Rabbi Richard Tobias is a master educator with 13 years of experience in high school education. In that time, he has had a tremendous impact on our community’s young men and women who have gleaned from his wisdom, charisma and leadership. He comes to us from Magen David Yeshivah High School where he held the position of Head of School since June 2019. Prior to that, he was Assistant Principal overseeing Judaic Studies. He was also instrumental in creating and running the school’s Scholars Program, which he led for five years. In his decade plus of high school education, the rabbi taught and created relationships with thousands of young adults, many of whom are still in contact with him today. His educational philosophy focuses on giving students the confidence and skills to become independent learners. Rabbi Tobias graduated summa cum laude from Yeshivah University in 2002 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. He joined the Sephardic Rabbinical College, learning under the tutelage of Hakham Shimon Alouf and Rabbi Harold Sutton, and received semikha from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and Hakham Ovadia Yosef ZSK”L in 2010. In 2013, Rabbi Tobias returned to school, receiving a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Teachers College at Columbia University and attended the Harvard Principals Institute. Rabbi Tobias currently serves as Assistant Rabbi at Congregation Beth Torah in Brooklyn, New York and is summer Guest Rabbi at Congregation Bet Rachel, the Larchwood Synagogue in Oakhurst, New Jersey. He is married with five children, all of whom either graduated or still attend Barkai Yeshivah.

Esther Tokayer is a passionate and creative educator who has impacted the lives of thousands of members of the Sephardic community in Brooklyn for over three decades. She has taught and mentored some of our community’s leading educators and her reputation for excellence in education is known across the Jewish day school world. Ms.Tokayer served as Associate Principal of Magen David Yeshivah High School for the last 22 years. She focused on Academic Advisement for the students, professional development for the staff, teacher mentoring and constantly introducing high quality programs to the school that would create an enriching educational environment. She began her career at MDYHS as a History and Tanakh teacher before becoming Coordinator of Student Activities. In that capacity, she was recognized for her inspiring programming for Yom HaShoah, Yom Haatsmaut, Seminar Shabbatonim, Yachad events and other hesed and Israel advocacy programs. Ms. Tokayer has always encouraged teachers to collaborate across disciplines so as to enhance and deepen student learning. Her educational philosophy encourages students to be creative and engage with the world, and to develop leadership and communication skills to benefit themselves, the community and the greater society. Ms.Tokayer has honed both her teaching and administration skills at The Principal’s Center of Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, at Bar Ilan University’s Lookstein Center, and at High Tech High’s Graduate School for Education. She is a Phi Beta Kappa who graduated summa cum laude from Brooklyn College with a major in History and a minor in Secondary Education. She earned a master’s degree in Jewish History from NYU Graduate School. She is married to Rabbi Etan Tokayer of the Kingsway Jewish Center and is a mom to three children.

While studying in Israel's Yeshivat Maale Adumim in 2010, Rabbi Nathan Zaboulani learned under Rabbi Hayyim Sabato who inspired him to enter the field of Jewish education. Upon returning to NY in 2012, he attended Yeshiva University from which he graduated with a BA in Psychology. He simultaneously received semikha from Rabbi Eliyahu Benhaim, Rosh Yeshiva of YU and joined the Sephardic Rabbinical College where he continued his rabbinical studies under Hakham Shimon Alouf and Rabbi Harold Sutton. While learning at the SRC, he taught Humash and Navi in Barkai Yeshivah Middle School. After graduating from the SRC in 2018, Rabbi Zaboulani joined the Magen David Yeshivah High School faculty, where he was the assistant director of their Scholars Program, as well as a full time teacher in the Judaic Studies department. His favorite course to teach is Jewish Philosophy, where students learn to think critically and engage in high level debate. He serves as the assistant Rabbi of Congregation Kol Israel and teaches as a part of Tanach Study, Kesher and Ahaba Ve Ahva. Rabbi Z, as he is fondly called by his students, is a Sofer and enjoys writing megillot, mezuzot and ketubot. He was the director of the first ever Sephardic NCSY summer Israel trip, touring with 80 high school students all over the land while infusing zionism, teamwork and sephardic heritage. Rabbi Zaboulani is married to Clarice aka "Morah Orly," a Judaic studies elementary school teacher in Barkai. They have a young daughter, Jaclyn.

Tziri is a veteran educator with more than 15 years of experience. Coming to us from Yeshivah of Flatbush High School, she teaches English, has been their Ed Tech Specialist for the last six years and their STEM Coordinator for the last two years. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Touro University currently training teachers in technology coaching methods. An eternal educational optimist, Tziri is driven by a passion to develop her students' critical thinking skills and empower future leaders. She is excited to join the Barkai HS team where she will Oversee curriculum development, support teachers, and build a comprehensive digital literacy program for grades 1-12. She holds master's degrees from Brooklyn College in both English Education and Administration. Tziri currently lives in Brooklyn with her three teenage children.

