YCT Chevre

Yom Iyun on Talmud and Torah She-Ba'al Peh

2008-12-30T12:58:00.002-05:00

Yeshivat Chovevei Torah will be holding a Yom Iyun on Talmud and Torah She-Ba'al Peh on Sunday 1 February 2009 in Riverdale, NY at SAR High School (5900 Netherland Avenue).

Rabbi Saul Berman speaks on Rabbi Emanuel Rackman

2008-12-03T13:31:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, Rabbi Saul Berman eulogized Rabbi Emanuel Rackman, who passed away on Monday, at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, after having attended his funeral. Below is a video of the eulogy (sorry for the shakiness of the camera early on).

Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz speaks at YCT

2008-09-24T18:12:00.000-04:00

Today, Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz came to YCT to speak about selihos:

"Free the Slaves": A Presentation on Modern Slavery by African Freedom Award Winners

2008-09-24T13:21:00.001-04:00

Last night, "Free the Slaves": A Presentation on Modern Slavery by African Freedom Award Winners took place, sponsored by Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School's Kronish Tikkun Olam Program, Free the Slaves, The Center for the Study of Science and Religion of the Earth Institute, Columbia University, Columbia University Seminar on Slavery and Memory Columbia University Seminar on Human Rights, and Columbia/Barnard Hillel. Two former slaves, James Kofi Annan (of Challenging Heights), and Ricky Richards (of Friends of Orphans), spoke, having recently been awarded, respectively, the Frederick Douglass Purpose Award and the Harriet Tubman Reintegration Award. Afterwards, there was a little Q&A followed by refreshments.

Rabbi Avi Weiss speaks about 9/11

2008-09-16T21:11:00.001-04:00

On 11 September 2008, Rabbi Avi Weiss spoke about 9/11:

YCT Begins its Tenth Year

2008-09-08T05:48:00.003-04:00

On Tuesday 2 September 2008, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah began its tenth year of school. It is now in its fourth year at its present location in the Kraft Center.

-more pictures-

[Previously, YCT Begins Ninth Year, YCT Begins Eighth Year, YCT Begins Seventh Year]

Sixth Annual Yemei Iyun On Bible and Jewish Thought

2008-08-11T23:16:00.002-04:00

From 29 June through 1 July, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah held its sixth annual Yemei Iyun on Bible and Jewish Thought. Held in conjunction with Beit Morasha of Jerusalem, Center for Modern Torah Leadership, David Cardozo Academy, Lookstein Center for Jewish Education, MATAN, RAMAZ, Yeshivat Hamivtar, and Yeshivat Maale Gilboa, the conference once again adhered to a schedule of the first two days being dedicated to the study of various books of the Bible and the third day focusing on topics in Jewish thought. For the first time, the conference was held at the upper school of Ramaz in Manhattan, previously being held in Teaneck, NJ.

Audio from last year's Yemei Iyun as well as audio from 2006's Yemei Iyun and audio from 2005's Yemei Iyun are available.

-Picture Album-

YCT Rabbinical School's Seminar on The Rabbi and Persons with Physical Disabilities

2008-08-11T22:48:00.003-04:00

From Monday 2 June through Friday 6 June, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah held a one week seminar on "The Rabbi and Persons with Physical Disabilities". Sponsored by Shelley Cohen and her husband in memory of their son, Nathaniel Cohen, who had passed away last year, this first ever seminar sought to educate the rabbinical students about how to be accomodating to people with physical disabilities. The audio recordings are available here, with the exception of Friday's morning session with Deborah Grayson Riegel, who ran a workshop on wrapping the week's activities up.

-Picture album-

Press Release: YCT Rabbinical school's Seminar on The Rabbi and Persons with Physical Disabilities

2008-06-02T13:07:00.003-04:00

PRESS RELEASE
YCT Rabbinical School's Seminar on The Rabbi and Persons with Physical Disabilities
Contact: Oksana Bellas 212.666.0036 or obellas@yctorah.org

June 2008, New York City - During the week of June 2nd, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School is launching a new innovative curriculum segment of its program to help rabbinical students explore the issues the issues associated with inclusion and accessibility in the Jewish community. It is believed that this is the first program focused on these issues in any clergy-training program of any faith.
The curriculum, which will alternate years in discussing issues associated with Physical Disabilities and Learning/Developmental Disabilities, will look at the practical, pastoral, theological, and halakhic issues associated with integrating people with disabilities into a community. The curriculum will have session son inclusion in synagogues, schools, and camps, as well as exploration of the impact of inclusion of the disabled on families and the broader community and the need for advocacy on the part of religious leadership. It will broach subjects such as lifecycle events including marriage and sexuality. YCT rabbis will learn to deal directly with issues of halakhic challenges, theodicy, and the ethics of genetic choices.
"This new program is reflective of YCT's commitment to training rabbis who are sensitive to the needs of the entire community. Through this part of our curriculum, students will not only learn about realities of those living with disabilities, they will also explore halakhic and pastoral implications. It is, in effect, rabbinic training at its ideal - an integration of Jewish Law, philosophy, practical rabbinics, and the human dimension," commented Rabbi Dov Linzer, YCT's Rosh HaYeshiva and Dean.
The program will feature the prespectives of leading voices from within the disabled community, as well as rabbinic leaders and ethicists who have been on the front line of developing and implementing their own visions of an inclusive religious Jewish community.
The program will take place at YCT's Beit Midrash, 606 W 115th Street, NYC, and run from Monday, June 2 through Friday, June 6.

First Annual Weinstein Award Luncheon

2008-05-20T18:14:00.008-04:00

Today, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah held its first ever Irving S. Weinstein Memorial Award and Lecture for the Advancement of Interdenominational Cooperation. Rabbi Yamin Levy was the master of ceremonies for the program, opening it up and speaking throughout. The keynote speaker was Rabbi Marc Angel, who spoke on "Orthodox and Non-Orthodox Jewish Communities; Can We Learn From Each Other?"
Next up was Ezra Levin, who helped in dispersing the funds for the scholarship spoke about the origin of the fund:
"He expressed, in the presence of myself, a financial adviser and someone else, the notion that he was really upset by the divisions among the Jews who were fighting always and wanted to do something to seek accord among the Jewish people. He was not interested in imposing a uniformity; he respected diversity."
The award, according to the pamphlet printed up by the school, is

The Irving S. Weinstein Memorial Award for the Advancement of Interdenominational Cooperation is a scholarship that is awarded once a year to one Yeshivat Chovevei Torah rabbinical student and one alumnus for their excellence in building bridges with other Jewish denominations. The scholarship was created in memory of Irving S. Weinstein.*

Then the award presentation began, with the award going to an alumnus going to Seth Braunstein (Class of 2006), who then spoke upon having received his award. Then Rabbi Dov Linzer spoke. Following him, the student awarded was Daniel Braune-Friedman, who then spoke.

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According to the pamphlet printed by YCT:

Irving S. Weinstein was raised in Brooklyn and served in the US Army in Georgia, where he worked as an assistant electrician. Upon returning to civilian life he developed an electrical contracting business, which he ultimately sold after transferring a portion of it to a charitable remainder trust. Irving was an avid golfer and loved dogs. He expressed the wish that the trust proceeds might be used to promote accord among people of the Jewish faith.

Katie Light Visits for Q & A on Her Master's Thesis

2008-05-15T13:43:00.001-04:00

Katie Light was here today during lunchtime to field any questions and to discuss her recently finished masters thesis at Brandeis University, entitled "Inside Out, Outside In: Yeshivat Chovevei Torah’s Open Orthodoxy Transmitted, Absorbed, and Applied."
In her thesis, she wrote that she

studied Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School because I felt that it needed to be done for to enhance the field of sociology of religion and for the sake of the American Jewish community. I felt an obligation as a student of social science to use my entrée and innate interest to conduct this research. (p. 2)

In her visit, she said that it's especially true that the academic community does not understand what's going on here. She also said that people should know what's going on here because it is impressive. Also, no previous research has been done on YCT, she said.
She wrote that she

studied YCT through the lens of sociology of religion, combining, in particular, Robert Wuthnow’s concept of public religion with Erving Goffman’s theories on front and back stages (explained in the theory section.) The general field and the theories provided a framework through which to understand the people in the yeshiva, their education, and how the two work in tandem to first develop in private and then apply in public YCT’s guiding philosophy of Open Orthodoxy. Theories of clergy education explicated by Charles Foster and his colleagues shed light on the processes of teaching and learning in theological seminaries. (p. 1)

Rabbi Linzer Awarded Fellowship

2008-05-13T22:50:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, the Avi Chai Foundation announced their first set of fellows yesterday, including Rabbi Dov Linzer, the head of YCT. According to Avi Chai's website: "His grant proposal is on the creation of a rabbinical school curriculum for educators, allowing the Orthodox rabbinate to gain enhanced pedagogical training, so that they are better trained to be Day School educators."

Yemei Iyun On Bible and Jewish Thought 2008

2008-05-02T08:49:00.002-04:00

YCT has announced its sixth annual Yemei Iyun on Bible & Jewish thought to take place this summer. Set to take place Sunday 29 June-Tuesday 1 July, it will be taking place at the Ramaz upper school (60 East 78th Street, New York City) (not where it has been for the last several years in New Jersey). The registration form and online registration are available.
The yemei iyun program being held in cooperation with Beit Morasha of Jerusalem, Center for Modern Torah Leadership, David Cardozo Academy, Lookstein Center for Jewish Education, MATAN, RAMAZ, Yeshivat Hamivtar, and Yeshivat Maale Gilboa.

(Related: Yemei Iyun 2007, Yemei Iyun 2006)

Milin Havivin, Volume 3 Online

2008-04-14T13:11:00.003-04:00

The third volume of Milin Havivin is now online!
The articles included therein in the English section:
"Between Values and Theology: The Case of Salvation Through Children in Rabbinic Thought - Part I" - Rabbi Dov Weiss
"Prison Reform: A Torah Perspective on the American Crisis" - Shmuly Yanklowitz
"The Exodus as the Foundational Paradigm for Social Justice" - Ben Greenberg
""The Two Objectives of the Institution of Marriage: 'For She is Your Companion, and the Wife of Your Covenant' (Malakhi 2:14)" - Rabbi Dr. Binyamin Lau (This essay originally appeared in Granot Vol. 3, (pg. 138-148) published by Beit Morasha.)
"Postponement of the Mitzvah of Procreation: A Response to Rabbi Dr. Binyamin Lau" - Rabbi Yehuda Herzl Henkin (As printed in Granot 3 (2003), 149-152, and subsequently in Responsa Bnei Banim 4:#15.)
"Family Planning: The Postponement of Mitzvat Peru U-Revu" - Yitzchak Avi Roness (This article is adapted from a more expansive version in Hebrew, published in Or Ha-Mizrah, Vol. 50: 1-2, 2004 pp.109-123, and Vol. 50:3-4, 2005 pp. 135-151.)
"Mipnei Takanat Ha-Shavim: Outreach Considerations in Pesak Halakha" - Rabbi Barry Gelman
"Et La'asot La-Hashem: Emergency Halakha in the Rabbinic Tradition" - Zecharyah Tzvi Goldman
"Seeking Prophecy in Historical Narratives: Manasseh and Josiah in Kings and Chronicles" - Rabbi Hayyim Angel
"A Case of Unusual Hospitality: Samuel, Saul, and the Witch of Ein Dor" - Michelle Friedman, M.D.
"Rambam: Libertarian or Determinist?" - Rafi Farber
"Birkat Ha-Mapil: The Rabbinic Pre-Sleep Blessing" - Drew Kaplan
"Faith, History and Interpretation: Reform and Orthodox Responses to Modern Hermeneutics" - Alexander Kaye
"Pacifism, The Jewish Mission, and Religious Anti-Zionism: Rabbi Aaron Samuel Tamares in Context" - David Wolkenfeld

The articles in the Hebrew section:
"אישות ותלמוד תורה: ניווט המתח" ("Marriage and Torah: Navigating the Tension") - Rabbi Dov Linzer
"המחלוקת על הרבנות בפרנקפורט: מבט מבפנים" ("The Disagreement Concerning the Frankfort Rabbinate: A Look From Within") - Dr. Marc Shapiro
"ספירת העומר בבין השמשות" ("Counting Sefirat Ha-Omer at Twilight") - Rabbi Levi Cooper
"'כי אתא רב דימי': בין היסטוריה ועריכה" ("'When Rav Dimi Came': Discerning History from Revision") - Yoram Bitton

Upcoming Pre-Pesach Mishmar

2008-04-10T13:29:00.000-04:00

Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School Presents
Pre-Pesach Mishmar
Tuesday 15 April 2008
7 pm - 11:30 pm
606 West 115th Street
6th Floor
New York City

Schedule:
7:00 - 8:30 pm "The Korban After the Churban: The Transformation of the Seder from Sacrifice to Sippur" - Rabbi Dov Linzer
9:00 - 10:00 pm "Definitions of Chametz" - Rabbi Nati Helfgot
10:30 - 11:30 pm "Pesach in Chassidic Thought" - Rabbi Ysoscher Katz

This event is free and open to the public

Rabbi Yaakov Medan Speaks at YCT

2008-04-01T18:12:00.001-04:00

Today, Rabbi Yaakov Medan spoke at YCT, speaking upon the topic of Passover eve falling on shabbat, referencing, in particular the story of Hillel, found on Pesahim 66a.

