Advanced Torah Fellowship

Rabbanit Noa Lau is a Yoetzet Halakha (Halakhic consultant) at Midreshet Nishmat, and director of the Yoatzot Halakha training program. She Lives in Jerusalem with her husband, Rabbi Benni Lau, has six children and several grandchildren. Noa Lau was born in Kibbutz Sa'ad in western Negev and was raised in a religious Zionist family. She served the IDF in the Education Corps, graduated from Bar-Ilan University with a Bachelor's degree in Bible studies and Jewish philosophy - with a teaching certificate - and later graduated with a Master's degree in Bible studies. She first worked as an educator and teacher of Jewish studies in Kibbutz Sa'ad's high school, and later at Pelech, a religious high school for girls, in Jerusalem. For the past eight years, she has served as Vice Dean of Midreshet Nishmat, parallel to her work as a Yoetzet Halakha. As a Yoetzet Halakha she teaches many classes, trains the students in the training program for Yoatzot Halakha, and answers many questions weekly, in subjects of Taharat Hamishpacha - family purity. She is also a Fellow at Nishmat's Research Institute and co-wrote the first volume of Nishmat's Responsa - Nishmat HaBayit.

Nathalie Loewenberg was born and raised in France and made aliyah following the completion of high school. She received a BA in Logistics from Bar-Ilan University. She learned to be a Yoetzet Halakha at Midreshet Nishmat, in order to specifically serve the French-speaking community both in Israel and abroad. Over the past 14 years, she created the French version of the Nishmat's Health and Halakha website which answers women's questions daily and reaches out to Francophone women through social media. Yoetzet Halakha Nathalie Loewenberg has been a research Fellow in Nishmat's Machon Lemechkar for the past three years, writing halakhic responsa on the topic of Taharat Hamishpaha. In her current project, she aims to create user-friendly handbooks in French on the various intersections between Halakha and women's health.

Sagi Mazuz, a native of Netivot and a graduate of Kerem BeYavneh Yeshiva is currently pursuing a Master's degree in law. Rabbi Mazuz served in the IDF as a combat soldier in the Golani brigade. After army service he joined Eretz Hemdah institute of advanced Jewish studies in Jerusalem, where he is finishing his sixth year. He was awarded Yore Yore ordination from the chief rabbinate of Israel and Rabbi Zalman Nehemiah Goldberg (Hagarzan). He serves as a Dayan (Rabbinic judge) at Eretz Hemdah Gazit Rabbinic court and is a former Dean of the Friday Kollel in the city of Netivot as well as a battalion Chaplain (in reserve). His academic degrees include a Bachelor's degree in Education BEd -high honors, a Master's degree in Talmud (with a dissertation)- honors and is currently in advanced stages of a PhD research proposal.

Rabbi Haggai Resnikoff is the Dean and a Rebbe at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah. Rabbi Resnikoff trained at YCT, graduated in 2014, and joined the faculty immediately thereafter. As Director of Community Learning (2014-2022), he spearheaded YCT's groundbreaking effort to raise the priority level of the climate crisis in the Orthodox and larger Jewish community. In the summer of 2022, after eight years on the faculty, he took over the deanship making him responsible for the academic administration of the yeshiva. As a member of the YCT Advanced Kollel he has worked intensively on dementia, eldercare, and mental illness in Jewish Law. He is the author of the most comprehensive Jewish legal treatment of the climate crisis to date and is researching a book on the same subject.

Jonathan Gilbert was born and raised in Mexico City, were he served as a Rabbi and educator. He moved with his family to Israel in order to participate in the Post-Smicha Manhigut Toranit program at Eretz Hemdah, Yerushalaim. In addition, he holds a degree in International Relations, a master's degree in Family Therapy and is currently studying towards a MA in Jewish Education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Among his current interests are human sexuality in halacha and end of life in Halakha. He is a regular contributor to the Tzurba M'Rabanan series (English edition) and to the Eretz Hemdah's "Ask the Rabbi" section. He is married to Yahav and they have four children.

Rav Avraham Klemantinovski studied at yeshivat Kerem Be'Yavne's Hesder program for 7 years (including active military service as a combat medic). He continued his studies in the Dayanut program at Eretz Hemdah Kollel in Jerusalem, where he received a degree of City rabbinate from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. He is going to start his eighth and last year in the program in order to finish the Dayanut exams of the Chief Rabbinate. His research project, which is being supported by the MFJC, deals with the relevance of Hoshen Mishpat - the Jewish Civil Law - today.

