Rabbi Eitan Aviner teaches Tanach, Talmud, Halachah, Philosophy, Medical Ethics, Science and Torah, even Torah & Hollywood. Whatever course you take with him, you’ll be sure to get a taste of it all! He studied in Yeshivat Reishit Yerushalayim as well as Yeshivat Hesder Birkat Moshe, and then went on to earn semichah from RIETS as well as "Rav Ir" Semichah from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. He is a graduate of The Manhigut Toranit Program of Eretz Hemdah, after which he was a shaliach in Toronto for five years, where he served as the Director of Judaic Advancement and Israel Guidance at Yeshivat Or Chaim and Senior Rabbi at Congregation Ayin L’Tzion. Beyond his extensive training and experience in rabbinics, he also has a love for the sciences, holding a B.Sc. in Applied Physics and Medical Engineering from Machon Lev and an M.A. in Science and Halachah from Bar Ilan University. Rav Aviner currently lives in Efrat with his wonderful wife and six children. Perhaps most importantly, Rav Aviner loves a good Dad Joke.

Mrs. Victoria Chabot Berman teaches Tanach. Her infectious curiosity and enthusiasm are some of her trademarks. She has a true love for her students and for that Torah that is apparent in and outside of the classroom. Victoria earned her BA from Stern College and got three MAs from many of Yeshiva University’s graduate schools. Victoria has taught in Flatbush HS in Brooklyn for the past five years. She is currently living in Israel for the year with her husband hoping that their stay in Israel will last for much longer than a year!

Rabbi Uri Cohen ("Rav Uri") teaches halachah and Jewish Thought. Rav Uri's vast knowledge, infectious curiosity and love of learning, broad grasp of contemporary Jewish and popular culture, and warm smile and sense of humor all endear him to our students and make his shiurim not-to-be-missed. Rav Uri learned at Yeshivat Shaalvim and Yeshivat Hamivtar and received Semichah from RIETS and the Joseph Straus Seminary at Yeshivat Hamivtar. He earned a BA in Jewish Studies, an MA in Medieval Jewish History, and an MS in Jewish Education from Yeshiva University. Rav Uri has served as a teacher and Rabbi at Princeton University. In his spare time, he is on a quest to listen to every singer or band (one album each, currently up to 6,832). He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh with his wife, Dr. Yocheved Cohen.

Mrs. Dena Flaks is a Rakezet. With her warm, cheerful personality, she is able to connect to people of all backgrounds and ages. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, she attended Michlalah and received her BA in Judaic Studies and Psychology from Hebrew Theological College in Chicago. She has worked at several seminaries, always creating meaningful relationships with students and staff alike, and has spoken about her personal spiritual journey to various audiences. Dena is also an actress for women in her spare time and has been active on stage and behind the scenes for a variety of shows. Dena and her husband, Rav Kalman, live in the Old City of Jerusalem and strive to find inspiration and meaning in everyday life. 

Rav Jonny Friedman's positivity, joyful humility and contagious smile allow him to connect easily with all types of students, and his enthusiasm and motivating nature energize their learning experiences. He has taught at Midreshet Eshel, Yeshivat Orayta, Lev Hatorah, Midreshet Amit, and the Kemach Institute. Rav Jonny received Semichah from Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg and an MS in Jewish Education from Azrieli Graduate School. Along with his passion for Torah, he started a business creating Judaica from wood and resin. Rav Jonny lives in Jerusalem with his family.

Dr. Aviva Goldstein is an educational consultant and family counselor whose research, counseling and teaching focus on the intersection of positive psychology, family cohesion, and Judaism. She teaches positive psychology to both college students and educators, weaving together what research and Judaism teach about happiness and a life well-lived. Fascinated by the science of resilience, empathy and gratitude, she particularly enjoys teaching gap-year students at a critical moment in their lives. In her private practice, she works with individuals and families and specializes in parenting, adolescence and child development. Aviva holds a doctorate in education from Yeshiva University. She made aliyah from Riverdale, New York, and lives in Jerusalem with her family. Aviva loves cooking, can’t stand baking, finds inspiration in clever aesthetic design, and always has a stack of books she's in the middle of reading simultaneously.

