Leah was born and raised in Crown Heights, New York, and in true New York style does everything at high speed. From an early age, she was inspired by her parents’ dedication to Jewish education; her mother as principal of Bais Rivka for over two and half decades, and her father as the founder of Heichel Menachem. Leah always dreamed of being a teacher, and at age six, converted her basement into a little classroom, using items from her mother’s school, including lesson plan books, old desks, chalkboards, and attendance registers. Her siblings fondly, or not so fondly, reminisce about having to call their sister “Morah Leah” while spending hours at her “school”.
As a teenager, Leah spent her summers as a counselor and head counselor in the day and overnight camps across the United States. Leah’s guitar playing and love of singing earned her a spot in many school and camp productions. After graduating from Bais Rivka High School, Leah attended seminary in Tzfat and then returned to New York, continuing her studies in seminary.
Leah is famous for her ability to juggle multiple responsibilities at once and began practicing this skill on her return to New York, working as a dorm counselor for high school girls, as a Hebrew school teacher in New York and Connecticut, all while studying for her Bachelor’s in education, and working as a teacher for a preschool in Riverdale, NY.
Leah loved helping others discover the wonder of Hashem and soon realized that preschool was her passion. She was inspired daily watching young children develop their ability to understand the world around them and their own independent thinking.
In 2010, Leah and her husband Levi crossed the ocean and moved to South Africa. Leah immediately began making an impact on the South African Jewish community, founding and directing the Friendship Circle, an organization for children with special needs and their families while teaching Pre grade at Torah Academy Nursery School. She is a noted kallah teacher and teaching brides is a particular passion of hers. She is the Rebbetzin of the Shul at Hyde Park, and the mother of a beautiful family. Her home is constantly open to guests and she loves to feed people. Leah manages everything on her plate with ease, with a smile on her face and a cup of coffee in her hand.
In 2019 Leah took over the reins as principal of the Torah Academy Nursery School, bringing her organizational skills, creativity, and a deep sense of his kashrus to invigorate the school. Luckily for her, 5 of her 12 siblings are preschool directors, and all of them are involved in Jewish education and outreach around the world, in places as far-flung as Bogota, Columbia, and Alaska, USA.
Loving chocolate, candies, and anything sweet, Leah brings a sweetness to Torah and Mitzvos. She is passionate about finding the talents in every single child – from more conventional talents to obscure and out-of-the-box ones.
Her wisdom, wit, and warmth created a culture of growth in the nursery school. Leah is continuously inspired by her students’ sense of wonder and strives to cultivate a school community where differences are celebrated and every child has the opportunity to shine. Her passion for inspiring each child’s unique connection with G-d, Torah, and Mitzvos is evident throughout the school.