at St. Michael’s College. Since the announcement, multiple students have been arrested by police and expelled by the school, and subsequently, the principal and school president resigned. One opinion piece published in the Globe and Mail written by an older alumnus of the school expressed little shock when the news broke. “My 92-year-old mother… called me last night, horrified and surprised at the news of the alleged violence. I wasn’t – surprised, that is. Horrified, yes, but surprised, no.” After describing elements of the disturbing culture that contributed to the recent assaults, the author exclaimed, “How can I know things haven’t changed after 50 years? Partly it’s because I know how deeply important ‘tradition’ is to St. Mike’s.” When traditions end up causing even temporary harm – or worse, permanent psychological, emotional, or physical damage – they reflect a toxic culture that must be changed.
The lessons of St. Michael’s is that we must always remain vigilant in fostering a safe, healthy and inclusive environment for our students. Bnei Akiva Schools have undergone numerous academic, professional, and cultural changes in the past six years and I have had the pleasure and merit to work alongside Rabbi Seth Grauer and the incredible administration and faculty to lead the school in countless areas of development and growth. One of the areas of focus and tremendous improvement has been in stressing midot (character development) as well as in protecting the physical safety and security of our students. These last few years has seen the implementation of the Rebbe and Religious Guidance Counselor (RGC) programs at our schools, and these programs are developing and delivering curricula around personal responsibility, inclusiveness and appropriate speech as well as other areas relating to our students growth. Security cameras have been installed throughout the buildings, including in all classrooms and hallways, to protect students and promote safety for all. New disciplinary policies were also instituted around inappropriate language and physical interactions of every kind.
One of the highlights, if not the highlight of the school year is the annual schoolwide shabbaton. A weekend spent with friends and teachers away from all the noise and stress of the demanding workload and rush of everyday life providing our students with an opportunity to recharge and reconnect with the magic and ruach of Or Chaim and Ulpana. For many years though, the energy of shabbaton unfortunately also included potentially dangerous activities such as tackle football and carpool wars. The administration even went so far as to eliminate skits because many of the skits were insensitive and hurtful to students and faculty. Ultimately, the administration decided that the shabbaton location needed to be moved from Camp George to the Fern Resort in part to ensure that new and exciting programs could be introduced along with a new feel, new culture and new traditions.
Changes at Ulpana and Or Chaim weren’t limited though to schoolwide shabbatons. The school put an end to the annual Rosh Chodesh Adar prank and the schools have made every effort to ensure that all programs are built upon a spirit of growth, unity, and community building.
In the face of to-be-expected student and sometimes parental opposition to any changes in the status quo, the schools have moved purposefully to protect the dignity and right to a harm-free educational experience for every student and faculty member. The steps and actions taken over the past years are nothing short of remarkable, and although there is work to be done and a constant sense of vigilance that needs to be upheld, there is much to be proud of. There are still areas for growth and I have no doubt that this will continue to be a priority in the years to come.
I am a proud alumnus of and educator at Bnei Akiva Schools, and the values of Kol Yisrael areivim zeh lazeh, b’tzelem Elokim (God’s image) of every individual, and kavod habriyotcontinue to guide and inspire me as I now live out those ideals with my family in Eretz Yisrael. I am forever grateful for the education and experiences that I had as a student and member of the faculty and administration. I am proud of all the changes that I have seen at Bnei Akiva Schools to build and then maintain a culture of respect and dignity for each and every member of the school community, but we must remember that all the stakeholders both within and outside the walls of our schools need to be united in supporting, implementing, and promoting these values. I have no doubt that this will continue to be an area of focus as we continue in our efforts to grow in every way possible.
