Lara Salkinder
Managing Director
Lara Salkinder
Managing Director
Yossi Liberow
Trustee
Yossi Liberow
Trustee
As a self-proclaimed workaholic, Yossi’s dedication as Managing Director of Torah Academy is the stuff of legends. It seems impossible but somehow, almost every day, he manages to read and sit down to dinner with his children. We don’t know how it’s possible, but what we do know is that if you ever spot Yossi on campus, he’s often a blur, because he walks fast. Maybe that’s why he’s never been to the gym in his life. There’s a lot we don’t know about Yossi, but here’s some of what we do know.
Yossi Liberow was raised just 60 km from Johannesburg, in Springs, South Africa. As the children of the Chabad Shluchim, Yossi and his seven siblings traveled daily to school at Torah Academy. His family’s dedication to a Torah Academy education while living so far meant that throughout his school career Yossi traveled 250,000 km to and from school. Perhaps this is what sparked his dream of flying to school in a helicopter every morning, his penchant for fast driving, or his desire to have every type of license in the world. So far it’s just trucks, cars, and motorbikes.
After attending Yeshiva in Johannesburg, Yossi continued his studies at Yeshivas Lubavitch Manchester, Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim Kiryat Gat in Israel, and the Rabbinical College of America in Morristown, New Jersey. Yossi spent his final year in Yeshiva on Shlichus in Yeshivas Ohr Elchonon in Los Angeles, where he was charged with learning with and guiding the younger students. After his marriage, Yossi lived in Israel and received Smicha in Yerushalayim.
Yossi, together with his wife Chaya, are the proud parents of beautiful children, all of whom attend Torah Academy. In the summer, Yossi can often be spotted water skiing on the Vaal river with his kids, passing on his love for adventure to the next generation.
From the time he was a teenager, Yossi was a passionate student of the world, learning business tips from continuous research and encounters. Yossi began his business career at age 7, cleaning erasers for cash in Grade 1, and at 15, he began selling Schach. At age 22, he became a customer service consultant for Aquazania and later its COO. In 2012, he joined Aquaspresso, a coffee business servicing customers across South Africa. In 2018, he was instrumental in the sale of Aquazania to the Bidvest Group.
In 2020, Yossi moved to his current position motivated by the opportunity to make long-lasting and impactful changes that create a difference within the community. Yossi dreams of supporting the greater Johannesburg community in every way, and is incredibly sensitive to the welfare of people.
Yossi is intentional, innovative, organised, and goal-oriented, and his care and concern for every student and staff has transformed the energy and growth in the school.
Emily Purchase
Executive Administrator
