Mesivta Sha’arei Pruzdor is a מקום תורה dedicated to providing an inspired Yeshiva education and a superior General Studies program. Both meticulously designed tracks are taught with excitement, warmth, and a passion for growth. Our mission is to create an all encompassing four-year educational plan towards achieving these goals – amongst others:
Torah Life
MSP offers an inspirational approach towards understanding, relating to, and loving מצוות. There is a special focus on שבתות and ימים טובים. We have incorporated a weekly הכנה ערב שבת program preparing the boys for שבת through singing and דברי תורה, as they form an exciting opportunity for connection to ‘תפילה ה is taught as a skill to gain a meaningful relationship with עמלה בתורה .ב”ה is stressed – Not as a mental exercise or subject, but as a path towards דביקות ב”ה
Skills and Knowledge
At MSP our focus is on giving each student the skill set he needs to navigate through his learning with enjoyment, comprehension, and clarity. These tools will help him throughout his life – long after graduation. In the realm of General Studies, we offer a high level of education to prepare our students for the future. It is one of MSPs goals that our graduates be proficient in both the realm of תורה study and in General Studies as well.
Patterns of Success
Our educational philosophy is to set small attainable goals for our students in all areas, giving them a sense of accomplishment and building their self confidence. We aim to uncover each students’ inner greatness and build on it to inspire them to use their strengths to its fullest. We celebrate their weekly goals and prepare for the next weeks successes.
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גמרא בעיון
Our תלמידים study a challenging מסכתא each year with the 4 year goal of learning the skills necessary to “make a leining” on גמרא, רשי, תוספות and other major ראשונים and אחרונים. The תלמידים are trained to analyze the implication of each word and explore the conceptual underpinnings of the סוגיה. The תלמידים prepare for and review the shiur together with חברותות and are tested weekly.
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גמרא בקיאות
Our goal is for each תלמיד not merely to finish, but to master the מסכתא. The תלמידים take regular בכינות on דפים and periodically on entire פרקים.
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הלכה
Every day there is a seder in הלכה. Our goal is to make הלכה relevant to their every day lives. We focus on preparing them for טובים ימים and other every day מצוה fulfillment.
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חומש
Every day, the talmidim learn the השבוע פרשת with .רשי Each שעור highlights how the חומש should inform and inspire our daily עבודת ‘ה. Additionally, Rabbi Merenstein rotates among the classes giving שעור in core areas of the חומש focusing on אמונה and the character traits of key תורה personalities.
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Night סדר
During night סדר, on Monday and Thursday nights, we are privileged to have Rabbi Moshe Don Kestenbaum, our משגיח lead the תלמידים in a חבורה-style learning. Together they learn Rabbi Kestenbaums’ .ספר – עולם המידות Rabbi Kestenbaum is there to give one-on-one to the boys and the relationship is one that is valued by all.
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תפילה
תפילה שעור shiur is a once a week highlight given by Rabbi Merenstein to the entire school together. It’s an interactive class which slowly insitills an appreciation and understanding of תפילה.
General Studies
We in MSP pride ourselves in giving an education in alignment with the NYS graduation requirements. We help the students ace their Regents exams in each subject and offer new classes to get our students ready for college and give them skills for the future.
Mathematics
The math program is designed to meet students’ needs within the wide range of their math backgrounds. In all courses, students are given the opportunity to work at a comfortable yet challenging level. All students are exposed to all the necessary requirements for success in college math. Ninth graders begin with Algebra I and then move on to Geometry in tenth grade. Eleventh graders study Algebra II. The math department is current with the math topics covered in the ACT and the new SAT, and will adjust as necessary.
English
English courses are designed to help students develop critical reading and writing skills and the ability to write clearly and correctly. Students are exposed to the best of classical and contemporary literature as well as articles and works of non-fiction. The primary focus of the department, is on writing and communication skills.
Science
Students study Biology in ninth grade, Chemistry in tenth grade, and Physics in eleventh grade. Students in the honor sections of these classes are prepared to take an SAT subject test in June. Our goal is to move beyond the facts and figures presented in the textbooks and to teach our students to be critical thinkers.
History
The history program is designed to help students understand how we came to be as twenty-first century Jews, Americans, Westerners, and citizens of the world. Throughout the history curriculum. Students begin with Ancient & Classical History in ninth grade, move on to a twoyear sequence in American History (which includes, when appropriate, both the AP Exam and the SAT subject test), and then study Modern European History in twelfth grade.