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Career & Education
About
Rabbi Yonah Fuld is an Orthodox rabbi and educator who served as principal of the Salanter Akiba Riverdale Academy (SAR Academy), a prominent Jewish day school in New York City's Riverdale neighborhood. In this role, he oversaw the education of numerous students, including his own sons, Hillel Fuld and Ari Fuld, fostering a commitment to Jewish values and learning within the Orthodox community. His leadership at SAR contributed to the school's reputation for academic excellence and spiritual growth, and he has been recognized in the institution's 50th anniversary celebrations for his enduring impact. Rabbi Fuld's family life became publicly notable following the relocation of his family from New York to Jerusalem, Israel, when his children were teenagers. He is the father of Hillel Fuld, a technology entrepreneur and pro-Israel advocate, and Ari Fuld, a dual Israeli-American citizen and counter-terrorism activist who was fatally stabbed in a terrorist attack in Efrat, Israel, on September 16, 2018. During the shiva mourning period for Ari, Rabbi Fuld reflected deeply on themes of sacrifice for the land of Israel, drawing from Jewish teachings to articulate his personal grief and understanding of historical struggles. Beyond his educational career, Rabbi Fuld remains an influential figure in Jewish communal life, embodying the intersection of religious scholarship, family legacy, and resilience in the face of tragedy. His story highlights the transnational connections within the Orthodox Jewish diaspora, bridging American Jewish education with life in Israel.