Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy

Yeshiva University High School for Boys
The Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy
Manhattan Talmudical Academy
Location
2540 Amsterdam Avenue

New York
,
NY
10033

United States

40°51′06″N 73°55′42″W / 40.851804°N 73.928446°W / 40.851804; -73.928446
Information
TypePrivate, Yeshiva, Day
Religious affiliation
Judaism
DenominationModern Orthodox
Established1916
Yeshiva University High School for Girls
Chairperson
Miriam Goldberg
Principal
Rabbi Daniel Konigsberg
Rabbi Shimon Schenker
Faculty44.0 (on FTE basis)[1]
Grades9–12
GenderBoys
Enrollment300+
Student to teacher ratio
6.8:1
ColorsBlue and White
MascotLion
NicknameLions[2]
AccreditationMiddle States Association of Colleges and Schools
AffiliationsYeshiva University
Websiteyuhsb.org

The Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy also known as Manhattan Talmudical Academy (MTA), also known as Yeshiva University High School for Boys (YUHSB), is a Modern Orthodox Jewish day school and yeshiva of Yeshiva University.[3] It is located in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. MTA is often regarded as the most historic Jewish high school and is one of the top-ranked high schools in the country.[4]

History

The Talmudical Academy (TA), as it was originally called, was founded in 1916 by Rabbi Dr. Bernard Revel. He had become president of the institution that was to become Yeshiva University a year earlier, in 1915, when the "Rabbinical College of America" (a short-lived name) had been formed from the merger of two older schools, an elementary school founded in 1886 and a rabbinical seminary founded in 1896.

TA was the first academic Jewish high school in America, and the first to have a dual curriculum, now standard in Jewish schools, of Judaic and secular studies. It was originally located on the Lower East Side, and moved to Washington Heights with the rest of Yeshiva in the late 1920s. The building originally planned for the High School alone was shared with the other schools of the University for many years before the campus expanded; today, that building is almost entirely occupied by the High School, and the other buildings of the University's main campus (including a dormitory for college students) surround it.

TA was later joined by a brother school, the Brooklyn Talmudical Academy ("BTA"), founded in the 1940s. Two girls' high schools were founded as well, Central Yeshiva High School in Brooklyn in the 1950s and a Manhattan school in the 1960s.

In 1967, the Brooklyn school moved to a joint campus created by repurposing the historical Vitagraph Studios in the Midwood section of Brooklyn. In the 1970s, they were closed and merged into their Manhattan counterparts. In the 1980s, the girls' school was merged into a Queens school. The latter is now called "Samuel H. Wang Yeshiva University High School for Girls" (or simply "Wang"), but is still commonly referred to as "Central," while the boys' school, since the 1970s, has been known as "The Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy- Yeshiva University High School for Boys" (or simply "TMSTA" or, more recently, "MSTA" and now, "MTA"), but is still commonly referred to as "MTA." Principals of the school included the founding principal, Shelley Safire, and Rabbis David Weinbach (1973-1987), Mordechai Spiegelman (1987-1991), George Finkelstein (1991-1995), Michael Taubes (1995-1999 and 2011-2016), Michael Hecht (1999-2005), Mark Gottlieb and Yaakov Sklar (2005-2011), and Josh Kahn (2016-2023). After the resignation of former Head of School Rabbi Joshua Kahn, Rabbi Shimon Schenker was appointed Menahel of the Yeshiva (school) after an unsuccessful search for an outside hire.

The school's enrollment peaked during the 1960s and 1970s, when relatively few competitor schools existed. However, with the growth of competing institutions, enrollment declined, and by 1999, Rabbi Dr. Norman Lamm, President of Yeshiva University, wanted to close the high school down. When word of the closure leaked out, Rabbi Michael Taubes, MTA's principal at that time, together with senior instructor, Rabbi Yitzchok Cohen, led a student protest and recitation of Psalms in front of the YU's main building at that time, Furst Hall. Although the protest led to Rabbi Taubes' dismissal, and eventually to the dismissal of Cohen as well (both became instructors in other divisions of Yeshiva University, and Rabbi Taubes in 2008 became a teacher at the high school and became principal again in 2011), their action is credited with swaying Rabbi Lamm to keep the school open.

Rabbi Michael Hecht, who had been teaching at the school for many years and also served as a Dean in Yeshiva College, became Dean of MTA. In September 2005, Rabbi Mark Gottlieb assumed the role of Head of School. In February 2011, Rabbi Mark Gottlieb announced that he would be stepping down as Head of School/Menahel at the culmination of the 2010-2011 academic year. His successor was former principal Rabbi Michael Taubes, who took over as Head of School (now also known by the Hebrew title of Rosh HaYeshiva at the start of the 2011-2012 academic year. In March 2016, it was announced that the school's next leader would be Rabbi Joshua Kahn. Rabbi Kahn began his tenure in July 2016. In the 2022/2023 school year, Rabbi Kahn announced his resignation as Head of School. Rabbi Shimon Schenker was promoted to Head of School and Rabbi Daniel Konigsberg was promoted to Principal.