Rabbi Love Speaking on Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein Around His 100th Yahrzeit

2008-03-26T18:42:00.000-04:00

Today, Rabbi Yaacov Love spoke about Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, on the occasion of his 100th yahrzeit. Rabbi Epstein, best known for his work, ערוך השלחן (Arukh haShulhan ("The Setting of the Table")), was born in 1829 and died in 100 years ago in 1908.
Rabbi Love describing a unique way of Rabbi Epstein in his Arukh haShulhan:

First of all, let's understand that when we're dealing with the Arukh haShulhan, like when we dealt with Rav Moshe, זכרונו לברכה (may his memory be a blessing), we were dealing with a rav - somebody who was a rav ir. And that meant that when we talked about halakhah, it was not halakhah pesukah in the sense of what do the mekorot say. And if we wanted to compare, for instance, the Arukh haShulhan to other ספרי הלכה (halakhiv works), you'll find that, בדרך כלל (in a general fashion), the other seforim will bring the מקורות (sources) and, possibly their חוה דעת (suggestion), on where those mekorot lead me and they may do a head count and say "I've got x amount that's מתיר (permits) and x amount that's אסור (forbidding) and this is the מסקנה (conclusion), this is where it comes out. With the Arukh haShulhan, we don't find that. With the Arukh haShulhan, after going through the mekorot, we find that he adds one more element that very few do. And, even Rav Moshe, who was very cognizant about the realia and about what was going on in the world around him, did not want to pasken halakhah from anything else, except the mekorot, in the sense that he would make sure the mekorot took care of the realia. But the realia, alone, were not going to do it - the realia would influence it. ... The Arukh HaShulhan actually takes the מציאות (reality) as a good enough reason to pasken the halakhah. Meziut plays a very big part in the way he paskens the halakhah.

The file is available for downloading here.

Yom Iyyun with Drisha & HC Rabbinical School

2008-03-19T18:34:00.002-04:00

On Wednesday 5 December 2007, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School hosted the Drisha Institute & the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College in participating in a yom iyyun on the topic of Prayer and Religious Leadership.
The day began with Rabbi Arthur Green explaining a little about Hanukkah. Then Rabbi David Silber, Rabbi Dov Linzer, and Rabbi Avi Weiss offering introductory remarks. Rabbi Linzer then opened up the first learning session on "Why Do We Pray?" with some remarks. Then, a panel discussion on "The Prayer Life of the Religious Leader" with Rabbi Green, Rabbi Silber, and Rabbi Weiss, moderated by Dr. Michelle Friedman.
During lunch, Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld led a conversation on "Envisioning My Future as a Jewish Leader."
Prior to minhah, Avi Rosenfeld led a preparation session for prayer, followed by minhah in separate locations.
After minhah, there was another discussion, this time on the topic of "Keva and Kavannah: Tradition and Innovation in Tefillah," introduced by Devorah Zlochower.
Then, Chasya Uriel Steinbauer and Margie Klein led prayers for Darfur.
Prior to ma'ariv, Rabbi Ethan Tucker led a preparation for prayer, followed by prayer.
Rabbi Or Rose then led a kavvanah before the candle lighting of the menorah, after which followed singing.
Then, there was dinner and Rabbi Ysoscher Katz gave a devar Torah.

Fifth Annual Gala Dinner

2008-03-17T13:43:00.004-04:00

Last night, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah held its fifth annual gala dinner, this one being held at the UN Delegates Dining Room. After starting out with hors d’oeuvres, the evening proceeded up to the dining hall. The MC for the evening was Dr. Michelle Friedman, the Chair of YCT’s Department of Pastoral Counseling. After Dr. Friedman made her opening comments, Rabbi Saul J. Berman, YCT’s Director of Continuing Rabbinic Education, LHREI at YCT, gave a special lecture entitled “Reflections on Religious Authority,” followed by dinner. Following dinner, Rabbi Jeremiah Wohlberg spoke about Herb Kronish, Z”L, who was posthumously awarded the Tikkun Olam Award. Rabbi Dov Linzer, YCT Rosh haYeshivah & Dean, presented the first ever Alumnus of the Year Award to Rabbi Marc Gitler (YCT ’05), who then, himself spoke. Following this, was a video presentation about Rabbi Berman, followed by a presentation by Rabbi Avi Weiss, Founder & President of YCT, about Rabbi Berman, in presenting him with the Lifetime Rabbinic Achievement Award. Following this, Rabbi Weiss made some closing remarks, and then Dr. Elli Kranzler led a musical performance of singing and dancing, as people made their way to the dessert room.

“Lifetime Achievement Award: Rabbi Berman is a Leading Orthodox Teacher and Thinker,” in Celebrating a Pioneering Spirit: Fifth Annual Gala Dinner (New York: Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School, 2008): 6-7.

As a rabbi, a scholar, and an educator, he has made extensive contributions to the intensification of women’s Jewish education, to the role of social ethics in synagogue life, and to the understanding of the applicability of Jewish Law to contemporary society.

Rabbi Berman was ordained at Yeshiva University, from which he also received his BA and MHL. He completed a degree in law at New York University, and an MA in Political Science at the University of California at Berkeley.

Rabbi Berman was the Rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel in Berkeley, California from 1963 to 1969. He was an early leader in the Soviet Jewry movement and an active participant in the Civil Rights movement. He was present at the demonstrations in Selma, Alabama in 1965. From 1969 to 1971, Rabbi Berman was the spiritual leader of the Young Israel of Brookline, Massachusetts where he organized the Torah Community Project, a study-centered activist setting for students and young adults in the Boston area.

In 1971, Rabbi Berman was appointed Chairman of the Department of Judaic Studies of Stern College for Women of Yeshiva University. Under his leadership over the next thirteen years, it grew into the largest undergraduate Department of Jewish Studies in the United States. In 1984, Rabbi Berman accepted the position of Senior Rabbi of Lincoln Square Synagogue in Manhattan, where he served until 1990. In 1990, he returned to academic life as Associate Professor of Jewish Studies at Stern College and as an adjunct professor at Columbia University School of Law, where he teaches a seminar in Jewish Law. From 1995 to 1997, he served as Scholar in Residence at the JCC on the Palisades in New Jersey. In 1997, Rabbi Berman became Director of Edah, a new organization devoted to the invigoration of Modern Orthodox ideology and religious life.

Rabbi Berman is a contributor to the Encyclopedia Judaica and is the author of numerous articles which have been published in journals such as Tradition, Judaism, Journal of Jewish Studies, Dinei Yisrael, and many others. His writings on the subject of women in Halakha and on issues of Jewish Law and contemporary society have often been reprinted. Recently, he was highlighted in the PBS documentary, “Jews in America.”

In August 2006 Rabbi Berman joined the YCT administration as Director of Continuing Rabbinic Education where he has the opportunity to mentor and support the alumni of YCT once they have entered into the rabbinate.

Rabbi Berman is a loving husband, father, and grandfather. He is married to Shellee Berman and together they have four children, Efrat, Shama, Akiva, and Esther, two sons-in-law, one daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren.

“Alumnus of the Year Award: Rabbi Marc Gitler,” in Celebrating a Pioneering Spirit: Fifth Annual Gala Dinner (New York: Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School, 2008): 8.

Originally from New York, Rabbi Gitler is currently serving as the Rabbi of East Denver Orthodox Synagogue, following two years as the Assistant Rabbi of the Fifth Avenue Synagogue in New York City. A recipient of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship, Rabbi Gitler received his rabbinic ordination from Yeshivat Chovevei Torah in 2005. He holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service.

Upon graduation from Yeshiva University, Rabbi Gitler traveled to Belarus where he served for two years as the overseas director of YUSSR, a student-founded organization that works with Jewish communities in the former Soviet Union. While in Minsk and Moghilev, he organized Jewish communal programming, ranging from Sunday schools and summer camps for children to luncheons for the elderly. During his time at YCT Rabbinical School, Rabbi Gitler interned for two years at ASBI synagogue in Chicago’s north side and participated in the American Jewish World Service’s first rabbinical student delegation.

Rabbi Gitler is married to Sarah Geiger of Elizabeth, NJ, an alumna of Barnard College and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. She is currently an Associate at Cravath, Swaine, and Moore. Most importantly, the couple was recently blessed with their first child, Sophie Golda.

“Tikkun Olam Award: Herb Kronish, Z”L,” in Celebrating a Pioneering Spirit: Fifth Annual Gala Dinner (New York: Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School, 2008): 9.

Herb Kronish passed away on December 11, 2007 after several months of a courageous fight with cancer, during which he used every moment to enjoy his family and many friends. After the death of his loving wife, Doris, in 1995, he embraced his role as the devoted father of Susan and Alan, and David and Sara, and the adoring grandfather of Joshua, Dana, El-Ro’ee, Yehonatan, Ashira, Tifferet, and Malachi. He was an exemplary son to his parents and a devoted brother. He held his role as cousin, uncle, granduncle, and friend in the highest esteem and love.

Throughout his lifetime, Mr. Kronish devoted his vast energy to Israel, Soviet Jewry, and to ways of insuring Jewish continuity. As a Founder and Honorary Life President of Congregation Ohav Shalom in Merrick, LI, through his active involvements with UJA Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, as a Chairman of the Greater NY Conference on Soviet Jewry, and as the Director of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, he demonstrated the strength of his commitment to Judaism and to Klal Yisrael.

Mr. Kronish was the founding partner of the law firm Kronish, Lieb, Weiner & Hellman, LLP. To his professional life and all his endeavors, he brought passionate commitment, vision, and the pursuit of excellence.

It was in the last year of his life, that Mr. Kronish, through his intimate friendship with Rabbi Saul J. Berman, forged a relationship with Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School. Herb brought the same level of exuberance and intensity to this endeavor as he had to all others. He created a curriculum to be brought into the Yeshiva that exemplified the form of social service that he embodied during his lifetime, Universal Tikkun Olam.

Herb Kronish set an unparalleled example of philanthropic leadership. His legacy is proudly continued through his family’s generosity, which aids the most vulnerable and strengthens Jewish life and learning.

YCT's Upcoming Annual Gala Dinner

2008-01-23T07:26:00.000-05:00

YCT will be holding its fifth annual gala dinner, entitled "Celebrating a Pioneering Spirit", on Sunday 16 March at the United Nations Delegates Dining Room. The dinner will be honoring Rabbi Saul Berman with the Lifetime Rabbinic Achievement Award. The dinner will also be paying tribute to Herb Kronish, Z"L with the Tikkun Olam Award. A new award, the Alumnus of the Year Award, will be to Rabbi Marc Gitler ('05).
(Previous Gala Dinner postings: fourth gala dinner & third gala dinner.)

