Former She’arim principal Kathy Manoim said the school is “sorely missed. A year later, one appreciates what it stood for and what a wonderful service it provided.”

The unfortunate end of She’arim due to financial issues resurfaced in conversations last week following the demise of Rabbi Joseph Kelman, rabbi emeritus of Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda synagogue, who founded the school almost 20 years ago together with the late Rabbis Irwin Witty and Sheldon Steinberg.

Rabbi Kelman’s commitment to Jewish education and other opportunities for learning challenged children and adults was extraordinary and his accomplishments on their behalf have left a proud legacy from which the community will continue to benefit.

The closing of She’arim, however, “hurt him terribly,” Rabbi Kelman’s brother said in his eulogy.

According to parent Iska Preter, “they closed a system that was working very well.”

She’arim parent Leora Stoll told the Jewish Tribune:

“As I sat at Rabbi Kelman’s funeral, I felt that no one in this community has stepped up to the plate to fill his shoes with regards to She’arim-profiled children.”
When the closing of the school was finalized, representatives of the revamped Board of Jewish Education – re-named Mercaz, which in turn is being restructured following the economic downturn – pledged not to ignore the needs of learning disabled children, and they instituted an integrated approach. Depending on the grade level, She’arim students (grades 3-8) attended classes at Associated Hebrew Schools’ Kamin branch, Netivot Hatorah Day School and CHAT’s Wallenberg campus.

The arrangement is continuing for the coming school year, although that decision was not finalized until recently and parents had to deal with months of uncertainty regarding their children’s education.

Stoll commended the excellence and professionalism exhibited by the Associated educational staff, including sensitivity to each family’s religious needs, and she feels fortunate that her child is close to graduating. She worries, however, about children currently in non-host Jewish Day Schools, particularly in the lower grades, who may be experiencing difficulty, as there is currently “zero intake” from other schools. Several other parents of learning-disabled children echoed that sentiment.

In addition, according to concerned parents, at an open meeting a couple of months ago, Jeffrey Springer, campaign director of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, said that other than the current programs for the school year 2009-2010, no funds had been earmarked for these children.

However, CHAT Director of Education Paul Shaviv, who last month received the Max M. Fisher Prize for Jewish Education in the Diaspora and was hired recently to redirect the restructuring of Mercaz, told the Tribune that “UJA Federation is absolutely committed to a Special Needs programme in the local Jewish education system, at both elementary and high school levels and, in addition, provides support in the supplementary school system.” According to Shaviv, “there is no question” of funding not being available after the 2009-2010 school year. Rather, “the question is how that funding is to be spent, which model of provision will be most effective and will give access to the maximum number of children. There are intensive discussions going on to determine the most practical model to service the needs of the children and of the schools.”

Shaviv said they hope to have a plan ready in the fall in order to alleviate parents’ concerns and allow them to make arrangements for the following year.