Rabbi Dr. Aaron Adler is a former student of, and special assistant to, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, zt"l, In addition to being a graduate of Yeshiva University in New York (B.A./M.A), with rabbinic ordination from Y.U.'s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (R.I.E.T.S.), Rabbi Adler holds a Ph.D in Talmud from Bar Ilan University. Rabbi Adler and his family made aliyah in 1979. He served on the faculty of Bar Ilan University, and is a past president and campus rabbi at Emunah College for Arts and Technology in Jerusalem. He has been a lecturer for the Israel Defense Forces and a commentator for Kol Yisrael radio. Rabbi Adler was a member of the central committee of the National Religious Party. He is the founding Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Bnei Akiva Ner Tamid, located in Hashmona'im, and currently serves as its President. Rabbi Adler is an active community pulpit Rabbi having served in communities in New York, Zurich, Beersheva, and Jerusalem, where he currently serves as the Mora d'Atra of the Ohel Nechama Synagogue in Katamon. Rabbi Adler has directed and led 31 heritage tours to Poland. He lectures extensively in a number of prominent institutions including the OU Israel center.

Rabbi Avi Berman is the Executive Director of OU Israel. He has served in this capacity since 2006, working tirelessly to address the issues facing Jewish youth and adults in Israel. Under his leadership, OU Israel inspires and educates thousands of Israeli teens in 20 low socioeconomic communities throughout Israel. Over 60,000 Anglos come to the OU Israel Center annually for Torah learning and educational programs. Prior to this position, Rabbi Berman was the Regional Director of the Northwest Region of NCSY and in five short years succeeded in expanding the region from 30 participants to an active 1,500. Rabbi Berman and his family traveled to Canada after receiving a Bracha from his Rav, and former Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rav Mordechai Eliyahu z”l. Through NCSY, Rabbi Berman succeeded in bringing the light of Torah and Achdut of Am Yisrael to the Vancouver Jewish community. Rabbi Berman spent 12 years studying at the Hesder Yeshiva in Shiloh, where he received his Smicha. It was at this time that he began his successful journey into the world of Jewish communal work and informal Jewish Education. Rabbi Berman, his wife Pnina and their nine children reside in Givat Ze’ev.

Rabbi Yisrael Cohn lives in Jerusalem with his wife and children. He studied at Yeshivat Kerem B’yavneh with Smicha from Yeshivat Hamivtar. He has Masters Degrees is Clinical Sociology and in Jewish Law, he works for the Jerusalem Municipality in the Aliyah department and teaches at Machon Meir.

Rabbi Dr. Ethan Eisen is a licensed clinical psychologist who practices in Jerusalem and Bet Shemesh with individuals and couples. He completed a PhD in clinical psychology from George Washington University, as well as semicha from Yeshiva University's RIETS. In addition to his clinical work, he writes and lectures on topics of psychology, mental health, and halacha, and is the author of the recently published "Talmud on the Mind: Exploring Chazal and Practical Psychology to Lead a Better Life."

Rachelle Sprecher Fraenkel born and raised in Israel, is a Yoetzet Halacha and teaches Talmud and Halakha at Nishmat. She is the director of Matan’s Advanced Halakha Program. Mrs. Fraenkel is a co-founder of The Jerusalem unity prize and Unity Day project. She is a mother of seven and lives with her family in Nof Ayalon

Rav Ezra Friedman was born in the United States and raised in Montréal. Upon completing high school, he made Aliyah on his own and studied for ten years at Yeshivat Ohr Etzion, where he was considered one of the outstanding students. He developed a special relationship with the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Chaim Druckman, as well as Rav Zalman Nechemiah Goldberg, he was later ordained by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. Rav Ezra served as the director of Yeshivat Ohr Etzion’s Overseas Program and volunteered teaching French and Ethiopian Olim. During his active duty in the IDF, he served in the Tank Corps and fought in the 2009 Operation Cast Lead. Rav Ezra later joined the prestigious Eretz Hemdah Kollel continuing his studies for Rav Ir and Dayanut. As an expert in the areas of kashrut, Rav Ezra was appointed the Director of the Gustave and Carol Jacobs Center for Kashrut Education for OU Israel. Rav Ezra also serves as a Rabbinic Field Representative for OU Kashrut supervising over 50 establishments throughout Israel. Rav Ezra is trilingual, with fluency in English, French and Hebrew. Rav Ezra and his family live in Maale Adumim where he serves as Rav of the Kehilat Musar Avicha.