Rabbanit Noa Lau is a Yoetzet Halacha (Halakhic consultant) at Midreshet Nishmat, and director of the Yoatzot Halacha training program. She Lives in Jerusalem with her husband, Rabbi Benni Lau, has six children and several grandchildren. Noa Lau was born in Kibbutz Sa'ad in western Negev and was raised in a religious Zionist family. She served the IDF in the Education Corps, graduated from Bar-Ilan University with a bachelor's degree in Bible studies and Jewish philosophy with a teaching certificate and later graduated with a Master's in Bible studies. She first worked as an educator and teacher of Jewish studies in Kibbutz Sa'ad's high school, and later at Pelech, a religious high school for girls, in Jerusalem. For the past eight years, she has served as Vice Dean of Midreshet Nishmat, parallel to her work as a Yoetzet Halacha. As a Yoetzet Halacha she teaches many classes, trains the students in the training program for Yoatzot Halacha, and answers many questions weekly, in subjects of Taharat Hamishpacha - family purity. She is also a Fellow at Nishmat's Research Institute and co-wrote the first volume of Nishmat's Responsa - Nishmat HaBayit.

Rabbanit Dr. Jennie Rosenfeld is currently writing a book on singles and sexuality from halakhic and ethical perspectives. Previously, she served for five years as the Manhiga Ruchanit in Efrat, where she also directed the rabbinic court for financial matters. She completed the Susi Bradfield Women's Institute for Halakhic Leadership program at Midreshet Lindenbaum and received permission to give halakhic rulings ('heter hora'ah') from Rabbi Shlomo Riskin and Rav Shuki Reich. She holds a PhD in English from the CUNY Graduate Center, where she wrote her dissertation on Talmudic Re-readings: Toward a Modern Orthodox Sexual Ethic as a Wexner Graduate Fellow. She co-authored Et Le'ehov: The Newlywed's Guide to Physical Intimacy (Gefen 2011; Hebrew translation 2013). Rabbanit Jennie has taught Torah in high schools and adult education internationally and was named one of the "36 under 36" by the Jewish Week in 2008. She lives with her family in Katamonim.

Born in 1987, Rabbi Chanoch Sulzbacher grew up in London where he attended Menorah Primary and Menorah Grammar schools. He studied at Gateshead Yeshiva for around 5 years, forging a close tie to the renowned Rosh Yeshiva Rav Avrohom Gurwitz. He then joined the highly acclaimed Brish Yeshiva in Jerusalem and was privileged to become a close disciple of the Rosh Yeshiva Rav Avrohom Yehoshua Soloveitchik, spending close to 7 years there. and was greatly influenced by his lectures, becoming a student of the precise talmudic methodology in the Brisk tradition. He is currently a member of The Gateshead Kollel where he is furthering his studies into areas of talmud and halacha with day-to-day relevance.

Sarit lives in Beer Sheva and is a qualified Yoetzet Halacha.  She answers Halachic questions on the Nishmat website and to women in her community.  She is a research fellow in Nishmat's Machon Lemechkar.  She is also a qualified social worker with 15 years of experience in the field of rehabilitation and mental health.  Sarit works on the development of understanding the interface between therapy and Halacha in order to make professional information accessible to Halachic authorities and to encourage and expand their understanding of the field of mental health.  Her current project focuses on Taharat Hamishpacha and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and will develop professional tools for Halachic authorities to assist people dealing with these challenges.

Eliora completed her Ph.D in Media Sciences at the Sorbonne University in Paris.  She is currently lecturing at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and part of a Research Think Tank at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute.  She is finishing an orthodox smicha program (Yoreh Yoreh) at Beit Midrash Harel under the supervision of Rav Herzl Hefter.  For the last decade she has been teaching in Jerusalem francophone Jews in various settings.  In October 2020 she founded Beit Midrash Shefa, a virtual Beit Midrash for francophone Jews in which she teaches Mussar literature and practice. Her newest program called "Ruth & Akiva" provides practical halachic teaching on niddah laws for Baalei teshuva, converts and candidates for conversion from various backgrounds and countries.  By researching the mikvah ritual of the "Converting Bride" and evaluating how Halacha can enhance the immersed spiritual experience, she wishes to empower and guide every soul who wishes to aim toward their highest spiritual potential.

