Disagreements torn by former gym director S. Alichem: complaints about interim manager

Selection for the post of director of Š. Alichem Gymnasium should take place on July 2. 15 minutes Knowledge, there are two candidates, one of them is the current temporary head of the gym.

F. Kukliansky’s influence is emphasized

In the past few months, many complaints have been received about Ruth Reches’ working methods in the gym, details of personal life and relationships with the President of the Jewish Community of Lithuania (LJC) and the Good Compensation Fund. Will for Jewish Religious Communities (Goodwill Foundation). Chairman of the Board Faina Kukliansky, who is her mother.

“Due to the failure of Ruth Reches, the acting director of the Vilnius Sholom Aleichem ORT Gymnasium, with the current position and possible corrupt relationships,” the people who presented themselves as graduates of the Sholom Aleichem ORT Gymnasium wrote a report to the Special Investigation Service and Vilnius City Municipality Administration.

According to them, R. Reches, teacher and interim manager of the gym, “does not fulfill the current position and cannot become the director of the gym, because his personal and non-professional qualities degrade the good name of the gym.”

This letter is as much about the acting director’s personal life as it is about the lack of managerial experience: prior to this position, R.Reches did not work in the head, although he runs the “Shalom” kindergarten, but the latter has not carry out educational activities.

“The experience of your” project manager “in the Vilnius Jewish community raises questions. On 09/15/2015, a fixed-term employment contract was signed between the Vilnius Jewish community, represented by R.Reches’ mother , F. Kukliansky, and R.Reches herself. Work was established for the entire week after 3 pm during the day. Term contract expired on December 31, 2016.

However, the Vilnius Jewish Community Board was not informed of any employees or projects, so this agreement is considered to be fictitious, although a salary was paid under it. Funding for the project comes from the Goodwill Foundation, which is also chaired by R. Reches ‘mother, F. Kukliansky, the report writes on R. Reches’ experience.

F. Kukliansky’s name is also mentioned in connection with the fact that the gym receives funding from both organizations for ongoing projects, so there may be suspicions about possible corrupt relationships by R.Reches. In addition, it is noted that after amending the gym regulations, it was legalized for the Lithuanian Jewish community to delegate its representative to manage the gym.

The complaint is anonymous.

15 minutes The editorial board contacted the individuals who filed this complaint as presenters automatically as graduates at the email address indicated by them, asking to specify which graduates the authors represent and to name at least the names of the representatives. However, in the response we received, this was not done.

“The letter was written by former gymnasium students (whose children now attend gymnasium elementary school). We are united by a gym and honesty. What was written in the letter is known to all parents, teachers, and children. It is obvious to people that this “temporary leadership” is more like depriving a gym in a municipality.

Representative of the LJC in the management of the gymnasium, daughter of the head of the LJC as director of the gymnasium and director of an abandoned kindergarten (rented for a symbolic fee to the LJC without any obligation) in the gymnasium courtyard (responsible to the gym director, that is, himself).

The letter was written by former gymnasium students (whose children now attend gymnasium elementary school). We are united by a gym and honesty.

The gym and kindergarten are funded by the Goodwill Fund (also managed by the mother), and the daughter is responsible for the use of the funds. In fact, the gym was managed by F. Kukliansky. (…) No one would want to talk about it publicly for their children. However, everyone is very tired and they want peace and order to return to the gym, “said the people who introduced themselves as graduates.

“Part of the proven facts”

The graduates’ complaint not only reached the municipality of Vilnius and STT, which was addressed for the first time, but also the Department of Quality of Education and Regional Policy of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports, which urged the municipality to conduct research.

The study was carried out. How 15 minutes informed the municipality, the Vilnius City Municipality Administration identified minor violations:

“By order of the Director of Administration, a Complaints Investigation Commission was formed, which conducted an investigation. It was established that some of the facts presented in the complaints were confirmed, minor violations were identified, that the acting director received instructions to correct and inform the Department of General Education in writing about compliance with the instructions presented. After the Commission’s investigation, the competent unit, the Corruption and Misconduct Unit, was contacted in writing to investigate a possible breach of duty. “

By decree of the mayor of Vilnius Remigijus Šimašius, R. Reches was excluded from “any type of actions and decisions related to the financing of projects implemented by the public institution” Goodwill compensation fund for the real estate of Jewish religious communities ” , i and presentation of applications, implementation of projects, reports on them, etc. any type of participation in the activities of the Lithuanian Jewish community (Litvak), if at least in some way it is related to the activities of the ORT Vilnius Šolomas Aleichem gym ” .

The ordinance also directs R.Reches to instruct Gymnasium Deputy Director Ela Pavinskiene to make decisions about financing Goodwill Fund projects and to consult with the Division of Corruption and Misdemeanor Prevention Administration of the Vilnius City Municipality regarding the second element.

Complaints are seen as a challenge

Acting director of the gym Š. Aleichem 15 minutes it alleged that the small irregularities identified had already been rectified.