Sexual Misconduct Allegations

In December 2012, a scandal developed alleging widespread sexual misconduct by two high ranking male faculty members and perpetrated on multiple male students. The alleged misconduct, which occurred during the 1970s and 1980s, was claimed to have been known about, but ignored, by the highest levels of administration at the high school and at Yeshiva University.[5] The former president of Yeshiva University issued a statement stating that the university will examine the allegations.[6] The Jewish Week uncovered a story, further alleging knowledge of the inappropriate behavior by the university. The story alleges that the door to one of the abuser's offices was removed to prevent a private environment where further misconduct could continue.[7] The lawsuit against Yeshiva University was dismissed before trial in January 2014 by a federal judge who stated that the statute of limitations had expired.[8] However, when New York State passed its new Child Victims Act in 2019, the suit was refiled by 38 former students.[9]

Student activities

There are many extracurricular activities and clubs. For sports, these include Varsity and Junior Varsity basketball, hockey. Along with wrestling, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. In other areas, there are College Bowl, Torah Bowl, Mock Trial, Model UN, Legal Pathways, Cross Country, Sports Broadcasting (Lions Live), Model Congress, Chess, Debate, MTAhackers (the high school team won the 2022 university hackathon[10]), a 3d printing club, a Math team, as well as the Business is Booming, The Pathway to Pre-med Club, and Finance Club. The Chess team won the Yeshiva League Chess Championship in both 2017 and 2018. The school has 2 robotics teams that participate in the FIRST Tech Challenge (teams 5361 and 13475).The robotic team won the 2025 december competition. The choir is run in connection with the Philip and Sarah Belz School of Jewish Music.

The students publish a number of publications including The Polis (multidisciplinary academic journal), The Academy News (school newspaper), Shema Koleinu (weekly Dvar Torah newsletter), Yagdil Torah (Torah essay journal), HaTzioni (Zionist publication), Pearls of Wisdom (book of students' literary works and, as of 2011, artwork), and the Elchanite (yearbook).

The school organizes international trips for students. In 2004, a group of students spent Shavuot in Belarus in coordination with YUSSR. In 2005, the HaTzioni club, in cooperation with the Palau Mission to the United Nations, arranged a trip for its members to Palau to show the Jewish community's gratitude for Palau's support of Israel.

