Bnei Akiva Schools

HOME

ABOUT US

STUDENT LIFE

CALENDAR

ADMISSIONS

ACADEMICS

ALUMNI

bnei akiva schools ABOUT US

Mission

Mission Statement

The mission of Yeshivat Or Chaim and the Ulpanat Orot is to develop outstanding Bnei and Bnot Torah who are immersed in Talmud Torah.

Our students are provided with an atmosphere that promotes excellence in both Limudei Kodesh and General Studies. Bnei Akiva Schools aim is for all students to reach their maximum potential, and to continue their religious and secular educations at a post secondary level and beyond. Bnei Akiva Schools emphasize a commitment to and the centrality of Medinat Yisrael. The importance of the Hebrew language is promoted by elevating each students fluency in the language.

We expect our students to demonstrate Ahavat Yisrael, Derech Eretz and social responsibility towards the Jewish Community, Canada, and the world at large.

Goals

Yeshivat Or Chaim (founded 1973) and Ulpanat Orot (founded 1975) were established in Toronto with several specific goals in mind:

To create a Yeshiva environment where young and religiously committed Jewish boys and girls would be able to grow intellectually, emotionally and religiously in a vibrant Jewish setting.

To offer a dual curriculum of Jewish and secular studies that would arm our students with the methodological tools needed to become self-reliant in classical Jewish texts and give them a broad-based secular grounding in the classical world disciplines.

To deepen and strengthen the centrality of Eretz Yisrael and Medinat Yisrael as a fundamental element of our Torah world view and, to this end, to stress the importance of Lashon Hakodesh as one instrumentality of achieving these goals.

To encourage and fervently support the notion of our students continuing their Judaic studies at Yeshivot in Eretz Yisrael and in other institutions of higher Jewish learning.

School Profile Administration: Rabbi Shimshon (Scot) A. Berman (Head Master)Rabbi Shlomo Gemara, (Rosh HaYeshiva)Mr. Frank Samuels (Principal)Community: Bnei Akiva Schools serves the Jewish community of metropolitan Toronto, the largest city in Canada and one of the most culturally diverse in North America. At present, students from as far as Hamilton, Buffalo and Switzerland attend our school.School: Yeshivat Bnei Akiva Or Chaim, the boys' division, was founded in 1973, and Ulpanat Orot Girls' High School, was established in 1975. Both schools seek to provide the Jewish community of Toronto with educational institutions that emphasizes excellence in both Judaic and general studies, a commitment to religious growth, and a close attachment to the language, land, and people of the modern state of Israel. There are currently 129 boys (30 graduating) and 120 girls (30 graduating) enrolled at the separate campuses.CEEB Code: 826842Accreditation: Bnei Akiva Schools is an inspected private school of the Ontario Ministry of Education and affiliated with the Mercaz.Grading Scale: A+ 90-100 Outstanding AchievementA 80-89 Excellent AchievementB 70-79 Good AchievementC 60-69 Average AchievementD 50-59 Below Average AchievementF 49 or less Below Minimum Pass (No Credit)PSAT: Number of Commended Students2004 - 22005 - 12006 - 32007 - 2Special Features: A dual curriculum of university-preparatory studies and an equally challenging program of Judaic studies are compulsory. In many Judaic studies courses the language of instruction is modern Hebrew. Students are strongly encouraged to spend a year of study after high school graduation in Israel and over 95% do. A full program of extra-curricular activities is offered including student council, yearbook, basketball, a literary magazine, choir, community service, retreats, fund raising, and special functions involving religious studies and holidays.No academically eligible student is denied admission solely for financial reasons.

