Rabbi Chaim Axelrod
Maggid Shiur
Rabbi Axelrod began at MTA in 2010. He teaches in the 10th grade Gemara and Tanach Departments, and serves as a cohort advisor in the Yeshiva Fellowship.
Rabbi Axelrod is also an Assistant Rabbi at the Young Israel of New Rochelle. Rabbi Axelrod and his wife, Yael, live in New Rochelle, with their children (Dovi, Akiva, Aharon, Nava, Esti, and Liba).
Rabbi Gary Beitler
Maggid Shiur / Director of Athletics
At YUHSB, Rabbi Beitler serves as a 12th grade Maggid Shiur, and as the Athletic Director of the famed Lions athletics program. He very much enjoys his time and the life long relationships he is able to forge with his talmidim.
Rabbi Beitler resides in Passaic, NJ with his wife and seven children.
Mr. Chanoch Berenson
Biology and Lab
In addition to teaching, Chanokh’s hobbies include cooking (also known as perfecting a Maillard reaction), playing guitar, and reading his biochemistry textbook.
Dr. Edward Berliner
Physics / Math / Director of Honors College
Dr. Berliner earned his BA, MA, MPhil, and PhD from Columbia University, where he completed his thesis research under the guidance of Nobel Laureate, Dr. Leon Lederman. He spent 23 years at Bell Labs, playing central roles as a staff member and as a Director in the fields of fiber optics, mobile/cellular communications, IP telephony, and other areas. He feels privileged, he says, to convey to students his special understanding of these fields and the people who were and are key players.
Ed and Debbie Berliner live in West Orange, N.J. and are the proud parents of three YUHSB alumni sons (Avi, Josh, and Jon), three daughters-in-law (Rachel, Ariella and Leora), three grandsons (Matanel, Lior and Asaf), and three granddaughters (Yakira, Jill and Violet) who never tire of hearing the YUSHB stories around the Shabbat table. When not biking, performing menial tasks around the house, or delving into an eclectic collection of reading material, Ed and Debbie love going to shiurim and traveling. Of note is that the Berliner “men” have bonded while visiting World Series, Super Bowls, the floor of the Grand Canyon, Machu Pichu, Grand Coulee, and a large assortment of train stations and museums on the East Coast (and even farther afield).
Mr. Jacob Bernstein
Jewish History / Mathematics
In addition to teaching Jewish History and Mathematics at YUHSB, Mr. Bernstein has served as Youth Director at the Fifth Avenue Synagogue for the past four years. During the summers, he is Director of Educational Programming at Camp Morasha. He is also a UJA Jewish Professional Graduate Fellow, a Birthright-Israel Educational Fellow, and an AIPAC Leffell Rabbinical Fellow. He lives in Washington Heights with his wife, Penina, and daughter Leora.
Rabbi Mordecai Brownstein
English / College Guidance
Rabbi Brownstein also serves as a College Guidance counselor. Additionally, Rabbi Brownstein is a practicing Rav in Brooklyn and has published Judaic works.
Rabbi Aharon Ciment
Guidance Counselor
Rabbi Ciment was born and raised in Miami Beach, Florida, where he attended the Hebrew Academy of Greater Miami (and became a big Dolphins fan!). He then went on to study in Israel at Yeshivas Ohr Yerushalayim followed by Yeshivas Bais Yisroel. He also studied in Yeshivas Ohr Chaim in Queens, New York.
Currently, Rabbi Ciment is also a member of the faculty of the Stone Bais Midrash (SBMP) Program at Yeshiva University and serves as the rabbi of Congregation Arzei Darom in Teaneck, NJ.
Rabbi Ciment and his wife Rachel have, KA””H five beautiful children.
Rabbi Tanchum Cohen
Maggid Shiur
Rabbi Cohen has co-edited three RIETS journals and contributed nine articles to those and other RIETS annuals. During his years at RIETS, Rabbi Cohen served as scholar-in-residence in communities across the country (including Boca Raton, Detroit, and Los Angeles) and pioneered numerous learning programs for both adults and teens.
