Mission and approach
The mission of Bais Menachem is to provide an alternative to the mainstream Yeshiva system for alienated and disaffected teenage boys. Bais Menachem maintains a student body of no more than 20 students in order to allow for individualized attention, guidance, and support for our students.
These goals are accomplished by providing year-round programming of Judaic and general studies, Mivtzoim outreach, volunteering for the elderly, and an abundance of recreational activities in a warm, non-judgmental environment. Building self-esteem and life skills in our students is central to our mission. We aim to help our students identify the positive qualities in themselves, through cooperative goal setting for each individual.
About Us
✔ High Staff to student ratio
✔ 1-on-1 learning provided for students requiring it
✔ Shluchim who understand the needs of a teenager, act as an older brother, are always available to be a listening ear.
✔ Multi-layered, flexible, well-rounded curriculum with many options to meet the needs of each and every student
✔ GED or High School Diploma preparation
✔ Incentive for punctuality, participation, and extra achievements (mitzvahs)
✔ Productive extracurricular activities. In the past we have had learning languages, learning (voice singing skills and) music, computer programming, farming, martial arts, hiking and sports to name some
Our Approach
✔ Our approach is to strongly emphasize to the students that:
✔ A person must first work on being a healthy human being (a mentch), and then the other areas of life can fall into their proper place - including Yiddishkeit
✔ To be proactive vs reactive
✔ Maturing and growing into an adult means doing what NEEDS to be done rather than doing what we WANT to do
✔ Carry your weight - through chores and responsibilities
✔ That G‑d and Yiddishkeit/spirituality are not just found in books, or for people who are unworldly; they can be explored and internalized by all, no matter their circumstances
✔ Our most important recipe for success is the attention and care that each student receives: unconditional love, non-judgmental dedication from all the staff and shluchim towards each student as an individual