Rav Yonaton Hirschhorn teaches Jewish Spirituality and Chasidut. Rav Yonaton's warmth, depth, creativity, honesty, humor, real caring for each student and her spiritual growth, and sensitive understanding of each student's strengths and her challenges make his shiurim a unique personal and transformative experience. Rav Yonaton learned at Yeshivat Otniel and Yeshivat Bat Ayin, received Semichah from Rav Zalman Nechemya Goldberg, and studied Jewish Thought and Torah She-Ba'al Peh at Herzog College. He lives in Talmonim with his family.  

Mrs. Malka Hubscher teaches Tanach. Malka is known for her great sense of humor, her ability to make any and all learning exciting, her down-to-earth wisdom and good advice, and the intensity and focus of her shiurim. Malka learned at Michlalah and earned a BA in Jewish Studies and an MA in Bible at Yeshiva University. She lives in Efrat with her family.

Mrs. Sepha Kirshblum teaches Tanach and Jewish Thought. Sepha has a genuine love for both her students and Torah, especially Tanach. She tries to create a balance of creativity, fun, humor and kavod Ha-Torah in the classroom to help her students love learning as much as she does. Before making aliyah, Sepha taught Tanach at the Ramaz Upper School, where she was also Senior Grade Advisor, Israel Advisor, and involved in extracurricular programming. Sepha received her BA from Stern College with a Major in Judaic Studies and a Minor in Psychology. She received a dual Masters in both special and regular Education from Hunter College. Sepha lives in Efrat with her family.

Rav Jason Knapel ("Rav Jason"), our Shana Bet Director, is beloved as a mechanech for both his fascinating and inspiring shiurim as well as his easy approachability and warmth as a mentor to our students. He served as Director of Informal Education, Director of Judaic Studies and Assistant Principal at Hillel Yeshiva High School in Deal, New Jersey for many years. Subsequent to his aliyah, he was Mashgiach Ruchani at Yeshivat Shvilei HaTorah and teaches at Shaalvim for Women. Rav Jason was ordained at RIETS and received his BA from Yeshiva College and an MS from the Bernard Revel Graduate School. He lives in Beit Shemesh with his family.

Rabbi Yitzchak Lerner teaches Halachah and Jewish Thought. Rav Lerner is known for his high-energy teaching style, his fiery passion for Torah and mitzvot, his personal warmth as a mentor, and his outstanding shiurim in Hilchot Shabbat and Mussar. Whether in shiur or in personal conversations, Rav Lerner's transformative impact on his students remains with them for years to come. Rav Lerner learned at Yeshivat Midrash Shmuel and received Semichah from Rav Zalman Nechemyah Goldberg. He earned a BA in Political Science at Concordia University, and in his spare time, he remains a "news junkie," always ready to shmooze about current events, especially politics. Rav Lerner lives in Betar with his family.

Mrs. Neima Novetsky teaches Tanach. Neima creates a unique environment in her shiurim – setting a high standard of learning, she also embraces her students with personal caring, shares her own enthusiasm for learning, and in every shiur, gives over some of her own love for Torah. Neima’s unique approach not only excites and inspires with insights into the topic being learned, but also leaves her students with a sense of method, “learning how to learn,” so that they can go on to learn further on their own. Neima holds a BA in Religion and a Certificate in Language and Culture from Princeton University and an MA in Bible from the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Yeshiva University. She and her husband Hillel are co-founders of alhatorah.org and live in Yerushalayim with their five children. In her free time, Neima enjoys doing art projects, watching sunset over the Old City, and dreaming of one day opening a Tanakh museum.

Mrs. Michal Porat-Zibman teaches Jewish Thought. Michal is a teacher of great charisma and passion, inspiring her students with her exciting shiurim in Mussar and Machshavah, learning individually with them in chaburot (small groups) and chavrutot in the Bet Midrash, and devoting countless hours to personal conversations and one-on-one shmoozes. Michal also guides groups at Yad Vashem and leads groups touring Poland. She has been a member of the Camp HASC administration for many years. Michal earned a BA at Bar Ilan University in Jewish History and lives in Neve Daniel with her family.

Mrs. Caroline Pudell works in our Beit Midrash, helping to motivate and guide students towards their learning goals. Originally from New York, Caroline made aliyah in her Shana Bet of Midreshet Harova. Since then, she has gone on to complete Sherut Leumi at Bikur Cholim Hospital and is currently completing her BA for Multidisciplinary Jewish Studies in Bar Ilan University. Some of Caroline's favorite topics include Tanach, Halacha and Jewish History and she cannot wait to explore those topics and more in the Beit Midrash with all of you! She currently lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh with her husband Naftali.