Coach Eli Katz learned at Yeshivat HaKotel for 2 years and then studied History at Yeshiva University with a minor in Judaic Studies. He began his career in education at Kohelet Yeshiva in Philadelphia, where he served as a member of the history department, religious guidance advisor, varsity boys’ basketball coach, and assistant athletic director. A few years ago, he moved to the New York area where he served as the upper school athletic director and boys’ baseball coach at Ramaz. At Ramaz, each team under his supervision improved both on and off the court. Eli Katz has been, and continues to be, an assistant coach with the Yeshiva University men's basketball team since the 2014-15 season. During his time at Yeshiva, the Maccabees have captured three Skyline Conference Championships (2017-18, 2019-20, and 2021-22), earned two victories in the 2019-20 NCAA Tournament, sustained a 50-game winning streak from 2019 until 2021, and were ranked No. 1 nationally by D3hoops.com during the 2021-22 season. At YU, Coach Katz is responsible for scouting, recruiting, and player development and training, among other things. Eli lives in Teaneck with his wife Kayla and son Yona.

Jamie served as captain of both the ROIC dance team and MDYHS girls' dance team during her high school years choreographing dances for the annual Celebrate Israel Parade among others. She was a dance teacher at Camp Seneca Lake in 2020 and continues to teach dance to young girls during the summer. As part of the BYHS Athletic Team, Jamie will build relationships with our female students, instill confidence in them, both on and off the stage, and create amazing choreography to compete in the Annual Rikudiah Competition. After beginning this year learning at Midreshet Eshel in Israel, she will be attending The Fashion Institute of Technology in September 2023.

Regina is graduating the Honors program at Stern College for Women this May and is a member of the Allegra Franco Bet Midrash. She is currently working towards her master's degree at Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education of Yeshiva University. Regina graduated valedictorian of Barkai Yeshivah Class of 2015. Regina is teaching Torah to high school students in a formal setting and worked as a youth director at Hathaway Synagogue in the summer. She taught science to underprivileged children as part of Yeshiva University's START Science! initiative. Her passionate approach to Torah education inspires students to learn and internalize the subject matter while also creating strong relationships with them both inside and outside the classroom.

Sally has 16 years of experience in high school education with much of that time was at Magen David Yeshivah High School where she served as Head of the Torah Department, Director of Student Services and as a teacher mentor. At SKA High School, she taught Tanakh and served as the Director of Student Services. Sally has an MA in Special Education from Touro University and certification from JNTP as a teacher mentor. She believes that all students can learn and succeed with the proper support and motivation and that education is a partnership between students, teachers and parents. She is excited to be joining the BYHS team, serving multiple roles, primarily, as a role model for our female students.

Ms. Sara Cohen earned a BA in Chemistry from Barnard College and an MA in Physician Assistant Medicine from Pace University. She currently serves as a PA at Anesthesiology Associates of Boro Park where she primarily deals with pain management. Sara is an avid believer in the integration of knowledge with life experiences, most specifically, applying newly learned scientific concepts to relatable circumstances. That, she says, leads to a better and long lasting understanding of the material and is how she plans to lead her lessons. Ms. Cohen also likes learning to be hands on, creating an experiential classroom environment. Sara teaches Biology and will also be leading our premed club, speaking to students about the different fields of medicine and what the journey entails. She, herself, will be continuing her career in medicine, as she joins the BYHS team, furthering her own knowledge and expertise.

Rabbi Joey Soffer is an Associate Rabbi at Congregation Bnei Yitzhak. He is a faculty member of religious studies at Yeshiva University and a summer Rabbi at Ohel Yishak in Allenhurst, NJ. He received his bachelor's degree from NYU Stern School of Business and went on to receive his Semikha from Rabbi Shimon Alouf and Rabbi Harold Sutton through the Sephardic Rabbinical College.

Chedva is a Mental Health Counselor with a background in adolescent and family services. She comes to us from the Yeshivah of Flatbush High School where she serves as a career counselor in its Pathfinders Program and teaches AP Psychology. For nine years, Chedva worked in the Family and Youth Department at the Sephardic Community Center, to which she credits her love for helping others. Chedva has a BA in Psychology from Brooklyn College and earned her MA in Mental Health Counseling from the City College of New York. Her approach to counseling is wholesome and holistic focusing on what's happening mentally, emotionally, physically and socially. She seeks to create a positive environment that addresses all facets of our students’ needs helping them to grow personally in a supportive atmosphere. Chedva is excited to join the BYHS team where her enthusiastic and empathetic nature will serve as a tool in nurturing our students through their adolescent years.