Rabbi Shmuel Goldin served as spiritual leader of Congregation Ahavath Torah in Englewood, New Jersey, from 1984 until his aliya in September 2017 and now serves as the synagogue’s Rabbi Emeritus

Prior to assuming his role at Ahavath Torah, Rabbi Goldin served as Rabbi of Beth Sholom Congregation, Potomac, Maryland, and Assistant Rabbi, Beth Jacob Congregation, Beverly Hills, California.

Rabbi Goldin served for over twenty years as instructor of Bible and Philosophy at the Isaac Breuer College and the James Striar School of Yeshiva University and he continues to function as a popular visiting scholar and lecturer in a wide variety of settings across the globe.

Rabbi Goldin is a Past President of the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA), the world’s largest association of Orthodox rabbis, and served as initial chairman of the critical committee overseeing the RCA’s policies and standards for conversion to Judaism. Since making aliya to Israel two years ago, Rabbi Goldin has joined the Faculty of the Avrom Silver Jerusalem College for Adults, OU Israel's flagship Adult education program, where he gives a popular weekly shiur.

Rabbi Goldin’s five volume set of studies on the weekly parsha, “Unlocking the Torah Text” is based on his numerous years of lecturing in school and synagogue settings and has earned wide popular and critical acclaim in the broader Jewish community. His recently published “Unlocking the Haggada” was an immediate best-seller and required republication the year it appeared (2018). Rabbi Goldin and his wife, Barbara, are the proud parents of five children and, thank God, an ever-growing brood of grandchildren.

HaRav Meir Goldwicht, a prominent Israeli scholar, educator, and a Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva University’s Mazer School of Talmudic Studies, is the head of the new Stone Beit Medrash Program. Rabbi Goldwicht joined YU as a Rosh Yeshiva at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) and the Mazer Yeshiva Program. He received semicha from the renowned rabbinic authorities Rabbi Zalman Nehemia Goldberg in 1980, and HaRav HaGaon Betzallel Zolti Zt”l chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, and Rabbi Ovidyah Yosef, HaRav Rashi of Israel. Rabbi Goldwicht has been a Ram at Yeshiva Kerem B’Yavneh, and has given shiurim extensively at Stern College, all over the metropolitan area, and in Israel.

Rabbi Moshe Hauer joined the Orthodox Union (OU) as its Executive Vice President on May 1, 2020. In this role he serves as the organization’s rabbinic leader, heading its communal-oriented efforts and serving as its professional religious/policy leader and primary spokesman. Prior to joining the OU, Rabbi Hauer served as the senior Rabbi of the Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation in Baltimore, MD for 26 years, where he was a active in local communal leadership in many areas, with an emphasis on education, children-at-risk, and social service organizations serving the Jewish community. Rabbi Hauer is an active teacher of Torah who led a leadership training program for rabbis and communal leaders, and was a founding editor of the online journal Klal Perspectives. Rabbi Hauer received his rabbinic ordination and doctor of Talmudic law from Ner Israel. He received his master’s of science from John Hopkins University.

One of America’s premier Jewish thinkers and leaders, Rabbi YY (Yosef Yitzchak) Jacobson is one of the most sought-after speakers in the Jewish world today. He serves as a mentor to hundreds of thousands across the globe and is considered one of the most passionate and mesmerizing communicators of Torah and Hashkafa in today’s generation.