Ms. Orit Reiter teaches Tanach and Machshavah. Originally from New York, Orit made Aliyah in the summer of 2023. Orit holds a BA in Judaic Studies from Stern College, a Masters in Constructivist Jewish Education from Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, and an MSW from Wurzweiler School of Social Work. She spends her summers as the Assistant Director of NCSY JOLT Israel. Before making aliyah, Orit both taught in high schools and worked in clinical settings. 

Rabbi Dr. Zvi Ron teaches Jewish Thought and Halakhah. While the first thing our students usually notice about Rav Ron is how amazingly laid-back and fun his shiurim are, the next thing they notice is the astounding breadth of his knowledge and his rare gift to make everything he says sound fascinating! His shiur on the thought of Ramchal, “Derech Hashem,” is among the most beloved. Rav Ron has published numerous articles in both Hebrew and English in The Jewish Bible Quarterly, Hakirah, Tradition, Sinai, haMaayan and The Journal of Jewish Music and Liturgy and has published a book, Katan ve-Gadol. Rav Ron learned in Yeshivat Sha’alvim’s Hesder Program and Kollel, received Semikhah from the Israeli Rabbanut, and earned a BA in Psychology at SUNY and a PhD in Jewish Theology at Spertus University. He served as Rabbi in Richmond, Virginia, from 1994 to 2004. In his spare time, Rav Ron is the artist of the Tales of our Homeland comic strip; appeared as a contestant on the game show "The Weakest Link"; and serves as Editor of the Jewish Bible Quarterly. He lives in Neve Daniel with his family.

Rabbi Rafi Rosenblum teaches halachah and Jewish Thought. Rav Rafi earned a BA and semichah at Yeshiva University, where he also spent four years as a member of the Wexner Kollel Elyon. Rav Rafi taught at Rambam Mesivta in Lawrence and the Stella K. Abraham High School for Girls in Hewlett, and has taught at many seminaries and yeshivot in Israel. In his spare time, Rav Rafi can be found playing roller hockey, ultimate frisbee, a boardgame with his children, or whipping up a dessert in the kitchen. Rav Rafi made aliyah in 2010 and lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh with his family, who love it when students join them for Shabbos.

Rav Efroni Schlesinger teaches Machshevet Yisrael and Religious Zionism. Rav Efroni's shiurim are very source-based, and he looks to cover popular topics in breadth as well as depth. He runs the Shana Bet Program in Yeshivat Hakotel, where he has been learning under Rabbi Reuven Taragin for the last ten years. Rav Efroni served as a First Lt. in the IDF, after which he received Semicha from Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg and his Masters in Education from YU's Azrieli Graduate School. During the summer, Rav Efroni co-runs the Beit Midrash Program in Moshava IO. He also hosts a Philosophy Podcast, "Exploring Jewish Thought." Rav Efroni lives in Jerusalem with his wife Avigail.

Mrs. Aliza Schwartz is a Rakezet. Herself an alumna of our Shana Aleph and Shana Bet programs, Aliza has a "been there myself" sense of how to relate to our students. She spends a lot of time in our Beit Midrash, offering chaburot (group chavrutot), learning one-on-one, and helping girls find something to learn on their own. Aliza's warmth, passion, genuineness and sincerity help her connect to the girls, and being one of the younger staff, she is a powerful role model for her students. Aliza holds a BA from Stern College in Tanach and Jewish Law. She and her family live in Jerusalem.

Rav Ari Shvat teaches Jewish Thought at Midreshet Moriah and is the founding Rosh Midrashah and senior lecturer at Orot Israel College in Elkana. Rav Ari’s shiurim, infused with the inspirational and spiritual Torah of Rav Kook, are beloved by our students. Raised in Riverdale, NY, he did Hesder at Ohr Etzion and Kiryat Arba, where he received semichah. Rav Ari is a popular international lecturer and has published many ideological and halachic articles, including the first scholarly book on the Israeli flag and the mitzvah to speak Hebrew. He holds a B.A. in Tanach from Michlelet Herzog and an M.A. in Jewish History and Talmud from Touro College. He enjoys utilizing his music as an educational medium and has produced three albums of original compositions, including a tune for Al HaMichya taught in the dati schools in Israel. Rav Ari has run various programs internationally for Bnei Akiva, as well as teaching at Midreshet HaRova, Midreshet Lindenbaum, Yeshivat HaKotel and the Israeli Air Force. In addition, he is in charge of the archives of Rav Kook at Beit HaRav and is featured on the Yeshivat Beit El website. Rav Ari lives in Kochav HaShachar with his family. Rav Ari lives in Kochav HaShachar with his family.

