Randolph MA – The superintendent of schools in Randolph is accusing a school committee member of bigoted remarks about his Jewish religion.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
Superintendent Richard Silverman says the comments from Maureen Kenney came during contract negotiations October 23, after he asked for five days bereavement leave if a close family member died.
He says Kenney asked why he would need so many days, and said: “Besides, don’t you Jews plant them within 24 hours?”
Silverman says when he objected, Kenney said: “I don’t see any side curls on your head, so what the hell do you need five days of bereavement leave for?”
Silverman recounted the remarks in a letter to school committee members and a lawyer for the school system. [wpriTV]
To anon 12:27pm (Nov. 9);
Your statement emphasizes my point.
An irreligious person has no right to claim entitlement to something religious if he/she is non-practicing. No different than going to Costco and exoecting to shop there without being a member.
Religious observances are for practicing members. While anyone can eat a piece of Matzoh on Passover, refraining from eating any “leavened” products all 7 days of Passover would be more indicative of an Observant Jew as opposed to one who is just a Ceremony/Holiday Jew who does not observe ALL aspects of religion.
This is not to say that anyone is not entitled to mourn their dead, nor is it to credit the Board Member for not just making an insensitive statement but being downright vulgar about it. I am glad that she resigned her post.
Shavua Tov!
1:40
wat a disgusting comment, you should be ashamed of yourself, then again i guess the superintendant is clearly not as frum as your are. i mean he isnt religious but g-d forbid he should want to try and observe something properly? maybe next time think before you type it might help with the stupid comments
shabbat shalom
O Gevald 4:26PM Same goes for you and the [Mass. Ed Committee member] There are certain aspects of Religion that are [almost] universal. In Marriage, Birth, (Circumcision, etc.) and Death, 99.9% of Jews, even those who are otherwise “Non-Religious” (i.e. non-practicing) adhere to those traditions. Therefore, it was unfair to deny those rights to any employee of the Mass. Ed System.
Randolph, Mass had been a robust Jewish community, albeit not too high on observance. The other towns around also, such as Sharon and Stoughton.
A few decades ago, no one in an administration position would have dreamed of saying such things.
There are many lesbian admininstrators around there. The Jewish areas of Mass. were heavily targeted almost 10 years ago, and its pretty horrible.
According to the Randolph Public Schools website [www.randolph.k12.ma.us/pages/RandolphPS_SchoolComm/members] , Maureen’s e-mail address is
maureenkenney verizon.net .
Just an interesting fact for you to know!
Serious bereavement in the photo!
He asked for bereavement. That doesn’t have anything to do with being Jewish. Everyone should entitled to bereavement time for the loss of a loved one. The answer he got, however, was picking on him for being Jewish. That’s anti-semitism.
Sue the Irish Catholic witch!
To anon 4:02pm;
Seemingly there is stark differences beyond “looks” between the religious and the “irreligious”.
For those who unabashedly wear a Yarmulka all the time and “suffer” and endure the comments of those who are not true “believers”, they can’t understand why those who select which commandments are convenient at the moment for their lifestyle really care about one or another of them. According to the Code of Jewish Law (Shulchan Aruch), one who blasphemes even one of the 613 commandments has abandoned them all, regardless of whether he actually goes through the motions of doing others. To quote a US President, “you’re either with us OR against us” and that can directly be applied to religion as dictated in our Torah and Shulchan Aruch.
So the “bad guy” in the article said it best even though he was wrong to express himself, but how do you expect to entitle yourself to something the religious do when you aren’t openly religious.
It takes one to know one, and therefore if you’re on the other side of the fence you couldn’t grasp any of this.
What sick remarks by the first two posters. I find it hard to believe that the first two posters are true Jews, as one of the signs of being truly Jewish is being merciful and respectful, the children of Abraham.
It’s interesting to note that most large companies have generous bereavement policies in place. They have nothing to do with being Jewish. But they sure are helpful to frum employees who get an unquestioned seven days off for the death of an immediate family member, and three days for a grandparent. This allows not only for levaya and shiva, but for employees to grieve with their families, and return to work after, rather than during the grieving period.
he needs 7 but sabbos & sun. is off anyway.
they should change the towns name which is similiar too Adolph.
He should’ve asked for 7
stop worying about how religous evryone else is worry about yourself thats who you care about anyway
On the one hand he shouldn’t have said those targted, bigoted remarks. But, I too ask, what does he need 5 days for if he is not religious?
Teaches the on-Frum a lesson.
Even the goyim see right through your bluffing claim to be Jewish.
Want to act Jewish? Show it all the time!