More recently, he is the founding rebbi of the Beis Midrash Katan, which affords aspiring bnei torah at YUHSB the opportunity to learn intensely and extensively as members of the YU Beis Midrash. An avid guitarist, Rabbi Cohen and his wife greatly enjoy opening their home (and their cookie jar) to an array of teens. They live with their seven children on the Bergenfield-Teaneck border, where Rabbi Cohen is privileged to assist Rav Yaacov Neuburger at Congregation Beth Abraham.
Mr. Yoni Cohen
Executive Director – Tuition & Budgeting
In addition, Yoni is the Director of Operations at Center for the Jewish Future at YU and oversees the logistical and operational components of the myriad of programs that the CJF runs annually. With a degree in accounting and business administration, Yoni was the Executive Director of Bnos Malka Academy of Queens for eight years and the Executive Director of the Sephardic Congregation of Kew Garden Hills for three years.
He, his wife Tzivia, and four children currently reside in Queens, NY.
Rabbi Eli Cohn
9th Grean Dean/Mashgiach / Maggid Shiur
Rabbi Cohn is also the 9th grade Dean/Mashgiach. In this position he oversees the growth of the freshmen as they transition into high school. Working closely with the faculty, guidance counselors, administration and parents, Rabbi Cohn ensures that each boy is adjusting to the rigors of our academic curriculum, developing as a Ben Torah, and finding a home socially at MTA. He also works together with the Student Activities Office to plan trips and other special events for the 9th grade.
Rabbi Cohn is also a member of the New Teacher Induction Team at YUHSB. In this role, Rabbi Cohn mentors new members of the MTA faculty and helps to run a weekly study group that allows new teachers to tackle the unique challenges they may be facing as they embark on their YUHSB career.
Rabbi Cohn grew up in Hillcrest, New York and is a proud member of the MTA class of 2000. He graduated Yeshiva College summa cum laude and received the department award for excellence in history. He was a member of the Katz Kollel of the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, where he was ordained in 2008. During his final year at RIETS, Rabbi Cohn served as a Teaching Fellow at YUHSB. He also earned his Masters of Arts in Education from Michigan State University.
Previously, Rabbi Cohn was a Night Seder Ram and Coordinator at Yeshivat Har Etzion in Alon Shvut, Israel. While at Har Etzion he was also a fellow in the Yeshiva’s post-collegiate Saks Leadership Program and Assistant Editor of Alei Etzion, the Yeshiva’s English Torah periodical. Rabbi Cohn has also been a member of both the Educational and Programming staffs at Camp Morasha. Rabbi Cohn lives in Bergenfield, NJ with his wife Ilana and their twin sons Zev and Ariel.
Rabbi Netanel Danto
11th Grade Dean/Mashgiach / Maggid Shiur / Director of Yeshiva Fellowship
11th Grade Dean/Mashgiach / Maggid Shiur / Director of Yeshiva Fellowship
ndanto@yuhsb.org
Ext. 6515
After completing his semicha, Rabbi Danto taught for several years at HAFTR Yeshiva High School and was a rebbe and Director of Student Activities at the Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School. Rabbi Danto lives with his family in Passaic, New Jersey.
R. Moshe Dechter
Av Bayit / Halacha
R. Dechter has also worked for HASC and Ohel which provide care for the special needs population. Additionally, over the summer, Moshe served as both Assistant of Educational Programming and Chinuch staff in Camp Morasha.
In addition to his daytime positions, R. Dechter, along with his wife Etana, serve as the Av and Eim Bayit for the high school dormitory students.
Rabbi Baruch Feder
Coordinator of P’tach Program
Rabbi Feder has given many workshops in the Tri-State area on topics within special education for various organizations including the BJE, Torah U’Mesorah and P’TACH. He has given summer teacher’s seminars focusing on meeting each student’s needs in the mainstream classroom. In the P’TACH Program, he expertly identifies the special needs of his students and provides individualized programs for each of them.
