T he appointment of Rabbi Dr. Chaim Dovid Kagan as Dean of the Lubavitch Yeshiva High School in Westchester, was made official earlier today by Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky at Lubavitch World Headquarters.

Rabbi Kagan who has many years of experience in educational administration, served as director and principal of the Chabad girls high school Beis Chaya Mushka in Oak Park, Michigan, where he worked since 1992. He was also the founder and president of the Michigan Jewish Institute. Rabbi Kagan originally trained in the sciences and worked as research fellow at the California Institute of Technology. He left a career as a distinguished scientist to devote himself to Jewish education.

“Rabbi Kagan comes to this position with outstanding credentials and extensive experience and we are confident that he will succeed in fulfilling our vision for this new yeshiva,” said Rabbi Krinsky, chairman of Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch, the educational arm of the Lubavitch movement responsible for opening this new yeshiva.

Following the announcement, Rabbi Kagan said that the Yeshiva, which is to open in September, will be accepting applications beginning March 2. “We have been inundated with calls from parents and are delighted to finally open the admissions process.”

According to Rabbi Kagan, some 40-50 yeshiva high school boys, ages 14-15, are expected to be enrolled in the yeshiva’s first year. The yeshiva will incorporate part of a traditional yeshiva curriculum, but will “be much more varied and tailored to the learning abilities of its students,” said Rabbi Kagan. “Our aim is to work with these students in small groups with a 5-1 student-teacher ratio, and make their yeshiva years an enriching and joyful experience,” says Kagan.

The idea for this yeshiva was developed by the Merkos Chinuch Office, and is meant to address the difficulties that many yeshiva boys have adapting to a rigorous, traditional yeshiva curriculum. In addition to Talmud, Jewish law, and Chasidism—all of which will be modified to better suit the learning patterns of the students—the new yeshiva will provide vocational training in several areas, giving the students marketable skills upon graduation.

Rabbi Nochem Kaplan, Director of the Merkos Chinuch Office who was a catalyst in the creation of this yeshiva, said that “Rabbi Kagan is one of the finest Jewish educators today, and we are thrilled to have someone of his caliber as dean of the new yeshiva.” Rabbi Kagan can be reached at (914) 963-8888, 914-476-6316, or by email: cdkagan@aol.com

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