Meet the Headmaster HeadmasterRabbi Shimshon (Scot) A BermanRabbi Berman grew up in Michigan. For high school he attended Hebrew Theological College and Yeshivat Brisk both in Chicago. He attended Yeshivat Ohr Etzion for grade 12. Upon graduation he continued his studies in Israel at Yeshivat Har Etzion. Returning to the States, Rabbi Berman attended Hebrew Theological College and later entered their semicha program. Concurrently, he pursued an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Northeastern Illinois University. Rabbi Berman entered the field of Jewish Education as the grade 5 Rebbi at Arie Crown Hebrew Academy in Chicago. The following year he accepted a position at Ida Crown Jewish Academy also in Chicago. Over his 11 year tenure there he was a full time teacher, Coordinator of the boys Talmud program and finally Assistant Principal. Rabbi Berman also taught and served as assistant principal and principal for various supplementary Jewish education schools in Chicago. Rabbi Berman was a Day Camp director at the Jewish Community Center in Chicago as well as Director of Jewish programming for BBYO. Rabbi Berman earned his Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Loyola University, Chicago. He and his family spent two years on Sabbatical in Israel. As a Jerusalem Fellow, Rabbi Berman studied Jewish Education with educators throughout the Diaspora. Upon his return to The US, he served as Principal of Rabbi David L. Silver Yeshiva Academy in Harrisburg, PA. Rabbi Berman was later appointed as the founding principal of Kushner Yeshiva High School in Livingston, NJ where he served for 8 years. Over the past 5 years Rabbi Berman assumed the position of Executive Director of Seryl & Charles Kushner Family Foundation.
Wood

Meet the Rosh HaYeshiva Rosh HaYeshivaRabbi Shlomo GemaraRabbi Gemara was introduced to teaching at a young age when, as a Grade 9 student during the Yom Kippur War of 1973 and due to a shortage of teachers, he and some friends were asked to teach Grade 3 and 4 children. The interaction with students and the feeling that he was making a difference were more compelling than he expected. I actually fell in love with teaching, and it was quite clear to me that this is what I would like to do in the future.A native of Petach Tikva, Rabbi Gemara served in the parachute unit of Yeshivat Hesder. He then obtained smicha from Kerem BYavneh, under the Chief Rabbanut of Israel. He was very involved in the Bnei Akiva movement in Israel.Rabbi Gemara came to be Rosh HaYeshiva of Bnei Akiva Schools Toronto in 1993, and, with a two year break, has been here ever since in this position.He spends on average 13 hours a week in the schools classrooms teaching Talmud, as well as promoting an Israel Advocacy programme. Rabbi Gemara encourages students to spend the year after school in Israel, experiencing the renaissance of Jewish life in our homeland, and visiting the historical sites of Biblical events.He believes in the importance of excellence in Jewish and General Studies. A clear vision of Judaism and Torah is necessary to direct life and has philosophical and religious importance for Medinat Yisrael in the process of Geula (Redemption) that we begin to see in our days.His wife Ofra teaches in Ulpanat Orot, and to date, 5 of his 8 children have graduated from Bnei Akiva Schools of Toronto.
Wood

Meet the Principal PrincipalMr Frank SamuelsFrank Samuels was appointed to the position of General Studies Principal at the Bnei Akiva Schools of Toronto in the summer of 2003.Prior to this, he had been the Principal of the Hamilton Hebrew Academy (Hamilton) for three years and Principal of the Yeshiva College of South Africa (Johannesburg) for five years.A native of South Africa, he completed his undergraduate, honours and Masters degrees in English Education at the University of the Witwatersrand. In addition, Mr. Samuels holds a masters diploma in Community Relations from UNISA.Mr. Samuels is responsible for the General Studies programme on both campuses and he can be found at Ulpanat Orot in the mornings and at Yeshivat Or Chaim in the afternoons although if you look for him he will always tell you that he is in the other building!Mr. Samuels believes that all school administrators should be involved with both teaching and learning and he is very proud of the successes of his Grade Twelve Writers Craft students past and present. Mr Samuels is an enthusiastic, dedicated administrator and master teacher who has infused our schools with professionalism, a love for learning and an energy that is apparent to all.His wife, Romi is currently teaching French at Ulpanat Orot and their first child will be entering grade 12 at Ulpanat Orot.Mr Samuels welcomes further questions or enquiries at fsamuels_bneiakivaschools.org.
Wood

Mission
School Profile
Meet the Headmaster
Meet the Rosh HaYeshiva
Meet the Principal

HOMESTUDENT LIFECALENDARADMISSIONSACADEMICSALUMNICONTACT US