SHABBAT
AT WAWA
WILD WEATHER
Performance artist mixes Shabbat
and the beloved convenience store.

JANUARY 24, 2019 / SHEVAT 18, 5779
PAGE 19
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM — WHAT IT MEANS TO BE JEWISH IN PHILADELPHIA —
$1.00 OF NOTE
LOCAL Jews Continue
Women’s March
Participation Despite national
controversy, interest
remains high.

Page 4
LOCAL Film Reminds Us
to Never Forget
Who Will Write Our
History addresses
Holocaust impact.

Page 6
ISRAEL Local Boy
Injured in Israel.

Community rallies
to aid his family.

Page 8
Volume 239
000 Number 41 0
Published Weekly Since 1887
Barrack Board to
No Longer
Recognize Union
SELAH MAYA ZIGHELBOIM | JE STAFF
THE FUTURE OF Jack M. Barrack
Hebrew Academy’s teachers union, Local
3505, is in jeopardy following a Dec. 4
meeting between the union and school
board representatives.

According to a joint statement, the
board informed the school that it would
withdraw recognition of the union when
its current contract expires in August. It
is a decision, the board said, that will best
serve the school’s mission, but the decision
could also weaken the teachers’ ability to
negotiate benefi ts.

Th e Dec. 4 joint statement from the
board and union — signed by board
President George Gordon, board First Vice
President Howard Treatman and union
co-Presidents Minna Ziskind and Hannah
Soff er — summarized the meeting.

“On Dec. 4, 2018, representatives of
the Board of Directors of Jack M. Barrack
Hebrew Academy and its teacher’s union,
Artist rendering of the mikvah room
Photos provided
Plans for Center City
Mikvah Move Forward
SELAH MAYA ZIGHELBOIM | JE STAFF
WHEN ASKED HOW long the Mai
Shalva-Center City Community Mikvah
has been in the works, Rabbi Menachem
Schmidt’s answer is simple.

“Oy,” he said. “Th at gets an oy.”
Schmidt has tried to bring a mikvah to
Center City for a decade. Technical chal-
lenges have stalled the project more than
once. Th ey’ve had to switch architects and
change the design, but the mikvah’s con-
tract has fi nally been signed and plans are
moving forward.

“It’s a miracle we’ve made it this far,”
Schmidt said, estimating completion
within nine months. “We have some time,
thank God. Th is should be a catalyst
See Barrack, Page 14
See Mikvah, Page 15
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