Victor Cohen
“Where should I send my child to school?”
All community parents ask this question as their children reach school age. Parents look for a school that they believe will best educate their children in the way that matches their values.
There is no one correct answer as to where to send one’s children to school. We have been blessed with multiple schools for our children, each with its own strengths and unique character. Parents may choose a specific school due to its teaching style, location, or even the sports teams. Each school offers a unique perspective that enables its students to shine and prepares them to become tomorrow’s leaders.
Recently a need for a new school was identified within our community. Yeshivat Magen Abot has been established to fill the need.
Spearheaded by Rabbi Leon Cohen, this new school strives to preserve and build upon the legacy of our heritage and community, cultivating an environment of Torah that fosters academic excellence and nurtures the unique potential of each child.
I am honored to have interviewed Rabbi Leon Cohen for this article. We discussed how the founders of the school started out, the people involved, some of the challenges faced, and what the future may hold.
The Need for a New Yeshiva
Rabbi Cohen explained that while he has had the idea for a new school for many years, only recently has it become not only feasible, but necessary. As he put it, there are two specific needs within the Deal community that he believes Magen Abot can fill:
For the first time, Deal’s yeshivot are full to capacity due to the exponential growth of the community. Therefore, families who are looking to live in Deal long-term may no longer find room for their children within the existing yeshivot. Therefore, another school is needed to accommodate those newcomers.
Second, there is a growing number of families in the community who are interested in an equal balance between secular and Judaic studies for their children. While some schools strive for excellence in General Studies, and others in Judaic Studies, at Magen Abot, a balanced approach is designed to be the best synthesis for students to prepare them for the future in our ever-changing world. Both secular and Judaic studies are critical for our children’s success. Magen Abot offers the best of both kinds of education with its dual approach.
Rabbi Cohen explained how Magen Abot can excel in both areas. He said that the staff he brought on board to teach students were stars in both General Studies and Judaic Studies. As he explained, rather than having either General Studies or Judaic Studies as the primary focus of the school, he wants to put a strong emphasis on both. He continued, “Often, schools have more of a focus on one and less on the other. We want to have both.”
Rabbi Cohen related a story of how a few years back, a Deal family (both the husband and wife grew up in Deal) ended up moving to Brooklyn to find the educational balance they were seeking. That need not happen, now that Magen Abot is on the map.
Magen Abot’s website features a short section, “Why now?” It reads:
Baruch Hashem, our Deal community is growing tremendously, and our classrooms are being filled at a record pace – and it is precisely from this growth, that our community’s needs are evolving. We have the opportunity now to offer families a unique new boys school option while still enabling the growth of our existing institutions. This will ultimately enable our growing community to grow stronger, together.
Meet the Team
Rabbi Leon Cohen is the perfect rabbinical leader to spearhead this new endeavor. With twelve years of teaching experience at Hillel Yeshiva and several years of experience at other institutions (including founding Camp MAXX) Rabbi Cohen knows the community well and is attuned to its needs.
When asked when he knew the time was right to build something new, he responded, “When the landscape allows for it.” According to Rabbi Cohen, the time is ripe.
Rabbi Cohen recruited Mrs. Raisy Liberman as Magen Abot’s Principal. Mrs. Liberman has over 25 years of experience in both teaching and administration, having worked at Ateret Torah, YDE, Hillel Yeshiva, and The New Seminary. It was deemed that with her exceptional guidance and extensive experience Mrs. Liberman will be a catalyst to enable the school to blossom.
Rabbi Moshe Douek is Magen Abot’s Rabbinical Chairman. According to Rabbi Cohen, Rabbi Douek has been an integral part of Magen Abot from the beginning, as the two discussed many aspects of planning for the school. As Rabbi Cohen put it, Rabbi Douek has been particularly helpful because they were “both cut from the same cloth.” Besides being the head rabbi of the Eatontown Synagogue (Congregation Shaare Tefillah Bene Moshe), Rabbi Douek has been a leading force in our community for years, and he now lends his personal credibility to the new school.
Samuel F. Hassine has been chosen as the school’s Chairman of the Board, and has been involved extensively in the logistical and business side of opening up the school.
Overcoming Challenges
Creating a new school from scratch is a tremendous endeavor. Rabbi Cohen noted the following three challenges he and his team faced:
Securing Capital – Gaining funding is a challenge for any institution. Rabbi Cohen recognizes, “A school can’t survive on tuition alone.” Therefore, fundraising has been a central focus for the school’s team. Kudos to Mr. Hassine, who was instrumental in providing the initial funding needed to get Magen Abot off the ground.
The new Founder’s Wall was created as one solution to bringing in needed funds. Baruch Hashem, squares and plaques are selling out quickly, as many want to participate in getting the new yeshiva off the ground. Yet, there are still available dedications for those looking to put their name on this new venture.
The Surrounding Schools – Rabbi Cohen wanted to ensure that Magen Abot would not be “intruding” on the other neighboring schools, or even have that appearance. In the spirit of securing amicable relationships, Rabbi Cohen initially shared his vision for Magen Abot with Rabbi Saul Kassin and Sammy Saka of Hillel Yeshiva, and with Rabbi Mordechai Dabbah of Yeshivat Keter Torah. They all gave him their blessings to move forward.
Location – When searching for a suitable location for their school, the team came across the IVY Hedge Early Childhood Learning Center, which is right behind Monmouth Hot Bagel Bakery, Deal’s premiere kosher bagel store. With the classrooms set up already, and even a playground on-site, this turned out to be the perfect location for Magen Abot. And there is even room to grow.
According to Rabbi Cohen, this building was one of many gifts to Magen Abot from Hashem. As he put it, if you’re doing the right thing for the right reasons, leshem Shamayim, Hashem will support your efforts and bring the right pieces into place for its success. Rabbi Cohen noted that up until now, though they have faced challenges, things have largely worked out for them, and it is because of this that he believes the implementation of this new school is what Hashem wants.
What’s Next?
Rabbi Cohen’s vision is to build up Magen Abot one year at a time, one grade at a time. The school will open with two divisions, a pre-school from ages two through kindergarten, and a grade school of kindergarten -1st grade. Bezrat Hashem, each year another class will be opened up, starting with second grade a year from now.
As for the future, decisions will be made appropriately. It will be some time before the school expands to eighth grade. At the right time the Magen Abot team will decide if a high school is needed. If there is a need, and the students’ families support the opening of a high school, then, bezrat Hashem, Magen Abot will move to open a high school, as well.
Yeshivat Magen Abot is proud to open up their yeshiva this fall for their first year. We are all watching excitedly to see how this brand-new school impacts the Deal area for years to come.