SEPHARDIC ACADEMY-MANHATTAN

Sephardic and Mizrahi Jewish families (and other families drawn to Sephardic tradition) looking for a faith-rooted elementary education with serious academics, Hebrew immersion, and a humane, warm culture for their young children.

• Hebrew immersion taught in the Ivrit b'Ivrit method, meaning Hebrew is the language of instruction rather than a separate subject.
• Distinctly Sephardic identity — most Jewish day schools in NYC are Ashkenazi, making this an unusual cultural fit for Sephardic and Mizrahi families.
• A notably balanced academic profile that pairs STEM innovation with piano, music ensembles, and theater.
• SAM Talks — an in-house speaking or presentation series that gives students a forum beyond the standard classroom.
• Elementary-only structure through fifth grade allows the school to pour focus into the foundational years.

• This is a religious school with daily Judaic study and observance — families should expect faith to be woven through the school day, not bolted on.
• The school ends at fifth grade, so families will need a plan for middle school — worth asking where recent graduates matriculate.
• Public review data is thin (a small number of parent reviews), so prospective families should rely on direct visits and conversations with current parents.
• Tuition spans a wide range ($14,200 to $36,500), which may reflect grade-level tiers — clarify what each level costs.
• The East Harlem location may be unfamiliar to families who associate Jewish day schools with the Upper East or Upper West Side; the neighborhood is more working-class and demographically mixed than those areas.