History
History
Three Generations of Innovation and Leadership
One of the first seven day schools outside of New York
May 8, 1945
With the support of Torah Umesorah, a kindergarten for Jewish children opens on North Logan Avenue in the in the old “Russian” Talmud Torah Building. It is the first school of its kind in Minnesota.
September, 1945
16 kindergarten and 4 first grade students begin the school year in the newly named Hebrew Parochial School of Minneapolis.
1951
The school’s name is changed to Torah Academy. Telshe Yeshiva in Cleveland, Ohio sends rabbinical students to direct and teach in the school.
1954
Torah Academy moves to a bungalow house on Oliver Avenue North.
1955
Rabbi Meier Eisemann begins his 15-year term as principal with 56 students in kindergarten through 6th grade. He establishes Friends of Torah Academy, develops educational programs for isolated Jewish families across the region, and inaugurates a Yeshiva Department to provide after-school classes for Torah Academy graduates.
LATE 1950s
Torah Academy adds 7th and 8th grades.
1964
With over 100 children enrolled, Torah Academy moves to a larger building at 4000 Golden Valley Road.
1972-73
Rabbi Gerald Werner, a member of the first graduating class of 1952, returns to serve as principal. The school, bursting at the seams again, moves to the Talmud Torah building in St. Louis Park.
1975
Rabbi Heshy Dachs relocates from San Francisco to become principal for the next ten years. School enrollment spreads into the less observant community. Rabbi Dachs spearheads the campaign to find the growing school a permanent home.
1982
Led by the generosity of Louis Herman, Torah Academy purchases its current home, the former Fern Hill public school.
1980s
Torah Academy brings in a mini-kollel. The dynamic rabbis teach in the morning and learn together in the afternoon and evening.
1985
Rabbi Yaakov May becomes principal. He serves as both principal and executive director until 1991, significantly building up enrollment.
1992
Rabbi Yosef Abrams is principal from 1992 – 1999. Torah Academy now has nearly 300 students, including many immigrant Russian children. The school enjoys an award-winning success at the Uptown Art Fair and a new computer lab, gifted by US West (now Qwest).
1999
Rabbi Binyomin Ginsberg serves as dean until 2010. He introduces exciting programs such as Minyanaires (for dazzling daveners), TARATE (Jewish learning with different “belt” levels, like karate), Project Derech (to instill respect and derech eretz), and Friday cholent raffles.
2004
Torah Academy is named School of the Year by Torah Umesorah, the National Society of Hebrew Day Schools.
2005
Torah Tots program begins, bringing two- and three-year-olds and their families into the Torah Academy family.
LATE 2000s
Thanks to generous grants, Torah Academy significantly upgrades its general studies department, computer lab, and school building.
2010
Rabbi Yaakov Rabinowitz of Toronto becomes the new dean.
