Faculty & Staff
Rabbi Shimon Green Senior Rosh Yeshiva
Rabbi Green is the Senior Rosh Yeshiva of Bircas HaTorah. He made aliyah at the age of seventeen and after fourteen years of intensive study with his Rav Muvhak, Rabbi Mordechai Goldstein, Shlit”a, he was ordained. He went on to pursue post-rabbinic studies with Rabbi Zalman Nechemia Goldberg, Shlit”a, Av Beis Din of the Jerusalem Rabbinate at the renowned Kollel Shevet U'Mechokek, from which he also holds ordination. In addition to his formal studies throughout those years, he traveled the length and breadth of Eretz Yisroel presenting Torah outreach programs to thousands of young people and adults, in schools, army bases, kibbutzim and moshavim. In 1989, together with several colleagues, Rabbi Green founded Bircas HaTorah. In addition to teaching at the Yeshiva, Rabbi Green travels widely in Israel and abroad, giving seminars, lectures and shabbatonim to audiences that range from the totally secular to very observant. His exciting presentations are famous for their depth, clarity, humor, and inspiration. Participants in his programs remark that Rabbi Green is accessible and down-to-earth, and that within minutes after meeting him they feel as if they are speaking with an old friend. Rabbi Green strives to help every Jew achieve the ecstatic Torah experience that he believes is their birthright.
Rabbi Nissim Tagger Rosh Yeshiva
Rabbi Tagger was born in Brooklyn, NY and raised in Englewood, NJ. He attended Stuyvesant High School in New York City, received a B.A. in Judaic Studies from The University of Michigan, and a J.D. from Boston University. Rabbi Tagger served as a prosecuting attorney for the King's County District Attorney's Office in Brooklyn, NY until he moved to Jerusalem in 1996. He received rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Shimon Green (Ashkenazi) and Rabbi Shlomo Zafrani (Sephardic). His approach to learning places a heavy emphasis on creating a passion within one's self for Hashem, His Torah, and His creations. He stresses the character development and the perfection of one's middos. In addition to teaching a daily Gemara shiur, Rabbi Tagger teaches the Chofetz Chaim's Shmiras HaLashon sefer and has given many Mussar shiurim which stress personality refinement. Rabbi Tagger started the Mishna Berurah program in January 2005, designed to give the Bircas student accurate, extensive knowledge of Halachos as delineated by the Mishna Berurah, and is flavored with the Sephardic distinctions in law and custom. Rabbi Tagger authored a book, Sefer Bircas HaTorah, which is a compilation of shiurim taught to the advanced track of the yeshiva on Mesechta Shabbos, revealing great depth and profound insights into the Gemara, Rashi, and Tosafos.
Rabbi Asher Baruch Wegbreit - Mashgiach Ruchani
Rabbi Wegbreit was born in New York and raised in the New York area as well as Atlanta, Georgia and Memphis, Tennessee. He attended Pomona College for undergraduate studies and later received a Ph.D in Organizational Psychology from Claremont Graduate School. He worked as a management consultant in the area of organizational development with prominent companies in the United States and Europe. Rabbi Wegbreit received rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Shimon Green and Rabbi Shlomo Zafrani. In addition to teaching Gemara to a range of students from beginner to advanced, Rabbi Wegbreit serves as the Mashgiach Ruchani of the Yeshiva. Using classic and beloved texts such as Proverbs and Pirkei Avos (Ethics of our Fathers), he tries to reveal the tremendous insight and usefulness of the Torah Sages’ approach to living an inspired and growth-oriented Torah life. Rabbi Wegbreit lives in Bait Vegan, Jerusalem, with this wife Ayelet and their children.
Rabbi Avraham Willig - Ra"m & Menahel Ruchani
Rabbi Willig is a unique blend of rabbi, lecturer, MSW, and musician. Beloved by his students for his knack at fostering uplifting relationships, Rabbi Willig is known for his warm personality and quick smile. He serves as Ra"m and Menahel Ruchani of the Yeshiva. Originally from New York, Rabbi Willig learned at Yeshivat Kerem B'yavne and Ner Israel Rabbinical College, received rabbinic ordination from RIETS at Yeshiva University, and earned his MSW from the Wurzweiler School of Yeshiva University. He has been a popular rebbi at Yeshivat Shaarei Mevasseret Zion and Yeshivat Torat Shraga for a combined seven years, and was a founding member of the Los Angeles Intercommunity Kollel. He lives with his wife and five children in Ramat Bet Shemesh.