Rabbi Dov Linzer Installed as New Dean of YCT

2007-10-23T13:39:00.002-04:00

The program, entitled "A Day of Learning in Honor of Rabbi Dov Linzer," held by Yeshivat Chovevei Torah at Kehillath Jeshurun (KJ) began with Rabbi Yamin Levy, Vice President of Yeshiva Affairs, opening the ceremonies, followed by a devar Torah from Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, Associate Rabbi at KJ.

Rabbi Linzer Dean Installation

The program proceeded along with a plenary panel, chaired by Rabbi Levy, consisting of Rabbi Saul Berman (Director of Continuing Rabbinic Education, LHREI at YCT), Rabbi Mark Dratch (Executive Director, JSafe), and Shana Yocheved Schacter (psychologist), on the topic of “Dilemmas in Contemporary Applications of Kibbud Av V’Eim: The Sandwich Generation , Infirmed Elderly Parents, Abusive Parents.”

The program then proceeded along with two separate workshops: one on “’Flipping Out’ and ‘Off the Derekh’: Tensions Between Parents and Children Over Differing Levels of Religious Observance and Ideology” and the other on “The Aliyah Conundrum: Mixed Feelings and the Dilemmas of Family Separation.” “’Flipping Out’ and ‘Off the Derekh,’” chaired by Rabbi Nathaniel Helfgot (Chair, Bible Department & Jewish Thought Department, YCT), had Rabbi Marc Angel (Rabbi, Congregation Shearith Israel), Rabbi Scot Berman (Executive Director, C. Kushner Companies Foundation), and Dr. Michelle Friedman (Chair, Department of Pastoral Counseling, YCT) on its panel. “The Aliyah Conundrum,” chaired by Rabbi Chaim Marder (Chair, Department of Practical Rabbinics, YCT), included Dr. Chaya Gorsetman (faculty member, Stern College for Women), Dr. Elli Kranzler (psychiatrist), and Rabbi Yaacov Love (Chair, Department of Halakha, YCT) on its panel.

There was then a musical presentation by Dr. Elli Kranzler.

The Installation Ceremony was presented by Rabbi Avi Weiss, Founder, President, and outgoing Dean of YCT.

Rabbi Dov Linzer, the Rosh HaYeshiva and newly installed Dean of YCT presented his remarks.

Rabbi Mayer Lichtenstein Speaks About Shemittah

2007-10-23T13:37:00.000-04:00

On 15 October 2007, Rabbi Mayer Lichtenstein spoke on the topic of shemittah in Israel during the current Hebrew calendar year, 5768.

Rabbi Avi Weiss Publicly Presents Shabbat Shuva Discourse

2007-09-23T20:45:00.001-04:00

On Thursday 20 September, Rabbi Avi Weiss presented "Does Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur Prayer Really Influence God?" at YCT. The source sheet is available here. His presentation basically dealt with two primary thinkers on prayer, ["although there are many other approaches",] Maimonides and Nahmonides. One of the primary questions Rabbi Weiss asked was "What is the ultimate theme/basis/foundation for prayer?"

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YCT released the following information on the lady in whose memory the speech was given:

Dr. Beth Samuels
Drisha Scholar, Mathematician
Beloved Wife, Mother, Daughter, Sister and Friend
March 24, 1975 - January 5, 2007
Dr. Beth Samuels, z”l, was a gifted teacher of Torah and mathematics, inspiring her audiences with her passion for learning and life. She was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and was an alumna of YULA High School and Michlalah in Jerusalem. During her high school years, Beth became an activist in causes of hesed and women’s opportunities for serious Torah study. She continued to pursue these causes fervently throughout her brief life.
Her childhood education gave her a profound appreciation for a Torah-encompassing life. However, she was not exposed to what she described as the “intellectual immersion” into Torah study until she began learning at Drisha Institute during her college years at Columbia University. At Columbia, she also directed the hevrutah program,
“Wednesday Night Learning,” attracting hundreds of students to commit to serious weekly Torah learning. She was active in Lights-in-Action, an organization concerned with providing a forum for Jewish education and awareness at secular colleges, and she spent time with YUSSR in the Ukraine running programs for Russian Jews.
After graduating college, Beth studied full time in the Scholars Circle at Drisha, in the Talmud and Tanakh program. She also served as an auxiliary New York City police officer while she was living there. At this time, Beth married Ari Tuchman. Her pursuit of knowledge then led her to earn a doctorate in mathematics from Yale University, where she focused on number theory and automorphic forms. She continued to teach Torah extensively to the New Haven community as well as to lead women’s prayer groups and Purim megilah readings. As a graduate of the Drisha Scholars program, she frequently traveled around the country as a scholar-in-residence. For two years, she commuted to New York City in order to direct and teach in the Drisha high school program. Beth and Ari’s family also grew with the joyous birth of daughter, Danelle.
Soon after relocating to Palo Alto, CA, Beth and Ari celebrated the birth of their daughter, Natalia. Beth prioritized her time with her family, infusing her love for Judaism and her unwavering emunah into her home. She became an assistant professor of mathematics at UC Berkeley, and continued to be active in the ritual, intellectual and communal life of the Bay Area Jewish community. Beth also remained continuously connected to both women’s learning in general and Drisha specifically. She returned to New York to teach both at the Drisha dinner and the new winter week for high school girls and consulted on high school activities. Just a few months before she died, Beth was the keynote speaker at a Los Angeles conference on girls’ education at Modern Orthodox schools.

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YCT Unveils Pictures Gallery

2007-09-19T20:42:00.000-04:00

YCT's picture gallery is now available with various albums to be perused.

Park Clean-Up

2007-09-02T14:15:00.000-04:00

On Thursday 30 August, students and faculty of YCT went to help clean up a portion of Fort Tryon Park. We cleaned up a section of the park alongside the Henry Hudson Parkway, clearing away weeds and litter.
It was certainly a helpful bonding experience to go out and do something positive for our surroundings (not to mention getting outside).
Pictures may be viewed here and Benji has pictures here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

YCT Returns For Its Ninth Year

2007-08-27T11:36:00.000-04:00

Today, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah begins classes for its 9th school year. The halakhah focus for students in years 2-4 will be on kashrus/kashrut (kosher laws). For the third consecutive year, YCT will be housed at the Kraft Center.

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Previous Years:
-YCT Begins Eighth Year
-A New Year At YCT (7th year)

Fifth Annual Yemei Iyyun

2007-07-17T02:21:00.000-04:00

From Sunday 24 June through Tuesday 26 June, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, in conjunction with Beit Morasha of Jerusalem, the David Cardozo Academy of Jewish Studies, the Lookstein Center for Jewish Education, and the New Jersey Association of Jewish Day Schools, held its fifth annual Yemei Iyun on Bible and Jewish Thought (brochure). The first two days of the gathering featured presentations on Bible and the last day on Jewish thought. Some of the presenters came from Israel, such as Rav Yoel Bin Nun and Rabbi Francis Nataf, and Rabbi Menachem Leibtag.
Some of the other presenters included Rabbi Aryeh Klapper, Rabbi Shalom Carmy, Rabbi Dr. David Berger, and Rabbi David Silber. A couple of in-house YCT presenters also spoke: Rabbi Saul Berman, Rabbi Nathaniel Helfgot, and Rabbi Yamin Levy.

2006-2007 School Year Comes To A Close

2007-07-17T01:50:00.000-04:00

On Friday 15 June, YCT had its last day of school for the 2006-2007 school year, marking the conclusion to its eighth year.

Perspectives on the Graduation (Semikha) Ceremony

2007-07-05T19:18:00.000-04:00

Although the previous post was about the semikha ceremony, there are other posts around about it.
One non-blog article on the ceremony may be found in the NY Blueprint ("2007 Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbis"). The most notable part of that article is the following quote from Rabbi Avi Weiss:

“Where you fly and how you fly is up to you… students are often unable to make any decision without turning to their rabbi,” said Rabbi Weiss. “This is not the model of Chovevei Torah. To be sure, the rabbis and teachers here at YCT do the best to provide a process of learning critical to your success as a rabbi. But the goal of the master rabbi is to empower, not control. Not to hold on tight, but to let go… Real Torah is to reap from the master’s insight and then to find your own voice. As you celebrate your ordination, consider the imagery of walking out backwards with eyes on YCT, to forever draw from those you love and those that influence you.”

Steg had a little posting over at HOTGK, following it up with more discussion at then end of another posting.
R' Josh Yuter juxtaposed the YCT graduation with his own at RIETS, interestingly comparing and contrasting them in his "The Yeshiva and the Bazaar".

Fourth Semikhah Ceremony

2007-06-12T19:35:00.000-04:00

On Sunday (10 June/24 Sivan), Yeshivat Chovevei Torah held its fourth annual graduation (Semikhah) ceremony. Nine students graduated, bringing up the number of total graduates of the school to 36.
MCed by graduate Rabbi Uri Topolosky (YCT '05) (and with a sign language interpreter all throughout the ceremony), the ceremony began with Rabbi Samuel Feinsmith (YCT '05) and Rami Strosberg leading off ,with some musical accompaniment, singing the American and Israeli national anthems.
Following this, Rabbi Menachem HaCohen, the Chief Rabbi of Romania gave the invocation. Following him, Dr. Michelle Friedman, the chair of YCT's Department of Pastoral Counseling gave the Devar Torah. Following her, Howard Jonas, the chair of the YCT Board of Trustees spoke some words of greetings.
Following them, graduating students Elliot Kaplowitz and David Kasher spoke. The former spoke on "The Yeshiva Experience", while the latter spoke on "Rabbinic Aspirations," mentioning in the course of his talk two darknesses against which we are to fight: the first of meaninglessness and the other being religious fundamentalism.
Prior to the conferral of Semikhah, there was a further musical interlude, with some dancing, as well.
Rabbi Dov Linzer, Rosh HaYeshiva, addressed those in attendance prior to moving into giving the young men their respective semikhas. First, Rabbi Linzer spoke individually to/about each of the first three young men before conferring upon them their semikhas, Rabbi Yaacov Love, Associate Chair of the YCT Department of Halakha, then did the same for the next three, with Rabbi Avi Weiss finishing up with the last three students.
Following this up was Rabbi Yamin Levy, the Vice-President of Yeshiva Affairs who made the gift presentation of shofars to the graduates. Finishing up for the ceremony was Rabbi Weiss with some final remarks.
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Students graduating in YCT's class of 2007:
-Yonah Berman
-Avidan Freedman
-Akiva Herzfeld
-Elliot Kaplowitz
-David Kasher
-Jamie Pearlberg
-Sorin Rosen

-Akiva Silton

-Ari Weiss
Seven of these students have already been listed in the booklet as having secured jobs:
Berman "will serve as Assistant Rabbi of Congregation Shaar Hashomayim in Montreal." Freedman will "assume the role of Limudei Kodesh instructor at SAR High School in Riverdale, NY." Kaplowitz "will serve as Rabbi and co-Director ... of the Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus" at Brandeis. Kasher will "serve as a Judaic Studies Teacher and Parent Education Program Coordinator at Oakland Hebrew Day School." Pearlberg will be a "Talmud Instructor at Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School." Rosen will return to Romania to serve as rabbi there. Silton will be "teaching at the Pardes Institute in Jerusalem and working as a pediatrician in Bet Shemesh."

(last year's semikha ceremony)

Meorot Fellowship

2007-05-21T17:05:00.000-04:00

Ari Weiss, one of the current co-leaders of the Meorot Fellowship asked me to post the following:

MEOROT FELLOWSHIP - APPLY TODAY!

The Meorot Fellowship, a program of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, aims to inspire young men and women to enter into Jewish religious leadership. The fellowship devotes one evening a week during the academic year to exploring the challenges and opportunities that modernity presents to Orthodoxy.

Fellows, comprised of undergraduate juniors and seniors and recent college graduates, participate in lectures by highly esteemed rabbinic and academic scholars and community leaders and reflect on and critique what they have heard in a safe-space conversation afterwards, aiming to build a committed community with diverse responses and opinions.

