Yeshivas Toras Simcha is excited to announce that we have secured an outstanding menahel to guide us
through the next school year – Rabbi Hillel Mandel – the famed educational consultant and trainer of
teachers, who has agreed to join the school as the interim menahel for 2022-2023 school year.
Rabbi Hillel Mandel has served as a rebbe in yeshiva day schools for over a decade and received the first
National Torah Umesorah “Teacher Of The Year” award. He subsequently founded and served as
menahel of Yeshiva Ketana of Manhattan for fifteen years and also founded and headed a Montessori
Cheder in Passaic for several years.
He graduated from the Chofetz Chaim Rabbinical Seminary, and maintained a close relationship with the
rosh yeshiva, Rabbi Henoch Lebowitz ZT”L. He also has a Masters degree in elementary education from
Adelphi University, and has served as an adjunct professor at Azrielli Graduate School. Rabbi Mandel has lectured extensively throughout the U.S.A. and abroad on educational and parenting topics. He is the author of a “Curriculum on Yeshiva Day Schools” that was published by Torah Umesorah and is used widely by many day schools in the USA and abroad. He is founder and has been Dean of “Torah Educators Institute”, a summer teacher-training program in Jerusalem for three decades. He serves on the faculty of Mercaz teacher-training program in New York and has been the principal teacher in the Aish Dos teacher-training program in Lakewood N.J. since its inception in 1998. Additionally, when Torah Umesorah came to Baltimore for a Shabbos of Chizuk, Rabbi Mandel was one of the featured presenters. Rabbi Mandel now brings this extensive experience in starting and developing schools and his warm simchadik approach to Baltimore, where he will confidently recruit and mentor the YTS staff and help bring the school to the next level, while helping identify and train a permanent menahel.
Rabbi Mandel is now recruiting a secular studies principal, preschool director, two afternoon teachers and a few teacher’s aides for the 2022-2023 school year, to supplement the existing staff, the vast majority of whom are existing YTS rabbeyim and teachers. For more information about these positions, please reach out to resumes@yeshivasyts.org. Last Sunday, Rabbi Mandel addressed the parent body, speaking on the topic of “Raising a Positive Child in a Negative World.” He discussed how to help a child develop with a strong self esteem. This discussion was met with great positivity and excitement from the parents and staff.
This decision to bring Rabbi Mandel on board for the year has the overwhelming support of the Vaad
Hachinuch, the search committee and the board. We are confident that, with Hashem’s help, Rabbi
Mandel will maintain the unique warm and simchadick approach of our Yeshiva that focuses on the
development of the whole child — supporting his educational, emotional and spiritual growth in a
nurturing Torah environment.
