2023 Program in formation
2022 below
Scholars in Residence
Rabbi Ari Bensoussan grew up in Brooklyn NY where he attended Yeshiva of Far rockaway then Mir Jerusalem and Beis Medrash Govoah in Lakewood NJ. After marrying Rabbi Ari and his wife Naomi moved to Israel where he received semicha in Hilchot Niddah from the Rabbanut of Israel while attending the Jerusalem Kollel under the tutelage of Rav Yitzchok Berkowitz Shlita where his passion ignited to help klal yisroel. To this end Rabbi Ari opened Yeshivat Ruach Chaim for sephardic post high school students gap year in Israel. Rabbi Bensoussan taught for four years in Derech Ohr Sameach, Israel, while earning a masters degree in Talmudic Law. Most recently Rabbi Bensoussan and family moved to The Los Angeles community to introduce the dynamic CHAZAK sephardic community enrichment model.
Rabbi Bensoussan will be joining us for the entire Pesach
Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Glatstein is an American Orthodox rav, public speaker, author, prolific researcher, pulpit rabbi and teacher with a global following and one of the most popular English speaking Torah teachers in the contemporary Jewish landscape. Rabbi Glatstein was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and now resides in the Five Towns (Cedarhurst NY) with his family where he furthers his research, writing and teachings to the masses and his Kahal Kadosh.
Dr. David J. Lieberman, Ph.D., is an award-winning author and internationally recognized leader in the fields of human behavior and interpersonal relationships. Blending the wisdom of the Torah with cutting-edge research, Dr. Lieberman’s writings and lectures captivate both scholar and layman alike and are enjoyed by people at all levels and from all backgrounds. His twelve books, which have been translated into 26 languages and include two New York Times bestsellers, have sold millions of copies worldwide. Dr. Lieberman’s works have been featured in hundreds of major publications, and he appears as a frequent guest expert on national media outlets. His latest book, Mindreader is available at bookstores nationwide. Visit DrDavidLieberman.com for more information and TorahAnytime.com to enjoy hundreds of his video lectures.
Dr. Lieberman will be joining us for the entire Pesach
Rabbi YY Rubinstein learned in Gateshead Yeshiva for seven years where he received Semicha and a further three years in Kollel. He speaks regularly throughout the United States, Canada and Europe as well as South Africa and Israel. Rabbi YY is a broadcaster and writer for BBC National Radio. His “Yom Kippur” for BBC World Service, was heard by an audience of 156 Million people. In 2000 the "Independent" Newspaper cited him, as being amongst five people in Britain to turn to for advice. As well as traveling to speak all over the world, Rabbi Rubinstein is a regular columnist for several newspapers here and in the UK. He is the author of twelve books including his latest book, Truly Great… Jewish Women Then and Now which became an instant best seller. He teaches in several Yeshivas and Seminaries in New York.
Rabbi Rubinstein will be joining us for the entire Pesach.
Rabbi Ephraim Eliyahu Shapiro is the Mara D’Asra of Shaaray Tefilah in North Miami Beach, FL, providing guidance and inspiration for his kehila since 1998. He is a world-renowned speaker who has lectured in Eretz Yisroel, Australia, South Africa, Canada, many countries throughout Europe and cities across the United States. Rabbi Shapiro is also a featured lecturer for the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation, and his daily shiur on Kedushas HaPeh reaches a global audience. Thousands of people have been inspired by Rabbi Shapiro’s Divrei Torah and Divrei Chizuk. His care and concern for every individual is evident in the relationships he has with adults and children of all ages. Rabbi Shapiro’s rapport with our Gedolei Yisroel are a testament both to his devotion to Torah values as well as his dedication to providing for all who seek to be inspired and to grow in their Avodas Hashem.
Rabbi Shapiro will be joining us for the 2nd night of Chol Hamoed.
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. 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. 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. 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.
Rabbi Dr. Weinreb will be joining us for part of Chol Hamoed and the last days.