Apply online today at http://www.yctorah.org/content/view/36/11/.

If you are interested in learning more about this program, please call 212.666.0036 or e-mail meorot@yctorah.org. The deadline for applications for program year 2007-2008 has been extended to May 31, 2007.

5th Annual Lieberman Award Ceremony

2007-05-18T16:07:00.001-04:00

Today (on Friday 18 May 2007), Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School held its 5th Annual Herbert Lieberman Scholarship Award Ceremony. According to the program booklet,

The Herbert Lieberman Award for Community Service is a $2,000 prize that is given once a year to a Yeshivat Chovevei Torah rabbinical student for excellence in community service. This award was created through the generosity of the Lieberman family in memory of their beloved father and husband, Herbert Lieberman.

The program started out with Rabbi Dov Linzer, the Rosh Yeshivah (Academic Head) of YCT, opened with a דבר תורה (short words of Torah), wherein he spoke about the book of Ruth and the importance of the food made available for the poor.
Following him was Rabbi Avi Weiss, the dean of YCT, who introduced Danny Siegel, the keynote speaker. Rabbi Weiss spoke of him in very glowing terms, at one point calling him "the quintessential person of hesed." He also said that while hesed is a part of people, for Danny Siegel, he is hesed.
Danny Siegel, who is best known for his work in his organization, Ziv, spoke on the various important and simple ways that one can do various activities of hesed and how positively impactful it is on people.
Before Steven Lieberman, the son of Herbert Lieberman, after whom the award is named, presented the award to Shmuly Yanklowitz (YCT, class of 2010), he spoke briefly of his father in the context of his activism:

My father was an amazing activist - an amazing Jewish activist. Whenever he saw a problem, it wasn't something that he let somebody else deal with, it was something that he dealt with himself. He dealt with it immediately and he dealt with it strongly and he continued until the problem was fixed. He was the chairman of the community board when Riverdale was first faced with the issue of group homes for people with special needs and there was a huge amount of opposition about 25 years ago.

Then Shmuly stepped up and accepted the award. Included in his acceptance was the following exceptional remark:

This Herbert Lieberman Award represents a tremendous victory for Yeshivat Chovevei Torah and for the Jewish community. The emphasis placed here is a statement that our community values not only the highest level of Talmudic scholarship, not only a defense and building of Medinat Yisrael, not only the flashy universalistic causes - all extremely important in themselves - but also social justice here in our midst at home: in our restaurants, in our schools, on our subways. We find ourselves, in this city, encountered daily with infinite responsibility and it is only through partnership that we can begin to address the weight of this task.

Later on in his acceptance speech, Shmuly specified the recipient of the award money - that it would be a new and innovative initiative that he and Mike Schultz (last year's recipient)

are creating. We believe that there needs to be a central body for social justice within the Orthodox movement. Our intended name for such a central body is Uri L’Tzedek: Awaken to righteousness – With this, we hope to creatively and ambitiously lead the American Orthodox communities in understanding and making manifest in the world our charge of Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof (to chase after justice) which, seen simply as a virtue ethic valuing tzedek in itself, falls short, rather tzedek tzedek tirdof should be understood as a command to create a society Rabbis and Holy l that by its nature perpetuates higher levels of righteousness. Hence, the repetition of the word tzedek tells us not only as individual Jews must we pursue righteousness but also a Jewish society, at the core of our religious culture. At first glance, the work seems unbearably challenging to begin such a radical revolution for justice, but we have the partnerships, we have the motivation, we have the Torah. As Rabbinical students, nay people, this is our task to create this communal discourse and then, in turn, to hold accountable every business owner in our cities to properly support the rights of laborers, living wages, ensure proper healthcare rights and immigrant rights, senior care, and proper housing –just a start to ensuring human dignity in our midst. We, of Uri L’Tzedek, have requested a grant from a serious incubator to begin with our potential first 5 long term priorities:
1. To create a Beit Midrash Chevrati – an adult learning institute based on pressing social issues
2. Create curricula for day school systems to teach about social justice and leadership to young learners
3. To organize the communities to act and bring about community change for those in need. In addition to direct service (social action) there can be systemic social justice through the mobilization of factions, power, and global resources
4. To create a summer program for Orthodox teens to learn and work on social justice causes &
5. To serve as the central Orthodox organization of thought and organizing on issues of Jewish concern.

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Previous winners of the Lieberman award:

2006: Michael Schultz (class of 2008)
2005: Rabbi Joshua Feigelson (class of 2005)
2004: Rabbi Seth Braunstein (class of 2006)
2003: Rabbi Adam Scheier (class of 2004)

More pictures.

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From the program booklet:

(1928-2001), was born and raised in the Bronx and attended Bronx High School of Science and New York University. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was President of C&M Leather Goods and Accessories by Rachel. He was married for 46 years and is survived by two children and four grandchildren.
Herb Lieberman was a dedicated community leader and a tireless activist in his NYC neighborhood of Riverdale. He led the community board for more than 30 years. Herb spearheaded dozens of community improvement projects including organizing local support for Riverdale's first group homes, battling those who said "not in my backyard," while at the same time educating his neighbors about the value of homes for the disabled. Herb served as a member of the executive boards of P.S. 24 and the David A. Stein Riverdale School M.S. 141. He was also chair of the district-wide organization of parents and teachers known as PTA 10, as well as a long-time board member of the Riverdale Community Center, legislative chairman of the Association of Riverdale Cooperatives, president of his co-op board, and Founder and Chairman of the Coalition for Responsible Planning, a grassroots group which prevailed over the NYC political administration to build more schools in the area. Frequently honored for his contributions to the community, Herb was named "Riverdalian of the Year" by the Riverdale Community council, 1988, and Deborah Hospital's 1989 "Man of the Year," among other recognitions. In the spring of 2004, at the request of Herb's neighbors, the New York City Council renamed a major street in Riverdale "Herb Lieberman Way."

Evening of Learning in Memory of Rav Mordechai Breuer

2007-05-17T08:44:00.000-04:00

Last night (16 May 2007), YCT held a “Pre-Shavuot Evening of Learning in Memory of Rav Mordechai Breuer” last night at Ohab Zedek. After starting off by praying מנחה (afternoon service), the program began with Rabbi Nathaniel Helfgot offering opening remarks on Dr. Rabbi Mordechai Breuer. He spoke about him both as a scholar and as a person. Following Rabbi Helfgot was Rabbi Allen Schwartz who introduced the evening’s speaker, Dr. Shnayer Z. Leiman.
Dr. Leiman began with a brief remark that Dr. Breuer had advanced three areas of scholarship: Masoretic Studies, Biblical Exegesis, and Modern Bible Criticism. Then he turned his attention towards his keynote lecture, “Be-Sifrei RaMad Al Tishlah Yad: Rabbi Moses Sofer’s Attitude to Moses Mendelssohn’s Bible Translation and Commentary.” His started off his lecture by mentioning that the term רמ"ד (RaMaD) that appears four times throughout the writings of Rabbi Sofer (also known as חתם סופר (Hasam Sofer)):

Last Will & Testament - November 1836
Responsum - February 1837
Responsum - July 1839
undated ms. in Lubavitch library in Brooklyn

We looked primarily at the first one which apparently had a dispute as to how it should be read: whether as רמ"ד, referring to Moses Mendelssohn, or as חמ"ד, which has several possibilities as to what it could possibly be. While it was printed in 1957 as being רמ"ד, we looked at a copy of the original, which clearly seemed to be חמ"ד. We also read a story recounted by Rabbi Moses Shik, who was a student of Rabbi Sofer, who told of a story where Rabbi Shik had not only possessed and read through Mendelssohn's Biur, but also had found nothing that was wrong with it, though Rabbi Sofer had a problem with a comment of Mendelssohn's in his Biur on Deut. 2:10-12.
Towards the end of his lecture, Dr. Leiman spoke on Rabbi Sofer in positive terms, concluding by saying, "Read the writings of the חתם סופר - it never ceases to amaze."

Rabbi Korn Speaks on the book of Ruth

2007-05-09T13:55:00.000-04:00

Today, Rabbi Dr. Eugene Korn came to speak at YCT during lunchtime to a group of about a dozen students on the book of Ruth. Rabbi Korn focused on the topic of חסד (kindness), as he said it is the "deepest meaning of the text." He highlighted where חסד appears in the text by having gone through the text chronologically with us, so that we were able to follow this important motif throughout this book.

YCT's Fourth Annual Gala Dinner

2007-05-08T01:54:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday 6 March 2007 (16-17 Adar 5767), Yeshivat Chovevei Torah held its fourth annual gala dinner at Pier 60 in Manhattan.

program
Hon. Dr. Dov Zakheim - Master of Ceremonies
Rebecca Brill - Hamotzi
Rabbi Avi Weiss - Presentation to Judy Abel and Michael Brill
Michael Brill - Acceptance of the Keter Shem Tov Award
Howard Jonas - Greetings
Rabbi Saul Berman - Presentation to Rabbi Joseph & Sandra Ehrenkranz
Rabbi Joseph Ehrenkranz - Acceptance of the Lifetime Rabbinic Achievement Award
Rabbi Dov Linzer - Presentation to the S. Daniel Abraham Semikha Fellows of 2007
Sorin Rosen - Accepting on behalf of the Class of 2007
Rabbi Avi Weiss - Closing Remarks
Torah Dedication
Netanel Friedenberg - Birkat Hamazon

article in The Sun 1 and 2 and pics

YCT Marches in Salute To Israel Parade for Third Year

2007-05-07T17:52:00.000-04:00

Just like last year, the students, faculty, and family members of YCT marched in the Salute to Israel Parade as part of those marching with the Halakhic Organ Donor Society.
YCT students Yonah Berman, Rafi Farber, Drew Kaplan (me), Ari Weiss, and Seth Winberg as well as graduates Rabbi Jason Herman and Rabbi Yossi Pollak marched along with faculty members Dr. Michelle Friedman and Ruthie Simon.

More pictures of YCT's marching may be viewed here. Another picture was featured elsewhere.

Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey Woolf Speaks to the Yeshiva on Pesak and Values

2007-02-16T13:46:00.000-05:00

Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey Woolf came to Yeshivat Chovevei Torah today and spoke on Pesak and Values. It was the first of two such lectures on the topic.
An interesting piece from the lecture was on meta-halakha:

The word was coined by my late teacher, Professor Isadore Twersky, at Harvard. The function of the word "meta-halakha": the word "meta" means "beyond" or "behind".... He took it to mean beyond halakha - it is not something that is part and parcel of halakha...it is something outside thereof and critical therefore. In his parlance, Twersky is known for the extensive emphasis he placed on the interaction and necessary interaction between spirituality and law.
...It started in an essay which he published in a book called Religion in a Religious Age in 1974...the article is called "Religion and Law" and he (based on the Rambam) basically academized significant sections of Rabbi Soloveitchik's thinking. Because, if you take a look at what the Rav was bothered by in the 50s, 60s, 70s, and early 80s until retirement. This was exactly the point: he used to call himself a failure because he raised talmidei hakhamim but he felt that he failed in terms of instilling a sense of spirituality and the capacity to feel halakha and taste halakha and mitzvot in a sophisticated fashion among his students. Twersky said the two have got to live together. So, halakha has its own pristine, autonomous dynamic. ...
Twersky defines meta-halakha as those disciplines which serve the function of providing the spiritual element without which Judaism can't exist. If you halakha yourself to death, you will fossilize. If you just emphasize halakha, you will end up coming to ceremonialism, because the mitzvah becomes an end in itself.

He adds the following:

Thank you for the summary. However, I'd like to sharpen one point. Emphasis, and almost exclusive emphasis, on mitzvot is entirely legitimate, so long as these are performed out of obedience to God. Mitzvot become ceremonials when they are performed for reasons other than Avodas HaShem.

Rachel Levmore speaks at YCT

2007-02-16T06:39:00.000-05:00

Rachel Levmore, a leading agunah advocate in Israel, came to speak on 9 February 2007 to YCT on the politics and process of selecting דיינים (religious judges) for בתי דין (religious courts) in Israel.
Levmore, who was in town for the recent JOFA conference, spoke on the topic regarding women's rights, which is relevant for giving of גיטין (gets) and the issue of עגונות (agunot).

