Joseph Safra Yeshivah High School
2026-2027
Ohr HaTorah Middle School Handbook
5785
2300 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, FL 33020
Phone: (954) 416-0791
Introduction
Dear Students,
Welcome to the Ohr HaTorah Middle School. A new destination here in South Florida for quality education both in Jewish and General studies. We are proud to be a part of the Ohr HaTorah family, which focuses on building relationships, engaging classes, excitement to learn Torah and mitzvos, and connecting with Hashem and the Jewish people. We aim for our students to be healthy, happy and value the breadth of knowledge and growth that can be achieved. Besides the quality of our faculty and administration, we all share the goal which is to bring out the best in your child and help them reach their potential.
The goal of this handbook is to outline the framework, procedures, and norms of our school. We firmly believe that a clear understanding of the expectations and culture of our school will lead to a successful year. Creating a positive, strong, and structured environment for all of our students, leads to greater opportunities for success, happiness, and fulfillment for each individual student. Parents are asked to please review this handbook with their children to familiarize them with the standards and expectations of Ohr HaTorah.
No handbook, however, can take the place of direct and personal contact among parents, faculty, and administration. We look forward to hearing from you and working closely with each and every parent to form a strong team to bring out the very best in your child.
We look forward to a wonderful year of learning and growth together.
Rabbi Moshe Rudenstein
Menahel
School Mission Statement
Ohr HaTorah Yeshiva Middle School, located in Hollywood, Florida, is designed to meet the diverse demographic needs of 6th-8th grade boys in the local South Florida Ashkenazic and Sephardic communities.
Our mission is to develop young men who become true bnei Torah, passionate about their Judaism, with exemplary character, self-confidence, and the Torah skills to be life-long learners. Our goal is to foster an environment of personal responsibility and commitment to the Jewish people and Eretz Yisrael. Our school strives for academic excellence, both in Limudei Kodesh and General Studies, equipping each student with the educational building blocks, life-skills, and personal guidance to be able to pursue higher education and a meaningful career and life path in accordance with the Torah and their individual purpose and talents. We are invested in the personal growth of our students, developing each one, with his personal strengths, to become an ambassador of Torah and Judaism in the world.
Core Values
Every successful organization has core values that define all that happens within the organization. At Ohr HaTorah, everything we do and hope to accomplish is based on the following four core values:
1. Mission Driven
Everything we do is motivated with passion and purpose. As individuals, and as a school community, we need to constantly be focused on our personal and collective vision and goals.
2. Constant Growth
We must never be content or satisfied. We must always be looking for ways to improve.
3. Striving for Excellence
We are constantly balancing different responsibilities and obligations, yet we must always be striving for excellence in every domain.
4. Caring Community
As a school we are not merely a collection of individuals, but we are an interconnected community. As Jews, we are not simply here to care for ourselves, rather we have a responsibility to the entire Jewish community and ultimately to the entire world.
School Hours
Sunday 8:45am-11:15am
Monday-Thursday 8:00am – 4:20pm
Friday 8:00am-12:45pm
Mishmar: Thursday nights 4:30pm-5:45pm
Early Drop Off and Late Care
If your child is dropped off before 8:00 a.m., they must remain in the Middle School building until the start of the school day. For students using high school transportation, late care will be available from 4:20 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
If your child is in a carpool and cannot be picked up by 4:20 p.m., please notify the school office before the start of the school year so that appropriate supervision can be arranged.
Late Arrivals/Early Pickup
A student who arrives 15 minutes after the start of school must proceed to the office before coming to davening or their classes to get checked in and receive a late note. For early pickup the office must be informed ahead of time. When the parent arrives at school they should proceed to the office, sign out their child, and wait for the child in the office.
School Transportation Conduct
Carpool
In the interests of carpool safety and efficiency, please follow the following guidelines.
- Register your carpool with the OHT office
- Any changes to the routine carpool, ex. student is going home with another student, a parent must contact the school office prior to dismissal to make them aware of the change.
