Schneider is Moriah’s president… again
THE largest Jewish school in Australia has elected a devout Orthodox president a year after its parent body split over the religious direction of the school.
THE largest Jewish school in Australia has elected a devout Orthodox president a year after its parent body split over the religious direction of the school.
Mark Schneider, who was president of Moriah College from 2005 to 2008 and then handed over to Roger Kaye, was elected president again last week after Kaye stepped down.
“As far as I’m aware there hasn’t been an ex-president who has come back, but if I didn’t want to do the job I wouldn’t have said yes,” Schneider said.
He said it was unusual but it happened because he first became the president at such a young age.
“I joined the board in 1994 when I was relatively young, 29, and I progressed through the ranks to become president. While most president’s children have left the school by the end of their term, I still have two, including one in the primary school.”
At last year’s annual meeting, a rival board failed in its bid to overturn the incumbent board, arguing the school had lost its Jewish direction and had focused too much on secular studies.
A year later, Schneider said he believed that the controversy had passed.
“I think there was a little bit of angst at the last AGM, but I think in the past 12 months the outgoing board, led by Roger, has done a lot of good work and that has been shown by the fact that there was no contested election this year,” he said.
“I think the heat has disappeared out of that issue and I plan to allow the school to continue moving in the same direction it has, with some refinements or adjustments, because Moriah is a successful organisation.”
Kaye said he was proud of the Moriah board’s achievements in his three years as president.
He listed appointing Kim Fillingham as the school’s chief executive, purchasing the property in Queens Park for $27 million and establishing the Moriah Foundation, among the school’s achievement under his leadership.
He paid tribute to his entire board and the Lowy family, who were “game changers” and helped the school to thrive.
JOSHUA LEVI
Mark Schneider (left) has taken over as president of Australia’s largest Jewish school from Roger Kaye (right).
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