Rabbi Ari Federgrun joined YUHSB in 2016 where he teaches in the Julius Wrubel Beis Midrash Katan Bekiyus program. In addition to his role at YUHSB. he is currently a member of the RIETS Wexner Kollel Elyon. Rabbi Federgrun was the Rosh Kollel at the Boca Raton Synagogue Summer Kollel for the past two summers. He has also served as the Rabbinic Intern of the Mount Sinai Jewish Center, and prior to that, he was the Rabbi of the Yeshiva University Rubin Shul. He has also lectured in various communities throughout the country.
After graduating high school, Rabbi Federgrun spent three years at Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh in Israel where he received his Bachelors in Talmudic Literature. He went on to graduate summa cum laude with a degree in psychology from Yeshiva College. Rabbi Federgrun received Semicha from RIETS and studied in the Marcos and Adina Katz Kollel under the leadership of Rabbi Hershel Schachter.
Rabbi Federgrun, his wife, and four children live in Washington Heights near YUHSB.
Outside of the classroom and the laboratory, Mr. Goldberg has combined his interest in Torah and science by becoming a certified shochet and is interested in the study of traditions surrounding the kashrut of bird species. He is also an avid outdoorsman and has spent many summers working as a mountain guide and a wilderness survival instructor. He co-founded and ran a farming program at the Yaalozu Wilderness Program at Camp Dora Golding. He regularly goes hiking and became a member of the Catskill 3500 Club after hiking 39 mountains in Catskill State Park. Mr. Goldberg is excited to serve as a teacher at his alma mater, working with the faculty and students of MTA.
Rabbi Baruch Gopin
Maggid Shiur / Manager of Educational Systems
At YUHSB, Rabbi Gopin serves as an 11th grade Maggid Shiur, and as the Manager of Educational Systems, a role in which he is responsible for maintaining records of daily student attendance. He very much enjoys his time and the life-long relationships he is able to forge with his talmidim.
Rabbi Gopin resides in Clifton , NJ with his wife and family.
Rabbi Jon Green
Dean of Student Life
After High School, Rabbi Green attended Yeshivat Or Dovid, Yeshiva University, Touro College and Yeshiva Shor Yoshuv, where he obtained his rabbinical ordination. He also holds a Masters degree in Educational Leadership from Bellevue University and is a proud graduate of the YU LEAD program.
Rabbi Green looks to Rav Kook, Rabbi Shlomo Freifeld, the Piacsezner Rebbe, and his students to help him become a better educator.
Ms. Haibi holds a B.ED from Seminar Hakibbutzim College of Education in Tel Aviv, Israel where she majored in Science and minored in Jewish Studies/Hebrew Language teaching and Mathematics. She holds certification to teach “Hebrew as a Second/Foreign Language,” from Seminar Hakibbutzim. In addition, she also holds certification for teaching Judaic Studies in the Jewish Educational Systems in the Diaspora. Ms. Haibi holds a M.A. degree from Bar Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel, with a major in Education. Her thesis was entitled: “The influence of metacognitive support during different levels of studying on scientific developmental thinking skills of fourth year students.” Ms. Haibi mentored science teachers for The Ministry of Education in Israel. In addition, she was a summer camp counselor and a Shalicha from the Jewish Agency to summer camps in the United States. She also held several command positions in the Israel Defense Forces.
Ms. Haibi was the recipient of 2014 Regional Grinspoon Award for Excellence in Jewish Education.
Mrs. Hernandez´s classroom is well known for enthusiasm, energy, admiration, enjoyment and fun. She strongly believes in the importance of speaking Spanish in class only after the vocabulary of the lesson is introduced and learned. Some students that want to be further challenged have the opportunity to also read some more advanced Literature short stories.
In her free time, Mrs. Hernandez enjoys spending time with her family. Her husband is a retired firefighter and together they have three children and one granddaughter. Her hobbies include cooking, listening to music, walking on the boardwalk, swimming, reading mastery books and seeing movies. She is very excited and happy to be part of the faculty at YUHSB.
Mr. Elie Hirt
Asst. Dir. of Student Activities & Recruitment
Ms. Samantha Hitt
Executive Assistant
Ms. Samantha Hitt joined the YUHSB staff in 2016 as Executive Assistant supporting the Head of School and Executive Director, and as transportation coordinator. Samantha graduated from New York University with a degree in Media, Culture, and Communications from the Steinhardt School. She spent two semesters in Israel and a semester in Prague, after which she interned at various television shows including Broad City, Wendy Williams, and Mario Batali’s cooking channel. After graduating, she held positions at both Westchester Day School and Park Avenue Synagogue.
