A new era for Yeshiva College

Yeshiva College is embarking on an ambitious turnaround strategy to boost enrolment and rejuvenate its campus. This week the school appointed veteran sports executive Stan Matthews as its new executive director and Rabbi Daniel Kaplan as rosh hayeshiva in a bid to spearhead a new chapter for the Johannesburg Torah-led school. 

Matthews, appointed from 1 January 2027, will take charge of the school’s day-to-day management, finances, fundraising, academic, cultural and sporting development, infrastructure, and operations, with all principals and department heads reporting to him. 

Rabbi Kaplan, appointed with immediate effect, will serve as the school’s spiritual head, with authority over Torah, religious, and halachic matters, ensuring its religious Zionist identity remains central to its educational mission. 

“We have lost kids. That’s the reality, and we have to take it on the chin,” Matthews told the SA Jewish Report. “We have to up our game.” 

Yeshiva’s enrolment has declined since the COVID-19 pandemic, from more than 900 approximately five years ago to 864 today. Although the decline is relatively modest, the new leadership acknowledges that the school hasn’t always kept pace with changing expectations. 

Matthews, the long-serving chief executive of SuperSport United Football Club, is candid about the shortcomings, describing Yeshiva College as “a great school that’s underperforming”. 

“As a parent at the school, I’ve seen first-hand where Yeshiva College delivers in a massive way, but I’ve also seen where it falls short,” he said. 

He is energised by the opportunity to help reshape the school’s future. “I’m super excited to build something even more special. This is a big leap into a new era for Yeshiva College.” 

His vision is to rebuild enrolment to sustainable levels, strengthen academic and sporting opportunities, and position the school as an incubator for future Jewish leaders. 

“Yeshiva College has produced extraordinary alumni who have gone on to make a massive impact on Jewish communities around the world. I want us to build on that legacy.” 

The chairperson of the Yeshiva board of governors, Michael Sassoon, said in a statement, “The demands facing schools are increasing, and the expectations of families continue to evolve. To meet them we are strengthening our organisational leadership to complement the Torah and educational leadership at the heart of our school.” 

“Part of my job is to find the money,” said Matthews. 

The school has announced plans for a major campus rejuvenation, including a proposed nearby sporting precinct incorporating playing grounds and a clubhouse. Pupils will also benefit from discounted access to off-site gyms, golf courses, and padel facilities, alongside coaching, physical conditioning programmes, and organised leagues, Matthews said. 

“The idea is to broaden sporting opportunities beyond the school campus, making a wider range of activities more accessible and affordable to pupils. A high-performance programme is planned for netball, volleyball, and soccer for boys and girls, supported by biokineticists, physiotherapists, and specialist trainers.” 

The school’s first Yeshiva Golf League has already launched, with a padel league scheduled for February 2027. Internal leagues and interschool competitions are intended to broaden participation while identifying talent. 

“Even if none of our students becomes a professional sportsperson, the lessons they learn from following a structured programme will help them become the best they can be,” Matthews said. 

Beyond sport, he plans to introduce an alumni mentorship programme. 

“Yeshiva College does amazing things, but we haven’t been good at telling people about them. We don’t sell the sizzle,” he said. “We need to improve how we package and market ourselves. I’m excited about bringing some energy and pizzazz to that.” 

Matthews brings more than two decades of executive experience, having overseen three Premier Soccer League (PSL) titles and 10 domestic cup victories at SuperSport United. He previously served as PSL chief executive and founded Forwardzone Sports Agency. 

His career began in education as founding principal of Boston City Campus in Bedfordview. A Yeshiva College parent whose two older children matriculated from the school, he has another entering matric in 2027. He served as president of Linksfield Shul for several years and led its renewal project. 

For Kaplan, the challenge is to modernise without compromising the school’s religious foundations. 

“I’m standing on the shoulders of a giant in the late Rosh HaYeshiva Rabbi Avraham Tanzer,” he said. 

“As a graduate, a born-and-bred Yeshiva College student, from nursery school all the way through to being head boy, this has been my home for many, many years,” he said. 

Kaplan will continue serving as rabbi of Mizrachi South Africa. 

He believes Yeshiva College occupies a distinctive position between Jewish schools focused primarily on Torah and religious education and those offering a broader secular experience. “We are not just for people who are only frum, and we are not just for people who don’t want religiosity,” he said. “That is why we are so important, because we play in the middle.” 

Parents interviewed by the SA Jewish Report expressed differing views about the school’s performance. 

“There are a lot of quality kids and quality families,” said a mother whose children have attended the school over the past decade and who requested anonymity. 

“While I appreciate the school’s strengths, I believe there is room for improvement, particularly in teaching standards, leadership, and communication with parents. My older children benefited from exceptional teachers and inspiring Torah leadership. I feel the school has struggled to maintain that consistency.” 

Despite these concerns, she remains deeply appreciative of the school’s Jewish ethos, strong friendships, and commitments to Torah and Israel. “The school really does instil a love for Israel, a love of Torah, and a love of learning,” she said. 

Another mother, whose daughter is in Grade 7 and son in Grade 4, said, “We’ve really enjoyed the smaller environment. It’s small enough that everyone knows each other, but not so small that there aren’t options.” 

She praised the school’s acceptance of families with different levels of religious observance. “It is very inclusive, very tolerant, and actually a very calm environment.” 

A third mother said, “What I’ve experienced with my own children is that Yeshiva College sees beyond their marks and achievements. It cares about their neshama, their soul, the very essence of who they are and who they’re becoming. There is something deeply special about that.” 

The partnership between Matthews and Kaplan also has an unusual history. Matthews coached Kaplan in soccer approximately 35 years ago. 

Today, the two are preparing to guide different aspects of Yeshiva College’s future. 

Rabbi Gilad Friedman has also been appointed primary school principal.