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Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner, Rosh Beit Medrash
Rabbi Torczyner has been our Rosh Beit Midrash since our founding in August 2009. Before that he was the spiritual leader of Congregation Sons of Israel in Allentown, PA from 2001 to 2009. Before that, Rabbi Torczyner served Congregation Ohawe Sholam/Young Israel of Pawtucket, Rhode Island for four years. Rabbi Torczyner spent two years at Yeshivat Kerem beYavneh, received his BA (Comp Sci) from YU and studied toward a Masters (Comp Sci) at New York University. He holds rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University's Rabbi Elchanan Theological Seminary. Rabbi Torczyner also spent three years (2007-2009) mentoring new pulpit rabbis across North America for Yeshiva University's Center for the Jewish Future. He is serving his second term on the Executive Committee of the Rabbinical Council of America, and has headed and served on various committees of the RCA. Rabbi Torczyner specializes in blending different areas of knowledge and utilizing diverse methods to develop curricula in Jewish history, Tanach and Jewish law. Examples of this include his TechnoShabbat, Tzibburology, Parenting from the Torah and “Jews and Food” curricula for adults. More than 300 recordings of Rabbi Torczyner’s shiurim in Toronto are featured on www.yutorah.com, and Rabbi Torczyner is a regular contributor to the Center for the Jewish Future’s “To Go” holiday publications. Beginning in 1995, Rabbi Torczyner pioneered a website, WebShas, offering a topic-driven index to the Talmud, and another website, HaMakor, offering bibliographies on a range of Torah topics. Rabbi Torczyner also maintains a popular blog, The Rebbetzin's Husband, and lives in Thornhill with his wife, Caren, and their four children. |
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Rabbi Baruch Weintraub, Sgan Rosh Beit Midrash
Rabbi Baruch Weintraub is a native of Israel, a graduate of Yeshivat Har Etzion and student of Rav Aharon Lichtenstein shli"ta, living in Alon Shvut in Gush Etzion. He served in an armour unit in the IDF before returning to Yeshivat Har Etzion, where he learned in the Kollel Gavoah and wrote exams for ordination by the Israeli Chief Rabbinate. Rabbi Weintraub teaches in various settings, including a Daf Yomi shiur for students of the yeshiva as well as others, chaburot within the Kollel Gavoah and for the students of the yeshiva, and diverse chugim. He also writes for the Israel and Golda Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash (VBM) of Yeshivat Har Etzion, and serves as chief editor of the VBM's site. Rabbi Weintraub is married to Pnina, a talented musician, and together they are raising their son, Royi Yair. |
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Ezra Goldschmiedt, Avreich, Thornhill Ezra Goldschmiedt grew up in West Hempstead, New York. After attending Yeshivat Reishit Yerushalayim in Israel for a year and a half, Ezra went on to Yeshiva University where he continued his Torah studies, earned a BA in psychology and graduated with honors. Deciding to pursue a career in the rabbinate, Ezra went on to Yeshiva University's Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary and Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education. While training for the rabbinate and teaching, Ezra served as a research assistant to Dr. David Pelcovitz in examining the "Year in Israel", a mentor at the DRS Yeshiva High School for Boys, and a rabbinic intern to the Mount Kisco Hebrew Congregation and Aish Connections. Ezra's community work will focus on the Thornhill Jewish community, and Yeshivat Or Chaim. Together with his wife Elyssa and their son Yitzchak Noam, Ezra is looking forward to becoming a part of the Toronto community. |
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Hillel Horovitz, Avreich, Bnai Torah Hillel Horovitz was born and raised in Raanana, Israel, as the youngest of six children. He studied in Raanana's Noam school, followed by Kiryat Yaakov Herzog in Kfar Saba. During those years he also served as a head counselor in the religious scouts. He also volunteered on Shabbat in the children's ward of a local hospital, and at a local zoo. Upon finishing school Hillel enrolled in Yeshivat Hesder Raanana, where he also tutored Bar Mitzvah boys, delivered shiurim for all ages, taught in local schools and engaged in community work. During his military service, Hillel was a non-com officer in charge of religious matters in a Tzanchan (paratrooper) division. His duties included arranging shiurim, managing holidays and synagogue services, kashrut, and more. Hillel and his wife Michal married in February 2008, and live in Raanana, near the Yeshivat Hesder where Hillel still studies. Their son, Yehonatan Yisrael, was born on Erev Rosh HaShanah of this past year. |
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Yair Manas, Avreich, Clanton Park Yair Manas grew up in Teaneck, NJ. After attending Torah Academy of Bergen County, he attended Yeshivat Shaarei Mevaseret Zion, where he learned under Rav Azarya Berzon. Yair graduated from Yeshiva University with a BA in History in January, 2007. Thereafter, he returned to Mevaseret, where he worked as a madrich. Yair is currently enrolled in the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University, where he spent time learning in the Katz Kollel. He also graduated from Brooklyn Law School in June, 2011. Yair's primary community work in Toronto will be in affiliation with the Clanton Park Shul, Khal Machzikei haDas. Yair is married to Gillit, who graduated from Stern College with a BS in Accounting in 2010. |
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Dovid Zirkind, Avrech, Shaarei Shomayim Dovid grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. After completing high school at the Talmudical Academy of Baltimore, Dovid attended Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh for two years. From there Dovid continued to Yeshiva University where he received his undergraduate degree in Psychology, graduating from the Yeshiva Program with honors. Dovid then attended Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, an affiliate of Yeshiva University. Simultaneously, Dovid served as the Rabbinic Intern for Congregation Adereth El in Midtown Manhattan for two years. In 5772, Dovid will serve as Rabbinic Assistant at Shaarei Shomayim, in addition to his Beit Midrash responsibilities. Dovid is married to his wife Ariella, who majored in Jewish Studies at Yeshiva University's Stern College for Women. Their daughter Amira was born during their first year with us. |
Our Hall of Fame - Previous Members of the Beit Midrash |
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Rabbi Azarya Berzon, co-Rosh Beit Midrash, 5769-5771 |
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Rabbi Netanel Javasky, Avreich, 5769-5771 |
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Russell Levy, Avreich, 5769-5771 |
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Rabbi Meir Lipschitz, Avreich, 5769-5771 |
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David Teller, Avreich, 5770-5771 |
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Itamar Zolberg, Avreich, 5769-5771 |
