Yeshiva Darchei Torah

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 Rabbi Yisroel Bloom^[2] and is headed by Rabbi Yaakov Bender,^[3] an award-winning educator^[4] There are parents who graduated from it on the board of directors.^[5] The Yeshiva celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023.

The school had 1,400 students in 2008^[6] which later grew to over 2,500 enrolled students in pre-kindergarten through post-high school seminary.^[7][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.

In May 2024, Darchei Torah began construction on a new, 94,000-square-foot set of buildings that will include its first state-of-the-art residence hall, a new beis medrash (study hall) for its high school, and 15 classrooms.^[9]

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 rabbi,^[13][14][15] Yaakov Moshe Hillel, who has been visiting Darchei since 2004.^[13]

Name

The words Darchei Torah mean "Paths of Torah."

There are other institutions using the same name in many different locations,^{[16][17][18][19][20]} although these are not affiliate with the Darchei Torah in Far Rockaway.

See also

• Mesivta