The Shefa School

The Shefa School is a pluralistic Jewish community day school founded in 2014 by Ilana Ruskay-Kidd, serving 230 students in grades K-8 with language-based learning disabilities, including dyslexia. Located in NoMad, Manhattan at 17 West 60th Street (having recently moved to a new $100M campus), the school provides high-quality, research-based instruction for children who have struggled in traditional classroom settings but have average to above-average intelligence. The school opened in 2014 at Lincoln Square Synagogue with 24 students across four grades, moved to 40 E. 29th St. in 2016 with 80 students, and has grown to its current enrollment of 230 students. With an exceptionally low 3:1 student-teacher ratio, The Shefa School provides expert small-group instruction tailored to each student's needs. The curriculum integrates rigorous general studies (math, science, social studies, literacy) with Jewish studies and Hebrew language, creating a supportive Jewish educational framework that serves families across different levels of Jewish involvement. Speech-language therapy and occupational therapy are embedded into classrooms and curriculum, with faculty including speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, psychologists, and social workers. Students participate in "chug" (enrichment), receiving small-group language therapy, occupational therapy, or social skills intervention as needed, alongside high-interest activities like cooking, Lego, dance, and yoga, all delivered using instructional strategies that reinforce language development. The school prepares students to enroll in mainstream schools when they are ready, with a goal of helping each child grow, thrive, and reach their full potential. The Shefa School also operates The Shefa Center, a division serving as a resource for educators and leaders in Jewish day schools seeking to enhance their capacity to educate diverse learners.