Rabbi Zvi Gewirtz - Ra"m & Overseas Director
Rabbi Gewirtz was born and raised in New York, NY. He attended Torah Academy of Bergen County then spent two years studying at Yeshivat Reishit Yerushalayim in Beit Shemesh. Upon returning to the United States, he attended Yeshiva University in New York and earned a Bachelors Degree in Psychology. Rabbi Gewirtz worked for several years at Ohel Children’s Home and Family Services and spent his summers as a counselor in Camp HASC. After getting married in 2006, he decided to spend time in Israel learning at Bircas HaTorah. He received Semicha from Harav Zalman Nechemiah Goldberg shlit”a, Av Beis Din of the Jerusalem Rabbinate. After spending two years learning at Bircas, he began teaching a Gemara shiur to some of the Yeshiva’s beginner level students. Rabbi Gewirtz’s goal is to help students appreciate the form of Gemara and to show them how to arrive at insights on their own. Rabbi Gewirtz lives in Maalot Daphna with his wife Riki and their two sons.
Rabbi Moshe Krieger - Shoel U'Meishiv
Rabbi Krieger was born in Brooklyn, NY and was a Talmid of Rabbi Reuven Gershonovitz. He attended Brisker Yeshiva for 3 years for Yeshiva Gedola and was in the Telzstone Kollel for 8 years. Rabbi Krieger had the merit to get Smicha from the Telz Rabbanim and completed the Miphal Ha’Shas program where he was fully tested in all of Shas--Gemara and Mishnayos. Over the past 20 years he has taught at Ohr Yerushalayim, Mevaseret Zion and Keser David. Rabbi Krieger is an invaluable asset to Bircas HaTorah. Each week he writes a riveting summary of the weekly Parsha that is distributed to the Bircas community. He is available to Bircas HaTorah students of all levels during learning hours to help with their studies of Mishna Berurah and Gemara. His thorough knowledge of Oral Law and Halacha is an inspiration to all of the Bircas Talmidim.
Rabbi Zahavie Green - Ra"m
Rabbi Green is one of the prominent and most sought after teachers at Bircas HaTorah. He was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. At twenty years old he, along with his brother, the Senior Rosh Yeshiva, made aliyah and has lived in Eretz Yisroel ever since. In addition to his formal studies in the U.S. at Johns Hopkins University, Rabbi Green studied at Yeshivas Toras Yisroel where he received Semicha. His renowned, crystal-clear thinking, combined with his unique ability to communicate with his students, make him a dynamic and beloved teacher and mentor. Rabbi Zahavie Green gives an inspiring sicha in the morning as well as an in-depth Chumash class that trains students how to refine their ability to approach and analyze the Torah and its various commentaries.
Rabbi Pesach Allen - Ra"m
Rabbi Allen was born in Paarl, a small town outside of Capetown, South Africa. He grew up in a traditional Jewish home and developed a strong Jewish identity in his formative years. After attending Stellenbosch University, he owned and managed a successful property development and construction business in South Africa.
Although Rabbi Allen had learned Torah informally in South Africa, he came to Israel in December 1999 to begin his formal yeshiva learning at Bircas HaTorah. He received Semicha from Rabbi Shlomo Zafrani shlit"a. He strives to teach Gemara with the utmost clarity and precision, and through interaction in the shiur, he inspires students to see the depth and beauty of the Gemara. Rabbi Allen happily lives in Har Nof, a neighborhood of Jerusalem, with his wife Tybee and four children.
Rabbi Baruch Munic - Ra"m
Rabbi Munic grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology. He later obtained a Masters Degree in Special Education at Northwestern University. His first career path was teaching special needs children. After spending several years at Yeshivas Ohr Somayach in Jerusalem, Rabbi Munic was attracted to Bircas HaTorah. He received Semicha from Rabbi Shlomo Zafrani shlit"a. His excellent teaching abilities and patient demeanor make him an integral part of the Bircas HaTorah Faculty.