“We view complaints as challenges that help us improve and discover new opportunities. All of these minor violations that were identified have been corrected. We do not consider who may have been the initiator of the complaints, this is not a significant circumstance.

Clearly, it is disappointing that man did not come to consult, to discover. We really would have tried to solve the problem: humanity and open contact must always win against any misunderstanding.

However, I felt a certain trend: I worked as a Hebrew teacher in the gym, defended my PhD in psychology, we constantly cooperated with colleagues and parents, but only before the election for the position of gym director did such complaints arise. However, I am optimistic: my education, work experience and existing vision of the gym are in line with the values ​​of the ORT Sholom Aleichem gym. I have always worked hard and will continue to fight for the well-being of this gym, ”said the acting director.

We view any complaint as a challenge to help us improve and discover new opportunities. All of these minor violations that were identified have been corrected.

When asked about relations with the Lithuanian Jewish community and the Goodwill Foundation through his mother, R. Reches said that cooperation with these organizations can only be enjoyed, but that it has nothing to do with their decisions.

“We are a global ORT (English. Impact through education) As part of a network of educational institutions, we adhere to ORT standards and regulations, and constantly increasing gym grades are important to us: We cannot allow personal relationships to be detrimental to work or create opaque and ambiguous. I was appointed Deputy Director Miša Jakobas at that time, after which I became Acting Director.

It is important to note that not only our gym, but also the institutions you mentioned (Jewish Community of Lithuania and Goodwill Compensation Fund for Real Estate of Jewish Religious Communities) have extremely strict corruption prevention and transparency procedures.

Of course, we are pleased that the Jewish school cooperates with the Lithuanian Jewish community and the Goodwill Foundation. However, I have nothing to do with the decisions of these organizations, ”said the acting director.

He also welcomed the desire of teachers to form a union: “I have often said that the establishment of a union at school is a welcome phenomenon for democracy. It was determined by the recently changed environment at school, we are following a more democratic and open path. Every self-respecting institution has a union whose objective is to defend the rights of union members in constructive cooperation with the school administration.

Let’s not forget that we are talking about school. The goal of all of us is to raise an honorable and educated generation, and to achieve this we must know our rights and responsibilities ourselves and defend them honorably. Only by listening to different opinions and participating in their dialogue can the gym grow and improve. “

“Only emotional connection”

F. Kukliansky also denies the influence of himself or his managed organizations on the selection of the gym or its director.

“The founder of the ORT Vilnius Šolomas Aleichem gym is the Vilnius Municipal Council, not the Lithuanian Jewish community (Litvak). The activities of the school are supported by the ORT organization. I do not personally participate in any work and institutional relationship with the school, there is only an emotional connection: the school has a Jewish orientation, my daughter works there, the granddaughter studies.

The school itself and the LJC, which I lead, have been linked by associations for many years, we invite each other to celebrations and carry out various projects. Now the former school principal, Miša Jakobas, was and remains a member of the LJC Council, a member of the Goodwill Foundation Board. I don’t think anyone criticizes the friendship between the LJC and the school.

There are only a few thousand Jews left in Lithuania, the community is small, so there are connections: there are many Jewish children in school, their parents are members of the LJC, they all know each other. Only joint efforts help us preserve Jewish traditions, protect heritage, “said F. Kukliansky.

I do not personally participate in any work or institutional relationship with the school, there is only an emotional connection: the school has a Jewish orientation, my daughter works there, the granddaughter studies.

He hinted at disagreements in the community.

Ela Pavinskienė, Š deputy director of non-formal education. Alichem Gymnasium, also talks about the lack of tension in school lately.

She herself has written at least several complaints to the Vilnius City Municipality regarding the working methods of the director of the temporary gymnasium. One of the complaints is about R. Reches’ decisions and actions in organizing the work of the Child Welfare Commission.

E.Pavinskienė claims that he participated in the work of this commission until March, but did not agree with the opinion and methods of the director at the March 1 meeting. Three days later, he says he received an order from acting director R.Reches about the Vilnius Š gym. Alichem in 2020. Approval of the new composition of the Child Welfare Commission, of which it learns that since 2020 January 6 It is not a member of the commission.

Consequently, as E. Pavinskienė is convinced, she participated in the meetings as a stranger for two months, which is not allowed.

“There are many problems. The situation is very tense. To my knowledge, not one or two teachers promise to leave school, just like children, those who would like to study in a Jewish school doubt if it is worth studying here because only the name of that Jewish school remains. As a national school, it seems to me that it will soon cease to exist. ” 15 minutes E.Pavinskienė said.

The deputy director is convinced that perhaps not everything here is directly related to the acting director, but is really related to the conflicts between the Lithuanian Jews, taking into account the disagreements between a part of the community and F. Kukliansky, the president of the LJC.

As far as I know, not one or two teachers promise to drop out of school, the children also leave, those who wish to study in a Jewish school doubt whether it is worth studying here, said E. Pavinskienė.

E.Pavinskienė herself claims to have experienced pressure from the interim manager and says she has received no response from the municipality to her complaints.