During the coronavirus pandemic, he presented hundreds of classes and lectures, to every demographic of the Jewish community worldwide, offering inspiration and perspective. His video clips of chizuk went viral, reaching millions.
Rabbi YY Jacobson was the first Rabbi ever to be invited by the Pentagon to deliver the religious keynote to the US Military Chief of Chaplains and to the National Security Agency.

Over the last twenty years, Rabbi Jacobson traveled to hundreds of communities, shuls, schools, yeshivos, and universities across the globe, educating and inspiring people of all backgrounds with the majestic depth of Torah and Yiddishkeit.
Rabbi Jacobson founded and serves as Dean of TheYeshiva.net, teaching, via the web, one of the largest Torah classes in the world today, with thousands of students globally.
[Born in 1972 in Brooklyn, NY, Rabbi Jacobson grew up at the feet of the Lubavitcher Rebbe zt”l, absorbing his teachings and writings. In 1988, at the age of 15, a young Jacobson began serving on a small team of “oral scribes” and human tape recorders. They were charged with memorizing and transcribing three to seven hours of talks by the Lubavitcher Rebbe of blessed memory, which were presented on the Shabbat and Jewish holidays, when recording devices were not used.]

Rabbi Yissachar Dov Krakowski studied in Shaar HaTorah in Queens, in Yeshiva Gedola of South Fallsburg and in Brisk Jerusalem. After his marriage he continued his studies in Kollel Nachlas Elazar in Jerusalem during which he received his rabbinic ordination. From 2007-2011 Rabbi Krakowski served as Rabbi of Kehillas Torah VeChesed in the Nachlaot neighborhood of Jerusalem. Rabbi Krakowski has been serving as Rabbinic Coordinator for OU Kosher in Israel for over a decade and is a Rebbe in Yeshivas Heichal HaTorah in Har-Nof Jerusalem.

Rabbi Shlomo Katz was born into a family of musicians. This rich musical heritage goes back many generations including his father, master musician and chazzan, Avshalom Katz. He is a prolific composer of beautiful music, both solo and in collaboration with his brother, Eitan, Yehuda Solomon of Moshav and Chaim David. Shlomo’s professional musical career began when his father, Avshalom and brother Eitan, recorded their first CD: “EILECHA.” Since the release of the CD, Shlomo has conducted numerous concert tours throughout the United States, Israel, Argentina, Costa Rica, Australia, Hong Kong, Belgium, Canada, England and Germany. In the summer of 2006, Shlomo received his rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Chaim Brovender and Rabbi Shlomo Riskin at Yeshivat Hamivtar. Rabbi Katz has been an integral part of building the “Shlomo Carlebach Legacy Trust” which has been working to preserve, to publish, and to distribute the legacy of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach ZT’L as a Jewish national treasure (www.carlebachlegacy.com).

Rabbi Ari Kahn is an author and educator. He lives in Givat Ze'ev, where he serves as Rabbi of the Mishkan Etrog community. He is Director of the Overseas Students Program at Bar-Ilan University, where he is a senior lecturer in Jewish Studies. His most recent book – his 12th - is called “The Crowns on the Letters”.

HaRav Zev Leff shlita serves as Rav and Mara D’Atra of Moshav Matityahu, and Rosh Yeshiva and Rosh Kollel of Yeshiva Gedolah of Mattityahu. Rav Leff is one of the most revered and sought after Torah personalities in the English speaking community in Israel, and is a beloved lecturer in numerous Yeshivot and seminaries throughout Israel, and senior faculty member at OU Israel’s Avram Silver Jerusalem College for Adults.

Rabbi Anthony Manning teaches in many educational institutions in Jerusalem as well as lecturing widely in Israel, England and the US. Since 2017 he has been Co-Director of Midreshet Tehillah, having moved from MMY where he was the senior rabbinic educator for many years. Rabbi Manning is also a senior lecturer at Shapell’s/Midreshet Rachel and gives a regular weekly shiur at the OU Israel Center in Jerusalem.

