About Yeshivah Prep
About Yeshivah Prep
Every child is exceptional.
Every child is exceptional.
Here, students are known, supported, and empowered to thrive.
Our mission.
At Yeshivah Prep, our mission is to nurture every child’s strengths, and support their learning differences. By fostering self-awareness and confidence, we empower our students to thrive.
Our vision.
- At Yeshivah Prep we are committed to knowing every child, and creating a learning pathway for each of them.
- Our students experience the warm embrace of Sephardic values, Torah, and community customs.
- We enable our students to acquire the skills and strategies that help them grow throughout their learning journey.
Message from the head of school.
I’ve always been inspired by the possibilities that learning creates, for adults and children alike, and this happens when people are willing to take risks, to change, to grow.
So why are some people open to change, to seeing things differently? The legendary Patriots coach Bill Belichick said, “Talent sets the floor, [and] character sets the ceiling.” It is character, more than anything else, that determines how much someone can learn and grow, and I love to support and then see what people of character are able to accomplish.
Leading a school and community as mission driven as Yeshivah Prep is an exceptional privilege. Helping each student see their own unique passion, vision, and talents is the gift this school and community aim towards, and I’m so grateful that Hashem has blessed me with the opportunity to help our students on this path.
Rabbi Dr. Rafi Cashman
Our story.
Our school was founded thirty years ago because one child had needs that could not be met in a mainstream school. From that, Gesher Yehuda, now Yeshivah Prep, was born. And that is how we continue to view our mission today: to create a unique learning pathway for each and every child that walks through our doors.
From a floor in a rented house on Avenue J to accommodate one class of students, Gesher moved into its own home in 1996 on Avenue T. In 2008, it opened up Yeshivah Prep, a program that allows students to integrate into the Yeshivah of Flatbush High School, while also being able to learn in an environment that meets and supports their unique learning needs.
We are ever grateful to Jack and Claudie Setton, our founders and continual north stars, for being such exceptional role models of chesed, kedushah, and generosity of spirit with our entire community. They made the decision to open up a school, not only for their child, but for the children of our community who needed a smaller environment in order to progress and grow. Their journey has created a place of kedushah, holiness, that is felt whenever you walk through the school’s doors.
Message from theRosh Yeshiva.
I believe that Yeshivah Prep is on the cutting edge of education in both Judaic and Secular studies. The staff provides the top level of professionalism.
As a community, we value education. We invest in our children – we want to give them the very best education they can have. Yet, I see so many parents who, for whatever reason, continue to keep their child in expensive schools that don’t meet the needs of the child. Successful education isn’t about making everyone conform to a pre-conceived, mainstream standard. Successful education is the one that works for the child.
What we do at Yeshivah Prep is give each child the opportunity to be the best they can be. We see children blossom and thrive once they are given what they need to succeed. After more than 25 years, we can point to so many of our students who are now active, successful, and thriving personally and professionally. They are blessings to our community.
Moses had a speech impediment. That did not stop him from being one of the greatest leaders in world history. Who knows who the next great leader will be? We give every child what they need to play every role in the community that they are intended to be.
Rabbi Eli Mansour
Meet our educators.
Leadership Team
At Yeshivah Prep, our leadership team brings together spiritual vision, academic excellence, and compassionate care. From guiding the school’s educational mission to supporting each child’s wellbeing and growth, this dedicated group of educators and administrators works in harmony to nurture every student.
Frequently asked questions
What population does YP serve?
Yeshivah Prep is a Yeshivah day school in the Sephardic tradition for bright children ages five (kindergarten) to fourteen (eighth grade) with language-based learning differences, like dyslexia, dysgraphia, and ADHD.
How many students are in each class?
Each class has an average of 8-9 children, with a maximum of 11 students per class.
What other supports are in each class?
Every classroom has a full time assistant teacher. Depending on the students needs, as determined by their IEP and our deep knowledge of each student, we also have occupational therapists, speech therapists, a physical therapist, as well as a mental health team. These professionals will ‘push in’ to the class or ‘pull out’ depending on what will be most beneficial to the student.
Do you have a psychologist on staff?
We have three therapists on staff, or one therapist for every 20-25 students, a very low ratio. We are led by the Director of Mental Health who is a trained school psychologist, with a team of two social workers.
Who is on your leadership team?
Yeshivah Prep is led by Rabbi Dr. Rafi Cashman, the Head of School, who oversees both the elementary and high school. Paulina Salem is the principal at Yeshivah Prep Elementary. Also on the leadership team is Nicole Yossef, Director of Mental Health, Mrs. Rivky Teitelbaum, Director of Related Services (OT, PT, Speech), and Mrs. Devorah Roth, Director of Judaic Studies. We are further supported by our Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Eli Mansour, and Mashgiach Ruchani, Rabbi Shlomo Elnadav.