Tova has spent most of her adult life in Israel where she ‹aught science and math for nearly two decades. Her math instruction in particular has included algebra, advanced algebra, geometry, trigonometry and calculus. She earned a degree in Biomedical Engineering from the Technion Institute in Haifa and is pursuing her Master's Degree in Mathematics. Her educational experience has focused on high school and college students and she comes to us most recently from the Yeshivah of Flatbush High School. STova runs a successful educational coaching company called Karakauer Coaching, which effectively prepares students for the SATs, ACTs and other standardized tests. She looks forward to joining the BYHS team where she will teach math and lead our STEM Club.

Rabbi Uri Lati has been a teacher in the community for gover 18 years, delivering his classes in Arabic, Hebrew and English. He is a world-renowned and sought after speaker, inspiring people across the globe. Rabbi Lati is currently the Head Rabbi at Congregation Har Halebanon and is continuing his rabbinical studies with Hakham Shimon Alouf. Rabbi Lat is excited to be joining the Barkai team as a Halakhah Teacher and as a major presence in our Bet Midrash learning program.

Alan Shamah is a graduate of Barkai Yeshivah Elementary «School (Class of 18) and Yeshivah of Flatbush HS (Class of '22). He served on SGO in both institutions affecting changes to school policy as well as curriculum. Alan graduated YOFHS with honors and received the Rabbi Dr. David Eliach Award for Outstanding School Service, largely due to his extracurricular activities including Mock Trial, Debate Team, Model UN, NYSBC Blood Drive, SSI and much more. Alan is currently studying in Israel at Yeshivat Eres HaSvi and plans to attend NYU in the fall. He will be running our alumni committee, managing a group gof college-aged Barkai alumni who will organize programs on a consistent basis for our students, as well as serve as mentors for our incoming 9th graders. Additionally, Alan will be coordinating our Clubs Program, ensuring and overseeing a robust menu of opportunities for our students.

Dr. Frieda Benun Sutton is a professor and teacher of Biology. Prior to joining Barkai, Dr. Sutton taught at the Yeshivah of Flatbush and across various CUNY campuses. Before her teaching career, she was a tour guide and supervisor at the American Museum of Natural History. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the Macaulay Honors program at Brooklyn College and a PhD in Behavioral Ecology from the CUNY Graduate Center. Her research has been published in premier journals, as well as featured in the New York Times. During her doctoral work, Dr. Sutton trained as a teaching fellow at Macaulay Honors College, working ›together with faculty and students to meaningfully implement technology and experiential learning in the classroom. Dr. Sutton is a graduate of the Yeshivah of Flatbush High School and the Midreshet Lindenbaum seminary in Jerusalem. She currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and 3 children.

Raquel is a graduate of NYU Steinhardt Graduate School of Education She has been teaching English literature and writing for • over 10 years in our community schools. Always on the cutting edge of pedagogical practices, MS. Franco attends a variety of professional development programs. Additionally, she attends the Allegra Franco Bet Midrash program keeping her on top of her educational growth in Judaic Studies. Raquel believes in a whole child approach to teaching and knows that when children enter the classroom, they bring along their happiness, anxiety, disappointments and pride too. She works to channel it all into their understanding of complex texts and the ability to produce thoughtful writing pieces. Putting a book in every child's hands is a priority, and for their parents to read alongside them is her dream!

Rebecca has taught Jewish History at Magen David Yeshivah High School and was a Bet Midrash Fellow at SAR High School in Riverdale. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Archaeology at Stern College for Women and her Master’s Degree in Jewish History at Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies. Rebecca has excavated at different archaeological sites in Israel and is passionate about bringing ancient history to life. She is excited to join the BYHS team!

Abe is a graduate of NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study and an alumnus of Yeshivah Torat Shraga in Jerusalem. He is a lifelong student of Hazzanut and Pizmonim, currently collaborating on Congregation Beth Torah’s Youth Hazzanut Program. Abe loves Pizmonim and Maqamat and their interplay in beautifying our Tefillah. He values the preservation of our community’s minhagim and is dedicated to continuing the traditions of our ancestors. We are extremely excited to have him as a part of the Barkai family!

Renée has been a basketball superstar for the last 30 years. She served as captain of the girls' basketball team in Hillel Yeshivah High School, played D3 ball at FIT and competed in an invitational NYC league with professional players from around the world. Renée began coaching ten years ago as Head Coach of Yeshivah of Flatbush's 6th grade girls' basketball team. Renée has been running basketball clinics and leagues for several years where she models not only great playing, but leadership, sportsmanship and character. She uses what she has gleaned from all of her experiences to enhance her coaching and bring excellence to the game. Renée is excited to get to work coaching our JV girls' basketball team and to join the Barkai family.

Sarina is a college-aged, young professional who will learn with our students in the Bet Midrash. She will act as a role model, spend time talking to and guiding our students throughout their high school experience.