Critics say Jared Kushner's Paramus alma mater 'unfairly targeted'

PARAMUS — The Frisch School made national headlines on Wednesday, after a Haaretz.com story broke alleging that the school "encouraged" students to write laudatory letters to President Donald Trump without parents' permission.

Critics, including the heads of local Jewish organizations, say the reports "unfairly target" the private Orthodox Jewish high school, which Jared Kushner graduated from in 1999, and have blown an otherwise private interaction between parents in a Facebook forum out of proportion.

"The school is an asset to the community," said Jason Shames, chief executive officer of the Paramus-based Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey, which the school is a beneficiary agency of. "I think it was unfairly targeted. The reports in the media were political."

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Shames said he was speaking as a "supporter" of the school, and not on behalf of it.

Representatives of The Frisch School, which according to its website is closed to students for winter break until Jan. 29, did not respond to requests for comment. The school's principal, Rabbi Eli Ciner, declined to comment, through an intermediary.

"He does not want to comment any further," said Shames, who spoke with Ciner about the controversy. When he asked Ciner to talk with NorthJersey.com, the principal declined.

According to Haaretz, Rabbi David Sher, the school's director of Israel Education and Advocacy, sent an email on Tuesday to the entire student body asking students who "believe that the president made the right decision" when he recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital to send letters to the White House thanking Trump.

Shames, who confirmed the incident, said the email was sent by Sher on behalf of a student group, the American Israel Student Action Committee. Students are not able to send mass emails to the student body, he added. The student group was basing its request on a broader campaign by NORPAC, a conservative political action committee.

The students were provided with a sample letter they could copy and paste, according to Haaretz.

"President Trump, you have displayed leadership and strength among the nations by formally recognizing Jerusalem as the eternal capital of the State of Israel," the template said, according to the report. "We appreciate your commitment to follow the wishes of the American people and your faithful service as our nation's leader. We are grateful for your unwavering support of Israel, America's greatest ally."

Ciner then sent a follow-up email to students to "more strongly clarify" that the letters were "voluntary," said Shames. About five parents addressed their concerns with the letter campaign to the school, he added.

The incident led to a discussion on a private Facebook forum among parents that was later leaked to Haaretz, said Shames.

In December, Trump broke with decades of U.S. foreign policy and announced the move of the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

"I have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel," Trump said from the White House at the time. "This is nothing more or less than a recognition of reality. It is also the right thing to do. It's something that has to be done."

After Trump's announcement, North Jersey residents with ties to the region said they were fearful that it could spark unrest and unravel any chance for peace. That weekend, hundreds descended to Times Square in protest.