Back to school 2: Picking up the slack

By Michael Orbach

A yeshiva high school for boys in Brooklyn is stepping up to offer a Jewish education to teens that, for financial reasons, might otherwise be headed for public school.

“I didn’t realize it was real,” said Rabbi Moshe Rubin, dean of administration for the Torah Academy of Brooklyn, referring to an article in The Jewish Star two weeks ago about parents who face a real choice between paying the mortgage and paying yeshiva tuition.

“It’s a shame and it’s a terrible indictment on the situation, really, that people should have to stoop to that level.” Alumni in the Five Towns called the article to his attention, he said.

Torah Academy of Brooklyn, which opened in 1981, charges $14,000 for tuition. Families that are able to pay the full tuition are expected to do so, Rabbi Rubin said.

“That’s what we ask for and we expect people to respect it if they can — they want their kids to have a good education. But we understand that people have large families and have different circumstances and they can’t all come up with the necessary [funding]. We understand that and don’t think the kids should suffer for that.”

The yeshiva is willing to do whatever is necessary to keep boys from going to public school.

“We’re primarily concerned about kids opting for public school and we’re willing to go to the nth degree to have that not happen. Whatever that will take... whatever scholarship,” Rabbi Rubin explained, emphasizing the words ‘whatever scholarship.’

50 boys attend the high school; another 80 are enrolled in the yeshiva’s post-high school beis medrash program. The school could immediately accommodate another 40 male high school students, effectively doubling the school population, Rabbi Rubin said, without increasing the yeshiva’s fixed costs. The school has 25 teachers including rabbeim and instructors from the public school system who teach secular subjects.

Torah Academy of Brooklyn High School has been supported primarily by outside fundraising since the day the school opened and boasts an impressive track record.

“We’ve never refused anyone for financial reasons,” Rabbi Rubin said.

By Michael Orbach

Issue of September 4, 2009 / 15 Elul 5769

A yeshiva high school for boys in Brooklyn is stepping up to offer a Jewish education to teens that, for financial reasons, might otherwise be headed for public school.

“I didn’t realize it was real,” said Rabbi Moshe Rubin, dean of administration for the Torah Academy of Brooklyn, referring to an article in The Jewish Star two weeks ago about parents who face a real choice between paying the mortgage and paying yeshiva tuition.

“It’s a shame and it’s a terrible indictment on the situation, really, that people should have to stoop to that level.” Alumni in the Five Towns called the article to his attention, he said.

Torah Academy of Brooklyn, which opened in 1981, charges $14,000 for tuition. Families that are able to pay the full tuition are expected to do so, Rabbi Rubin said.

“That’s what we ask for and we expect people to respect it if they can — they want their kids to have a good education. But we understand that people have large families and have different circumstances and they can’t all come up with the necessary [funding]. We understand that and don’t think the kids should suffer for that.”

The yeshiva is willing to do whatever is necessary to keep boys from going to public school.

“We’re primarily concerned about kids opting for public school and we’re willing to go to the nth degree to have that not happen. Whatever that will take... whatever scholarship,” Rabbi Rubin explained, emphasizing the words ‘whatever scholarship.’

50 boys attend the high school; another 80 are enrolled in the yeshiva’s post-high school beis medrash program. The school could immediately accommodate another 40 male high school students, effectively doubling the school population, Rabbi Rubin said, without increasing the yeshiva’s fixed costs. The school has 25 teachers including rabbeim and instructors from the public school system who teach secular subjects.

Torah Academy of Brooklyn High School has been supported primarily by outside fundraising since the day the school opened and boasts an impressive track record.

“We’ve never refused anyone for financial reasons,” Rabbi Rubin said.