Melbourne, Australia – Elsternwick Yeshiva School for 325 Students Rejected by Council

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    Proposed Yeshiva Regent St. rejectedMelbourne, Australia – Some star power and an outpouring of opposition to a boys’ school opening in an Elsternwick street had the desired effect for residents.

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    Glen Eira Council last rejected plans for a three-storey Jewish school for 325 primary and secondary students in Regent St.

    The council received 122 objections.

    Before the meeting about 50 protesters from the neighborhood – including singer Kate Ceberano and Rick McKenna, the husband of Kath and Kim’s Gina Riley – voiced their concerns about traffic, noise and security.

    Inside the chamber it was standing room only as councillors voted 7-2 against a planning report recommending a permit be granted.

    Kate Ceberano’s mum, Cherie, said the outcome was “sensational”.

    The large number of people moving through the small street during the proposed hours would have been “unreal”, Mrs Ceberano said.

    The school’s hours were to be from 7am-6pm, six days a week, with some classes finishing at 9.30pm.

    Applicant Network Planning Consultants lodged the plans on behalf of Yesodei Hatorah College, which leases rooms at the Elwood Shul Talmud Torah synagogue in Dickens St.

    Resident David Willis was concerned the issue might now be appealed at VCAT.

    With four schools within 600m, including Caulfield Grammar and St Joesph’s Primary, traffic was already “gridlocked,” he said.

    “Having a school that size on a very small block of land is too intense,” Mr Willis said.

    “To have a fifth school in there was clearly going to create more chaos.”

    Mayor Steven Tang said it was a difficult decision.

    “Everyone wants the best education for their children,” Cr Tang said. “Unfortunately in this instance the proposal didn’t fit with the site.”


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    49 Comments
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    czyrankevic
    czyrankevic
    14 years ago

    it is the same everywhere in monsey uk nj they always come with the same story traffic will become unbearable the noise to loud students running wild urinating.on private property or worse in public overloading the sewew system draining the water supply and so on lets face it its plain hatred for yidden which has recently become more intense and severe and dont forget the pipeline for kj

    langiers dr
    langiers dr
    14 years ago

    What Yeshiva was the going to be?Adas Yisroel,Chabad or Bais Hatalmud affiliated iirc with Lakewood.Anybody know?

    Monsey Man
    Monsey Man
    14 years ago

    Yes, and in Monsey it has become unbearable for everyone else. route 306 is a disaster. it is not fair to impose this on others, but I realize most from that community don’t care what others think.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    The YHT school is unaffiliated with any other institution in town. It fills a need for a “litvishe” type school with emphasis on excellence in both Kodesh and chol studies. This council rejection is a true pity as it is currently bursting at the seams and really needs the new building desperately!

    aussie
    aussie
    14 years ago

    I send my boys to this school.

    The board always predicted this would happen, as the political agendas were obvious from the start. The dispute will now move through legal channels which will have to decide not on the emotional/fears of the locals, but on a legal (town planning) basis. We are hopeful they will succeed I”YH.

    In terms of decisions and policy, it is not officially affilliated with any of the kehillos you mentioned, but Yesodei has children from all of them (Chabad, Adas, Lakewood/Beis Hatalmud) and many other shuls aswell such as Heichal, Shaarei Tefilla and others.

    You would consider it a Litvishe Yeshiva, (The Menahel R Straijcher is originally from Chaim Berlin, as was its previous Menahal R Yisroel Meir Rubinfeld and the original founder R Dovid Noijowitz who is now running Torah Mesorah) but it has Rebbeim ranging from Yeshivish to Belzer to Chabad. We as parents are very happy with its warm environment and the lack of emphasis on labelling any particular group as more chashuv than the other. The new building will allow it to expand to the next level of its development, as the present building is B’H becoming to small.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    When is the school board going to pay what they owe the Elwood Congregation for hosting them in their premises???

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    R Straijcher is a real mentsch, he will persevere.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I am a New Yorker but I have relatives who attend this school, and let me tell you it is awesome! My relative’s kids are miles ahead of mine (who attend right wing but mainstream NY yeshivos) in both Kodesh and chol. Not necessarily in bekius but in depth and clarity they won hands down. And in chol they were doing stuff in elementary that we don’t see in high school! They are doing something right down there and I wish them full hatzlocho with their building. This school seems to be a beacon of hope and normalcy in a Jewish world gone possibly mad!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    My son also goes to this school – and we desperately need new facilities! Where does the council expect the children of the local area to go to school? Caulfield Grammer and all the others in the area are huge, and continue to expand! Perhaps more equality in the allowance of permits for schools to build reasonably sized schools (without the huge ovals and countless other buildings), and then everyone can get a fair go and access to space inside Glen Eira! If only we knew about this ‘protest’ perhaps we could have come out for the other side… And as almost every child is local (as opposed to Caulfield Grammer) plenty of them are within 5 minutes walk from home if Regent St does go ahead, so there won’t be as much traffic as there is around Caulfield Grammer and Grimwade house – not that you see the council doing much about that!