She currently lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
Prior to working at YUHSB, she taught Biology at Ramaz, and Math and Biology at The Rashi School in Boston.
Ms. Harris-Linton achieved her Bachelors of Science degree with Distinction in Biology and Jewish Studies from the University of Michigan and her Masters of Arts in Education from Brandeis University, where her thesis was entitled “Creating a Culture of Persistence in Mathematics Learning.” She is currently working towards her Doctoral degree at YU’s Azrieli School of Jewish Education and Administration. She was also chosen to participate in the DeLeT Fellowship (Day School Leadership through Teaching) through which she earned her teaching certification. During the summers, Ms. Harris-Linton continues to challenge herself to learn new things by taking science courses at NYU and City College. Recently, she participated in the ELAI (Education Leadership Advancement Institute) program, sponsored and funded by the Lookstein Center and UJA-Federation of NY allowing her to take on greater roles of leadership.
Ms. HLZacks is on the forefront of innovation in STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) education, frequently attending conferences and presenting on inquiry based learning. She is involved in science education development and serves as a Master Teacher in the Math Science Partnership Program. She is on the board of the STEMTeachersNYC organization where she actively participates in monthly professional development workshops.
Mrs. Merle Huerta
Learning Center
Mrs. Huerta holds a Masters in Instructional Media and Technology from Columbia University Teachers College and is a graduate of the journalism/nonfiction writing program at CUNY’s The Writers Institute. She is also a mother of a blended family of 13 and the wife of a retired army chaplain.
Mr. Joshua Jacoby
Executive Director
In his current capacity, Shuey oversees non-academic areas of the school including marketing, admissions, recruitment, institutional advancement and budgeting.
Prior to his most recent role at MSG, he had served as Freelance Marketing Analyst for the organization and held various internship positions with the Washington Capitals, NY Mets, and Bloomberg Sports, as well as at MSG where he began in their Garden Scholars program.
Shuey also serves as Director of Development at the David Wright Foundation, a non-profit charity founded by NY Mets third-baseman David Wright to support and provide awareness for children’s causes in the NY and Norfolk, VA metropolitan areas.
Shuey earned his BA from Yeshiva University magna cum laude in 2006 and his MBA from the NYU Stern Stern School of Business, where he was designated a Stern Scholar and inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma International Honor Society, in 2011. He also earned his MS in Sports Management from Columbia University in February of 2013.
Rabbi Joshua Kahn
Head of School
Prior to MTA, Rabbi Kahn served as the Associate Principal for Judaic Studies and Dean of Student Life at Torah Academy of Bergen County. He pioneered initiatives like the Senior Mentoring and Beit Midrash Programs and organized community programming and disaster relief missions. In addition, he has brought his classroom expertise to his Gemara and Chumash shiurim. He is known for building strong relationships with students and parents and succeeded in streamlining many administrative processes to make them more intuitive, transparent and effective.
Rabbi Kahn lives in Bergenfield, NJ with him wife, Tamar, and six children.
After receiving his MA in Social Studies education, Mr. Katz taught in both New York City public and independent school before realizing he had a passion for how information is used and organized, which brought him back to school where he earned his MS in Information Science from the University of Michigan.
Rabbi Shimon Kerner
Maggid Shiur
Rabbi Kerner joined the MTA faculty in Sept. 1984, and has taught all grades. When asked what he loves most about teaching, he replies, “”the talmidim here are inquisitive, motivated, and have great all-around personalities.””
Rabbi Kerner lives in New Hempstead, NY with his wife Dena. They have 5 children (including one MTA alumnus who is married). Rabbi Kerner keeps in shape by playing tennis in the summer and racquetball in the winter.
Rabbi Jonathan Kessel
Maggid Shiur / Asst. Dir. Of Athletics
Rabbi Kessel resides in Passaic, NJ with his wife Rachel and his 5 beautiful children: Aryeh, Rivka, Moshe, Avi and Shlomo.