Notable alumni

Alan Dershowitz, lawyer, author, and Harvard Law School professor

References

  1. ↑ Data for Yeshiva University High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed September 29, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Welcome to MTALIONS.COM". www.mtalions.com.
  3. ↑ "Our Name – Yeshiva University High School for Boys – MTA". Retrieved 2020-04-24.
  4. ↑ Ain, Stewart (15 January 1999). "Y.U. Boys High School". jewishweek.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  5. ↑ "Student Claims of Abuse Not Reported by Yeshiva U." 13 December 2012.
  6. ↑ "Yeshiva University News » Statement from President Joel". Archived from the original on 2012-12-17. Retrieved 2012-12-20.
  7. ↑ "The Jewish Week | Connecting the World to Jewish News, Culture, and Opinion". Archived from the original on 2013-01-01. Retrieved 2012-12-20.
  8. ↑ "Judge tosses $680M sex abuse lawsuit against Yeshiva U." 30 January 2014.
  9. ↑ DeGregory, Priscilla (2019-08-22). "38 former students sue Yeshiva University over alleged sex abuse". New York Post. Retrieved 2019-08-29.
  10. ↑ "MTA Takes First Place At Yeshiva University Hack-A-Thon!". Yeshiva University. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
  11. ↑ Brawarsky, Sandee. "An Orthodox 'cast-off' holds God accountable", The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, October 19, 2007. Accessed February 14, 2008.
  12. ↑ "The Bookshelf". YU Review. Yeshiva University. 2005. Robert J. Avrech YH '68
  13. ↑ "Committees – YUHSB Centennial". centennial.yuhsb.org. Archived from the original on 15 September 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  14. ↑ "Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman Elected YU's Next President". YU News. Yeshiva University. November 16, 2016. Retrieved July 17, 2026.
  15. ↑ Silow-Carroll, Andrew (August 28, 2025). "Yosef Blau, author of an Orthodox rabbis' letter calling out Israel, responds to his critics". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved July 17, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Class Notes" (PDF). Alumni Today. Yeshiva University. Fall 2012. p. 2. Retrieved July 22, 2026. Rabbi Gerald Blidstein '56YUHS, '60YC, '68BR, '99R
  17. ↑ Lewis, Binni; Sklar, Aryeh; Hellman, Faygie. "Obituary of Rabbi Herbert Bomzer". Levine Memorial Chapel. Retrieved 19 July 2026. Herbert attended Yeshiva Toras Chaim for elementary school, and MTA (of Yeshiva University) for high school.
  18. ↑ "Technology and Religion: YU Graduates and Brothers Chanoch '04YC and Moshe '07YC Goldfeder Find Different Paths to Success". YU News. Yeshiva University. January 7, 2013. Retrieved July 19, 2026. Rabbi Michael Broyde '82YUHS, '85YC, '93R
  19. ↑ Elchanite. New York: Yeshiva University High School for Boys. 1963. p. 30. Retrieved 19 July 2026 – via Internet Archive.
  20. ↑ "YUHSB Presents "Inspiring the Next Generation"". YU News. Yeshiva University. December 14, 2016. Retrieved August 2, 2026. Rabbi Steven Burg '89YUHS, director general of Aish HaTorah
  21. ↑ Silow-Carroll, Andrew (January 18, 2024). "Rabbi Zevulun Charlop, dean who led Yeshiva U seminary through period of growth, dies at 94". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Chemistry in the Making: YU Alumni and the Science Industry" (PDF). Alumni Today. Yeshiva University. Fall 2012. p. 5. Retrieved August 2, 2026. I attended YU High School, then called TA.
  23. ↑ "Class Notes" (PDF). Alumni Today. Yeshiva University. Spring 2011. p. 3. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  24. ↑ "YUHSB Alum Alan Dershowitz Reminisces on His Formative High School Years at Centennial Lecture". Jewish Link. May 4, 2017. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
  25. ↑ "5 Facts About Rabbi Eckstein". International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Retrieved July 19, 2026.
  26. ↑ Elchanite. Yeshiva University High School for Boys (Brooklyn). 1956. p. 18. Retrieved 19 July 2026 – via Internet Archive.
  27. ↑ "Making a Career in Israel". YU News. Yeshiva University. February 8, 2019. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  28. ↑ "Committees – YUHSB Centennial". centennial.yuhsb.org. Archived from the original on 15 September 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  29. ↑ "YU Alumnus Dr. Hillel Furstenberg Wins the Abel Prize, the "Math Nobel"". Yeshiva University. 25 March 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
  30. ↑ "Meet Julius Genachowski, the Jewish Father of Net Neutrality". December 14, 2017.
  31. ↑ Palmer, Joanne (November 23, 2016). "Lincoln's day". The Jewish Standard. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  32. ↑ Levine, Yitzchok. "Two Letters from Rav Mordechai Gifter" (PDF). Steven Institute of Technology. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  33. ↑ Fishbach, Brian (16 December 2021). Talking “Jew to Jew” with Comedian Elon Gold Jewish Journal. Retrieved on 29 March 2025
  34. ↑ "Class Notes" (PDF). YU Alumni Today. Yeshiva University. Spring 2011. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
  35. ↑ Palmer, Joanne (April 21, 2016). "Meet Trump's Israel adviser". The Times of Israel. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  36. ↑ "Class Notes" (PDF). Yeshiva University. Winter 2009. p. 1. Retrieved 24 July 2026. Rabbi Chaim Jachter '81YUHS, '86YC, '88BR, '92R
  37. ↑ "Richard M. Joel". Jewish Virtual Library. American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  38. ↑ Yudelson, Larry (November 14, 2014). "At the heart of Touro". The Jewish Standard. Retrieved July 20, 2026.
