Yeshiva Darchei Torah is a private Orthodox Jewish boys' school in Far Rockaway, Queens, New York, United States.[1]

History

The yeshiva was founded by the late Rabbi Yisroel Bloom ztl[2] and is headed by Rabbi Yaakov Bender, a leader of the Yeshiva-Orthodox community[3] and an award-winning educator.[4]

It has been operating long enough to have parents who graduated from it, including on the board of directors.[5] The Yeshiva celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2023.

The school is growing; a decade after having 1,400 students,[6] it has over 2,500 enrolled students in pre-kindergarten through post-high school seminary.[7] The bais medrash has been described as "large".[5] In early 2019, the yeshiva notified parents that they had recently refinanced their mortgage.[8]

On May 16, 2018, United States Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos became the first high-profile federal government official to visit a yeshiva, which was a two-day visit to Yeshiva Darchei Torah and to another school, a girls’ high school in Manhattan, called Manhattan High School for Girls. The visit was organized by the Agudath Israel of America organization.

Location

Darchei is located at the "site of... a once-world-famous resort."[6] Far Rockaway "flourished in the 1940s but withered... [in the] 1960s" until "a few Jewish families... started the Hebrew Free Loan Society for new home buyers."[9] In 2008 The New York Times wrote that "the area's Orthodox Jewish community... now constitutes a fifth of the 48,344 people" and that Darchei, "with 1,400 students, exceeds Far Rockaway High School in size."[6]

Elementary

The school's lower grades have grade-appropriate studies for both religious and secular subjects, supplemented by a library and a schoolwide literacy program.[5] While most students benefit from the school's STEM offerings,[5] Darchei's "policy of inclusion for some special-needs children"[1] makes its special education wing an important component.[5]

High school

Although the high school curriculum offers nine Advanced Placement classes and Regents exams,[1] it also has "a vocational program for students who are struggling in a traditional academic program."

In June 2019, United States Ambassador to Israel David M. Friedman toured the yeshiva campus, including the Weiss Vocational Center, which had him in awe: "If I were still in yeshiva, I would be running to this very special and educational program, it's really a special thing and a big Kiddush Hashem".[10]

The upper grade unit, which is named Mesivta Chaim Shlomo of Yeshiva Darchei Torah, encourages its students to participate in the science competition that is a part of the Center for Initiatives in Jewish Education[11] (CJIE).[12]

Senior divisions

The school also comprises a post-high school rabbinical college, Beis Medrash Heichal Dovid, and a postgraduate kollel, Kollel Tirtza Devorah, for married scholars.

Student body

Despite the school's Ashkenaz orientation,[1] it serves a growing population of Sephardic families as well, offers a weekly Sephardic minyan (prayer service), and hosts annual visits of a Sephardic sage,[13][14][15] Rav Yaakov Moshe Hillel, who has been visiting Darchei since 2004.[13]

Name

There are other (out of state) institutions using the name Darchei.[16][17][18][19][20]

The words Darchei Torah mean "Paths of Torah."

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Sharon Otterman (May 16, 2018). "DeVos Visits New York Schools, but Not Ones Run by the City". The New York Times.
  2. ↑ "HEARTFELT" (PDF). January 14, 2018.
  3. ↑ "Vaad Roshei Yeshiva of Torah Umesorah".
  4. ↑ "1997 Covenant Foundation Award".
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Jeffrey Bessen (May 16, 2018). "Showing off Yeshiva Darchei Torah: Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos visits Far Rockaway school". Long Island Herald.
  6. 1 2 3 C. J. Hughes (January 27, 2008). "Beaten Down, and Not Only by Nature". The New York Times.
  7. ↑ "Darchei Torah".
  8. ↑ "Gala in Far Rockaway celebrates 'The Darchei Way'". The Jewish Star (New York) (TheJewishStar.com). January 22, 2019. securing the refinance of the Yeshiva's mortgage
  9. ↑ Pam Belluck (June 10, 1996). "Keeping Peace Alive And Tensions Dormant;Diverse Far Rockaway Sees Room For Harmony as Jewish Enclave Grows". The New York Times.
  10. ↑ "VIDEO: Ambassador Friedman Visits Yeshiva Darchei Torah". TheYeshivaWorld.com. June 10, 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  11. ↑ "Darchei Torah Students Shine At Science Competition". 5tJt.com (Five Towns Jewish Times). May 18, 2018.
  12. ↑ David Gonzalez (October 13, 1994). "American Jews Focus on Preserving Their Identity; A New Gift of $15 Million for Graduate Studies in Jewish Education Should Help". The New York Times.
  13. 1 2 "Sephardic sage visits Darchei". The Jewish Star (New York) (TheJewishStar.com). February 1, 2017.
  14. ↑ current age: 78 years. Sage: Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers), 5:25 (.. 50, 60, 70 ..)
  15. ↑ "Rav Yaakov Moshe Hillel Inspires Talmidim At Darchei". 5tJt.com (Five Towns Jewish Times). January 23, 2014.
  16. ↑ Yeshiva Darchei Torah, Manchester, United Kingdom
  17. ↑ "Yeshiva's healthy attitude winning global admirers". October 7, 2016.
  18. ↑ Yeshiva Darchei Torah, Southfield, MI
  19. ↑ "Yeshivas Darchei Torah in Southfield, MI". December 23, 2013. all-girls ... 376 students in grades PK, K-12
  20. ↑ "Yeshivas Darchei Torah School for Boys". FrumMichigan.com.

40°35′49″N 73°45′06″W / 40.596807°N 73.751635°W / 40.596807; -73.751635

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