Attendance Policy
It is important for a student to arrive on time to school each day, starting on the right foot and showing a clear commitment to making davening a priority. However, when a child displays symptoms of a communicable disease they should stay at home. A child who becomes ill during the day may be required to go home and a parent will need to pick them up as soon as possible. Please be considerate of others by keeping your child home if they are sick.
Absences
Absence from school creates a disruption in the learning process and inhibits the growth of a student. Personal business, appointments, and routine medical and dental visits should not be made during school hours.
Any student who is absent from class is responsible for any material covered during his absence, including homework, and any work that was assigned during class.
Students are allowed to be absent for a total of 16 days throughout the school year. These include all forms of absences, including family vacations, illness, semachot, personal days, etc. Exceptions will be made by the administration for extended illnesses or extenuating circumstances. Students who miss more than this may require a summer learning program or additional tutoring. In extreme cases where more than 20% of classes have been missed, students risk not moving onto the next grade.
Please be advised when planning family vacations that will cause students to miss classes and risk falling behind. It is not the teacher’s responsibility to prepare days or weeks of makeup work for vacationing students. Please be courteous and give two weeks notice for vacations outside of school breaks so teachers can provide some materials to help the student not fall behind. Family vacations should be planned around calendar school vacations.
Attendance and Partial Absence Policy
Students who arrive more than 15 minutes after the start of the school day will be marked tardy and will receive a ¼-day absence.
Excused Late Arrivals
Students who arrive late with either a doctor’s note or a parent email sent to the school office in advance explaining the reason for the late arrival (such as a doctor’s appointment or a bar/bat mitzvah) will be marked according to the following schedule:
- Arrival before 10:45 a.m. – ¼-day absence
- Arrival at or after 10:45 a.m. – ½-day absence
- Arrival at or after 1:30 p.m. – ¾-day absence
Early Dismissals
Students who leave school before the end of the school day will be marked according to the following schedule:
- Departure before 12:00 p.m. – ¾-day absence
- Departure between 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. – ½-day absence
Friday Schedule
Due to the shortened school day on Fridays, the following attendance policy applies:
Late Arrivals
- Arrival at or after 9:30 a.m. – ½-day absence
- Arrival at or after 11:00 a.m. – ¾-day absence
Early Dismissals
- Departure between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. – ¾-day absence
- Departure between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. – ½-day absence
All partial-day absences count toward the maximum of 16 cumulative absences permitted during the school year.
Assessments
Assessing student learning is an essential part of the learning process. Assessments can take on various forms, and formative and summative assessments are necessary for learning.
Students can expect to have a range of quizzes, tests, and projects throughout each semester in each class. In order to balance the workload and not overwhelm our students, we will have a test calendar for all subjects. The test calendar can be found on our FACTS system. In general, students should not have more than two assessments on any given day.
Quizzes should not take more than 15 minutes of class time and cannot cover more than one week of class material. Tests, which cover more material, should be announced by the teacher at least one week in advance of the test day.
Failing Grades
A passing grade in any subject is a 65 or above. If a student has a failing grade in a course at the end of the year, he will be required to complete (and pass) a summer school course in order to return to school the following year. If a specific class does not have a summer school option (e.g. Limudei Kodesh classes), he will be required to learn a designated amount of material with a tutor and complete a major assessment to receive a passing grade before returning to school. If there is a cost for the course, it is the responsibility of the family, not the school.
In addition, while 65 is a passing grade, in order for a student to be able to participate in extracurricular activities, including athletics, he must maintain an average of 75 or above in all of his classes and may not be failing any course.
Report cards/Progress Reports
OHT-MS grades student performance based on two semesters. Progress reports will be sent out during the middle of the semester for students averaging below a 75 in any of their classes. Students who have below a 65 are considered failing the class and may require tutoring to help them catch back up.