    Ex Aussie
    Ex Aussie
    14 years ago

    Isn’t it sad that the Litvishe Rosh Kollel tries to get his yungerleit to send their children toi the SDatmarer Cheder rather than to this top Mosod!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    My mother lives near both Regent Street and Caulfield Grammar School. I would object to the building of the school in Regen Street as well. The street is a narrow street. With the possibility of the school being in use 6 days a week, the traffic in the area would be impossible. Caulfield Grammar is situated on a main road. The other fact is that the Regent Street school is an overdevelopment of the site. The development is almost all development without little open space for students. Those who say the Caulfield Grammar developments reflect anti semitism on the part of the Glen Eira Council are wrong. The majority of the Jewish councillors voted against the Regent Street school.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    reb dovid a real tzaddik

    ex Melbournian
    ex Melbournian
    14 years ago

    Reb Dovid Shlita is treated alot better here in New York than some Kovod Seekers treated him in Melbourne. I believe the whole board resigned when Reb Dovid left as they couldn’t deal with those Bnei Torah who only cared about their personal interests and egos. Apparently the whole board is now made up of very young inexperienced YES MEN who do not represent the community that founded and funded the Kollel under the leadership and Mesiras Nefesh of Rabbi Noyowitz. Apparently these young fellows are sent out to spread lies and Loshon Hora about anyone that doesn’t tow their party line including some very choshever Yidden and Talmidei Chachomim!

    A school that just starting a few years ago by Reb Dovid (and with alot of opposition of those that were jealous of the kovod Reb Dovid received in recognition of always putting himself last) needs to build for over 300 talmidim is mamash gevaltig. The Torah and Yiddishkewit that Reb Dovid has established is legendary.
    The avlos and agmas nefesh caused by 2-3 families in Melbourne is a disgrace.

    No Seichel
    No Seichel
    14 years ago

    If RBW would spend time running the Kollel rather than picking fights with half the community the kollel would look alot better and his respect wouldn’t be as low as it is. But he is not a clever man.

    Just one example! For RBW to have tried to pasel the Rav of the Melbourne Chabad community from being an Eid Kiddushin due to Chabads Moshiach Campaign is stupid. He should have rather withdrawn himself from Siddur Kiddushin than shame a prominent Rabbi. But then when people threatened to stop giving money RBW suddenly found a different Halacha to reverse his previous psak.

    This ongoing behaviour causes the non religous to treat Rabbonim as a joke!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    The probelm with you Milhouse and the Yesodai Hatorah board is that you think that you are above the laws of the land. Your comment that ” this is an orthodox Jewish site, which means that God’s laws are more important to us than any man-made law” is one of the reasons you wont get a permit in the City of Glen Eira or City of Port Philip and you’ll be thrown out of Elwood Shul. The arrogance you spruik only alienates your community within the Jewish community and the greater community of Melbourne.

    Lakewood
    Lakewood
    14 years ago

    Yesodei was established promising parents that boys will graduate & be able to attend university, something not possible when attending the old and established Charedi Adass school.
    It was strange then and still not understood, how rabbi Nojowitz who was one of the heads of the Lakewood Beth Hatalmud could do this? After all, isn’t the Lakewood shittah that one learns kodesh forever and college is chazir treif? The question has not yet been answered. But the fact that not a single melamed in that school sends his own children there sure says something about it. In the days when R Nojowitz ruled the roost he DEMANDED that kollel members send their sons to this school – which let’s face it includes boys from Mizrachi families, homes with TV etc.

    Some of the yungeleit- rather than accept these orders, picked themselves up and left Melb. Others simply ignored this demand. Meanwhile even melamdim who were imported and hired on condition that they enroll their kids in Yesodei – have quickly withdrawn them and put them into Adass.

    So to all the fans out there, sure, it’s a great school for Mizrachi families and BTs, but for heimish/charedim – no way. RBW was right.

    Lakewood
    Lakewood
    14 years ago

    Reb BW is a Tzaddik as well as a big Talmid Chochom who has many children learning in Eretz Yisroel. The good Doctor has been very kind and generous and has financed his family for many years including paying for numerous Weddings. Reb BW makes no secret that he has HaKoras HaTov to the Doctor and so should he.

    Some are jealous of the close friendship between the Rosh Kollel and his President, but it is a very normal thing for the Rosh Kollel to help his financial backer, as long as he doesn’t hide this fact which he doesn’t.

    The doctor has helped the family of the Rosh Kollel with probably many hundreds of thousands of dollars. The doctor definitely deserves support and Kavod.

    Crown Heights
    Crown Heights
    14 years ago

    Rabbi W needs to publicly apologize from Rabbi Tesner and the Lubavitch Community.

    ISDN
    ISDN
    14 years ago

    i also have the kollel.

    ISDN
    ISDN
    14 years ago

    i go to the kollel every day to learn even though i’m against the new regime cuz i know they cringe everytime they see me walk in. And my chavrusa feels the same way. How we supported the kollel for years and now cuz we where on the “other side” they total ignore us and make up feel unwanted.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    What a disgrace this new regime is, they are a bunch of cowboys who got themselves a new toy called the Kollel to keep themselves entertained. I have such sadness to see such a once great Mosod reduced to tatters.

    Uncle Sam
    Uncle Sam
    14 years ago

    You fellows down under sure have some problems!

    Bubba
    Bubba
    14 years ago

    Why is RBW continuously trying to undermine Yesodei HaTorah?

    current yungerman
    current yungerman
    14 years ago

    we love ezra yes we do and also moishy goldshtick and all the other kollel lovers cuz if not for them kollel would really be boring. Keep up the good work guys!!!!