Rav Judah is Executive Director of Camp HASC, and Mashpiah of NCSY. The founder of Tzama Nafshi, Rav Judah & his wife Ora live in Ramat Beit Shemesh with their family.

Mrs. Sivan Rahav Meir, the World Mizrachi Shlicha to North America, was born in Israel and is married to Yedidya Meir (who is also a journalist) and together, they have 5 children. Sivan has been working in the Israeli media since the age of six and became Orthodox as a teenager. Today, she works for Channel 2 News, Yedioth Acharonot, and the IDF radio (Galei Tzahal).
Mrs. Rahav Meir has interviewed Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres, Sara Netanyahu, Rav Ovadia Yosef, and many others. She has also authored four books about Israel’s youth, media, and Torah. Additionally, she gives weekly lectures about the Parsha with hundreds of people in attendance, including, recently, the President of Israel.

Laurie Novick, Director and Head Writer of Deracheha: womenandmitzvot.org a halachic education initiative under the auspices of Yeshivat Har Etzion. She has worked as a Yoetzet Halacha for seventeen years, and has taught for many years at Nishmat. She holds degrees in Bible, Jewish Education, and Talmud and has also done graduate work in Counseling.

Rav Gedaliah Aharon Rabinowitz is the Monastristcher Rebbe. Scion to a family of Chassidic Rebbe’s tracing back to the Baal Shem Tov and his primary disciples.

Before making Aliya, Rav Rabinowitz served as a Rosh Yeshiva in Chicago and in 1988 at the Soviet Union’s first officially sanctioned Yeshiva in 70 years. He is author of a number of works in both Halacha and Aggada.

Rav Rabinowitz’s Beis Midrash is located in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood of Yerushalayim.

HaRav Yosef Zvi Rimon is an internationally acclaimed posek - decisor of Jewish law – as well as an author, educator, and lecturer. Individuals and communities from around the globe turn to him regarding complex questions in Halacha, the responses of which have been pivotal in helping shape the contemporary Jewish world. Through his book series, Halacha MiMekora, Rav Rimon has become known worldwide for developing an innovative methodology for teaching Halacha, taking the reader from the sources to the practical application of Halacha in our modern reality within the framework of a user-friendly, pedagogical methodology.

HaRav Herschel Schachter a noted Talmudic scholar, has had a distinguished career with the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, of Yeshiva University, for more than 40 years. He joined the faculty in 1967 at the age of 26, the youngest rosh yeshiva at RIETS. Since 1971, Rabbi Schachter has been rosh kollel in the Marcos and Adina Katz Kollel (Institute for Advanced Research in Rabbinics) and also holds the Nathan and Vivian Fink Distinguished Professorial Chair in Talmud.

In addition to his teaching duties, Rabbi Schachter lectures, writes and serves as a world renowned decisor of Jewish law. A prolific author, he has written more than 100 articles, in Hebrew and English for such scholarly publications as HaPardes, Hadarom, Beth Yitzchak and Or Hamizrach. His books include Eretz HaTzvi, B’ikvei HaTzon, Nefesh HaRav, MiPninei HaRav and Ginat Egoz.

At age 22, Rabbi Schachter was appointed assistant to the renowned Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik. Rabbi Schachter earned his BA from Yeshiva College, an MA in Hebrew literature from the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies in 1967, and was ordained at RIETS that same year.

Mrs. Dina Schoonmaker holds a B.Ed in Tanach and English from Michlalah College, a master’s degree in Jewish history from Touro College, and a pending doctorate in sociology from UKF in Slovakia. She has been a member of the Michlalah faculty for over 25 years, and has an alumnae counseling hotline for Machal graduates. Mrs. Schoonmaker is also the founder of the highly acclaimed WomensVaad.com, an interactive teleconference personal-development program for women of all ages. She resides in Yerushalayim with her husband, Rosh Yeshiva of Shapell’s/Yeshiva Darché Noam, and their children.