In her spare time, Ms. Klugmann enjoys ice skating, photography, and reading.
Mrs. Harriet Levitt
Special Programs / 9th Grade Dean/ English
She has taught children at U.S. Air Force bases near Oxford, England, and Tampa, Florida, and public school children in Massachusetts, Georgia, and New York City. She has also taught college-level public speaking to U.S. airmen for Florida State University, as well as English and Speech at the Hebrew Academy in Washington.
However, YUHSB has been fortunate to have Mrs. Levitt teaching here for the past quarter century. Mrs. Levitt also serves as the 9th Grade Dean, along with Rabbi Eli Cohn. She has also pioneered inter-yeshiva debating in the New York metropolitan area, and still coordinates and coaches the famous YUHSB debate team. She is currently the chair of the English department. Mrs. Levitt also serves as faculty advisor to “The Academy News,” YUHSB’s student newspaper, to ARISTA, the national honor society, and mentors participants in the American Legion Oratory Contests and the English Speaking Union’s Shakespeare competitions.
Mrs. Levitt also found time to raise three children (one a YUHSB and YU alumnus) and to enjoy seven grandchildren, while putting up with a cantankerous lawyer husband, who serves on the board of Yeshiva College.
Mr. Avi Matanky
Director of Admissions
Prior to his role at YUHSB, Avi spent two years working at Bnei Akiva of the US and Canada as the Director of National Programs.
Mrs. Matiteyahu received her BA in Political Science and Jewish Studies & Philosophy from Bar Ilan University, her MA in Jewish Education/Teaching from Gratz College and attended the
Advanced Professional Development Institute of Project NETA. She also participated in workshops relating to a new curriculum initiative in Hebrew language and culture for Jewish Day Schools, High Schools, and Middle Schools in August 2001 and August 2006.
Mrs. Matiteyahu has been inspiring high school students to learn Hebrew for 20 years and has taught at Akiba Hebrew Academy in Lower Merion, Pennsylvania, and Solomon Schechter High School in New York, New York. She has been teaching in YUHSB since 2007.
Rabbi Baruch Mendelson
Maggid Shiur
Rabbi Mendelson joined the YUHSB faculty in 1996 and has enjoyed teaching the 10th and 11th grade Masmidim (honors) shiur. Rabbi Mendelson was awarded the Caroline and Joseph S. Gruss Life Monument Funds, Inc. and the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Awards for Excellence in Jewish Education from the Board of Jewish Education of Greater New York. Throughout these years, Rabbi Mendelson also served various roles in Camp Mogen Avraham, where he spent 20 summers.
Recently, Rabbi Mendelson has begun publishing his original Torah thoughts in an effort to spread his inspiring ideas to the wider public. This began with the publication of a hard cover book on the Talmud in 2003, entitled “He’aros Kohen Ba’avodaso.” He continued to publish his lectures on Chumash in CD and mp3 format in 2005 and his lectures on Mesilas Yesharim in 2006. He has also spent years serving as the faculty advisor for YUHSB’s weekly Torah publication, “Shema Koleinu,” and for annual Talmud journal “Yagdil Torah.”
In 2005, Rabbi Mendelson, his wife, Jessica, and their children, moved to Brooklyn where he assumed the position of Morah D’asra of Khilah Marine Park. In 2008 he became MTA’s Chess Coach, and joined the Rabbeim staff of Camp Dora Golding. In March 2009 he was honored by YUHSB with the Distinguished Faculty Leadership Award, in 2013 began teaching AP Psychology in YUHSB, and joined the Rebbeim staff of Morsha Kollel for the summers.
Rabbi Mendelson’s enthusiasm for Torah is contagious and many men and women take time out of their busy schedules to attend his many shiurim. Similarly, he has inspired many students over the course of his YUHSB career, maintaining warm and loving relationships with them for decades.
