The Jerusalem Kollel

The Jerusalem Kollel

Formation	2002
Type	Kollel
Location	140 Sanhedria Murchevet , Jerusalem, Israel
Membership	80+
Rosh Kollel	Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovits
Staff	8

The Jerusalem Kollel is a rabbinic education program with the intent of inspiring and training kollel students of the highest caliber to assume positions of leadership in waning Jewish communities worldwide.

The concept is simple. The yeshiva community continues to grow at a steadily increasing rate while assimilation is eating away at the dwindling Jewish population. Torah Scholarship is on the rise while ignorance in Jewish values is more rampant than ever. So the kollel is enlisting some of the finest products of the yeshiva system to stand at the forefront of the battle against assimilation

In the summer of 5762-2002, recruitment began for the initial group of twelve students who formed the cornerstone of the kollel-to-be. The kollel opened in the autumn with twenty high quality young men committed to serving the Jewish people. Now starting its 7th year, the Kollel has over 80 hand-picked students, being groomed for their future roles, as leaders and educators for the benefit of the greater Jewish nation

The first kollel member to be placed assumed a major outreach position in the UK within the kollel's first year, with many more accepting positions since that time. Today, Jewish communities and outreach organizations regularly approach the kollel in search of talent to fill leadership positions throughout the world. Currently, the Kollel already has over 70 alumni working throughout the world for Klal Yisrael: from Seattle to Berlin; from Johannesburg to Edmont

Dean

The Kollel is directed by Rav Yitzchak Berkovits who, in addition to being a leading posek and Jewish thinker, comes with years of experience in Jewish education and preparing students from different backgrounds for rabbinical and outreach positions.

Rav Berkovits is recognized as a prominent posek throughout the world,and especially within the English speaking community in Jerusalem. His advice on community matters is sought across the globe.He also heads the Kollel Linas HaTzedek network in Israel and in the U.S.,currently numbering ten different evening kollelim dedicated to the study of bein adam lachaveiro -responsibility to one's fellow man. His classes on halachic issues in kiruv have been an important component in many outreach training programs.

Further, Rabbi Berkovits is widely renowned as an original Jewish thinker. His output, in the form of writing, tape and video, has been disseminated throughout the Jewish world.

Roshai Chabura

Rabbi Yossi Stillerman, Rabbi Matti Friedman, Rabbi Yecheil Schustall,

Womans Program

As the Kollel wives have a crucial role to play in the success of the initiative. Therefore a program was created for the development of these women as educators and counselors, in order to facilitate the maximum impact on their future communities.

The Program is headed by Mrs. Chana Kalsmith,

Rabbi Berkowitz and other educators staff the program

Guest Lecturers

Rabbi Emanuel Feldman, Rabbi Moshe Weinberger, Mr. Richard Horowitz, Rabbi Yirmiyahu Abramov

Notable Graduates

Daniel Rowe Rav, lecturer, and Director of Education for Aish

David Markowitz Managing Director of the Jewish Awareness Movement (College Outreach in S. California); Director of the Sleeping Giant kiruv Initiative

Menachem Sosnowitz Ohr Somayach, Johannesburg, Outdoor Jewish Experience

Shaul Kelly Rav of Aish, Birmingham (U.K.)

Aryeh Wolbe Executive Director of TORCH (The Houston Kiruv Kollel)

Eli Krausz Rav and outreach work in Cherry Hill, NJ

Doron Kornbluth Ner LeElef staff and International Lecturer on Intermarriage/Assimilation

Shia Greineman Rav of Victoria, B.C. (in conjunction with the Seattle Kollel); Outreach Director for the Ottowa Kollel

Daniel Klatzkow Rav at Aish HaTorah, Winnipeg; Outreach Director, Aish Boston

Benyamin Tepfer Rebbe at HALB, and Assistant Rabbi/Director of Beginner’s Program at Congregation Aish Kodesh, Woodmere, NY

Shimon Abromczik Westwood (L.A.) Kiruv Kollel; Currently Rabbi in Y.U.L.A

Yehuda Bressler Outreach Associate for the Seattle Kollel

Moshe Kibbel Cincinnati Community Kollel

Gedalia Kauffman Outreach Director of Aish HaTorah, Johannesburg

Akiva Gilbert Ohr Somayach, Johannesburg, Director of the Outdoor Jewish Experience

Benyamin Edelstone Campus Outreach Director for the Seattle Kollel

Danny Smolowitz Outreach Director for Aish Essex (U.K.)

