Our Story, Our Future.
In 2026, Masada College proudly celebrates 60 years of Jewish education, community and belonging. From our beginnings in 1966, Masada has grown and evolved while remaining deeply connected to the values and vision on which our College was founded. As we mark this significant milestone, we honour the generations who have shaped our story while looking with confidence and ambition towards the future.
A defining moment in that future was the establishment of the HAF Jewish Bursary in 2025, following the sale of Hyman Abramovich Foundation-owned land adjoining the College to Montefiore. Providing a 40% reduction in tuition fees for eligible Jewish students from Kindergarten to Year 12, without means testing, the Bursary represents an enduring investment in Jewish education. It has opened the doors of Masada to more families, contributed to significant growth across our College community and strengthened our ability to ensure an exceptional Jewish education remains accessible for generations to come.
As we enter our seventh decade, our focus is firmly on what comes next: growing our community, investing in our students and continuing to provide an education that builds knowledge, character, confidence and a strong Jewish identity. Our first 60 years have created an extraordinary legacy.
Now, we are building the future and invite you to be part of it!
In 2026, Masada College proudly celebrates 60 years of Jewish education, community and belonging. From our beginnings in 1966, Masada has grown and evolved while remaining deeply connected to the values and vision on which our College was founded. As we mark this significant milestone, we honour the generations who have shaped our story while looking with confidence and ambition towards the future.
A defining moment in that future was the establishment of the HAF Jewish Bursary in 2025, following the sale of Hyman Abramovich Foundation-owned land adjoining the College to Montefiore. Providing a 40% reduction in tuition fees for eligible Jewish students from Kindergarten to Year 12, without means testing, the Bursary represents an enduring investment in Jewish education. It has opened the doors of Masada to more families, contributed to significant growth across our College community and strengthened our ability to ensure an exceptional Jewish education remains accessible for generations to come.
As we enter our seventh decade, our focus is firmly on what comes next: growing our community, investing in our students and continuing to provide an education that builds knowledge, character, confidence and a strong Jewish identity. Our first 60 years have created an extraordinary legacy.
Now, we are building the future and invite you to be part of it!
Our History.
1962 – A passionate group of Jewish parents founded the North Shore Jewish Kindergarten, driven by a shared commitment to Jewish education.
1966 – The Following the Kindergarten’s success, Masada College opened in Lindfield with just 14 students.
1982 – Masada College Senior school was established and re-located to the newly acquired campus in St Ives. welcoming 60 students in Years 7 and 8, alongside the creation of Poppy Cottage ELC.
1987 – Masada proudly celebrated its first HSC graduating class of 27 students.
1990 – The Rachel and Reuben Pelerman Centre opened, creating an important home for College and community life.
2002 – The Resource Centre opened, creating a new heart at the centre of Masada College housing the administrative offices, staffrooms, classrooms and the Senior school library.
2007 – Masada College is proud to be the first school in NSW to introduce the Harvard-developed Culture of Thinking program and our educators introduced the program to other schools across Australia.
2011 – The new Junior School Centre opened at St Ives, bringing Masada closer to its vision of one united campus.
2014 – Masada farewelled its Lindfield home as Early Learning to Year 12 came together on one campus for the first time.
2016 – Masada proudly celebrated its 50th anniversary, welcoming alumni and community members from near and far.
2024 – The Senior School Library underwent a state-of-the-art transformation, made possible through the generosity of a Masada parent.
2025 – The HAF Jewish Bursary was established, opening Masada’s doors to more Jewish families and strengthening our future for generations to come.
2026 – 60 Years of Greatness. Honouring our past. Celebrating our community. Building our future.
The Story Behind Our Name.
In 1966 when the plans for a new Jewish day school in Sydney’s north were well underway, there was one very important decision yet to be made: what to call the school.
Members of the Board of Management bandied around a few ideas. Mountains were a common theme; after all several Jewish schools had been named after mountains. Then one of the committee members, Bob Shteinman, suggested ‘Masada’ after the ancient fortification in Southern Israel.
On the very night Masada was discussed as a possible name, the Daily Mirror newspaper published a piece about Masada in its regular historical feature. Bob bought about fifteen copies and sent them to every committee member and the next week, Masada was chosen as the school’s name.
Masada became a symbol of heroic strength and survival against all odds. The name was an apt choice for it represents Jewish strength despite all odds, and a deep love of Israel.
Give Today. Shape Tomorrow.