Mrs. Chani Juravel is a renowned mechaneches with a long and distinguished career as a teacher, principal and consultant. An alumna of BJJ, Mrs. Juravel graduated Brooklyn College and did her graduate work in Columbia's Teachers' College and Fordham University. She is an LCSW in private practice in Rockland County NY treating individuals and couples. Combining a knowledge of Torah, hashkafa and psychology, Mrs. Juravel is a sought after speaker across the globe, an inspiring columnist for Binah magazine, and a popular lecturer on Aish.com and TorahAnytime.com.
Mrs. Juravel will be joining us for the entire Pesach.
Speakers & Maggidei Shiur
Rabbi Naftali Portnoy has served as the Co-Director of, and Senior Lecturer at, the Jewish Heritage Center of Queens and Long Island, an internationally renowned Kiruv Center, since 1988. Together with Co-Director Rabbi Moshe Turk, he developed this respected organization, which since 1987 has reached out to more than 15,000 Jewish Adults throughout the Metropolitan New York area. More than 1,500 of their students have become fully Shomer Torah u’Mitzvos and over 8,000 have made significant strides towards deepening their commitment to Torah Judaism. Rabbi Portnoy has a deep grasp of psak halacha and has conferred extensively with g’dolei poskin both in America and Eretz Yisrael on varied and delicate matters of halacha as they apply to baalei teshuva.
Rabbi Moshe Turk is the founding Co-Director of, and Senior Lecturer at, the Jewish Heritage Center of Queens and Long Island, an internationally renowned Kiruv Center. Together with Co-Director Rabbi Naftali Portnoy, he developed this respected organization, which since 1987 has reached out to more than 15,000 Jewish Adults throughout the Metropolitan New York area. More than 1,500 of their students have become fully Shomer Torah u’Mitzvos and over 8,000 have made significant strides towards deepening their commitment to Torah Judaism. Rabbi Turk is a warm and engaging speaker who has lectured to both learned and secular audiences throughout the country and in Eretz Yisrael.
Rabbi Eliezer Eidlitz of Los Angeles, our Program’s Rav Hamachshir, is a world-renowned expert in the field of Kashrus. He is recognized as a leading authority not only on the extremely complex laws of kashrus, but as well on the intricacies of modern food production and corporate machinery such as those found in Hotels and industrial kitchen settings. He is Founder/Director of the Kosher Information Bureau and kosherquest.org and the author of the highly acclaimed book Is It Kosher?
Rabbi Shlomo Yonoson Harris is a noted talmid chacham with expertise in many areas, including chinuch and shiduchim. Rabbi Harris is a Beis Medrash Magid Shiur in Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim, where the talmidim line up by his door for his insightful guidance and eitza. Rabbi Harris is an internationally sought after shadchan, with over 60 successful shiduchim (including from past years of our Pesach Program!). Additionally, Rabbi Harris serves as the Rav of the Chofetz Chaim Alumni minyan. ​
Joshua London is a pro-Israel advocate and Washington lobbyist. Josh served as the Director of Government Affairs with the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), and before that he worked more than a decade as the top lobbyist for the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA). Josh has spent over two decades as an advocate for Israel and the American Jewish community on Capitol Hill. Josh has lectured widely on many different topics, from history and politics to Jewish values and kosher wine. He has written weekly columns on wine and spirits for both The Jewish Week and the Washington Jewish Week, and his work regularly appears in over a dozen US Jewish newspapers. He and his family currently divide their time between London, England and Potomac, Maryland.
Dr. Meir Wikler is a psychotherapist and family counselor in full-time private practice with offices in Lakewood, N.J. and Brooklyn, N.Y. He is a sought after speaker in the U.S., the U.K. and in Eretz Yisroel. Dr. Wikler has published over 100 articles in various clinical journals as well as popular periodicals such as The Jewish Observer and Mishpacha Magazine. He has also written twelve books on marriage, parenting, psychotherapy and stories of hashgacha pratis published by Artscroll, Feldheim, Menucha, and Hamodia Treasures/Israel Bookshop. Many of his lectures and shiurim are available at TorahAnytime.com.