Daniel Brett Rav of Milnerton Shul, Capetown; Outreach Director, Ohr Somayach, Capetown

Gideon Moskowitz Rav of Meyerland Shul in Houston (in conjunction with the Houston Kollel)

Shlomo Farhi Rav and Lecturer at Aish London

Danny Masri Rav and Lecturer for TORCH (The Houston Kiruv Kollel)

Moshe White Edmonton Community Kollel

Sholomo Abrams Rav of the North Dallas community for DATA (The Dallas Kiruv Kollel)

David Rose Director of Yeshivas Beit Zion, Berlin []

Yaakov Dov Orshansky Rav in Antwerp

Yehuda Carter The Whitefield Community Kollel, Manchester

Yichezkel Reichman Mohel and Rosh Hakollel in Jerusalem

Simon Nissim Young Professional Outreach, Aish London

Chanan Spivak Outreach Director for Portland Outreach Kollel

Dov Greer Founder and Rosh Kollel of the New Haven Kollel, Conn

Ari Goldberg Assistant Rav of Congregation Poale Tzedek and NCSY Director, Pittsburgh

Tuvia Greenberg Rebbi in Sunnydale (and an associate of the Jewish Studies Network)

Joel Padowitz Director of Aish, London

Josh Livingstone Campus Outreach, Northwestern University (Machon Shlomo-Maor)

David Laufer Outreach Director for the Edmonton Kollel

Shmuel Broide Campus Outreach, Univ of Georgia (Atlanta Kollel); Rebbi in NYHS (Seattle)

Shia Markowitz Lecturer for Project Chazon, New York

Ari Heitner NCSY Director, Washington D.C.; Currently NCSY representative, Toronto

Shimon Kaye College outreach director Temple and Drexel Universities (Machon Shlomo-Maor)

Yaakov Aryeh Abraham Congregation Beth Solomon of Philadelphia Community Kollel

Meilich Schiller Yeshiva Gedolah of Bridgeport Kiruv Kollel

Yisroel Weider Ohr Sameach Community Kollel, Johannesburg

Micha Weisenberg Campus outreach, University of Indiana (Bloomington)

Avraham Zeidman Young adult outreach, SEED London and Edgeware Community Kollel

Yehuda Zachter Campus outreach director, Columbia University (Aish HaTorah Campus Network)

Jonny Hamilton Rav and Counsellor, Derech Program (Ohr Sameach)

Boruch Harris Rebbi at the Afula community day school

Ephraim Cunningham Yeshiva Gedolah of Bridgeport Kiruv Kollel; Executive Director, The Jewish Experience (Denver)

Moshe Zucker Rebbi at the Emek Hebrew Academy (Los Angeles)

Anthony Manning Director of the Pathways Program (Darchei Noam)

Ben-Zion Hutman Rebbi at the Hillel High School (Pittsburgh)

Jamie Richards San Francisco Kiruv Kollel (and an associate of the Jewish Studies Network)

Andrew Savage Campus Outreach Director, Oxford and Cambridge Universities (Aish HaTorah UK)

Mordechai Weinberg Toronto Community Kollel

Mordechai Levine Director of the Yesod Program (Ohr Sameach)

Avi Bensoussan Rebbi and Counsellor, Yeshivat Magen David (Brooklyn)

Motty Weinstock San Francisco Kiruv Kollel

Chaim Karpel Outreach for TORCH (The Houston Kiruv Kollel)

Donny Baron Founder and Director of Israel Shabbat Experience, Senior Lecturer for Aish HaTorah, Lecturer for the Derech Institute

Elimelech Blumstein Outreach for the JEC (Manhattan)

Yaakov Shalom Rebbi in RJJ (Staten Island)

Jonathan Roodyn Outreach and Director of Beis Medrash, Aish UK

Yaakov Wohlgelernter Assistant Rabbi, Westmount Shul and Learning Center (Toronto)

Yechiel Fishman Cincinnati Community Kollel (in Mason branch)

Ari Ben Shushan Co-Founder and Co-Director of Ruach Chaim Sefardic Torah Center

Moshe Benayon Co-Founder and Co-Director of Ruach Chaim Sefardic Torah Center

David Rosenthal Outreach for Aish HaTorah, Minneapolis

Josh Marder San Francisco Kiruv Kollel (and an associate of the Jewish Studies Network)

Ariel Aber Outreach for the JEC (Manhattan)

Nachum Brand Rav of Gemilas Chesed Synagogue (Pittsburgh)

David Fredman Outreach Associate of the Seattle Kollel (W. Seattle Branch)

Asaf Haimoff Rav of the Fresh Meadows Torah Center

Adam Edwards Adult Torah education for SEED (London) in the Bushey and District Synagogue

Avraham Jacobs Rav in Yeshivas Toras Chaim, and outreach for Mercaz Torah V’Chesed (Denver)

Chananya Kanner Community Kiruv Kollel, Millilas (Spanish N. Africa)

Meir Bulua Executive Director, Forest Hill Jewish Center (Toronto)

Yehoshua Abramson Ohr Sameach, Johannesburg

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