The Eretz HaTzvi Faculty
Rabbi Yehuda Susman, Rosh HaYeshiva
Semicha Rabanut HaRashit L'Yisrael/RIETS, BA Computer Science, Philosophy, Yeshiva University.
Rav Susman taught and served as Rosh Kollel at Yeshivat HaMivtar, until his shlichut as Rosh Kollel of the Kollel Torah Mitzion in Chicago where he was active in the formation of learning and Bet Midrash programs on the Northwestern and University of Chicago campuses.
Immediately after his aliya in 1983, he served in the IDF Tank Corps.
In addition to his never ending involvement in Eretz HaTzvi, Rav Susman is currently pursuing his PhD on the Halachic methodology of Rav Moshe Feinstein at Bar Ilan University.
Email: ysusman@yehatzvi.org
Rabbi Dovid Ebner, Rosh Yeshiva & Mashgiach Ruchani
Semicha RIETS, BA Sociology, MHL, Ph.D. Yeshiva University, ABD in Sociology, Fordam University.
Rav Ebner is known throughout Israel as one of the most inspiring senior educators. He taught for over twenty years as a Rosh Yeshiva and Mashgiach Ruchani in Yeshivat HaMivtar.
He served as an Assistant Professor of Sociology as well as the Assistant Director of the Institute for Jewish life of UJC before his aliya in 1982. He was one of the founders of ATID and served as one of its Senior Mentors.
He is the author of two collections of poetry: The Library of Everything , on Jewish themes and Perhaps This Poem.
Email: debner@yehatzvi.org
Rabbi Benny Pflanzer, Director & Ra"m
BSc, Engineering Michlala L'Minhal Yerushalayim, MA equiv. Education Machon Gavoha Merchavim, Yerushayim.
A native of Yerushalayim, R' Benni made a career change, leaving a management position in one of Yerushalayim's largest construction companies to enter the field of Jewish education. He is a sought after educator for Israelis and Americans and has tought at the Ida Crown Jewish Academy in Chicago, Yeshivat Reishit Yerushalayim, and Yeshivat Bnei Akiva in Yerushalayim. He has been a popular Rav Machane in Camp Moshava, Wildrose, Wisconsin.
Email: bpflanzer@yehatzvi.org
Rabbi Todd (Tuvia) Berman, Associate Director & Ra"m
Semicha Yeshivat HaMivtar, Yeshivat Har Etzion, B.S. Computer Science Columbia University, Graduate Studies Jewish History, Harvard University
Rav Berman has held numerous posts in education from the high school level through adult education. He founded the Jewish Learning Initiative (JLI) at Brandeis University and served as rabbinic advisor to the Orthodox community there for several years. Previously, he was a RaM at Midreshet Lindenbaum where he also served as the Rav of the dormitory.
Email: tberman@yehatzvi.org
Rabbi Simcha Krauss, Senior Lecturer
Semicha Yoreh Yoreh and Yadin Yadin from Yeshivas R" Chaim Berlin, BA City College, MA The New School of Social Research.
Rav Krauss was a Maggid Shiur in Yeshiva University's IBC program for over two decades. He has also served on the Political Science faculty at both St. Louis University and Utica College of Syracuse University. A highly regarded pulpit rabbi, Rav Krauss served for many years at the Young Israel of Hillcrest, the Young Israel of St. Louis, and Congregation House of Jacob of Utica, N.Y.
Rabbi Krauss served as the president of the Religious Zionists of America before his aliyah in 2005.
Email: skrauss@yehatzvi.org
Rabbi Mordechai Friedman, Ra"m Talmud & Halacha
Semicha RIETS, BA, MA Medieval Jewish History, Yeshiva University..
Rav Mordy became popular with our students as our first Av Bayit and taught in several capacities including running our successful night seder program and teaching halacha. Rav Mordy is returning from four years at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) where he was the JLIC director and rabbi of the Orthodox students. Rav Mordy will be teaching Talmud, Tanach, and will be in charge of our college prep-program. With Rav Mordy re-joining our faculty, Yeshivat Eretz HaTzvi maintains its monopoly on rabbanim who have served on secular college campus as part of the OU's JLIC program.
Email: mfriedman@yehatzvi.org
Rabbi Aviad Tabory, Ra"m Talmud, Halacha & Machshava
Semicha Rabanut, BA Herzog College, Yeshivat Or Etzion, Yeshivat Har Etzion
Rav Aviad has taught at several yeshivot and seminaries in Israel, including: Orot, Midreshet Lindenbaum, and Midreshet HaRova.
He also served as Rav Shaliach for Bnei Akiva in the United Kingdom was the founding rabbi of Kehillat Alei Tzion in London. Rav Aviad has been Rosh Beit Midrash at Camp Stone, Rav on Machal, TVI, Moshava Indian Orchard, and Chinuch Director of Mach Hach.