Rabbi Munic teaches an Advanced Gemara shiur and is the Director of the Bircas HaTorah Extension Program. This is a unique distance learning program in which students and alumni throughout the world learn with top Bircas HaTorah educators via telephone. Rabbi Munic is married to Nechama, the oldest daughter of the Rosh Yeshiva. They live in the Old City of Jerusalem with their five young children.
Rabbi Shaul Berkus - Ra"m
Rabbi Berkus was born in Gainesville, Florida, grew up in San Antonio Texas and then attended a Jewish high school in Hollywood Florida. Coming to Israel immediately after High school in 1996, Rabbi Berkus has attended a number of yeshivas, both American and Israeli, where he has been exposed to a variety of Talmudic approaches. After marrying Shifra Green (the Rosh Yeshiva's daughter) in 2003, Rabbi Berkus was attracted to Bircas HaTorah, initially, because of the honesty and integrity of the teachers and students he met there.
Rabbi Berkus teaches an advanced shiur for students, and has authored a booklet presenting the Yeshiva's dynamic Gemara workshops. His goal is to expose his students to the depth of wisdom in each piece of text - to show them that an honest grappling with the Talmud is all that's necessary to begin to experience the beauty and the grandeur of the D'var Hashem.
Rabbi Binyamin Shenkier - Afternoon Seder
Rabbi Shenkier was born and raised in Evanston, Illinois a suburb of Chicago. He graduated from the University of Virginia at Charlottesville with a degree in Public Health.
Rabbi Shenkier got his start at Bircas HaTorah in 2005 as a respected member of the Kollel. He is also a vital part of the Yeshiva's distance learning program, in which he learns many hours a week, b'chavrusa, with Bircas HaTorah alumni. Rabbi Shenkier teaches an advanced shiur in Meseches Kiddushin in the afternoon. His students speak of the amazing clarity and precision in which his shiurim are delivered and the vigorous debates that take place everyday as they try to uncover the depths of the Gemara. He lives with his wife and son in Ramot.
Rabbi Yehoshua Bloom - Afternoon Seder
Rabbi Bloom was born and raised in San Diego, California. Prior to Bircas HaTorah, Rabbi Bloom attended Neveh Zion as well as Yeshivat Ofakim in the Negev, headed by Rav Chaim Kamil zt"l. He came to Bircas HaTorah in 2002 as a member of the Kollel, and subsequently received semicha from HaRav Shlomo Zafrani.
Rabbi Bloom teaches a class in Pirkei Avos and has been a resounding force in the Beis Medresh for the past 8 years. He also teaches an afternoon Gemara shiur in Meseches Megillah to the Shana Aleph students. He hosts night seder at his house on Monday nights and it is always a lively experience. He lives with his wife Elisheva, and four children, in the Old City of Jerusalem. His home is known as a place of tremendous chesed and warmth and it's a frequent destination for many students.
Rabbi Gav Friedman - Night Seder
Rabbi Friedman is a member of the Aish HaTorah faculty, lecturing and learning withthe students of the Essentials, Discovery Seminar, Jerusalem Fellowships, Executive Learning Center, and Intermediate programs. Prior to Aish Hatorah, Rabbi Friedman has spent years learning at Yeshivat Ohr Yerushalayim, and Yeshivat Torat Moshe in Jerusalem. In addition to studying in the smicha program in Beit Medrash L'talmud in Queens, New York and learning in the Montreal Kollel, he has also taught at various yeshivas in Jerusalem including Yeshivat Netsach, and Yeshivat Torat Chaim.
He joins the Bircas HaTorah faculty this year as a night seder Rebbe. His students leave his shiur astounded by the combination of insight and humor that Rav Gav brings to every shiur. An accomplished musician, he resides in Ramat Eshkol with his wife and children.
Rabbi Arnie Wittenstein - Night Seder
Rabbi Wittenstein is an accomplished Tanach teacher. He currently teaches in Yeshivat Torat Shraga as well. He joins the Bircas HaTorah staff this year as a night seder Rebbe.