ENTERTAINMENT
simcha leiner
Monday Night
yoni z
Tuesday Night
uri davidi
Wed. Night
Shlomo
Levinger
Shlomo
reich
Baal Tefila and Ruach
SHADCHANIM
Rabbi Shlomo Yonoson Harris
Rabbi Harris is a noted talmid chacham with expertise in many areas, including chinuch and shiduchim. Rabbi Harris is a Beis Medrash Magid Shiur in Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim, where the talmidim line up by his door for his insightful guidance and eitza. Rabbi Harris is an internationally sought after shadchan, with over 60 successful shiduchim (including from past years of our Pesach Program!). Additionally, Rabbi Harris serves as the Rav of the Chofetz Chaim Alumni minyan. ​
Mrs. Judy Bodner
Judy Bodner is a highly popular and successful Shadchan for over 20 years. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, she is also a certified Life Coach who specializes in Dating, Relationships and building one's Self Esteem. She is a perceptive and caring Shadchan who works tirelessly to find appropriate matches and to advocate on behalf of the people she meets. Judy teaches and is the Mechaneches at Tiferes Bnos Yisroel (TBY) Seminary in Flatbush, NY. In addition to the 1-on-1 counseling she provides to her students at TBY, Judy has a private practice serving the Tri-State area. Judy and her husband Rabbi Pinchus Bodner reside in Monsey, NY.
Mrs. Adina Reich
Adina has been an active volunteer shadchan for over two decades, and is well known for her innovative and forward-thinking approach to singles, dating, relationships and matchmaking, as well as for her fun, relaxed and well-attended single events. Adina lives in Lawrence, NY with her husband Shlomo and their 6 children, and works in business development for Landmark Abstract Agency, a full service commercial and residential title insurance company.
Mrs. Chana Rose
Chana Rose is a seasoned professional with close to 30 years of experience as a Shadchan. Her remarkable energy, compassion and concern is clearly evident. Articles of her impressive success have been written in Ami Magazine, Mishpacha, and Bina among others. Each week she writes the "Ask The Shadchan" Column in the FJJ. Mrs. Rose lives in Flatbush, NY where together with her husband, Rabbi Ben Zion, a choshuva talmid of Rav Aharon, Zt”l, she has much nachas from their eight married children.
Temp storage of 2023 info
Professionally trained dancer and licensed Zumba instructor (2016), Rivky Mandel, brings high energy dance fusion classes with exciting music, graceful movement, and lebediga attitude.
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Danielle Sarah Storch, MA, OTR/L is an Occupational Therapist and a group fitness instructor with a passion for stretching and movement patterns to promote health. She is a licensed Soulstir and BodyFlow (Les Mills) Instuctor. Danielle Sarah has also created her own fitness programs, including JFlow (a Jewish Yoga/Pilates/flow program) and ComboFlow (a Jewish dance fusion class).
To reach out to her, email: Kosherexercise@gmail.com
Sabrina Landau is a certified health coach. After a 30+ year career in Jewish education, the pandemic hit, and she had to find a new career. Losing 60 pounds while working with a health coach, inspired her become one as well and pay the gift forward. Focusing on mindset work, healthy habits and rock solid nutrition, Sabrina helps her clients reach their goals and live their healthiest lives. She is the mother of 3 beautiful children: Yaakov, Thommie and Goldie and lives in New Rochelle, NY. Find her on Facebook or Instagram @successwithsabrina
Interesting fact: her father, Mr. Edward Chernoff, was one of the founders of the Jewish Heritage Center.
Daycare, Day Camp & Teens
Our highly acclaimed daycare, daycamp and teen programs will be led by the caring and capable
Zezy Fuld!
He has years of experience not only at Yom Tov Hotels, but also as director of camp Camp Machaneh Yisrael and formerly one of the Schnitzel Guys. Zezy "gets” people of all ages and knows how to make them smile. This has made him successful as a teacher, youth director, camp director, rebbe, and entertainer. Warm and caring counselors and a fun packed schedule will guarantee your children the time of their life so their parents can get the relaxation of a lifetime!​
Dance and Fitness Director
Maayan Davis
carnival
