Sephardic Academy of Manhattan

Sephardic Academy of Manhattan
Location
Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City United States
Coordinates	40°45′55″N73°57′38″W / 40.76537°N 73.96059°W / 40.76537; -73.96059
Information
Type	preschool and elementary school
Religious affiliation(s)	Jewish
Established	2010
Founders	Rabbi Elie Abadie, M.D. and Daniel J. Harari

The Sephardic Academy of Manhattan (SAM) is a Jewish preschool and elementary school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York City, whose plan is to provide pre-K through middle school services.

The SAM School’s mission is to provide students with a universal education that emphasizes Sephardic-Judaic Culture and Torah knowledge and observance combined with the study of Sciences, Humanities and the Arts. This unique approach includes the pursuit of rigorous scholastic achievement, embraces a humane approach to learning, cultural recognition and religious humanism. It is rooted in a strong sense of Jewish identity as practiced in Classical Sephardic Heritage. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Rabbi Elie Abadie, M.D., started the academy in 2010. ^{[4] [5]} The current executive director is Michelle Dayan. ^{[6] [7]}

The academy is buying the six-story, 11,850-square-foot (1,101 m²) building at 150 East 74th Street, located between Third Avenue and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan and previously the home of the New York Veterinary Hospital, for $14 million. ^{[8] [9] [10]} SAM bought the property to expand its programming. ^[9] The school was to open the new location September 2022 and could choose to convert it into a school or for a nonprofit use, with the option of adding 23,000 square feet (2,100 m²). ^{[9] [8]} In November 2024, the Sephardic Academy of Manhattan opened a new campus at 7 East 96th Street. ^{[11] [12]} By the 2025–2026 academic year, there were 240 students. ^[12]

References

1. "About". Sephardic Academy of Manhattan.
2. "Syrian Jewish Community Puts Down Roots on the Upper East Side". DNAinfo New York.
3. Hanau, Shira. "Sephardic Culture Gets A New Manhattan Home". Jewish Week.
4. "History". sephardicacademy.org. October 15, 2018.
5. "Manhattan's Upper East Side Sees an Influx of Syrian Jews". Tablet Magazine. December 18, 2012.
6. Rosenblatt, Gary. "Safra Shul Controversy Breaks Into Public View". Jewish Week.
7. "Jews of Lebanon," Jewish Press.
8. "150 East 74th Street | Sephardic Academy | Ben Ashkenazy". The Real Deal New York. January 9, 2018.
9. "Sephardic Academy Buys $14 Million Upper East Side Building". Upper East Side, NY Patch. January 9, 2018.
10. "A sephardic boom on the UES". New York Press.
11. "Celebrating Growth: The Stanley I. Chera SAM School Expands with New 96th Street Campus". IMAGE Magazine. November 5, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
12. Hajdenberg, Jackie (September 3, 2025). "A Sephardic Jewish day school grows on the Upper East Side". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved September 4, 2025.