Yeshiva Darchei Torah (Far Rockaway)

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. 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. Jeffrey Bessen (May 16, 2018). "Showing off Yeshiva Darchei Torah: Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos visits Far Rockaway school". Long Island Herald.
  6. 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. "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.

40.596807°N 73.751635°W / 40.596807; -73.751635

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