Administration
Director
Mrs. Esther Betesh
Mrs. Esther Betesh is a child development specialist who majored in Psychology and Education. Mentored one-on-one by Drs. Stanley Greenspan and Serena Weider, she is a certified DIR Therapist with significant experience in special education. She has worked with many prestigious developmentalists and has conceived the methodology for Gan Academy based on those teachings. Esther worked with children with exceptional needs for over 15 years and has been instrumental in growing a new school for children with Autism from inception.
Born and brought up in Crown Heights, Esther is passionate about educating children with purpose and direction in the most meaningful way possible while understanding the needs of the community. Esther directs the staff at Gan Academy with the guidance of consultants for the specific areas of expertise needed to cover all aspects of education.
Yeshiva Director
Rabbi Moshe Leiblich
Rabbi Lieblich comes with twenty years of educational and leaderships experience. His unique ability to think outside the box and redefine the status quo helped him to create a school that teenagers are happy to go to and where the students love learning.
Rabbi Lieblich's focus at Gan Academy Yeshiva is to create a culture of growth in three key areas; Love for Hashem, Love for the Torah and Love for every Jew. Children need to love and respect their teachers so as to emulate them. The goal is for the class to focus on mastering the subjects, and not just finishing pages. Children need to be happy with themselves and when they are they are more kind to their fellow classmate.
Rabbi Lieblich directs the staff at Gan Academy Yeshiva with the guidance for the specific areas of as well as all aspects of education.
Menahel
Rabbi Zevi Posner
Rabbi Zevi Posner is an experienced educator who has enlightened children's hearts and minds. He is inspired to fulfill the fundamentals of Chinuch according to Chassidus, and is passionate about individualized education and helping every child succeed.
Rabbi Posner directs the Judaic and secular studies for the yeshiva, mentors the Rebbis, and oversees curricula.
Curriculum Director
Mrs. Shaindy Schapiro
Mrs. Schapiro serves as the curriculum point person for the entire school, and she is working with Esther to provide a continuum for education from preschool throughout elementary school.
Mrs. Schapiro comes with over thirty years of educational and curriculum experience. Drawing on her expertise as principal of Prospect Park Yeshiva and Bnos Menachem, Mrs. Schapiro developed a comprehensive curriculum and numerous programs upgrading the level of education in the Limudei Kodesh department. She created many educational materials as well as assessments to ensure the students’ mastery and to maintain high educational standards. Her workbooks and materials are being used by many Chabad schools.
The classroom is a very familiar place for Mrs. Schapiro, who spent nearly a decade as a teacher prior to becoming a principal for both Limudei Kodesh and general studies. She is a sought after mentor and lecturer, and has presented for Torah Umesorah, the Menachem Foundation and in schools across the country.
Operations Manager
Yeoshua Kapeluschnik
Yeoshua Kapeluschnik serves as our Menahel Gashmi/Operations Manager. Yeoshua was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. For the past thirty years Yeoshua served as the Menahel Gashmi/Operations Manager for the Yeshiva Gedolah of Buenos Aires. He was responsible for the daily administrative demands of the Yeshiva and the Mesivta there. He ensured a strong and supportive environment for the wellbeing of the student which nearly half of them came from overseas. In addition, Yeoshua supervised the dormitory, kitchen and maintenance/cleaning staff.
At Gan Academy, Yeoshua will oversee the general operations and maintenance of our buildings, the cleaning staff, and busing. Yeoshua will work to help address any and all issues pertaining to the upkeep of our sites, so that we can continue to provide a safe and welcoming environment for our students.
Director of Development
Rabbi David Walker
Rabbi David Walker, originally from New York City, has a rich background in fundraising and marketing, as well as community involvement.
Over a decade ago, Rabbi Walker was appointed as one of the directors of the Brit Yosef Yitzchak organization. He has extensive experience in North American Fundraising for major Jewish charitable organizations based in Israel, as well as for a significant charitable organization that supports Jewish special needs children in New York.
Additionally, he served as a director for a prominent multinational public company based in Europe and Asia.
Beyond his professional achievements, Rabbi Walker has also been actively involved in various community projects in Crown Heights. He has shared his knowledge by assisting notable rabbis in editing their English language books for publication; he compiled his own E-book, which received the approbation of a well known Chassidic Rebbe in Israel, and he has taught Torah classes to prisoners in maximum security prisons as a volunteer for the Aleph Institute. Additionally, he has inspired children in an after-school program and individuals from diverse backgrounds to come closer to the teachings of the Rebbe and connect with Hashem.
Rabbi Walker's commitment to his mission is evident whether he is addressing foreign dignitaries at the UN about the Rebbe's call to embrace the Seven Laws of Noah, engaging with a large group of soldiers on an off-limits military base in Colombia for a talk to instill within them a heightened sense of spirituality, or simply conversing with a stranger on a Brooklyn Subway platform. His passion is to inspire and uplift every Jew and every human being, making a meaningful impact in both formal and informal settings.