Rabbi Shaar Yashuv Cohen visits YCT

2007-01-30T23:43:00.000-05:00

On 11 December 2007, Rabbi Shaar Yashuv Cohen, the Chief Rabbi of Haifa, came to visit Yeshivat Chovevei Torah. Starting out speaking on Hanukkah, he then turned to speaking about the issue of agunot.

-more pictures-

Tzitz Eliezer Memorial Event

2007-01-30T15:11:00.000-05:00

On 16 January 2007, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah hosted an event to memorialize Rabbi Eliezer Waldenberg, who had recently passed away. Also known as the Tzitz Eliezer, for his multi-volume work of the same title, he was noted for his responsa on medical issues. The event, moderated by Rabbi Jeff Fox, Rabbi Saul Berman spoke on "The Debate Between Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l and Rav Waldenberg zt”l on Abortion" and Rabbi Howard Jachter spoke on "An Independent Posek: The Tzitz Eliezer and Issues in the Life of the State of Israel".

-more pictures

Meorot Journal Takes Place of Edah Journal

2007-01-29T23:06:00.000-05:00

Replacing the Edah Journal is the new Meorot Journal. The new journal will be coming out twice a year, the next issue coming out in the summer. The new journal

particularly welcomes halakhic, philosophic, and literary studies relating to qedushah in modern experience, the religious significance of the State of Israel, Jewish ethics, emerging Torah conceptions of and opportunities for women, Talmud Torah as an intellectual and spiritual discipline, pluralism, and Judaism’s relation to gentiles and contemporary culture.

2006-11-12T22:34:00.000-05:00

On 8 November 2006, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin came and spoke to YCT. (I should be able to put up online his speech, though I just have to find it....)

Rabbi Yonah Reiss speaks at YCT

2006-11-12T22:18:00.000-05:00

On 1 November 2006, Rabbi Yonah Reiss of the Beth Din of America came to speak to YCT on the topic of agunot. It was a very informative talk, though - although he didn't release any names of anybody - owing to how informative the cases were, he asked that the lecture not be placed on the Internet.

YCT Goes on Its Third Annual Bear Mountain Hike

2006-11-05T20:21:00.000-05:00

On 26 October 2006, the students and faculty of YCT went on their third annual hike to Bear Mountain park (see here for last year's hike). Just as with last year's hike, there was a hike up the mountain, another one back down, a BBQ cookout at the end, and מנחה (afternoon prayer service). In addition to these activities, there were also some games played. Again, another good outing , especially in terms of bonding, and getting to relate to one's fellow students.
For pictures, there are mine, there are an excellent set that Akiva has uploaded, as well as Benji's photos.

YCT Unveils Revamped Web Site

2006-10-23T21:10:00.000-04:00

YCT has now come out with a revamped version of its website (www.yctorah.org). A couple of important additions not to be missed are its RSS feed and the Audio Shiurim section.

Rabbi Shalom Carmy speaks at YCT

2006-10-23T20:48:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday 18 October, Rabbi Shalom Carmy came to speak at YCT on Maharal (Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel). (I hope to upload the audio file of his talk, though I seem to be having problems with uploading currently.)

Rabbi Zvi Grumet speaks to YCT

2006-10-23T20:44:00.000-04:00

On 25 September, Rabbi Zvi Grumet came to YCT and spoke on the topic of "Prophecy & Ambiguity". (I am trying to upload the audio file, so hopefully it will be up sometime.) (Sorry for the blurry picture, too.)

YCT Students Attend Rally at UN

2006-09-21T01:44:00.000-04:00

On Monday 20 September 2006, about a dozen YCT students (including some graduates, as well) attended the rally at the UN, attended by dozens of thousands of people, including many Jews.

Rabbi David Hartman Speaks at YCT

2006-09-19T23:33:00.000-04:00

On 18 September 2006, Rabbi Dr. David Hartman came and spoke to the students and faculty of YCT. He spoke on a variety of issues, focusing primarily on the rabbinate and the challenges that lay ahead in the diaspora for rabbis and for the necessity of good rabbis. There were others, of course, including Orthodoxy. It was certainly an interesting talk.

YCT Students Attend Darfur Rally

2006-09-19T09:46:00.000-04:00

On Sunday 17 September, about a dozen YCT students attended the rally for Darfur in Central Park (pictured is Rabbi Avi Weiss speaking to third-year student Yerachmiel Shapiro at the rally). As opposed to the previous Darfur rally which YCT students attended in DC, this was a smaller rally and, of course, also closer to many of the students.
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Tags: YCT, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, Darfur, Darfur rally

YCT begins Eighth Year

2006-09-17T10:56:00.000-04:00

On Monday 28 August 2006, Yeshivat Ch ovevei Torah began its eighth year of school. For the second year in a row, classes are being held at the Kraft Center, also home of the Columbia Hillel.
There were several chevre-building activities to go along with the onset of learning in the first week, including a softball game (of which Benji has a few pictures (see the eight entries from 31 August)). For further pictures I have taken thus far from this year at YCT, see here.
This year's focus for halakhah for years 2-4 is on niddah.

Volume Two of Milin Havivin Published & Online

2006-08-21T04:13:00.000-04:00

Yeshivat Chovevei Torah has now published its second issue of Milin Havivin, "A Student Journal Devoted to Torah, Society and the Rabbinate" (the first issue's English section may be viewed here and its Hebrew section here).
Articles in the English section:

Rabbi Dov Linzer -"Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai and Zekher le-Mikdash"- pp. 1-14

Rabbi Avraham Weiss -"Bringing Spirituality into the Synagogue"- pp. 15-24

Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein -"Weep for what Amalek has Done unto You – Lamentation and Memory of the Holocaust in Our Generation"- pp. 25-41

Michelle Friedman, MD -"There is No Forgetting in Torah, or in the Unconscious"- pp. 42-45

Steven Exler -"Teki’ot Transforming Texts: Elul Shofar Blasts in Medieval Minhag"- pp. 46-82

Drew Kaplan -"Rabbinic Sleep Ethics: Jewish Sleep Conduct in Late Antiquity"- pp. 83-93

David Kasher -"Defending Derash: The Gur Aryeh’s Approach to Hermeneutics"- pp. 94-104

Michael Katzman -"Maimonides’ Rejection of Astrology"- pp. 105-120

Rabbi Aryeh Leifert -"The Role of Messianism in the Development of Hasidism"- pp. 121-127

Rabbi Nachman Levine -"Lemekh’s Song: Narrative Context and the Poetry of Violence"- pp. 128-142

Mike Schultz -"Faith-Based Community Organizing: A New Concept for Orthodox Synagogues"- pp. 143-151

Ari Weiss -"On the Commandment to Believe in God"- pp. 152-161

Rabbi Avi Finegold -"An Exploration of Relationships in The Lonely Man of Faith"- pp. 162-166

Rabbi Yaakov Simon -"Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik as Parshan"- pp. 167-170

Rabbi Hayyim Angel -"Seeking Prophecy in Historical Narratives: Ahaz and Hizkiyah in Kings and Chronicles"- pp. 171-184

Michelle Friedman, MD -"On Intimacy, Love, Kedushah and Sexuality"- pp. 185-188

William Friedman -"A Response to Debby Koren"- pp. 189-194

Articles in the Hebrew section (for some reason, the pages are slightly out of order, but with a little reading, one may get the 'order' to it):

Dr. Debby Koren - "'Everyone is an Expert in Hallel': On William Friedman’s 'Women as Shelihot Tzibur for Hallel on Rosh Hodesh'" - pp. 3-10

Rabbi Jonathan Duker - "Censoring the Torah: Talmudic Approaches to 'Reading without Translating'” - pp. 11-14

Dr. Yael Levine - "An Essay on the Position on Women in Judaism by Rabbi Hayyim (Vittorio) Castiglioni" - pp. 15-24

Dr. Marc Shapiro - "The Potential for Using the Concept of Pilegesh to Tackle the Agunah Issue: A Look at the Previous Generation" - pp. 25-33 (this article was written before Prof. Zohar's article in Akdamot came out this year, so Prof. Shapiro was neither jumping on the bandwagon, nor was he offering a response to Prof. Zohar)

If you would like to request a copy, you may e-mail for one.
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Tags: YCT, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah

Edah Press Release

2006-07-09T14:42:00.000-04:00

After the Jewish Week announced Edah's closing, Edah released their official statement to the same effect. Therein, the press release noted that

Rabbi Berman has been offered by Yeshivat Chovevei Torah (YCT), and will accept, the position as Director of a new Rabbinic Enhancement Initiative, funded by the Legacy Heritage Foundation. He will focus on designing and implementing programs to enhance the intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth of rabbis in the field.

Also in the press release, Morton Landowne, president of Edah, announced that YCT will be absorbing "the three major projects of Edah, the web-site, the Journal and the audio-visual library."
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Tags: Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, YCT, Edah, Rabbi Saul Berman, Edah Journal

Yemei Iyun in Bible and Jewish Thought

2006-06-28T02:00:00.000-04:00

Tuesday 27 June 2006 was the first day out of the three-day Yemei Iyun in Bible and Jewish Thought hosted by Yeshivat Chovevei Torah. The three-day conference is being held at the Ma'ayanot school for girls in Teaneck, NJ (directions). While the conference is mainly geared towards educators, it is also open to students as well as to the public (registration for Wednesday 28 June and Thursday 29 June is still available).
Both Tuesday's and Wednesday's program features five or six options in Tanakh or pedagogical topics in five time slots. Thursday's program features three time slots with four options in each one on topics on Jewish thought. For more, you may check out the schedule.
In addition to the lectures going on at the conference, one may purchase for $5 each, audio recordings of lectures from this year's conference, as well as some presentations from last year's conference.
Also, numerous books are also being sold at the conference, including the forthcoming YCT Tanakh Companion to Samuel (pictured).
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Tags: YCT, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, Tanakh, Tanakh Study, Samuel, Yemei Iyun in Bible and Jewish Thought, YCT Yemei Iyun in Bible and Jewish Thought

Yom Iyun on Orthodoxy and Modernity Announced For September

2006-06-21T17:38:00.000-04:00

YCT will be hosting a Yom Iyun on Orthodoxy and Modernity in Allentown, PA on Sunday 17 September. The program fully-entitled "Yom Iyun on Orthodoxy and Modernity - Can the Two Walk Hand in Hand?: A Day of Exploring the Challenge and Promise Of Open Orthodoxy" will explore such topics as "Committing Ourselves to the Letter and Spirit of Halakha", "Cooperation Between Orthodox and Non-Orthodox Movements", and "New Vistas for the Role of Women in Judaism".
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Tags: YCT, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, Open Orthodoxy, Modern Orthodoxy, Halakha, Halakhah, Judaism

Last Day of 2005-2006 School Year

2006-06-12T14:52:00.000-04:00

Yeshivat Chovevei Torah finished up its last day of school for the 2005-2006 school year on Friday 9 June 2006, having started the year in August. Featured as part of the morning, in addition to learning, was a שיעור (lecture) given by Rabbi Nathaniel Helfgot on הבדלה (Havdallah) (lecture can be downloaded here), as part of the ongoing series on מצות עשה של שבת (positive commandments of Shabbat) throughout the year in conjunction with the halakhic cycle of Shabbat for years 2-4 of the yeshiva. Following the lecture was a lunch held which featured some דברי תורה (words of Torah) by rebbeim and graduating rabbis.
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Tags: YCT, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, rabbinical school, rabbis, rabbinical student, rabbinical students, 2005-2006, last day of school, yeshiva, havdalla, havdallah

