SOMETHING IS REALLY ROTTEN AT THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO….PLEASE READ
SOMETHING IS REALLY ROTTEN AT THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO
It is not about political correctness. It is not about gender. It is not only about cronyism at the expense of academics.
Now that the Ivies and other prestige colleges are driving parents to the poorhouse and students to inculcated ignorance we should push good state schools that offer an excellent education at a fraction of the expense.
I personally have recommended some New York State students to the State University of Buffalo which is the most well funded University in the SUNY stable. Furthermore, their syllabus is pretty good and relatively free of cant.
Among the members of the faculty that children and grandchildren of my friends met is a gem named Rachel Lipsky, who taught Hebrew there as Adjunct Instructor of Judaic Studies for 23 years. I particularly wanted them to meet Mrs. Lipsky because of her reputation for excellence coupled with dedication to her subject and students and her outstanding credentials in education. She certainly got glowing reviews from the high school youth and their parents that met her….and that is a tough thing to get from the “cool†crowd of teenagers.
Mrs. Lipsky earned a Master’s degree from UB (1990) and a Bachelor degree from Haifa University (1978) In addition to teaching Hebrew for 23 years at UB Mrs. Lipsky has been a consultant to the Hebrew program at Skidmore College and coaches their instructors of Hebrew since 1989. She also administered the Hebrew program at Williams College for two years and also reviewed and edited the book Modern Hebrew: An Essential Grammar, by Lewis Glinert, Routledge Publishers of London, England.
To cut to the chase now: I learned she was summarily dismissed after 23 years of service, without any cause and replaced by Lilia Dolgopolskaia, the wife of Sergey Dolgopolski, a professor hired by Dr. Richard Cohen, the Director of The Institute of Jewish Thought and Heritage. Dr. Cohen’s stated purpose July 2008 in an interview stated that his “vision for the institute is to focus its activities on ethics—“the high importance of morality and justice as being key to the spiritual inspiration and aspirations of Jews and of all humanity.â€Â He calls these principles – “…one of the core teachings of Judaism over its long and varied history”.
Oh well. I don’t put too much stock in lofty words. The worst perpetrators of injustice always invoke the word justice. Suffice it to say that firing a good teacher to make way for the wife of a professor you just hired is worse than not nice. You could call it unethical.
Mrs. Lipsky has gotten testimonials and letters of support from many notables including Elie Wiesel, Judea Pearl and Chet Nagle as well as former students, colleagues and concerned citizens.
I have a different take on it. I consider the teaching of Hebrew, the language and literature and history to be a sacred task. In the century prior to Israel’s rebirth it is probably safe to say that more people spoke Kalmyc Mongolian than Hebrew. Of course it was the language of Palestine’s Jews, and it was widely read, if not spoken, by religious Jews in the Diaspora. In fact the Jewish people learned the language of almost 100 nations but not their own.
Eliezer Ben-Yehuda (b. Perlman) who was born in Russia in 1858 was determined to restore Hebrew as the spoken language of the Jews just as in the Bible. His tale is epic and inspiring and his motto was “”Israel in its land and its language.”
Today Hebrew is a modern thriving language spoken by all the citizens of Israel, and, an increasing number of young Americans find the study of Hebrew to be the missing link to their faith and heritage.
A teacher who can imbue that in a student is a heroine and her firing with no cause is an unspeakable act.
If you feel so moved, please write to: Dr. Richard Cohen, 810 Clemons Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260. racohen@buffalo.edu
Feel free to copy and paste my note to him.Â
And do send him my regards.
 Thank you,
Ruth King
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