By Harry Glazer: July 16, 2026 | Jewish Link
In September 2025, The Jewish Link reported on the establishment of a new yeshiva in Highland Park, housed in Congregation Etz Ahaim. The yeshiva is led by Rabbi Eliyahu Tal, the rav of the shul.
Earlier this year, after Pesach, the yeshiva—now named Yeshivat Midrash David—added a new rebbe—Rabbi David Rosenthal, who also serves as the director of the Manalapan Jewish Connection. He formerly taught at the Shalom Torah Academy. In the upcoming academic year, Rabbi Rosenthal will also take on an administrative role in the yeshiva.
On the yeshiva’s new website, https://sites.google.com/view/yeshivatmidrashdavid/home, the school describes itself: “The goal of our yeshiva is to develop talmidei chachamim who excel in learning and middot tovot. The yeshiva provides a warm, focused, personalized and growth-oriented environment where bochrim learn how to learn, gain knowledge of the masechta, study practical Halacha, and gain hands-on experience in various areas of Jewish life such as shechita and safrut. Also, tutoring is available for those students pursuing their GED.”
Rabbi Rosenthal added: “We share with other yeshivot the goal of producing learned Jews with middot tovot. We focus on acquiring the skills to decipher the Gemara or colloquially ‘learning how to learn.’ Our strength is that our students come from diverse backgrounds, yet all possess a seriousness and maturity with which they take their religious growth, something unique for boys in high school. Also, since we are a small yeshiva, Rabbi Tal and I are able to get to know the boys and help them grow in an individualized way. In addition, we are unique in that we provide many ‘hands on’ classes such as shechita and safrus.”
Students with Rabbi Eliyahu Tal (on the left)
Asked about how the yeshiva prepares the students for life after the yeshiva, Rabbi Rosenthal stated: “As Jews we believe life is about serving God and thinking about others. Unfortunately, there is a pressure to conform to a society which often does not share our goals and values. To combat this pressure, I believe the greatest thing we can do for our students is to engender in them a love for Torah. This is something which cannot be taught but must be experienced. This is the most important thing I think we can do for them. Also, I teach secular studies in the afternoon and we work with the students to find the most appropriate institution for them for the next stage of their lives.”
“Rabbi Tal’s yeshiva is a source of great pride to the leaders and the members of Congregation Etz Ahaim,” said Shelomo (Saul) Beck, president of the shul. “Not only have the bachurim recently completed a certification in shechita, but their maturity and middot also reflect the high level of Torah education they’re achieving. It’s truly a pleasure to have them here.”
Harry Glazer is the Middlesex County editor of The Jewish Link. He can be reached at harryglazer615@gmail.com and he welcomes reader feedback.