Hag haSemikhah - YCT Graduates 7 New Rabbis

2006-06-11T14:20:00.000-04:00

Today, on Sunday 11 June 2006, seven students of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah graduated as rabbis. The ceremony, held at Columbia University's Lerner Hall, was MCed by graduate ('05) Rabbi Marc Gitler.
The list of graduates is made up of the following new rabbis:
- Rabbi Nissan Antine (pictured)
- Rabbi Seth Braunstein
- Rabbi Yonatan Cohen
- Rabbi Zev Farber
- Rabbi Aryeh Leifert
- Rabbi Ari Leubitz
- Rabbi Jason Weiner
These S. Daniel Abraham Semikha Fellows of 2006 will be going out to serve כלל ישראל (lit. the entirety of [the people of] Israel) throughout America. (All placements to be listed are from the program booklet passed out at the ceremony.) Rabbi Antine will be heading out to Beth Shalom Congregation and Talmud Torah in Potomac, MD as an assistant rabbi and director of education. Rabbi Braunstein will be the rabbinic associate at the Hebrew Institute of White Plains in New York, as well as continuing as the director of the Szarvas Fellowships Program. Rabbi Cohen has yet to decide where he will be going. Rabbi Farber will be headed out to Atlanta, GA to be the Rosh Kollel at the Torah MiTzion Kollel there, as well as studying dayyanus with Rabbi Michael Broyde. Rabbi Leifert will be serving as the assistant rabbi at Congregation Rodfei Sholom in San Antonio, TX. Rabbi Leubitz will be going out to Los Angeles, CA to serve as the assistant rabbi at B'nei David-Judea Congregation. Rabbi Weiner will also be reportedly headed out to Los Angeles.
Rabbi Chaim Marder, director of YCT's professional development curriculum, gave the invocation for the ceremony, Dr. Michelle Friedman, director of pastoral counseling at YCT presented the דבר תורה (lit. thing of Torah), Howard Jonas, chair of the Board of Trustees gave his greetings and thoughts to the crowd, with B.T. Roi presenting the gifts to the new graduates. Graduate Ari Leubitz spoke upon the yeshiva experience and fellow graduate Yonatan Cohen spoke on rabbinic aspirations. And to finish off all of the proceedings, the dean and founder of YCT, Rabbi Avi Weiss, spoke the final remarks.
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Tags: YCT, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, graduation, YCT graduation, hag hasemikha, hag hasemikhah, YCT semikha ceremony 2006, YCT graduation 2006, rabbis, new rabbis, rabbinical school, rabbinic ordination

YCT Marches in Salute To Israel Parade

2006-06-08T18:35:00.000-04:00

For the second year in a row, YCT has marched in the New York Salute to Israel Parade (with the Halakhic Organ Donor Society). This year, the march took place on Sunday 4 June.

(pictured are, from right to left, Rabbi Jason Herman ('05), Drew Kaplan, Yonah Berman, Aryeh Leifert, chairman of the board of trustees Howard Jonas, Zev Farber, head of YCT Pastoral Counseling Dr. Michelle Friedman, and HODS director Robbie Berman)

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Tags: YCT, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, Salute To Israel, Salute To Israel Parade, Israel, HODS, Halakhic Organ Donor Society

YCT Students At Darfur Rally

2006-06-08T18:05:00.000-04:00

On Sunday 30 April, around a dozen YCT students (there were more there than made it into the picture to the left) went to Washington, DC to attend the rally to support ending the genocide going on against the people of Darfur. A few students stayed on another day to help lobby the OU with other rabbinic students.

Ben posted on his perspective at the rally.

Edah Source Sheet

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Tags: Darfur, Darfur Rally, YCT, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah

YCT Celebrates Yom Ha'azma'ut

2006-05-05T11:49:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday 3 May, YCT celebrated יום העצמאות (Israeli Independence Day). In honor of the occasion, there were a few special speakers: Peninah Neuwirth spoke on the connection between ספירת העומר (counting of the omer) and גאולה (redemption), Rabbi Nathaniel Helfgot spoke on קדושת ארץ ישראל (the holiness of the land of Israel) from a halakhic perspective (sources used from his lecture may be viewed here), and Rabbi Avi Weiss spoke on what it means to be a religious zionist, especially as it relates to being a rabbi (a brief video clip of him speaking may be viewed here or below).
As to the latter, Rabbi Weiss defined a דורש ציון (seeker of Zion) in three ways: 1) one who realizes that a life as a religious Jew is incomplete without being in ארץ ישראל (the land of Israel), 2) one who yearns to live in ארץ ישראל (the land of Israel), even though it is presently elusive, and 3) one who takes part in tangible acts, such as visiting Israel, buying Israeli products, and politicking and defending Israel. He further said that "One of the best ways to reach Jews is through ציון (Zion)."
Aside from the lectures, there was also a festive lunch, morning prayers, and afternoon activities.

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Tags: YCT, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, Zionism, religious zionism, Rabbi Avi Weiss, Israel, land of Israel, state of Israel, Israeli Independence Day, yom haazmaut, Jewish state

Lecture on Pesah and Pascha

2006-04-05T19:34:00.001-04:00

On Monday 3 April, Marcie Lenk, a doctoral student at Harvard, spoke at YCT on the early Passover Seder. She did so by looking at the alleged seder (the"last supper") which took place in the synoptic gospels and in John (composed in the late first century). She then pointed out the seder of the tenth chapter of Mishnah Pesahim. Of course, the se'udah idea came from Roman Symposia (festive meals), and similarly came the seder. She also showed us a couple of early Christian polemics (from the second and third centuries) against Jews regarding the naming of the holiday, as it was called Pascha in Greek, which was a transliteration from the Hebrew (pesah).

Pre-Pesach Mishmar

2006-04-03T16:19:00.000-04:00

Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School's
Pre-Pesach Mishmar

Please join us for this special evening of learning

Thursday, April 6, 2006

7pm-midnight

YCT Beit Midrash
6th Floor
606 West 115th Street
(between Broadway and Riverside)
NYC

PROGRAM:

7:00 - 8:00 PM
"Passover: Faith in the Ultimate Redemption"
Rabbi Avi Weiss, Founder and Dean, YCT Rabbinical School

8:15 - 9:30 PM
"In Nissan They Were Redeemed:
Geulah in the Thought and Writings of the Vilna Gaon"
Dr. Raphael Schuchat, Rabbi and Lecturer in Jewish Philosophy at Bar-Ilan University, Israel

9:45 - 10:30 PM
"Rav Kook and the Seder"
Biti Roi, Faculty, YCT Rabbinical School

11:15 - 12:00 AM
"The Korban after the Chorban: From Sacrifice to Sippur"
Rabbi Dov Linzer, Rosh HaYeshiva, YCT Rabbinical School

Admission is free.

For more information, call 212.666.0036
or e-mail office@yctorah.org

Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School

475 Riverside Drive
Suite 244
New York, NY 10115

email: sschmulowitz@yctorah.org sschmulowitz@yctorah.org

phone: 212-666-0036

web: http://www.yctorah.org

Temporary Position Available

2006-04-03T13:44:00.000-04:00

Office Manager – Temporary/ Full-Time

YCT Rabbinical School in NYC is seeking to fill a temporary position of Office Manager.

Duration: Second week of May – Mid-August

Hours: Monday – Thursday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Reports: to Director of Operations

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

- Provide general administrative support (answer phones, process interoffice communication, distribute mail, copying, make travel arrangements, filing, assure that office is running smoothly, process e-mail campaigns, assist with mailings)

- Field questions from visitors, faculty and students

- Maintain office and kitchen supplies and other inventory of materials

- Draft and edit written materials as needed

- Coordinate the work of maintenance crew (provided by our landlord); schedule and plan for thorough cleaning of YCT-related facilities, etc.

- Manage accounts payable, accounts receivable, and petty cash

- Prepare and make deposits and enter into QuickBooks

- Perform bank account reconciliations & maintain accurate accounting records

- Maintain contracts with vendors

- Maintain relevant mailing lists, faculty and student emergency lists

- Manage computer systems and other office equipment including copiers, phone, fax, perform regular computer back-ups, etc.

- Assist in event planning

- Assist with other projects as needed

We are looking for someone to come in and hit the ground running! This position requires the individual to be super organized, detail-oriented, flexible, cooperative, and patient. Savvy computer skills are an absolute must.

Training Duration: One week with Present Office Manager

Compensation: competitive, based on hours and prior professional experience.

To apply: e-mail resume and cover letter to Oksana Bellas, Director of Operations at obellas@yctorah.org

Cardinals and Bishops Visit

2006-03-27T21:18:00.000-05:00

Today, as part of a World Jewish Congress led-delegation, around 30 bishops and two cardinals came to our school. The events began with an opening speech by Israel Singer, followed by a speech by Rabbi Avi Weiss, then one by our Rosh HaYeshiva, Rabbi Dov Linzer, after which, we broke up into small groups and did some text studying of Berakhos 26b, where there is a discussion of the establishing of prayer. After about 45 minutes of that, there were, again, a couple little speeches, then Cardinal Lustiger spoke for a little bit, followed by a question and answer sequence, which was ended by lunch. Lunch, however, rather than ending the event, allowed for mingling among the students and bishops to talk.
One point that was emphasized was that, although Vatican II has been around for forty years, it has only been in the last twenty that Catholic-Jewish relations have really been progressing.

For more pictures, click here.
Steven I. Weiss has already blogged about the event.

Alumnus highlighted

2006-03-27T01:25:00.000-05:00

Rabbi Darren Kleinberg ('05) was recently highlighted in Shlagbytes, a blog run by Dr. Carl Hammerschlag, for Rabbi Kleinberg's recent devar Torah at his new storefront shul in Phoenix, Arizona.

Review of Pre-Purim Shiur

2006-03-15T18:31:00.000-05:00

Shira Salamone reviews Rabbi Nathaniel Helfgot's recent Pre-Purim shiur as well as her first visit to the school over on her blog.

2006 AIPAC Policy Conference

2006-03-07T13:47:00.000-05:00

I, Ben Greenberg, along with fellow YCT student Yehuda Hausman, attended the 2006 Policy Conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington D.C. There were more than 4000 attendees including 1000 students from across the University, graduate schools and even high school level. AIPAC organized a special Rabbinical delegation to the Conference this year, in large part due to a report by CLAL on the status of Israel related curriculum at Rabbinical Seminaries. To this end there were specific lectures and presentations for the Rabbinical Delegation throughout the Conference including a talk entitled "The Rabbis Voice: A Congressional Perspective".

Besides the specific Rabbinic presentations the Rabbinical Delegation joined with the rest of the larger Conference for the daily Plenary activities including the Monday evening Gala Banquet that included the famous AIPAC roll call of Representatives and Senators that were in attendance at the dinner which concluded with practically the entire House of Representatives in attendance as well as a large portion of the Senate. Two popular Senators in particular that were highlighted were John Kerry and Joe Lieberman. In addition, Ambassadors from 58 nations were at the dinner, among them the ambassador from Afghanistan. The two keynote speakers at the dinner were Senator Susan M. Collins (R-ME) and Senator Evan Bayh (D-IA).

Tuesday began with the morning Plenary with the keynote address by Vice President Dick Cheney. After the morning Plenary attendees split into their geographic regions to meet with their Senators and later their Congressman to lobby for specific bills in both the House of Representatives and the Senate including the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act (HR-4681) and the Iran Sanctions Act. Also, was a general lobbying push to approve the 2007 budget for military and foreign expense that includes $2.46 billion dollars in aid to Israel. I am registered in the State of New York so I met with both Senators Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer as well as Representative Charles Rangel.

The 2006 Policy Conference ended after the lobbying appointments. This year's conference was both the most well attended generally and particulary by students in AIPAC's history.