Hodaya Stark is a Rakezet and thinks of our seminary and its students as a second family. As an alumna herself, as well as a prior madricha and Em Bayyit, she has a unique ability to understand the girls' experience and be there as a helping hand throughout this pivotal year. With warmth and enthusiasm, Hodaya is able to create lasting relationships with the students and impact their experience. Hodaya received her B.A. in psychology from Excelsior College and is eager to use all the skills she's learned to help the students adjust comfortably and optimize their year. Hodaya really enjoys learning and teaching musar, emunah, and chasidut. She is always available for "heart-to-hearts" and “chilling,” as well as offering chaburot and chavrutot to the students. Hodaya lives with her family in Beit Shemesh and looks forward to being a second home for the students.

Rav Asher Taragin teaches Halachah and Tanach. “Rav Ashi,” as our students call him, is unique in his educational breadth and life experience. He is currently studying Medicine at Hebrew University, Law at Bar Ilan University, and co-directs the Israeli Army’s “Netiv” program that prepares soldiers for conversion to Judaism. After reaching the rank of Commander in the Nachal Brigade, Rav Taragin received semichah from Rav Zalman Nechemya Goldberg and completed a Teachers Degree, B. Ed. in Tanach and Gemara, and a Tour Guide’s Course at Herzog College. Rav Taragin learned at Yeshivat Har Etzion, where he was a close talmid of Rav Aharon Lichtenstein and a member of the Kollel Gevo'ah, and at Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh, where he became close with Rav Mendel Blochman.   Rav Taragin is also a trained Sofer, Shochet, Mohel, and scuba diver. Rav Ashi lives in Efrat with his family.

Rav Hanoch Teller  is a world-renowned storyteller and lecturer, known to many through his inspirational speaking in communities around the world and his many books on a wide range of topics and Jewish values. He has also produced two award-winning films. Rav Teller is able to bring gedolim to life for his students by recounting not only their Torah, but also their personal greatness in their midot and private everyday behavior. His unique course taught in Midreshet is a primer for life as to how to lead a courteous life of moral sensitivity. Rav Teller earned his undergraduate degree at Yeshiva University and continues to learn in the Mirrer Yeshiva.

Rabbi Eli Wagner teaches Halachah and Jewish Thought. Rabbi Wagner learned at Yeshivat Sha'alvim, Yeshivat Derech Ha-Talmud, and in Rav Michael Rosenweig's shiur as a member of the YU Masmidim Honors Program. He earned a BA in psychology at Touro College and is studying towards an MA in Industrial Organizational Psychology at Touro University while he continues his learning at YU's Gruss Kollel. Rabbi Wagner has also taught at Yeshivat Sha'alvim, Sha'alvim for Women, and Yeshivat Torat Shraga. He and his family live in Yerushalayyim.

Rabbi “Y.Y.” Wenglin teaches Chasidut and Jewish Thought. Rav Wenglin's ultra-high-energy delivery, deep familiarity with Western culture, creativity and self-effacing humor enable him to share and inspire with provocative, life-changing concepts in emunah, midot, and connecting to God. Rav Wenglin earned a BA in History and Literature at Harvard University and a JD at the UCLA School of Law, where he was a member of the Law Review -- and a lead performer in the law school musical -- all three years. After law school, Rabbi Wenglin joined the Manhattan law firm of Paul, Weiss as a corporate associate in mergers and acquisitions. But then he put all that on hold in order to learn more about his Jewish roots. He moved to Jerusalem, where he started taking introductory classes at Aish HaTorah, and the rest is history… Rabbi Wenglin teaches at yeshivot and seminaries and serves as a guest speaker for kiruv programs on campuses and communities all over. He and his family live in Ramat Beit Shemesh.

Rav Aharon Wexler is beloved by our students for his passion for Israel and the Jewish people and for his exciting, thought-provoking shiurim. He made aliyah from New York after high school and studied in Yeshivat HaKotel. After Yeshiva and his service in the IDF, Rav Aharon earned a BA in Archeology and then went back to Yeshivat HaKotel for Rabbinic Ordination. Rav Aharon went on to receive an MA in Jewish History, and is now a Doctoral Candidate studying Jewish Philosophy. He is also a licensed tour guide, and when not teaching or touring, makes his home in Efrat with his family.