Dr. Jacob Pesachov is a scholar pursuing the Maimonidean ideal, holding a medical degree from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and currently completing rabbinical studies at the Beit Medrash Govoha for Medical Halacha. He plans to specialize in degital health and clinical genetics, exploring the active network of genetics, biotechnology and medical education.  He intends to undertake a novel research initiative in his rabbinical studies and examine the intersecionality between Halakha and public health.  Jacob has contributed to and advanced the research in fields including Dermatology, Rheumatology, Jewish history and Halakhic jurisprudence.  He was granted the Araten Memorial Award for Excellence in Biblical Studies by Yeshiva University in 2016 and the Dr. Arthur Wolfish Medical Scholarship by the Israel Medical Association in 2017

Rabbanit Dr. Jennie Rosenfeld serves as a Ramit and Mashgicha at Midreshet TVA and is currently writing a book on singles and sexuality from a halakhic and ethical perspective. Previously, she served for five years as the Manhiga Ruchanit in Efrat, where she also directed the rabbinic court for financial matters. She completed the Susi Bradfield Women’s Institute for Halakhic Leadership program at Midreshet Lindenbaum and received permission to give halakhic rulings (“heter hora’ah”) from Rabbi Shlomo Riskin and Rav Shuki Reich. She holds a PhD in English from the CUNY Graduate Center, where she wrote her dissertation on “Talmudic Re-readings: Toward a Modern Orthodox Sexual Ethic” as a Wexner Graduate Fellow. She co-authored Et Le’ehov: The Newlywed’s Guide to Physical Intimacy (Gefen 2011; Hebrew translation 2013). Rabbanit Jennie has taught Torah in high schools and adult education internationally and was named one of the “36 under 36” by the Jewish Week in 2008. She lives with her family in Katamonim.

Rabbi Eliezer Besser, originally from Sao Paulo, Brazil has spent the last decade studying and teaching in Israel as well as on trips back home. He has become a close student of today's leading Torah personalities, including Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovits, Rabbi Lawrence Kelemen and Rabbi Asher Weiss. He is currently a senior fellow at the Center for Kehilla Development, an advanced scholarship program, created to generate effective Jewish leadership for English speaking communities in the Diaspora. Specializing in the study of practical halacha, Eliezer has received multiple semichot as well as Rabbinic pastoral training under the auspices of the program. 

Drawing on his halachic expertise, teaching experience and passion for Judaism, he hopes, with the support of MFJC, to develop a program based on the Shesh Mitzvot Temidiyot.  This is part of a larger vision to bridge the gap between halachic observance and leading a rich Jewish life.

Itamar Frisch studied at yeshivat Ma'ale Gilboa for many years (including two years of active military service as a tank commander). He continued his studies at Yeshivat Machanayim in Efrat, where he received ordination from R. Zalman Nechemia Goldberg and from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. He is currently studying for Yadin Yadin Smicha in Kollel Eretz Hemdah, Jerusalem. With the help of MFJC he hopes to research preventive medicine in Halacha's eyes.

Dovid Kissin was born in Birmingham in 1984. He attended the Menorah Primary and Grammar Schools in London, subsequently spending three and a half rewarding years in the renowned Gateshead Yeshiva where he developed close links with both the lecturers and pastoral members of the faculty. He had the great fortune to study for six years in Israel, primarily in the Mir Yeshiva where he was exposed to the greatness of the likes of HaRav Refoel Shmulevitz zt"l and grew close to HaRav Gedalya Finkel shlita. The last nine years have seen him back in Gateshead where he is a member of the Gateshead Kolel, and have been spent enriching and broadening his appreciation of our great Jewish legacy.

Yoetzet Halacha Shoshana Samuels holds an M.A in Jewish Studies from Ben Gurion University and studied Torah at the Beit Midrash for Women in Migdal Oz, YU's SCW and GPATS and at Nishmat. Prior to her family's Aliyah in the summer of 2018, Shoshana was privileged to serve as a local community Yoetzet Halacha in Teaneck, NJ and as an off-site community Yoetzet for the Los Angeles community, fielding upwards of 1,000 questions a year in this capacity seven years. Educating groups large and small in elementary schools, high schools, living rooms, and shul sanctuaries on the topics of women's health & Halacha, Shoshana championed the creation and annual reinvention of the Teaneck Yoetzet Halacha Initiative's community-wide inter-disciplinary educational event attended each summer by hundreds of women. During that time Shoshana also co-edited If There is Pain Like My Pain, a collection of personal essays on infertility and pregnancy loss. Serving as lead instructor of Nishmat's Miriam Glaubach Center's web-based ZKallah Teacher Certification Course in partnership with the OU and RCA for three years has prepared Shoshana for her current project, which is graciously funded by the MFJC.

Shoshana, now enrolled in Nishmat's Mechon L'Mechkar, is authoring a much-needed, first of its kind, comprehensive guide for mentors preparing a couple for marriage. The guide will include excerpts from ancient Jewish sources through contemporary writings, each accompanied by translation, explanation, and context for the teacher to provide for the student. The guide will include methodology for teaching sensitive, up-to-date, wide scope pre-marriage classes.

Dr. Naama Sat serves as the Deputy Director and Head of the Talmud Safra_ program at the Midrasha for women at Bar-Ilan University, where she also lectures in the Law Department.