Rebbetzin Dr. Adina Shmidman is the founding director of the Orthodox Union Women’s Initiative department. She and her husband, Rabbi Avraham Shmidman, are Rabbi and Rebbetzin at the Lower Merion Synagogue in Bala Cynwyd, PA. Prior to her position at the OU, she taught advanced placement psychology as well as Judaic studies and directed the professional development program at Kosloff Torah Academy Girls High School in Bala Cynwyd, PA. She also taught at the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County, Hebrew Academy of Long Beach and Manhattan High School for Girls. While living in Birmingham, AL, she was the director of the Knesseth Israel Synagogue Sunday School. Rebbetzin Dr. Shmidman earned a teacher’s certificate from Beth Jacob Seminary (BJJ) in Jerusalem. She graduated from Queens College in NY with a bachelor of arts, majoring in psychology and later received a master of science in school psychology from the same institution. She also has a master of arts in Jewish education as well as a certificate in educational technology from Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration at Yeshiva University. She received a doctorate in educational psychology from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. She and her husband are the proud parents of four sons.

Mrs. Michal Silverstein made aliya in 1997. After receiving her masters degree, she worked with at-risk teenage boys from all over the world at Matara residential program, under the auspices of Dr. Stuart Chesner (head of the Bnei Chayil school in Jerusalem). She also worked for Kav L’Noar facilitating social-skills groups in Israeli high schools. Michal created a big-brother/big-sister program in her community, which aimed to empower both the mentor and the mentee. She runs various parenting workshops and maintains a private practice. She was a columnist for the Jewish press and a feature writer for the Jerusalem Post.

Rebbetzin Shira Smiles is a sought after international lecturer, popular seminary teacher, and experienced curriculum developer. Rebbetzin Smiles is well known for her special teaching style, which seeks to bring understanding of Torah texts through analysis of tens of relevant sources, while making the lessons learned from every verse relevant to her students’ lives in her shiurim.
Rebbetzin Smiles teaches at Darchei Bina Seminary. In addition, Rebbetzin Smiles leads a number of women’s study group classes in Beit Shemesh, Yerushalayim, and Modiin. Rebbetzin Smiles also trains Torah teachers in special workshops all over the world.

Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky is a Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Issac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS). In addition to his role at RIETS, Rabbi Sobolofsky serves as the Rabbi of Congregation Ohr HaTorah in Bergenfield, NJ. Rabbi Sobolofsky also lectures at the Bergen County Beis Medrash Program (BCBM) hosted at Congregation Bnai Yeshurun in Teaneck, NJ, and gives weekly shiurim at Yeshivat Frisch, TABC, Heichal HaTorah, MTA, and TABC. He has been blessed to spend the last many summers at NCSY Kollel in Eretz Yisrael.

Rabbi Baruch Taub was the founding Rav and Rabbi Emeritus of Beth Avraham Congregation of Toronto / Thornhill (BAYT), one of the largest and most vibrant congregation in the Orthodox world. Rabbi Taub served on the Bais Din and was the President of the Va'ad Harabonim of Toronto. In 1990 Rabbi Taub conducted the Siyum Hashas in Lublin, Poland, the site of the founder of the Daf Yomi, Rabbi Meir Shapiro ZT"L. He was awarded the National Rabbinic Leadership Award of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America in 1993. A much sought-after speaker, Rabbi Taub has lectured in most major cities in the USA and Canada. In addition Rabbi Taub has contributed articles to leading Torah Journals. Before returning to his native Toronto, Rabbi Taub served as International Director of NCSY (National Conference of Synagogue Youth) of the UOJCA. In that capacity he inaugurated "NCSY Goes to Yeshiva" and the "NCSY Torah Experience." He also served as the adjunct professor of Judaic Studies at Stern College, Yeshiva University. Rabbi Taub is a Yadin Yadin Musmach of the Ner Israel Rabbinical College, Baltimore, Maryland and holds an M.A. degree from Loyola College Baltimore Maryland and a Doctorate in Judaic Studies from Maimonides College. In November 2010, the BAYT families dedicated a Sefer Torah in his honour and hosted a dinner for the community to honour his retirement as Rav and his becoming Rabbi Emeritus. RabbiTaub has made Aliya and lives in Netanya with his Rebbetzin Malkah (nee Mandelberg) of Johannesburg, South Africa. He currently teaches weekly at the OU Israel Center.