Parent teacher conferences will meet twice in the year shortly after progress reports go out. These meetings may take place in person or over zoom for the designated period of time. If a parent would like a longer discussion, arrangements should be made with the teacher and a mutual date/time will be selected.
Academic Integrity
While honesty is a core foundation of our Torah values, students are always expected to be honest in their interactions with others both in and out of school. OHT-MS will take disciplinary action for any form of cheating or plagiarism. This includes but is not limited to copying another student’s work, quizzes and tests. Also, a student may never directly copy from printed material or the internet, including AI generated content, and submit it as their own. Depending on the situation, a student may be given a zero for that test or assignment or be required to redo it.
Behavior Policy
Students are expected to act and speak in a manner that is in line with Torah values. Behaviors such as outwardly being disrespectful to teachers or classmates, bullying, or other disruptions to class time or other school related activities may result in losing time from recess or sports and more serious infractions may even end up with a suspension.
Suspension
If a student is suspended from school for any reason, he will receive a zero on all in class assignments that took place on the day missed. Any test or quiz missed on the day of suspension, will need to be made up on the day of return. The student can receive a max grade of 70 on that assessment. In addition, the day of suspension counts towards the 16 absences for the year.
Derech Eretz Proper Conduct
For students to succeed and grow it is essential to have a healthy environment of mutual respect for one’s peers and teachers. Our curriculum is infused with these core values to help students further develop in the area of middos tovos. As a team the school in partnership with the parents find the greatest success when these middos are encouraged at home.
Safety and Security
Students will be supervised at all times. A student is never allowed to leave campus on their own without a supervising adult. Students may also not be in any restricted areas of the campus. Violation of these rules may result in a suspension or even expulsion from school.
Care of School Property
Students are responsible for the care of school property. All school property including the grounds, building and furnishings, should be used appropriately. Any damage will be their parents financial responsibility, including lost or damaged textbooks, chromebooks, etc.
Kashrus
In order that parents and students feel comfortable we ask that families only send in food from home, example; snacks, breakfast, and lunch, that bare a kosher certification symbol which is found on the CRC website at the following link https://consumer.crckosher.org/acceptable-kashrus-agencies/
All food provided by the school will also be Pas Yisroel and Chalav Yisroel
Breakfast & Lunch
Breakfast is immediately after Shacharis. Students will have ten minutes before class. Students are encouraged to bring in a proper breakfast if they have not already eaten something at home. A proper breakfast gives them the energy and focus they need to start their day off right.
A lunch plan option will be available for students. Students not on the lunch plan should make sure a proper lunch is brought everyday. The school is not responsible for feeding students who don’t bring in lunch.
Allergies
Parents of children with allergies must provide the school with written documentation from their doctor that explains what they are allergic to, the extent of the allergy, if it’s airboron or just by consumption and how they are affected, ex. Life threatening or rash, etc.
Class Parties
Throughout the year there are often celebrations such as a siyum, hanachas tefillin, bar mitzvas, and other simchas. If parents are sending food into school for class parties please make sure it has a proper certification and must be Pas Yisroel and/or Chalav Yisroel. Also, please do not allow your child to bring in gum or soda as treats.
Bar Mitzvah Dates
Please email the office the date of your child’s Bo Bayom and Bar Mitzvah parsha.
Technology
OHT-MS will provide chromebooks to students that will be used in school and are not allowed to be brought home. Students will be responsible for any damage they cause to a chromebook. All devices are monitored and strictly filtered.
Cellphones
Cell phones as well as other digital devices are a source of tremendous distraction for students and often lead to other discipline issues. In general we encourage that Middle School students should not have their own personal devices and should be limited to the amount of time they are allowed to spend using them. OHT-MS policy is that students will not be allowed to bring to school or on school transportation any technology devices, including but not limited to cell phones, tablets, laptops, gaming devices, and/or smart watches.