Mrs. Ally Mishkoff
Business Office Administrator
Ally received a bachelor’s degree in business from the YU’s Sy Syms School of Business a Master’s degree in Jewish Education from the Azrieli Graduate School. Ally joins the high school professional staff after four years in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Prior to that role, she spent a year working in the Office of Student Life as Robert M. Beren Presidential Fellow.
Ally, and her husband Eytan (MTA ‘06) live in Kew Garden Hills, NY with their daughter Tamar.
Ms. Newborn is also currently working towards earning her second MA at the Azrieli Graduate School of Education and Administration.
Rabbi Raphael Pearl
Maggid Shiur
Rabbi Pearl began teaching at MTA in 2006. He teaches Talmud and Tanach to the 9th graders, Bekiut to the 10th graders, runs the Torah Bowl team and the Chidon HaTanach program and serves as the Mashgiach to the 10th grade Yeshiva Fellowship. Rabbi Pearl also mentors students of the Azrielli School of Education. Additionally, he’s in charge of the soccer and football intramurals.
During the summer, Rabbi Pearl heads the special needs program in Camp Romimu. He also runs the Queens Flag Football League and is an active member of the Queens Chevra Kadisha.
Rabbi Pearl resides in Kew Gardens, New York with his wife and eight children.
Mr. Michael Plotsker
Director of Educational Technology
When not tinkering with computers and other things technology, Mr. Plotsker can be found swimming, fishing, doing carpentry and reading action adventure and sci-fi novels. He is an avid racquetball and softball player and enjoys tennis and basketball.
Mr. Plotsker resides in West Hempstead with his lovely wife (a Stern graduate), three daughters (two of which are YUHSG students) and one son (a YUHSB student).
Rabbi Shalom Richter
Maggid Shiur/Director of Leadership Institute
Before joining YUHSB, Rabbi Richter was the Associate Principal for Judaic Studies at the Frisch School in Paramus, NJ where he spent 10 years. Rabbi Richter gradated Yeshiva College with a Bachelors in Economics and as a member of the Katz Kollel and the Kollel Elyon.
Rabbi Richter is also the Founding Director of J/Values, a values based curriculum which uses media, Torah sources and peer discussion to help teens deal with issues that challenge them in their own lives. The program has been implemented by both yeshiva day schools and summer camps alike.
Rabbi Richter feels that the reason the daily experience at YUHSB is so invigorating and rewarding for him is due to “the passion of our rebbeim and the openness of our talmidim to learn and engage in growth in Torah and their own spiritual journeys.”
In the past, Rabbi Richter has offered adult educational shiurim in Nach to the New Hempstead, NY community where he lives with his wife and eight children, one who is presently in YUHSB and three who are graduates.
Mrs. Tova Rosenberg
Dir of Hebrew Lang and Special Programs
Mrs. Rosenberg holds a B.A. (Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa) from Washington University in St. Louis in History, Hebrew and Jewish Studies. Her M.A. (with Honors) in European and American History is from St. Louis University. She is accredited by the State of Missouri to teach Hebrew as a foreign language in grades k-12. Mrs. Rosenberg’s coursework towards a PhD is from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
Before joining YUHSB, Mrs. Rosenberg served as Hebrew Language Consultant at the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway and at the Emery/Weiner School in Houston, Texas. She was the Principal of the Yeshiva Academy, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and USDS, Richmond Hill, Ontario. In Israel, in addition, to teaching at the Hakibbutzim College of Education in Tel Aviv, she served as the On-Site Director for Washington University’s Study Abroad Program at Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel. She also coordinated Study Abroad Programs for the Department of Education and Culture of the Jewish Agency.
Mrs. Rosenberg is the recipient of Yeshiva University’s Baumel Faculty Incentive Award in recognition of the “Names, Not Numbers©” Project. At the time, she was the only non-YU faculty member to be so honored.
Ms. Elana Rosengard
Mathematics
Ms. Rosengard has a passion for math education and has previously taught at schools across the country. In the summer months, she enjoys traveling and has explored locations as far away as Australia.