Rav Aviad serves a reservist in IDF Tank Corps.
Email: atabory@yehatzvi.org
Rabbi Itiel Oron, Ra"m Talmud & Tanach
Semicha Rabanut HaRashit L'Yisrael B.Ed. & Teacher's Certification Herzog College, Har Etzion
Rav Itiel learned for 10 years at Yeshivat Har Eztion (Gush). He was the Rosh Beit Midrash at S.A.R. high school, director of the kollel at Lincoln Square Synagogue and served as Rosh Kollel at Camp Stone. He was a senior faculty member at Migdal Oz and the director of Jewish Education at the International School for Holocaust studies at Yad VaShem. Rav Itiel brings a vast array of experience from different venues to the yeshiva with unsurpassable energy.
Email: ioron@yehatzvi.org
Rabbi Nir Knoll, Ra"m Talmud & Tanach
Semicha RIETS, B.A, M.A. Yeshiva University, J.D. Harvard University.
Rabbi Nir Knoll graduated Harvard University Law School and worked in this field before earning semikha and an M.A. in Jewish History. An educator of numerous talents, he served as the assistant director of the Beit Din of America, a Tikvah High School Scholars Faculty Member, and the captain of the Frisch Mock Trial team. He was the rabbinic intern at Princeton University and a beloved teacher for several years at Frisch. He has taught and developed curricula in the areas of halacha, Zionism, Jewish thought, and Tanach.
Email: nknoll@yehatzvi.org
Rabbi Yitz Motzen, Associate Director & Av Bayit
Semicha RIETS, B.A. & M.Ed. Yeshiva University, Kerem B'yavneh.
Rav Yitz with his wife Shoshana and son Simcha, is our beloved and popular av bayit (especially when cookies and shmoozing is involed.) He organizes our informal programs and tiyulim. In addition, Rav Yitz supervises the running of technical aspects of yeshiva life and our alumni programs.
The Motzen's house is always open to students with hot food, warm conversation, and TLC.
Email: ymotzen@yehatzvi.org
Rabbi Zvi Grumet, Director Tanach Program
Semicha RIETS, B.A. Brooklyn College, M.A., EdD Yeshiva University
He is currently the Associate Educational Director of The Lookstein Center for Jewish Education, and the Editor of Jewish Educational Leadership. He also teaches at Machon Pardes and the David Cardozo Institute, and is chair of the Tanakh department at Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi.
Email: zgrumet@yehatzvi.org
Rabbi Zev Gold, Ra"m Talmud & Halacha
Semicha Rabanut HaRashit L’Yisrael/RIETS, BA Lifshitz, MA (pending) Hebrew U., Yeshivat Birkat Moshe.
Rav Zev has been popular at Yeshivat Eretz HaTzvi ever since he joined our faculty as a madrich. He is known for his personal warmth and close connection to our students in addition to his acumen and clarity in shiur.
Email: zgold@yehatzvi.org
Rabbi Prof. Chemia Kleinman, Sho'el U'Meshiv
Semicha RIETS, Yeshiva Torah Vodaas, PhD Theoretical Physics, NYU.
Rabbi Prof. Kleinman is the retired chairman of the Physics departments at Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus and gave shiurim at the Queens Jewish Center for over 40 years.
Prof. Kleinman was born in Poland, survived the Holocaust, and came to the United States in 1947. After learning at Yeshiva Torah Vodaas, he received semicha from RIETS and then received his doctorate in Theoretical Physics from New York University.
Email: vkleinman@gmail.com
Hakham Joseph Harari, Director Sephardic Studies Program
Yeshivat Har Etzion
Hakham Harari lectures in halacha and especially in the Sephardic tradition. His erudition is almost as well known as is his kindness, warmth, and sense of humor. In addition to teaching, Hakham Harari takes our many Sefardic students under his wing for Chaggim and Shabbatot and serves as both mentor and guide.
Email: jharari@yehatzvi.org
Rabbi Alex Israel, Ram, Tanach and Machshava Programs
Semicha Yeshivat Har Etzion, BA Computer Studies and Education, London University.
Rav Alex Israel is Senior Lecturer in Tanach at Midreshet Lindenbaum and at Michlelet Orot. He is an active participant in the work of Tzohar an organization of young Rabbis whose aim is to bridge the gap between the religious and secular communities in Israel.
He is currently studying towards his MA in Talmud at Bar Ilan University.
Email: aisrael@yehatzvi.org
Prof. Aaron Katchen, Senior Lecturer, Jewish History
B.A., PhD Harvard.
Prior to making aliyah, Prof. Katchen served on the faculty of Brandeis Univeristy and was the Director of the Association of Jewish Studies. He teaches second semester at Eretz HaTzvi a course on reading Jewish texts for historical data.
Email: katchen@brandeis.edu