Third Gala Dinner

2006-03-06T13:18:00.000-05:00

Last night, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah held its third annual gala dinner at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, honoring Hon. Dr. Dov Zakheim & Mrs. Deborah Bing Zakheim, Mr. Benjamin Belfer & Dr. Michelle Friedman, and the S. Daniel Abraham Semikha Fellows of 2006: Nissan Antine, Seth Braunstein, Yonatan Cohen, Zev Farber, Aryeh Leifert, Ari Leubitz, Jason Weiner. (The dinner journal can be found online.)
Before holding the dinner and presentations, a town hall meeting came together, with presentations from two recent graduates and two soon-to-be graduates, where they got to speak about the yeshiva in addition to answering questions (pictured to the right).
It was a pleasant evening with Dr. Ellie Kranzler providing some music, as well.
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Tags: YCT, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, YCT Gala Dinner

Michael Steinhardt Speaks at YCT

2006-03-05T14:44:00.000-05:00

On Thursday 9 February, Michael Steinhardt came to speak at 'Chovevei' for the first time ever.
He started off with a prepared speech, which lasted 10-15 minutes, and then we entered into a Q&A session for about an hour and a half.
(As it is now over three weeks since he spoke, I am heavily relying on my notes....)
He sees a disrespect from the Orthodox towards the non-Orthodox movements of Judaism bad as it deteriorates the possibility for Orthodoxy to have an influence on the others. He would like to see a new and intimate communication on a variety of levels between the two. Quoting Hillel's statement, he said that one is not to separate from the community. This is a problem, as he sees the Orthodox doing so, perhaps out of a fear of spiritual contamination or for fear of legitimizing the non-Orthodox groups. Because of this, the Orthodox are losing out on the chance to share the joys and sorrow of the Jewish world.
He also shared a concern that the Orthodox community is becoming self-satisfied and myopic, which are traits that are found by all types of people who separate.
However, he said, there are things that the non-Orthodox can learn from the Orthodox: 1) self-sustaining devotion to Jewish practice, 2) a commitment to Jewish education, and 3) the family life.
An important question he asked was, "Why doesn't Orthodoxy work for the majority of Jews?"
He wanted to offer us, the Orthodox, a chance to be a part of the renaissance of the Jewish people.
He said that we need to see each other as equals and that we can learn from each other.
He said one doesn't need to have a methodology or a message in order to reach those who have no Jewish affiliation. He called the roughly two million American Jews who are not affiliated "almost the silent majority of the Jewish world."
As he is an atheist, when asked what he sees as so special about Judaism and the Jewish people, he responded that it was the specialness of the Jewish people. He says this specialness has been transmitted through religious training, though he would like to see some way of developing some other way to transmit it, though this hasn't happened yet. He would like to see a Judaism that will really fuel with joy and excitement.
He said that it's a shame that there is not rigorous outlet for Jewish youth after Birthright Israel (a successful program he helped start).
All in all, it was an interesting encounter, as we accepted that he was atheist and non-Orthodox, and that we knew he wasn't try to convince us towards his way of seeing things, but rather of trying to garner Orthodox involvement with the rest of the Jewish world.
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Tags: Michael Steinhardt, YCT, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, Birthright Israel, Judaism, Jewish world, Jewish people, Jewish education, Orthodoxy

Annual Herbert Lieberman Scholarship Award Ceremony

2006-02-21T22:34:00.000-05:00

This evening, YCT's fourth annual Herbert Lieberman Scholarship Award Ceremony took place, with the award going to Michael Schultz, a second-year rabbinical student (among his achievements, was that he coordinated the trip down to the Gulf Coast) (previous award winners: in 2003 - Rabbi Adam Scheier ('04), 2004 - Seth Braunstein ('06), 2005 - Rabbi Joshua Feigelson ('05)).
The program began with a dinner, then moved into a דבר תורה (matter of Torah) given by the ראש הישיבה (academic head of the school), Rabbi Dov Linzer (for the link, you'll have to scroll down a little). This was followed by Rabbi Avi Weiss (see previous link), the dean and founder of the school, who explained his protesting against the Belzec drilling project. This was followed by an introduction into the keynote speaker, Dr. Walter Reich.
Dr. Reich then spoke for over an hour on the Belzec concentration camp. He announced at the beginning of his speech that he had initially intended to speak about community service, but had realized that he wanted to speak about Belzec, as it was the least known of the German death camps. It was one of the six extermination camps of the Nazis - whereas Auschwitz-Birkenau, which was the most well-known of the camps, largely due to it being responsible for about 1.1 million Jewish deaths, but also because it was a work camp, and not solely an extermination camp, whereas Belzec was an extermination camp, where about 600,000 Jews met their end, and there are only two known survivors(!).
He spoke on the history of the camp that from March through December 1942, the killing operations took place, with the corpses thrown into graves. However, when the Germans started realizing that they were losing the war and that all of these bodies would have been found by the advancing Soviet soldiers, they exhumed the graves of those hundreds of thousands Jewish bodies, then tossed them into fires. What was left of those corpses within the pyres were ashes and bones, which were then further ground up, then thrown back into those pits.
Dr. Reich then spoke about his various trips to what was left of the concentration camp, which had been landscaped in 1962. He then voiced his disapproval of the way various things were handled with the area of the former concentration camp, where ashes and bone fragments were easily found along the surface of the ground. He had long wanted that there should be a fence surrounding the area. In addition to his recounting of the recent history of Belzec concentration camp, he accompanied it with slides of his various trips there in 1989, 1996, 2003, and 2004.
Following up on the heels of Dr. Reich was Steven Lieberman (the only one in this posting with no accompanying picture (sorry)), who spoke about the law suit that was taken against the AJC in 2003. He then spoke briefly a little further on legal actions as activist rabbis. He then presented the Herbert Lieberman Scholarship for Community Service award to Michael Schultz (for his activity in getting things going at YCT in terms of social action, see the Blueprint's article on him).
Schultz spoke a little on the necessity and importance of חסד (helping out (it's not a great translation, but it should suffice)), and that we can, and do, do it in various types of ways and spoke of the praise of his fellow students, and thanked Rabbi Linzer for giving him ear about חסד projects and the second-year students חסד curriculum this year.
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Tags: Herbert Lieberman Award, YCT, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, Rabbi Avi Weiss, Rabbi Dov Linzer, Michael Schultz, Walter Reich, Belzec, Nazi Death Camps, Holocaust, Shoah, community service, hesed

Rabbi Aryeh Ben David Presents His Talmudic Methodology in Relation to Kiddush

2006-02-17T14:58:00.000-05:00

On the morning of Friday 10 February, Rabbi Aryeh Ben David spoke at YCT on the topic of Shmuel's statement that kiddush is only to be done in a place of a meal (אין קידוש אלא במקום סעודה) and the attendant discussion on his concept (see פסחים קא, עמוד א, Pesahim 101a), for which there are testimonies given for several sages who also apparently also opined according to Shmuel (as opposed to Rav, according to whose opinion the halakhah is usually decided).
Rabbi Ben David's method in going about this סוגיא (topic) was to ask a variety of questions about it, then to try to answer them. I found it to be an interesting methodology, though somewhat questionable. A interesting part of it was to consider what is so significant about having a kiddush where one is to have one's meal on shabbas. This is as opposed to Rav's position (see Pesahim 100b (פסחים ק, עמוד ב), that one can fulfill one's obligation of kiddush in shul (for more on the discussion of this argument, see Ben's posting and my posting about this), and opposed to doing kiddush not over wine. Thus, what is the experiential superiority of having kiddush where one is to dine?
At the end, he presented his thoughts on the matter at the end as to what ties kiddush to the meal experientially and what it has to do with Pesahim (this pericope appears nowhere else in the Talmud, only in here, as opposed to Shabbas, where one might expect to find it located).
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Tags: Aryeh Ben David, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, Shmuel, kiddush, meal, seudah, Talmud, Pesahim 101a

YCT Looking To Hire

2006-02-08T01:04:00.000-05:00

Coordinator of Student Services

YCT Rabbinical School in NYC is seeking to fill a temporary position of Coordinator of Student Services.

Duration: last week of March - end of June 2006

Hours: Part- to Full-Time/Flexible (at least 20 hours per week). It is highly preferred that the hours include 12-2:30pm Monday-Thursday.

Reports: to Director of Operations

Responsibilities include:

Registrar:
- Maintains YCT's entire daily schedule and communicates it to all
members of YCT community: faulty, students, administrators
- Maintains clear communication with the Kraft Center administration
about security and all matters related to it.
- Maintains communication with students regarding schedules, class
cancellations, and student life events.
- Troubleshoots any class changes and cancellations. Effectively and
efficiently communicates all relevant changes to students verbally and in
writing.

Admissions:
- Schedules admissions interviews, addresses prospective student inquiries, etc.
- Prepares and sends out acceptance and rejection letters
- Assures completeness of all application files
- Assists with other projects as needed

Rabbinic Placement:
- Proactively assists the Placement Coordinator in all placement duties.
- Communicates job opportunities to students and alumni attempting to change jobs.
- Serves as the first point of contact for calls from congregations, Hillels, day schools interested in YCT rabbi. Forwards information
gathered to the Placement Coordinator.

Student Activities:
- Meets with student committees to plan special programming
- Implements programming

This person must super organized, detail-oriented, flexible, cooperative, and patient. Prior professional experience in a university setting and/or student services a plus.

Present Director of Student Services will train.

Compensation: competitive, based on hours and prior professional experience.

To apply: e-mail resume to Oksana Bellas, Director of Operations at obellas@yctorah.org

Israel Discussion

2006-02-07T01:16:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday 1 February, the students of the yeshiva came together shortly before lunch to discuss the relationship of our yeshiva with Israel. It was done so in the context of our current mission statement regarding Israel.

Rav Yoel Bin-Nun Speaks

2006-02-07T01:09:00.000-05:00

On Monday 30 January, Rabbi Yoel Bin Nun spoke to the yeshiva on the topic of פסח (Passover) and ברית מילה (covenant of circumcision). The lecture, which was given in Hebrew, was presented in the morning, shortly after שחרית (morning prayers), over a bagel breakfast.

New Additions

2006-02-01T20:07:00.000-05:00

There have been a couple of recent additions to the yeshiva:
-Alex Kaye just transferred into the second year class from YU
-Last week, Yehuda Hausman entered into the mechina year
-A couple of weeks ago, Devin Villareal moved from the mechina year class to the first year class

Discussion Series on Women

2006-01-28T23:20:00.000-05:00

For three consecutive Wednesdays, the students of the yeshiva discussed issues concerning women. The first on 30 November, was one dealing with mehizas, due to an earlier incident. The latter two occurred on 7 and 14 December, concerning women and tefillin, and how to deal with the issue as rabbis. A number of views were shared, albeit within small groups.
After break, on 12 January, the yeshiva came together for a yeshiva-wide discussion on not only the women wearing tefillin issue, but also as to how about going about any issue in the future.

Rabbi Love Speaks On Upcoming Mikveh Trip

2006-01-25T18:45:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday 17 January, Rabbi Love spoke to the yeshiva in anticipation of the yeshiva's field trip to the Upper West Side mikveh concrete pouring. It was a very informative lecture on the basics of mikve'ot and their spatial configurations.

Mikveh Construction Field Trip With YU

2006-01-25T18:27:00.000-05:00

Yesterday morning (24 January), YCT headed over to the Upper West Side to see the pouring of concrete for the Upper West Side mikveh. The mikveh was started 35-40 years ago, but over time had come into such a condition that a new one was to be built. The new one will be on West 74th street between Broadway and West End. It will, when finished, have three mikve'ot for women, one for men, one for vessels, and one for brides.
We started out at Manhattan Day School, davening together (I hopped on a bus that left from in front of the YU beis midrash), with Jason Weiner leading up through ישתבח and Avi Robinson finishing up the davening. Following שחרית, Rabbi Simon spoke about the structures of מקוות. After which, the supervising rabbi of the mikveh, Rabbi Trieger (see pages 7 & 8 in this link for more on him), spoke further on mikve'ot.
Following the speeches, we had some breakfast and schmoozed some in the lobby of MDS.
Following breakfast, we went over to the mikveh construction site. It was impressive to see all that they were doing, even though if one didn't know what was specifically going on, one would not have thought it was anything beyond a construction project. Nonetheless, it was a neat opportunity to learn about mikve'ot.

Howard Jonas Speaks to the Yeshiva

2006-01-25T18:18:00.000-05:00

Monday (23 January), shortly after lunch, Howard Jonas, the chairman of the yeshiva's board of trustees, spoke to the yeshiva. Just like last year's speech to the yeshiva, he spoke humbly and proved to be amusing.
A focus of his speech was on the topic of greatness, about which he had several things to speak.
Following the body of his speech, the students had the opportunity to pose to him questions upon which he answered.