  39. ↑ Rakeffet-Rothkoff, Aaron (Spring 2009). "Rabbi Meir Kahane: His Life and Thought". Jewish Action. Orthodox Union. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
  40. ↑ Dei'ah Vedibur News: Dr. Joseph Kaminetsky zt"l Archived 2007-08-22 at the Wayback Machine, March 24, 1999
  41. ↑ Yeshiva University (January 29, 2013). "Max Kampelman Obituary". The New York Times. Retrieved July 20, 2026 – via Legacy.com.
  42. ↑ "Yeshiva University Professor Ephraim Kanarfogel Elected to Distinguished Jewish Research Academy". Yeshiva University. September 11, 2008. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  43. ↑ "Stan Kasten". NJSports.com. Retrieved 2 August 2026.
  44. ↑ JLNJ Staff (November 17, 2016). "Yossi Klein Halevi ('71) Presents First of YUHSB Centennial Lecture Series". The Jewish Link. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  45. ↑ "Rabbi Dr. Bernard Lander (1915–2010)". Touro University Libraries. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
  46. ↑ Green, David B. (October 14, 2015). "Ralph Lauren Is Born, Will Build an Empire Based on Cary Grant Fantasy". Haaretz. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  47. ↑ "(Legal) Defender of the Faith". YU News. Yeshiva University. July 8, 2011. Retrieved July 21, 2026. Lewin attended Ramaz elementary school and Talmudical Academy (now the Yeshiva University High School for Boys) in Washington Heights.
  48. ↑ Lerner, Aaron L. (October 29, 2013). "For Sports Fans, Mazer Was 'A Pleasure'". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  49. ↑ "Mourns Rabbi Moses Mescheloff" (PDF). Illinois General Assembly. State of Illinois. May 31, 2008. Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  50. ↑ "YU Review". Yeshiva University. Winter 2003. Retrieved 22 July 2026. Macy Nulman YH, '45Y {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  51. ↑ "The Passing of Velvel Pasternak". YU News. Yeshiva University. June 14, 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2026.
  52. ↑ Goldfarb, Sheldon (2023). "Chaim Potok". EBSCO Research. EBSCO Information Services. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  53. ↑ "Class Notes" (PDF). Yeshiva University Alumni News. Yeshiva University. Winter 2011. p. 6. Retrieved 31 July 2026. Rabbi Steven Pruzansky '75YUHS
  54. ↑ Butler, Menachem; and Nagel, Zev. "Reflections on Those Years: An Interview with Rabbi Emanuel Rackman", The Commentator, May 16, 2005. Accessed December 4, 2008.
  55. ↑ Zwiebel, Alan H. "Letters to the Editor – Tisha B'Av Edition 5782". HaMizrachi. World Mizrachi. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  56. ↑ Riskin, Shlomo (April 15, 2011). "Lessons From the Rav". Yeshiva University News. Yeshiva University. Retrieved August 1, 2026.
  57. ↑ Palmer, Joanne (October 19, 2022). "Singing the songs of Shabbat". The Jewish Standard. Retrieved August 1, 2026.
  58. ↑ "A Lion's Life – Ki Sisa". A Lion's Life. Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy. March 17, 2017. Retrieved August 2, 2026. Mazal Tov to the 18 alumni... Rabbi Itamar Rosensweig '06
  59. ↑ The Elchanite. Talmudical Academy. 1951. p. 32. Retrieved August 1, 2026 – via Internet Archive.
  60. ↑ "Class Notes" (PDF). Alumni Today. Yeshiva University. Fall 2011. p. 5. Retrieved August 1, 2026. Shoshana and Rabbi Hershel Schachter '58YUHS, '62YC, '67R
  61. ↑ "A Lion's Legacy – Winter 2017". Yeshiva University High School for Boys. Winter 2017. Retrieved August 2, 2026. Mazel Tov to Eli Rozenberg ('12) upon his marriage to Blima Farkas.
  62. ↑ "Yeshiva University Commentator ; December 5, 1995".
  63. ↑ Besser, Yisroel (12 March 2019). "We Can All Sing". Mishpacha Magazine. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  64. ↑ "The Indomitable Spirit of Rabbi Ahron Soloveichik". 13 October 2002.
  65. ↑ "A Short Autobiography of Chief Rabbi Ben-Tzion Spitz". 18 September 2013.
  66. ↑ Stolper, Dovid Dov Moshe (June 29, 2022). "He Empowered a Generation". Mishpacha. Retrieved August 1, 2026.
  67. ↑ "Classnotes". YU Review. Yeshiva University. 2005. Retrieved August 2, 2026. Joyce (Gabel) YH '76 and Daniel Straus YH '74 were honored last November by AMIT in recognition of their support and leadership.
  68. ↑ "Mission & History". Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. Yeshiva University. Retrieved 2 August 2026. Rav Moshe Dovid learned in RJJ and, for his final year of high school, transferred to MTA.
  69. ↑ Elchanite. Manhattan, New York: Yeshiva University High School for Boys. 1961. p. 57. Retrieved 2 August 2026. Eli Turkel … a very popular member of the graduating class.
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  72. ↑ "Alumni Affairs Class Notes".
  73. ↑ Berger, Paul (December 20, 2012). "Yeshiva Officials, Rabbis Knew of Alleged Abuse". The Forward. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  74. ↑ "Maish Yarmush". Tablet. Retrieved 2 August 2026. He...captained the BTA high school basketball team.
  75. ↑ Elchanite. 1948. p. 20. Retrieved August 2, 2026 – via Internet Archive.
  76. ↑ "Biographical and Financial Information Requested of Nominees". Nominations Before the Senate Armed Services Committee, First Session, 107th Congress (PDF). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. 2002. p. 348. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
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  80. ↑ Davis, Lenore (February 4, 2018). "Passing of Esther Zuroff". The Five Towns. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
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