Rabbanit Shani Taragin began her B.A. studies at Stern College and completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Tanach and Talmud at Bar-Ilan University. She is also a graduate of the Matan Scholar’s Program and of Nishmat’s Keren Ariel Program for certification as a halachic advisor (yoetzet halacha) in issues of family purity law. Shani is the educational director of Matan Eshkolot – Tanach Teachers’ Education Program, Mizrachi Lapidot Teachers in Torah Shebeal-Peh, and of the Morot l’Halacha program in Matan Renana. Shani has taught and continues to teach, lead tours, and coordinate programs in numerous seminaries and adult education programs in Israel (e.g. Matan, Midreshet Lindenbaum, MTVA, Sha’alvim for Women, Migdal Oz, Amit Fellows, Women’s Beit Medrash in Efrat and Ramat Bet-Shemesh). Shani serves on the advisory committee for the Mizrachi Olami Shalhevet program for shlichim and lectures worldwide on topics of Tanach, Jewish Education, and Jewish Law. Together with her husband, Rabbi Reuven Taragin, she serves as educational director for Mizrachi Olami and as Rosh Beit Medrash for the Beit Medrash Program in Machaneh Moshava Pennsylvania during the summer. Shani lives with her family in Alon Shvut, Gush Etzion-Israel.

Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, one of the foremost leaders in Jewish life in North America and worldwide, is Executive Vice President, Emeritus of the Orthodox Union, following more than seven years as Executive Vice President. In that role, he combined the skills of pulpit rabbi, scholar, and clinical psychologist to provide extraordinary leadership to the organization and to Orthodox Judaism worldwide.
Rabbi Weinreb received his rabbinic ordination in 1962 from the Rabbi Jacob Joseph Yeshiva in New York and served as spiritual leader of Congregation Shomrei Emunah in Baltimore for 13 years, building the congregation from 160 to more than 400 families before coming to the OU. In addition, he has a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Maryland and served as a psychotherapist for mental health organizations for many years while also maintaining a private practice. His positions included roles as school psychologist for Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland and as Chief Psychologist of the Potomac Foundation for Mental Health.
As Executive Vice President, Rabbi Weinreb built the Orthodox Union to an unparalleled degree of esteem. He traveled widely, visiting communities and congregations across North America, in addition to his frequent trips to Europe and Israel. In these travels, he frequently served as scholar-in-residence, including some of his most enjoyable assignments, guiding NCSY summer touring groups.
Now, with more time to write, Rabbi Weinreb has authored The Person in the Parasha: Discovering the Human Element in the Weekly Torah Portion, based on his popular weekly Person in the Parsha Torah commentary, in which he combines his background as a trained psychologist and a rabbinical scholar to provide insights into the parsha that would be available from no other source. For more than two decades, he has presented his annual Tisha B’Av shiur, webcast around the world on www.ou.org and reaching an audience of thousands. Many people use the new Koren Mesorat HaRav Kinot, the complete Tisha B’Av service, with an exquisite new English translation of the Kinot, the elegies of the fast day, by Rabbi Weinreb. Rabbi Weinreb is also the editor-in-chief of the new Koren Talmud Bavli, and he has authored a commentary to Sefer Tehilim, called The Rohr Family Edition of Tehilim; also published by Koren. Rabbi Weinreb continues to travel extensively, and to write essays and commentaries for a wide variety of resources.