Mr. Ross has worked actively as a singer, vocal coach, composer, arranger, producer and conductor throughout the United States and internationally. He has performed with numerous professional vocal and instrumental ensembles, and his hit single “The Power To Be” was originally featured on the all-star compilation album Voices for Israel in 2003. Since then, he has released two solo albums of original Jewish music, and has toured extensively with his own band, performing in major concerts and events internationally. Mr. Ross also performs with his Jewish wedding band and professional Jewish a cappella group, Shir Soul, at weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs and private parties throughout the United States.
Rabbi Shimon Schenker
Associate Principal
Rabbi Schenker has a B.S. in Management Information Systems from the Sy Syms School of Business of YU, an M.S. in Jewish Education from the Azrieli Graduate School of Education of YU, a Masters in Special Education from Herbert Lehman College CUNY and Rabbinic Ordination from RIETS of YU. He is also trained in the Orton-Gillingam Reading Remediation by the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education.
Rabbi Schenker was the recipient of the Grinspoon-Steinhardt Award for Excellence in Jewish Education in 2013. He delivers Halacha shiurim and teaches chassan classes in Passaic, New Jersey where he lives with wife and family.
Ms. Elissa Schertz
Director of Institutional Advancement
Elissa also served as a project coordinator for NCSY where she created programs and special events for Yeshiva High School students. She organized and ran domestic trips to New Orleans post Hurricane Katrina to help rebuild the community in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity. In addition, she organized and led international trips to Berlin for teen girls to expose them to other Jewish communities and cultures. Elissa was also responsible for the creation of Project Frumway, an annual fashion show for teen girls that helps raise money for NCSY.
Rabbi Mayer Schiller
Maggid Shiur
Rabbi Schiller has authored The Road Back on the doctrines of Orthodox Judaism and The (Guilty) Conscience of a Conservative, a critique of the American political right, as well as a monograph in defense of the philosophy of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch. He has lectured throughout the country and frequently serves as a scholar-in-residence in Canada, England, Ireland, South Africa, and Israel. His articles have appeared in dozens of religious, political, and cultural journals ranging from Tradition and Jewish Action, to National Review and American Enterprise. In addition, Rabbi Schiller is famous for his hockey coaching, in which he coached the Ramaz school from 1979-1981 and the MTA Lions from 1985-1988 and 1990-1995. He led the Lions to the championship in eight of those years, wining an incredible six consecutive titles.
Married with two children twelve grandchildren, and one great grandchild, Rabbi Schiller resides in Monsey, NY.
Dr. Schneider holds a BA, MA and PhD in Romance Languages and Literatures, all from Harvard University. She has previously taught at Harvard College, Lawrence Woodmere Academy and the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway (HAFTR).
Dr. Schneider and her husband reside with their three children in Cedarhurst, NY.
Mr. Ellie Schwartz, a proud YUHSB alumnus, returned to YUHSB in 2016 as an instructor of History. After graduating MTA, he spent two years studying in Israel before attending Yeshiva College. He received his BA in Modern Jewish History and continued his studies at YU’s Bernard Revel Graduate School for Jewish Studies. He is currently studying for rabbinic ordination at RIETS.
Mr. Schwartz grew up on the Upper West Side where he lived until he recently moved to Washington Heights with his new wife Carly.
Mr. Mordechai Segall
Mathematics
Mr. Segall has a talent to guide students through even the most difficult material. During his years at MTA, which he concluded as valedictorian, he could constantly be found tutoring his classmates, who sought his knack for organizing complicated, interconnected ideas into plainly logical statements.
Mr. Segall now lives in Washington Heights. Between his years at MTA and at YU, he has been connected to the school for nearly a decade. During his free time, hecan be found composing classical music or competing in board and video games.
Mrs. Tamar Sheffey
Director of Guidance
Mrs. Sheffey has an open door policy for all of the students for whatever their needs may be. She has worked on numerous presentations for both students and faculty on a variety of topics including Anger Management, Bullying Prevention, Alcohol and Other Substances, Gambling, Drinking and Driving, and other aspects of social development. She runs a group with our incoming freshman on time management skills and goal setting. Mrs. Sheffey has worked with YU’s Pastoral Counseling program to help semicha students better understand the adolescent mind.
She lives in Bergenfield NJ with her husband and four daughters.
