Shalhevet, the most left-wing Orthodox day school in Los Angeles, is looking for a new leader.
The founder and current head of the school, Jerry Friedman, is supposed to step down after this school year.
The search committee consists of Friedman, the ubiquitous Gil Graff, David Nimmer, Fiona Chalom (chair, psychologist at USC), Steve Feder, and Jack Slomovic (old-timer, friend of Jerry’s, executor of a major estate gift for non-Orthodox Jewish education).
They’ve interviewed two people already and found them unsatisfactory.
If they don’t find anyone, Jerry will probably stay on.
Rocked by the marijuana brownie scandal of four years ago, there are fewer than 30 students in the school’s 12th grade class. At least 15 members of the 11th and 12th grade opted to go to Santa Monica Community College (and a few to Beverly Hills High). There are almost 60 students in the 9th grade.
Many parents (many in Pico-Robertson) who’d otherwise send their kids to Shalhevet are shipping them to the New Jewish High School in the West Valley. It’s run by Dr. Bruce Powell.
