Yeshivah of Flatbush


The Yeshivah of Flatbush is a Modern Orthodox private Jewish day school located in the Midwood section of Brooklyn, New York. It educates students from age 2 to age 18 and includes an early childhood center, an elementary school, and a secondary school.
WWW flatbush.org

History

The Yeshivah of Flatbush was founded in 1927 by Joel Braverman, among others. The school, located on East 10th Street in Midwood, Brooklyn, at first consisted of an early childhood program, an elementary school, and a middle school. The high school, founded in 1950 to complement the elementary school, was originally housed in an adjoining building. In 1962, the high school moved into a new building on nearby Avenue J, and the elementary school expanded into what was formerly the high school building.

Hebrew

The school incorporates Hebrew into Judaic Studies to enable its students to achieve fluency in the Hebrew language.

Student demographics

YOF comprises Jewish students and teachers from a variety of backgrounds. In the past, more than half of the students were Ashkenazi Jews whose families originated from communities in Germany, Poland, Eastern Europe, and Russia. In recent years, the majority has shifted to students of Sephardic and Mizrahi Jewish descent. The overwhelming number of Sephardic students can be attributed to the growth of the Syrian Jewish community in Flatbush, and the decline in Ashkenazi enrollment can be attributed to the movement of Modern Orthodox communities to Long Island and New Jersey, with a concomitant increase in the number and quality of Jewish day schools and yeshivot in those areas. In 2022, the lower school consisted of 1,400 students.

Leadership

David Eliach was the principal emeritus, following a decades-long tenure as principal of the high school. In later years, Raymond Harari, an alumnus of Yeshivah of Flatbush High School, served as the "head of school" of the high school, followed by Joseph Beyda.
The Elementary School, formerly led by Lawrence Schwed, is currently headed by Yahel Tsaidi.

Sports

Shorts teams are called the Flatbush Falcons and in most cases are members of the Metropolitan Yeshiva High School Athletic League.

Notable alumni