By COLlive reporter
With a focus on educating the next generation of Jewish leaders, Yeshiva Schools of Pittsburgh announced an expansion with the purchase of the former S. Rosalia Catholic School and convent, nestled in the adjacent neighborhood of Greenfield.
The property will become the new home of Yeshiva’s boys school, and the convent will be converted into housing for up to 50 high school boys. The new facilities will be fully operational for the fall of 2021.
The expansion is part of a broad growth strategy to build the Yeshiva of the future, continuing the school’s 78-year tradition of providing students with the religious foundation to sustain them for a lifetime, while providing the academic and life skills that will allow them to thrive in the secular world.
In October of 2020, the school announced new leadership, with Rabbi Yossi Rosenblum taking on the role of CEO and five new board members joining the team.
Bringing decades of passionate work in Jewish education to the role, Rabbi Rosenblum grew up attending Yeshiva as a child and served as an educator at the school for 32 years before beginning his new position. He is recognized internationally for creating the Zekelman Standards, the benchmarks for best practices in Jewish studies.
Since last fall, the school has united around its Syntagma plan, a multiyear strategic plan that anchors a path to growth, blending traditions of the past with technological and operational needs of the future. The school has expanded its operating model to provide early child education, while supplying more complex infrastructure, adding key staff positions to sustain growth, creating new dormitories for boys and girls, and pursuing expanded national accreditations.
“The purchase and reuse of this vacant building in the heart of Greenfield is good news for the community,” said Councilman Corey O’Connor, who serves the Greenfield community. “The Yeshiva will offer education and programming for years to come. The school will be an asset to Greenfield and they are committed to being a good neighbor to the surrounding community.”
”Working closely with parents, the Yeshiva School is focused on inspiring lifelong learning, coupled with a deep commitment to the Jewish faith,” said Rabbi Rosenblum. “As a result, our school consistently attracts students from across the U.S. and beyond, and families relocate here to enjoy the high quality of life we treasure in Pittsburgh. As part of our broader Syntagma vision to build the Yeshiva of the future, this expansion will allow us to welcome more families to our community.”
Built in 1957, the property will be updated to current standards, adding 48,000 square feet of academic space to the Yeshiva Schools footprint, including 17 new classrooms, science labs, study halls and individual study spaces, multidisciplinary facilities, a mikvah, common gathering spaces, a commercial kitchen, faculty offices, and an indoor auditorium. The new space will also include a wellness suite that will offer emotional and academic support for students, as well as extensive outdoor space for recreation.
“Our school is special in its offering of both strong Judaic studies as well as traditional education, giving our students the ability to compete professionally, while staying true to the Torah,” explained Dr. Chaim Oster, Yeshiva’s president. “This pursuit of excellence is the fabric of our faith. In the years ahead, we will continue to guide our youth to contribute to our community and become tomorrow’s leaders.”
A community meeting regarding the expansion will be held; to learn more, visit www.yeshivaschools.com.
Mazel Tov to my dear alma mater!
Mrs. Saxon