More than 275 students age 18 months through eighth grade receive the finest academic education grounded in 5,000 years of Jewish heritage. From the moment a student begins to learn at TDSD, Jewish identity and love of Torah are cultivated.

The Hebrew reading program begins in kindergarten, boys study advanced Mishna and Gemara, and a Yahadus curriculum focuses on girls’ spiritual development.

Students develop a strong sense of ethics, and are taught to treat and speak about others with respect and dignity.

Personally committed to Torah observance, all Judaic Studies teachers are highly qualified graduates of Orthodox institutions of advanced learning.

JUDAIC STUDIES FACULTY

Mrs. Chana Devorah Blitz teaches Kindergarten Judaic Studies at Torah Day School. Mrs. Blitz has worked as a Kindergarten teacher at Bnos Yisroel in Brooklyn, New York, where she had experience with a reading readiness program. She directed a private playgroup for 2-year-olds in Dallas before joining TDSD. Mrs. Blitz uses a multi-sensory approach, including music, movement, art, and storytelling, to introduce Hebrew letters and reading and to impart to the children their Jewish heritage.

Mrs. Blitz graduated from Bais Yaakov Intensive Seminary in Brooklyn.

Mrs. Chaya Feigenbaum teaches Kindergarten Judaic Studies at Torah Day School. Mrs. Feigenbaum taught Judaic Studies to 1st graders for 10 years at Akiba Academy in Dallas. The lively and exciting activities that she uses to introduce each Hebrew letter will appeal to Kindergarteners as well, and Mrs. Feigenbaum looks forward to this opportunity to teach beginning reading skills and to impart Torah values to the children.

Mrs. Feigenbaum has teaching certification from Michlalah College for Women in Jerusalem, as well as a B.A. in Judaic Studies from Touro College in New York.

Mrs. Yochana Fried teaches Grade One boys’ Judaic Studies at Torah Day School of Dallas. Mrs. Fried taught first grade at Hillel School of Rochester, New York, for two years, and also taught high school girls at Ora Academy of Rochester. Previously she was an assistant and substitute 1st grade teacher at the Yeshiva of North Jersey in River Edge, New Jersey. Mrs. Fried’s thorough and energetic lessons engage the children and help them learn quickly.

Mrs. Fried has a B.A. in History from Touro College of New York, and was the valedictorian at Rika Breuer Teachers Seminary in New York.

Mrs. Chumie Skaist, who teaches Grade One girls’ Judaic Studies at TDSD, taught middle school girls at Margolin Hebrew Academy for the past five years, and has also directed a preschool camp and worked in outreach activities. She has a degree in Psychology from Touro University in New York, and teaching certification in Judaic Studies through Bnos Yisroel Seminary in Jerusalem.

Mrs. Shulie Klots teaches Grade Two girls’ Judaic Studies at TDSD. Previously she worked in social services as a Residential Habilitation Supervisor in Brooklyn, and as a special needs service coordinator in a Brooklyn school. Mrs. Klots has a B.A. in Psychology from Touro University in New York, with minors in Mathematics and Judaic Studies. She is also a New York State Qualified Mental Retardation Professional.

Rabbi Simcha Merkin teaches Grade Three Judaic Studies at TDSD. Rabbi Merkin began his teaching career at Torah Day School in Atlanta, and went on to teach for six years in grades 3 through 7 at Akiba Academy in Dallas. He has co-directed the popular Camp Rayus in Dallas for the past five summers. Rabbi Merkin’s sense of humor and ability to motivate his students make his classroom a stimulating place.

Rabbi Merkin has an M.A. in Educational Administration from Texas Woman’s University in Denton, and a B.A. in Psychology from Touro College in New York. He also completed a two-year Principal’s Fellowship through Torah U’Mesorah.

Rabbi Binyomin Stolov teaches Grade 2 and Grade 4 boys’ Judaic Studies. Rabbi Stolov first taught at Yeshiva Darchei Torah in New York, and taught 2nd, 6th and 8th grades at Akiba Academy in Dallas for five years. He has many years of experience as a summer camp counselor and has co-directed Camp Rayus in Dallas for five seasons. Rabbi Stolov’s enthusiasm for teaching Torah and his commitment to meeting individual needs inspire his students to work to their potential.

Rabbi Stolov earned a bachelor’s degree in Talmudic Law in Lakewood, New Jersey, and has an M.A. in Reading with an emphasis in Special Education from Adelphi University in New York.

Rabbi Zev Weiner teaches Grade 5 and 6 Judaic Studies. He and his wife, Chaya, moved here from Cincinnati where Rabbi Weiner was part of the Cincinnati Community Kollel for three years, teaching classes and involved in outreach. He also taught at Mesivta Ateres Yaakov, led an after school program for middle school boys at Cincinnati Hebrew day School, and was a division head in Camp Magen Avraham for two years. Rabbi Weiner’s devotion to students was evident from the moment he arrived at TDSD.

Rabbi Weiner holds a B.A. in Talmudic Law from Ner Yisroel in Baltimore and from Bais Yisroel in Jerusalem .

Rabbi Yosef Eliyahu Skaist, who teaches Grade 7 and 8 Judaic Studies at TDSD, has taught grades 7-12 at Margolin Hebrew Academy in Memphis since 2002, and also founded and coordinated an extracurricular learning program for 8th grade students. He has also taught adults as part of the Memphis Kollel, and has worked with Russian immigrant children and children with special needs in various camps. Rabbi Skaist has a bachelor’s degree in Talmudic Studies from Beth Bedrash Gavoha in Lakewood, N.J., and has almost completed a master’s degree in Educational Administration through the Jewish Educational Leadership Institute (JELI) and Loyola University in Chicago.

Ms. Ronit Katave teaches Hebrew language classes to 3rd through 8th grade students at TDSD. Ms. Katave has worked as a Kindergarten teacher assistant at Akiba Academy for four years, and has taught Hebrew in an afternoon and Sunday program in Dallas. Her love of children makes her classroom a warm and enriching place.

Ms. Katave studied Psychology with a specialization in Childhood Education at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel, and has completed courses in computer training and English as a Second Language at Collin County Community College.

TEACHING INTERNS

TDSD’s teaching interns add an exciting dimension to our classrooms and extracurricular activities. Interns are young women who have completed a post-high school seminary (intensive Judaic Studies) teaching program.