Rabbi Avraham Shulman
12th Dean/Mashgiach / Maggid Shiur / Israel Guidance
12th Dean/Mashgiach / Maggid Shiur / Israel Guidance
ashulman@yuhsb.org
Ext. 6517
Rabbi Shulman describes the favorite part of his job as the connection he is able to make with his students. “I love that I am able to learn and spend time with the guys,” he says. Rabbi Shulman is also active in delivering shiurim in the community and dedicates his summers to advancing the breadth of his Torah knowledge.
Rabbi Shulman resides in Passaic, NJ with his wife Temima and five children.
Ms. Hadassah Siegfried
English
Ms. Siegfried received her BA from Oberlin College and her MA from NYU, where she also completed her doctoral coursework.
Rabbi Elon Soniker
10th Grade Dean/Mashgiach / Maggid Shiur
Rabbi Soniker lives in West Hempstead with his wife, Estee, and their children. He also serves as the Rabbi of Congregation Anshei Shalom.
Mr. Murray Sragow
Director of College Guidance / History
Mr. Sragow is a proud graduate of Yeshiva University, where he studied computer science and political science. He also received semicha from YU’s Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan Theological Seminary.
Prior to coming to YUHSB, Mr. Sragow taught in Bruriah and Ramaz high schools, and also served as Associate Director of Admissions at Yeshiva University.
When not in school, Mr. Sragow enjoys the great outdoors. He hikes, bikes and kayaks extensively with his family (he bikes to school twice a week), and is the founding faculty advisor to the MTA Mountain Lions Outdoors Club. With his help the Mountain Lions frequently spend Fridays exploring the trails and waterways of our region. He is also a passionate fan or the Baltimore Orioles.
Mr. Sragow is the proud father of four and grandfather to another four, all of whom live in northern New Jersey. He resides in Teaneck, NJ.
Rabbi Michael Taubes
Rosh Yeshiva
Rabbi Taubes has also taught at Yeshiva University’s Mechinah & IBC Programs and worked as a writer and editor for Art Scroll/Mesorah Publications. A graduate of Yeshiva College, Rabbi Taubes received his rabbinic ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, having studied for several years under HaRav Soloveitchik, and holds a master’s degree in Jewish Education from Yeshiva University’s Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology. He is presently the Rav of Kehillas Zichron Mordechai in Teaneck, New Jersey, where he resides with his wife and family.
Dr. Seth Taylor
Principal for General Studies
Dr. Taylor did his undergraduate work at City University of New York and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem where he was the recipient of a full scholarship from the American Friends of Hebrew University – Jerusalem. He received his Ph.D. in German History in 1989 from New York University and was the recipient of a scholarship from the Friedrich Ebert Foundation for research in Berlin, Germany. Shortly thereafter, he authored Left-Wing Nietzcheans: The Politics of German Expressionism, 1910-1920. After coming to YUHSB in 1988, Dr. Taylor took an interest into the history of our school, through which he authored Between Tradition and Modernity: A History of the Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy.
Dr. Taylor resides with his family in New York City.
Mr. Arthur Toporovsky
Guidance Counselor
In addition to his work at YUHSB, Mr. Toporovsky is also involved in responding to anti-Israel bias in the media as a volunteer for CAMERA.
Charlie Wollman teaches 9th grade Bekiyus. Following high school, he attended Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh for two years and remains a close student of Rav Mendel Blachman. A graduate of Yeshiva College with a BS in Psychology, R. Wollman is a 3rd year semicha student in RIETS and a member of its Katz Kollel.
R. Wollman brings his fresh energy and creativity to MTA. In the classroom, he especially emphasizes an awareness and understanding of the underlying logic and argumentative structure behind a given Talmudic discussion. Coupled with a dynamic learning atmosphere, this encourages the students to become firsthand, active participants in the Gemara’s thought process and keen admirers of its beauty and sophistication. This method-centered approach also prepares the students with the necessary fundamentals to confront any piece of classical Gemara with greater confidence and comprehension. With R. Wollman, the students begin to discover the skills and passion that will lead them toward becoming independent and lifelong students of Gemara.