Associated Hebrew School plans to sell Kamin building in Thornhill
School building will stay open for up to 2 years before re-locating

YorkRegion.com
May 19, 2017
Simone Joseph

Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto has made the decision to sell its Thornhill Kamin branch on Atkinson Avenue, in part because of a drop in enrollment.

“This decision was made after significant deliberation and with a heavy heart,” said Mayeer Pearl, president of the school’s board of directors.

An e-mail was sent to parents Thursday morning.

The Kamin building was built for 750 children, said Rabbi Mark Smiley, head of school.

This schoolyear, 360 students are enrolled. Next year (2017-2018), enrolment is expected to drop to 305, less than half of the students enrolled just five years ago, when the school had 689 students.

Renan Levine and his wife Mira Perry moved from Mississauga to Thornhill in 2015 so they could send their daughter to Associated’s Kamin branch.

This move required them to significantly increase the size of their mortgage since housing prices are higher in Thornhill than Mississauga.

After hearing Thursday’s announcement, Levine is concerned about the future.

“Not just about what our family will do (we also have a toddler), but also what implications there will be for our community. Robbins shut its York Region school a few years ago. Leo Baeck is moving, CHAT (Kimel branch) is closing down. We came to Thornhill because of the presence of these communal institutions. Will families like ours continue to live in Thornhill? Will classmates live a short walk away? Will our housing values take a hit?”

The school’s press release addresses the question of why enrolment is declining.

Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto has made the decision to sell its Thornhill Kamin branch on Atkinson Avenue, in part because of a drop in enrollment.

“This decision was made after significant deliberation and with a heavy heart,” said Mayeer Pearl, president of the school’s board of directors.

An e-mail was sent to parents Thursday morning.

The Kamin building was built for 750 children, said Rabbi Mark Smiley, head of school.

This schoolyear, 360 students are enrolled. Next year (2017-2018), enrolment is expected to drop to 305, less than half of the students enrolled just five years ago, when the school had 689 students.

Renan Levine and his wife Mira Perry moved from Mississauga to Thornhill in 2015 so they could send their daughter to Associated’s Kamin branch.

This move required them to significantly increase the size of their mortgage since housing prices are higher in Thornhill than Mississauga.

After hearing Thursday’s announcement, Levine is concerned about the future.

“Not just about what our family will do (we also have a toddler), but also what implications there will be for our community. Robbins shut its York Region school a few years ago. Leo Baeck is moving, CHAT (Kimel branch) is closing down. We came to Thornhill because of the presence of these communal institutions. Will families like ours continue to live in Thornhill? Will classmates live a short walk away? Will our housing values take a hit?”

The school’s press release addresses the question of why enrolment is declining.