Dress Code
There is a saying that “clothes make the man.” The type of clothes we wear both influences our behaviors and the image we create regarding ourselves. As a yeshiva, we are constantly trying to balance the need for our students to dress like Bnei Torah, while also allowing for self expression. For the upcoming year, our dress code will be as follows:
- Students must wear tzitzis every day to school.
- Students must wear a non-textured polo or button down shirt. Allowed colors are white, beige, gray, blue or black.
- Students must wear dress-style pants that are either blue, black, or gray. Students may not wear track pants, sweat pants, jeans or any other variety of non-dress pants. Any pants that students wear to school must comply with the following: 1) They must have side pockets. 2) They must have a front zipper. 3) They cannot have elastic or zippers on the bottom of the pants. 4) Cannot have a front drawstring
- Students may wear shoes or sneakers of their choice, however they should be modest and appropriate for a Yeshiva setting. Students may not wear slippers, slides, crocs, or any open back shoes. Note: Exceptions will only be made with a doctor’s note.
- Students may only wear solid color sweaters or sweatshirts that have small appropriate logos. Hooded sweatshirts are not allowed.
- Students may not wear any jewelry with the exception of certain Sefardi families that have a long-standing family custom. Students who have a custom to do so must first get approval from Rabbi Rudenstein.
- Students’ haircuts should be modest and appropriate for a yeshiva setting. The length should not be too long or too short. The length of the hair on top should not be noticeably longer than the length on the sides, and bangs should not be significantly longer than the rest of one’s hair. Any fade haircut is not permitted.
Students who arrive at school out of dress code (to include but not limited to unbuttoned shirts, missing kippah, or improperly worn clothing) will not be allowed into class until compliant. Time missed will be marked as an unexcused absence. Repeated violations may result in disciplinary action (e.g., detention, parent contact, loss of privileges, community service, or admin referral).
Medical Conditions & Medicine
Chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and behavioral disorders that require medication must be reported to the administration. Parents must make sure to have signed medical documentation from the child’s doctor. Medication must be kept in the original prescription container and is in safekeeping by the school and distributed to the student by a faculty member. A student may not carry around medicine with them lest it gets lost or stolen or misused by the student or peers.
Contact information for Administration and Faculty
Rabbi Moshe Rudenstein – Menahel – mrudenstein@floridayeshiva.com
The main point of contact for School wide questions, guidance, and support.
Ms. Dawn Callahan – General Studies Principal- dcallahan@floridayeshiva.com
For questions regarding all General Studies Curriculum and teachers
Mrs. Chanie Spalter – School Administrator – cspalter@floridayeshiva.com
For questions regarding tuition, Step up, Title 1, or finances for transportation.
Mrs. Wendy Tokayer – Middle School Administrator – wtokayer@floridayeshiva.com
First point of contact for day to day office questions, such as transportation, lunch, dismissal, calendar, programming, & athletics.
Mrs. Helen Berkowitz – Office Manager – office@floridayeyshiva.com
For questions regarding applications and registration.
Rabbi Ariel Bonan – Rebbe (6th Grade) – abonan@floridayeshiva.com
Rabbi Binyomin Goldstein – Rebbe (5th & 8th Grade) – bgoldstein@floridayeshiva.com
Rabbi Yaakov Teles – Rebbe (7th Grade) – yteles@floridayeshiva.com
Mrs. Judy Scott – Teacher, Language Arts (5th, 6th, & 7th Grade) Social Studies (6th Grade) – jscott@floridayeshiva.com
Mr. Jonathan Ouaknine – Teacher, Math (5th & 6th Grade) Science (5th , 6th, 7th, & 8th Grade) Resource room jouaknine@floridayeshiva.com
Mrs Penina Manies – Teacher, Math (7th & 8th Grade) – pmanies@floridayeshiva.com
Mrs Shara Netkin – Teacher, Social Studies (5th, 7th, & 8th Grade) – snetkin@floridayeshiva.com