Flags In the Yeshiva Discussion

2006-01-25T13:47:00.000-05:00

Shortly before lunch today, the students of the yeshiva discussed whether or not to have flags in the beis midrash - specifically that of the American flag and the Israeli flag.
While this initial discussion lasted only fifteen minutes long, it is only the start of the conversation on this topic, as evidenced by the lunchtime discussions overheard in the yeshiva.
A number of reasons and concerns were raised that went both ways and that will still be discussed.

YCT Credit

2006-01-05T19:24:00.000-05:00

While I was reading in the Jewish Week a few weeks ago, I thought a similar thing, but didn't want to say anything about it YCT being omitted in an article about YU, until someone else wrote in to them a letter that was published this week:

(01/05/2006)
Credit Chovevei

There is a glaring omission in your article on the new Center for the Jewish Future at Yeshiva University (“YU Launches Center For Jewish Future,” Dec. 16). While the goal of this new center is twice referred to as creating a more “open Orthodoxy,” the institution that coined this phrase, Rabbi Avi Weiss’ Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, is never mentioned.

While the new YU center is referred to as a response to Touro College on the right and Ivy League universities on the left, clearly it is the vision, success and competition of Chovevei Torah that is responsible for the center.

I am a graduate of YU and have no relation to Chovevei Torah, but we should give credit where credit is due and be thankful to Chovevei Torah for inspiring such changes and programs in YU and the broader Orthodox community.
Laurence Wein
Teaneck, N.J.

Reading it, I was surprised that he wasn't connected to YCT, as he spoke in positive terms of it in his letter. Nevertheless, he does make a good point.

YCT Provides Katrina Relief

2006-01-02T22:31:00.000-05:00

Seven of us YCTers went down to Biloxi, MS and to New Orleans, LA between 18 and 25 December to physically provide assistance to bring some post-Katrina relief to the aforementioned cities. Working in Biloxi with Hands On USA and with the Jewish Federation in New Orleans, we helped out the two communities.
For more in-depth information, both Ben (here, here, here, and here) and I (here, here, here, here, here, and here) have blogged about our experiences there.
For more pictures, see my photo album.

Special Guest Speakers

2005-12-28T06:03:00.000-05:00

On the night of Tuesday 13 December, Rabbi Yehuda Mirsky, spoke to students at YCT about Rav Kook's thought, primarily as it related to democracy.
The following day, on the fourteenth, Rabbi Natan Greenberg, of Bat Ayin spoke to the yeshiva on Hanukkah and what was so special about it, beginning with more traditional sources, then going into Rav Nahman of Breslav's perspectives.

First and Second Year Students Do Chesed Week

2005-12-18T23:01:00.000-05:00

This week, students from years one and two in the semicha program are taking part in chesed activities. While some students are helping out around New York City, seven students are helping out down south with the Hurricane Katrina clean-up in Biloxi, Mississippi and New Orleans, Louisiana. I, Drew Kaplan, will be blogging about the latter on my blog over the next week.

Me'orot Program Discusses Women's Issues

2005-12-07T14:06:00.000-05:00

YCT's Me'orot program brought in four outside speakers recently to discuss about women for Orthodoxy. Last Tuesday, Dr. Judith Plaskow spoke about challenges that the non-Orthodox movements have presented to the Orthodox movement in terms of women, and Devorah Zlochower spoke about halakhic problems for women within Orthodoxy vis-a-vis the status quo. Last night, Rivka Haut spoke about Women of the Wall, as well as women's prayer groups, while Lisa Schlaff spoke about the Darchei Noam minyan on the upper west side of Manhattan. (The first-year students, as part of their/our Modern Orthodoxy class were in attendance, as well.)

Rabbi Weiss Speaks About Relating To People

2005-12-06T18:47:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, Rabbi Avi Weiss began his Monday post-Minha speeches with one on relating to one's fellow, especially as a rabbi. He said at the outset that the purpose of these speeches (lasting around 15-20 minutes) is for them to be "relevant to the rabbincate relative to the mission of the yeshiva." I think that the meta-purpose of these talks to the yeshiva is that we students don't have much interfacing with Rabbi Weiss, so these lectures are designed for him to impart some of his wisdom to the students, specifically, as he said, regarding morsels of knowledge about the rabbinate.
He began speaking about the dialogue in Bereishit 29:4ff where Ya'akov is speaking with others where Ya'akov is shown to be speaking to them, while they are merely speaking. He went from there to speaking about connecting with people when we're speaking with them.
He made the point that what we're doing is holy work - the keyword is relationships. He further said that it is important to recognize "that we're dealing with people, with a personality, with a character." It is about connecting.
Additionally, "Before you can be a good Rav, you need to work on being a good person - a mentsch. It's not that what a person says, per se, is what people hears. Rather, a person "hears" what the other person does.
"It is a core value of Chovevei Torah to graduate poskim, talmidei chachamim. But in the end, it is also to graduate people who love people."
I look forward to his future mini-lectures.

Rabbi Meir Lichtenstein Speaks

2005-12-01T19:54:00.000-05:00

Wednesday morning, Rabbi Meir Lichtenstein, the rosh beit midrash at Yeshivat HaKibbutz HaDati Ein-Tzurim, came to speak to the first-year and mechina students. His שיעור (lecture) was upon a statement of רבא (Rava - an early fourth century Jewish sage, who lived in Mechoza, Babylonia) recorded in קידושין ו (Kiddushin 6b) about the permissibility of gifts with a condition of return with another of his statements on the same topic.
One of his points was that even though his statement is not formulated in conceptual terminology, but that it is clear that he has a conceptual basis. This, of course, brings up whether statements are those of case law or those of conceptual law. He pointed out that conceptual terminology is not (or seldom(?)) found among the Tannaim, somewhat among the Amoraim, and a lot among the Stammaim. It was also interesting to look at how we may see the stam as not just being wrong, but that he may have had a different conceptual approach to the topic.

Aggaditar Hug Hamivtar

2005-11-30T22:35:00.000-05:00

R' Yitzi Blau, son of the awesome R' Blau and brother of the patented "Smiling Harumph" R' Yaki Blau, taught a very precise and fun lunch and learn this afternoon on his favorite topic, aggadita in gemara. Last year his Lookjed post helped us put together a chabura on whether or not "haadam" always means "all mankind," and today he helped us learn that balabatim need to become more learned so they can appreciate us better. The tiferes yisrael in pirkei avos said it, and it's on a website, it's got to be true! Alternatively, we rabbis need to stop pretending to be so learned. One way or the other. Check it out, shabbos 1XXb.

What am I trying to say? What I am trying to say is, I can see why Wolk is so enamored of R' Blau.

YCT Hugs

2005-11-30T22:32:00.000-05:00

Who wants to be the YCT mascot? You also need to create your own costume. It's going to be a giant pair of arms.

Social Action not bad

2005-11-30T22:20:00.000-05:00

So you know how the point of life is to develop a caring, thoughtful personality and to do the absolute most you personally can to better the life of the world around you? Right, I know, and R' Roly Matalon from BJ and their partner social worker, Susan Kalev, told us about all the things they can do for their members and regulars, from tons of help for the elderly, even just connecting them to free cultural and educational stuff going on in the city, to housing and job help. The shuls used to be seated by profession, so you could come to shul and get a job, although if you came to YCT davening looking to get hired as a rabbinical student, actually that probably would work. Anyway, by having a social worker work with the shul, and come in to the shul, you can provide a much higher level of services to your members, even those who would be embarrassed to go directly to a social service provider, and there's a lot to that model that could be adapted to shuls that are smaller than BJ.

Once again let's give a shout out to R' Linzer for how tremendously supportive he's been of creating a social justice curriculum as part of the YCT program, we're so lucky to have him on board.

Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller Gives Talk

2005-11-21T19:54:00.000-05:00

Today, Rabbi Chaim Seidler-Feller, director of the UCLA Hillel, spoke to YCT students today at lunch about the two major opinions in Jewish tradition about conquering ארץ ישראל (the land of Israel). His lunchtime שיעור, entitled "The Land of Israel: קדושת הארץ (holiness of the land) - Sanctified Matter or Mythic Space", presented the opinions of רמב"ם (Maimonides) and that of רמב"ן (Nahmanides) as against each other, stemming from the Rambam's omittal of settling the land of Israel and the Ramban's specifically pointing out the need for it, in addition to the latter's comments on ויקרא י"ח:כ"ה (Lev. 18.25).
He went over some sources, including some of Rav Kook's pieces, which seem to follow in line with the Ramban's thinking upon this matter.
Basically, Ramban thought that Israel is the place to be living and doing מצוות (the commandments) and that there is an eternal commandment to conquer and to live on the land, whereas Rambam thought that the commandment to capture the land of Israel was only in force for Yehoshua's time, etc., but not nowadays.
Rabbi Seidler-Feller's ending point was that some people think that we absolutely have to conquer Israel, whereas he wants to show that it's an open conversation, if only at least between the Rambam's and the Ramban's positions.

2nd Annual Bear Mountain Hike

2005-11-10T16:05:00.000-05:00

Today, YCT went on its second annual November hike to Bear Mountain in upstate New York. It was a chilly day, chillier than last year, preventing us from staying up on top of the mountain for too long. Upon our descent down the mountain, we enjoyed some hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, and soda, followed with some pastries for a festive meal following our hiking. Unfortunately, due to the cold, we weren't able to really stay around during lunch, as well as davening מנחה (afternoon prayer) on the bus (as it was not as windy and cold). It provided a good day of bonding for the students and faculty who went.

For more pictures, check out my pictures.

Rabbi Dr. Nathan Lopes Cardozo and Heresy

2005-11-10T15:55:00.000-05:00

On November 7th the yeshiva was graced with the presence of Rabbi Dr. Nathan Lopes Cardozo of the David Cardozo Academy. He spoke about the role of religious doubt and heresy during an afternoon shiur. He discussed several fascinating points, one of which raised a profond question for me. In his talk he mentioned that without people like Baruch Spinoza, who questioned the legitimacy of traditional Jewish theology, our intellectual appreciation for our tradition would not be as developed. He elaborated on the many rabbinic works and indeed entire rabbinic careers that were dedicated to the strengthening, defense and exploration of Jewish doctrine due, either directly or indirectly, to the serious questions and doubts raised by people like Spinoza.

If it was not for the bit of heretical thinking, in Rabbi Dr. Cardozo's opinion, our tradition would not of continued to develop intellectually. I, personally, tend to agree with Rabbi Dr. Cardozo's conclusion, however, I am still left to wonder if an increased refinement of Judaism philosophically and intellectually is worth the expense of losing those Jews from the fold of traditional Judaism due to the heretics in the first place. Is heresy truly ever justified? Could there of been ways the Jewish communities in the past could of prevented heresy to develop so as not to need defense after defense, inquiry after inquiry in order to continually make Judaism relevant and respond to these doubts? Or perhaps heresy and doubt are inexplicably linked to the process of religion and it is precisely within those challenges that Judaism finds its greatest moment.

I am left to wonder these questions and I am grateful for Rabbi Dr. Cardozo's visit to the yeshiva for providing such stimulating thoughtful discourse. For those interested Rabbi Dr. Cardozo will be the scholar-in-residence at The Hebrew Institute of Riverdale this Shabbat. He will also be presenting at a Motzei Shabbat Melava Malka in Riverdale. For more information about the weekend contact H.I.R.

The First Posting

2005-11-03T21:04:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the YCT Chevre blog, a blog designed to
inform the world, or at least the blogosphere, about
Yeshivat Chovevei Torah.  Although the yeshiva has an
official website, we thought people might better be
informed about the ongoing life of the school through
a blog. 
One note must be mentioned: We hope for a discussion
undergirded by a sense of דרך ארץ (proper conduct),
נקיות הלשון (appropriate language), and כבוד
(respect).
Thank you for visiting.