Rabbi Dr. Shlomo Dov Rosen
Rabbi and director of Yakar Jerusalem
Rabbi Shlomo Dov Rosen studied Torah at both modern and charedi Yeshivot for many years (a decade of which at Yeshivat Har-Etzion). He studied Philosophy and Literature at The Hebrew University, from which he received a doctorate in Philosophy for a dissertation on the subject of the metaphysical and theological basis of social justice theory. He taught Talmud, Jewish Philosophy, Tanach and Halacha in yeshivot and midrashot for many years.
In the past, he served as communal Rabbi of the Beit Yosef synagogue for four years, and for five years was a Ram in Yeshivat Eretz HaTzvi. He has been a postdoctoral fellow at the Elyachar Center, Ben Gurion University, at the Cohn Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Ideas, Tel Aviv University, and at The Truman Institute, The Hebrew University.
In addition to hundreds of shiurim, he has lectured in universities around the world, and has published academic articles in the philosophy of ethics and religion on such issues as distributive justice and providence, intergenerational justice, epistemology of religious pluralism, personal identity, and procreation ethics.
Shel Bassel
Shel Bassel is a sofer living in Jerusalem. He was a student of Rabbi Chaim Brovender, Rabbi Yaakov Miller and Rabbi Mordechai Savitsky (who granted him Kabbalat Sofrim). Shel likes to focus on the methodology of Talmudic learning, especially how halachic and aggadic elements are interwoven. He also teaches the halachic and practical aspects of scribal work. Aside from learning, the great joys in his life derive from his eight children and five grandchildren, spending Shabbat meals with friends and family and cycling.
Rabbi Dov Berkovitz
Rabbi Dov Berkovitz has B.A. degrees in Sociology and Philosophy from Yeshiva University in New York, and an M.A. in Jewish History. He is a founding member of both Pardes and Beit Midrash Elul. He also was a senior researcher for Adin Steinsaltz and is the founder and director of Beit Midrash Beit Av.
Rabbi Chaim Brovender
Rabbi Chaim Brovender is the Rosh Yeshiva of WebYeshiva.org and President of ATID – The Academy for Torah Initiatives and Directions in Jewish Education. For over 50 years, Rabbi Brovender has stood at the forefront of pioneering Jewish Studies programs for highly educated young men and women who come to Israel from all over the world to study in Torah. He was the founder of Yehivat Hamivtar and Michlelet Bruria (today Midreshet Lindenbaum).
Deena Garber
Deena Garber trained in psychology at University College, London, and the Tvistock Institute, and was a fellow at Yale Psychiatric Institute. She studied Torah at Bruria, MaTaN and The Hebrew University. Deena has taught psychology at Bar Ilan and Touro College, and Torah in Yakar and various midrashot. She established Beit Midrash LeTorat Hanefesh for interdisciplinary research, and her teaching lays emphasis on Chazal and Chassidut in relationship to psychology.
Rabbi Dr. Menachem Kallus
Menachem Kallus has been teaching classes in Hasidic and Kabbalistic thought at Yakar since 1991. He was ordained as a Rabbi in 1998 by R. Zalman Schachter-Shalomi z”l, and was a long-time student of R. Shalom Carlebach z”l. He received his PhD from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2004 for his dissertation on contemplative prayer in Lurianic Kabbalah, and in 2011 published a book of translation and commentary of over 300 teachings from the Circle of the Baal Shem Tov. Menachem lives in Jerusalem with his wife and son.
Rabbi Chaim Kornberg
Rabbi Chaim Kornberg has been living in Israel since 1979. He received his general education from the University of Toronto and Toronto Teachers’ College. His rabbinic ordination is from Harav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg. He teaches both Jewish and General Education and lives in Jerusalem with his wife.
Rabbanit Gilla Rosen
Rabbanit Gilla Rosen was born in the United States and has been involved in Jewish education for over 30 years. She has a B.A. in English literature from Columbia University and an M.A. in comparative literature from the University of Manchester. Since making Aliyah in 1992, Gilla has taught at a number of institutions including Nishmat, Pardes and Yakar. She was also head of Beit Midrash Lindenbaum from 2002-2003. Rabbanit Gilla is a lecturer in a number of institutions and serves as a Halachic Advisor for women (answering calls on the Nishmat Women’s Halachic Hotline). Gilla is an engaging and multidimensional teacher, who has taught a wide range of subjects including Midrash, Halacha and Tanach. She is best known for her outstanding ability as a Talmud teacher.
Rabbi Chananel Rosen
Rabbi and director of Yakar Tel-Aviv
Rabbi Chananel Rosen studied at a broad range of Yeshivot (including the Hesder Yeshiva in Yeruham, Mir Yeshiva in Mea Shearim, Yeshivat Siach-Yitzhak and Yeshivat Tekoa). He received his rabbinical ordination from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and served in a combat unit in the IDF within the Hesder framework.
Rav Chananel studied meditation techniques in India over a period of months, has a degree in psychology and English literature from the Hebrew University, and is currently completing his Master’s thesis on the topic of the interface between internal Halachic discourse in the 19th century and external socio-cultural influences. Rav Chananel is married to Miriam and has four children.
Yonatan Fialkoff
Yonatan Fialkoff was born in Jerusalem, studied at Yeshivat "Makor Chaim" and Yeshivat Hesder "Siach Yitzchok". He has a first degree in international relations and communications and a second degree in communications (magna cum laude) from Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and is currently studying there for his third degree in communications. While writing his doctorate, he is involved in a number of research groups, and teaches communications in academic institutions. Outside of academia, Yonatan serves as a strategic consultant for "Zap Malaria", an application dedicated to the eradication of Malaria. He is also an origami artist.