Who We Are

History
Founded in 1978, the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway (HAFTR) sets the standard of excellence for American Jewish yeshiva education on both the lower and secondary levels.

The Hebrew Institute of Long Island (HILI) served the Rockaway and budding Five Towns community since 1936, and the Hillel School was founded in 1957 to serve the growing needs of the Long Island and Rockaway communities. HAFTR was established in 1978 as a merger between these two outstanding South Shore yeshivot as an Orthodox yeshiva with Torah as the foundation of its philosophy.

Mission

HAFTR is a co-educational Modern Orthodox yeshiva that strives to instill in our students a love of Hashem, lifelong learning, community, and Israel. Our rigorous dual curricular education in Limudei Kodesh and general studies prepares future generations of leaders, bnei/bnot Torah, and critical thinkers. We facilitate our students’ pursuit of academic excellence and development of a personal relationship with Hashem and middot tovot in a caring learning environment.

Core Values:

We develop responsible and engaged citizens and leaders who are guided by Torah, mitzvot, ahavat Yisrael,Tzionut, chesed, and the values of Modern Orthodoxy. We facilitate students' realizing their maximum potential as future Jewish leaders and representatives of the Jewish people.
We celebrate the uniqueness of each child in our community of learners by providing innovative, stimulating and varied learning opportunities that address each student’s specific developmental needs. We believe in a strong partnership between home and school in cultivating our students' development.
We imbue students with a love of the Jewish State of Israel and an appreciation for the United States of America. We strive to contribute positively to our society, we value diverse opinions and appreciate that we are part of a global community.

Religious Philosophy
As a Modern Orthodox yeshiva, HAFTR promotes a religious philosophy that is predicated on creating a caring and vibrant atmosphere conducive to learning and a spirited fulfillment of mitzvot. We strive to integrate Limudei Kodesh and general studies so students can develop authentic relationships with Hashem, Torah, the Jewish people, the Land of Israel, and the world at large.

We seek to instill in our students an appreciation of Hashem's presence in all aspects of their lives, for we believe that the study of the world - be it the arts, the sciences, technology or history - directly serves to strengthen that appreciation. We affirm that the Torah is a living blueprint for a spiritually meaningful way of life that provides a precious anchor in the midst of a rapidly changing world.

We seek to inspire and challenge our students with an interdisciplinary educational approach that is relevant to our students' lives in the 21st century. This includes rigorous study and analysis of sacred texts, Jewish history, Jewish ethics, personal prayer and observance, civic responsibility, the importance of community, Hebrew language fluency, and the inseparable bond between the Jewish people and the Jewish State of Israel. HAFTR emphasizes a passionate commitment to the Jewish values of derech eretz (proper way to act), simchat hachaim (joy of life), kavod habriot (human dignity), tzedakah (charity), and gemilut chasadim (acts of kindness). HAFTR seeks to graduate students who are Jewish leaders, knowledgeable and proud of their Judaism, and who are committed members of Klal Yisrael and the global community.

Non-discrimination Policy

The Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway admits students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs and activities made available to students. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in administration of educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship or loan programs, or other school administrative programs.