Dr. Sat is married to Rabbi Ari Sat, currently serving as the Rabbi and Rabbanit of Kibbutz Sa'ad, in the shell-shocked south of Israel. In the Kibbutz Naama gives weekly Torah lessons for women and promotes a project to reinforce (as a rocket shelter) the Mikveh for women from the Kibbutz and women from non-religious communities in the area.

Dr. Sat is a certified lawyer with a Doctorate in Law as well as a Master's in Talmud. The Ph.D thesis deals with "The methods used by the Chief Sephardi Rabbi in Israel, Rabbi Ben-Zion Meir Hai Uziel, to reach decisions on Family Law". Naama published articles in both secular and religious academic journals. One of Dr. Sat's current field of research is on the topic of 'Conservativeness in Halakha' - a new view on the Halakhic Rulings of Rabbi Shalom Mashash. Another research project, which is being supported by the MFJC, deals with the Halakhic attitude towards people with physical disabilities in Hassidic rabbinical rulings.

Shlomo Zuckier studied for several years at Yeshivat Har Etzion under Rav Aharon Lichtenstein ztz"l, and has spent over a decade in various programs at RIETS - MYP, Semicha, Kollel Elyon, and most recently its Yadin Yadin program. He also earned a BA and MAs from Yeshiva University, a PhD at Yale University, and a postdoctoral fellowship as McGill University. This research project considers atonement in rabbinic thought within classical Jewish texts and utilizing a Brisk-inspired method, analyzing the meaning of the term kapparah and considering its nature and function within Talmudic literature as understood by the Rishonim and other commentators.

Dr. Sharon Galper Grossman is a radiation oncologist and former faculty member of Harvard Medical School where she also obtained a Masters in Public Health. She is a graduate of the Morot L'Halacha Program, a women's advanced halacha learning program which focuses on the laws of niddah.  Her current interests are in Women’s Health and Halakha, specifically issues related to preventing women’s cancers. She has recently published “The Angelina Jolie Effect in Jewish Law: Prophylactic Mastectomy and Oophorectomy in BRCA Carriers” in the Rambam Medical Journal,  “Resolving the Debate Over Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Vaccination for Cancer Prevention in the Religious World” in Tradition and Vape Gods and Judaism: E-Cigarettes and Jewish Law also in Rambam Maimonides Medical Journal. "BRCA Testing for All Ashkenazi Women: A Halachic Mandate?" has been accepted for publication in Hakirah, The Flatbush Journal of Jewish Law and Thought.   

She teaches at Matan, Machon Puah, and Eden Center. Her blogs have been featured in The Times of Israel.

Aminadav Grossman studies in the kollel of Yeshivat Har Etzion in Alon Shvut, Israel and is completing a Masters of Social Work at the Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University. He has a BA from Columbia College and semicha from RIETS, Yeshiva University.

Yoetzet Halacha Shoshana Samuels holds an MA in Jewish Studies from Ben Gurion University and studied Torah at the Beit Midrash for Women in Migdal Oz, YU's SCW and GPATS and at Nishmat. Prior to her family's Aliyah in the summer of 2018, Shoshana was privileged to serve as a local community Yoetzet Halacha in Teaneck, NJ and as an off-site community Yoetzet for the Los Angeles community, fielding upwards of 1,000 questions a year in this capacity seven years. Educating groups large and small in elementary schools, high schools, living rooms, and shul sanctuaries on the topics of women's health & Halacha, Shoshana championed the creation and annual reinvention of the Teaneck Yoetzet Halacha Initiative's community-wide inter-disciplinary educational event attended each summer by hundreds of women. During that time Shoshana also co-edited If There is Pain Like My Pain, a collection of personal essays on infertility and pregnancy loss. 

Serving as lead instructor of Nishmat's Miriam Glaubach Center's web-based Kallah Teacher Certification Course in partnership with the OU and RCA for three years has prepared Shoshana for her current project, supported by the MFJC. Shoshana, now enrolled in Nishmat's Mechon L'Mechkar, is authoring a much-needed, first-of-its-kind, comprehensive guide for mentors preparing a couple for marriage. 

Rabbi Alex Steinhaus was born in Gateshead U.K. to British parents of European origin. Following his graduation from the Gateshead school system, Rabbi Steinhaus attended various Yeshivos within Gateshead before moving on to the famed Mir Yeshiva where he earned a personal connection with Rabbi N. Z. Finkel zt"l, and received much guidance from world renowned Rabbi Osher Arieli shlit"a. He subsequently joined the renowned Gateshead Kolel. With the help of the MFJC, Rabbi Steinhaus will be spending this year completing a full in depth course on Eiruvin and Techumin in Talmud and Halacha to a practical level.