Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner, Rosh Beit Midrash
Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner, Rosh Beit Medrash -
Prior to joining the Toronto Beit Midrash, Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner was the spiritual leader of Congregation Sons of Israel in Allentown, PA from 2001 to 2009. Rabbi Torczyner worked closely with the Jewish Federation of the Lehigh Valley, the Allentown Jewish Community Center, the Hillel at Muhlenberg College and many other local and regional Jewish institutions. Rabbi Torczyner headed the Allentown Eruv, the Lehigh Valley Kashrut Commission and the Lehigh Valey Mikvah. Rabbi Torczyner also served on the Executive Committee of the Rabbinical Council of America, headed its Resolutions Committee and is a member of its Commission on Jewish Principles and Ethical Guidelines for Industry. Rabbi Torczyner also serves on the Joint Kashruth Commission of the OU and the RCA.
Prior to serving in Allentown, Rabbi Torczyner served Congregation Ohawe Sholam/Young Israel of Pawtucket, Rhode Island for four years.
Rabbi Torczyner grew up on Long Island. After high school, he spent two years at Yeshivat Kerem beYavneh, an Israeli "Hesder Yeshiva" which mixes army service with Torah study. On returning to America, Rabbi Torczyner studied at Yeshiva University. Rabbi Torczyner received his BA in Computer Science and studied toward a Masters in Computer Science at New York University's Courant Institute. He holds rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University's Rabbi Elchanan Theological Seminary.
Rabbi Torczyner is known for his innovative approach to Jewish education. He 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 and “Jews and Food” curricula for adults. Almots two hundred recordings of Rabbi Torczyner’s shiurim 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.
Rabbi Torczyner spent three years (2007-2009) mentoring new pulpit rabbis across North America for Yeshiva University's Center for the Jewish Future. Rabbi Torczyner excels in utilizing information technology, the internet and other social media outlets to spread Torah to people around the globe. 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 maintains a popular blog, The Rebbetzin's Husband, and lives in Thornhill with his wife, Caren, and four children.
