TABC is poised to reach new heights this year with the addition of several new faculty members to its already stellar team. On the general studies side, Mrs. Audi Hecht joins TABC from Yeshiva University High School for Girls (Central) as the new dean of academics. Mrs. Hecht, who is completing her doctorate in educational leadership at the Azrieli School of Education, brings an exceptional record of achievement in education and academic program management. At Central, she played a critical role in professional development, academic innovation, curriculum design and crafting experiential education initiatives. Mrs. Hecht holds both a BA and MA in political science from Brooklyn College and is an Abraham Lincoln Fellow with the Tikvah Institute. Her proven track record of instructional leadership will infuse TABC’s already robust curriculum with creativity and rigor while she leads and supports the school’s department heads and general studies faculty. Mrs. Hecht is an impressive ambassador for excellence in yeshiva education, and her spirited and collegial personality lend themselves well to TABC’s culture of collaboration and warmth.
Also new to the general studies staff is Ms. Elana Kook. Ms. Kook will teach English and serve as the freshman advisor and another touchstone for freshmen, in addition to their grade mechanech, guidance counselors and teachers, as they navigate the first year of high school. Ms. Kook earned her BA from Yeshiva University with summa cum laude honors where she majored in English literature, completed a minor in history and served as editor-in-chief of the newspaper. Ms. Kook received her MA in adolescent literacy from Fordham University, where she also completed her New York State professional teaching certification. As a member of Teach For America, Ms. Kook taught middle school English language arts in a New York City public school. Most recently, she taught English at Yeshiva University High School for Girls, where she also served as the freshman grade dean.
Spearheading the inaugural year of TABC’s brand new music conservatory is Mr. Jacob Spadaro. Mr. Spadaro is a prolific musician and singer in the tri-state area, most notably as a member of the Jewish a cappella group Six13, with whom he has performed around the world, including at the White House. He is currently the keyboardist and electronic producer for Energy. He has taught music since 2013, most recently at Hebrew Academy of Nassau County (HANC). In addition to overseeing TABC’s four-year music program, which allows students to explore the depth and breadth of music through experimentation with instruments, the study of music theory and composition courses, Mr. Spadaro will serve as the band and choir director at TABC, in addition to the in-house musician for school events.
On the Judaic studies side, TABC is thrilled to welcome four new mechanchim to TABC’s legendary team of rebbeim. Among them are Rabbi Yehuda Avner (TABC ’13), a musmach of RIETS and a recent graduate of its joint certificate program with Ferkauf in mental health counseling; Rabbi Avraham Wein, the assistant rabbi at Congregation Keter Torah; Rabbi Mordy Kuessous, the associate rabbi of the Sephardic Center at Congregation Ahavath Torah in Englewood; and Rabbi Yakov Grun, who joins TABC after eight years at Hebrew Academy of Nassau County (HANC). While these rebbeim will all teach Limudei Kodesh—Gemara, Navi, Chumash and Halacha—they all share TABC’s belief in experiential learning as a complement to classroom learning and will contribute to the TABC experience in a host of ways, including spearheading adult education programs, implementing schoolwide mitzvah initiatives and extracurricular learning opportunities, hosting Friday night onegs and much more.
