Bella and Harry Wexner Kollel Elyon

RIETS Bella and Harry Wexner Kollel Elyon Fellows

Rabbi Tzvi Benoff is a fourth year Wexner Kollel Elyon Fellow and Assistant Rabbi at the Riverdale Jewish Center. Originally from Bergenfield NJ, he received his semikha from RIETS and graduated magna cum laude from Yeshiva College with a bachelor's degree in mathematical economics and history, before which he studied in Israel at Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh. He holds an MA in International Political Economy and Development from Fordham University and has previously served as a fellow at the Tikvah Fund, Wexner Foundation and the UJA.  

Rabbi Brian Chernigoff is currently in his first year of the Wexner Kollel Elyon. He earned a New York State certificate from the RIETS/Ferkauf Joint Program in Mental Health Counseling and is currently pursuing a master's degree at the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies. He is originally from Queens, NY and serves as the Rabbinic Intern at Congregation Anshe Chesed of Linden, NJ.
 

Rabbi Ben Zion Feld is the Assistant Rabbi at Congregation Beth Aaron in Teaneck, New Jersey, where he previously served as Rabbinic Intern and is a member of the Wexner Kollel Elyon of Yeshiva University. His academic journey includes participation in YU’s Masmidim Honors Program and the Wexner Semikhah Honors program. Rabbi Feld has taught Chumash and Gemara at Yeshiva University High School for Boys and held positions of leadership at NCSY Kollel and Camp Morasha. Rabbi Feld will be teaching at the Irving I. Stone Beis Medrash Program (SBMP) of Yeshiva University beginning in Fall 2025.

Rabbi Dov Fink grew up in Teaneck, NJ, and learned in Israel at Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh. He studied psychology at Yeshiva University and received semikha from RIETS. He is currently in his third year as a Wexner Kollel Elyon Fellow and is earning a master’s degree from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work.  

Rabbi Fink served as the Rabbinic Intern at the Young Israel of West Hempstead and at the Young Israel of Passaic-Clifton. He currently serves as a Night Seder Rebbi at Yeshiva University and is an experienced Chosson Teacher.  He is passionate about learning and teaching Gemara, Halacha and Machshava. His areas of interests include contemporary halachic challenges, the intersection between Torah and mental health, medical ethics, and Jewish history. Rabbi Fink lives in Washington Heights with his wife Sara and their children, Adina, Yisrael and Shira.

Rabbi Meir Finkelstein is a fourth year Wexner Kollel Elyon Fellow and serves as Rabbinic Associate at the Young Israel of West Hempstead. Rabbi Finkelstein studied for two years in Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh and has spent the last ten years studying in Yeshiva University and RIETS. During his time in YU, he received a bachelor's degree in psychology; a master's degree from the Bernard Revel Graduate School; and semikha from RIETS.

Rabbi Finkelstein has had the privilege of spending six years studying under Rabbi Hershel Schachter and three summers studying under Rabbi Mordechai Willig. Upon completion of the Wexner Kollel Elyon, Rabbi Finkelstein looks forward to joining the staff of Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh where he will serve as a Ra"M.

Rabbi Zvi Kaminetzky currently serves as Rabbi of the Albert Einstein Synagogue at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and is in his first year as a member of the Wexner Kollel Elyon. He studied for three years at Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh before attending Yeshiva University where he majored in Political Science and was a member of the Masmidim Honors Program. He then spent three years in Israel, learning in the RIETS Gruss Kollel in Jerusalem and serving as a Vaad Rebbe at Yeshivat Torat Shraga. Rabbi Kaminetzky received semikha from RIETS and was previously a Rebbe at Yeshiva University High School for Boys (MTA), where he taught Chumash. Rabbi Kaminetzky lives in the Bronx, New York with his wife and two children. 
 

Rabbi Josh Kaufman is in his third year of the Wexner Kollel Elyon and is a 12th grade Gemara Rebbe at MTA. Previously, he was the Rabbinic Intern at Congregation Rinat Yisrael. Rabbi Kaufman grew up in Woodmere, NY. After attending DRS for High School, he spent two years learning at Yeshivat Har Etzion. Josh earned his BA in English Literature at Yeshiva University and completed semikha at RIETS. He currently lives in Washington Heights with his wife Mairav and children Chana and Yitzchak.

 

Rabbi Menachem Mermelstein studied at Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh and Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim in Israel before earning a bachelor's degree in finance from Yeshiva University where he was a member of the Masmidim Honors Program under the mentorship of Rav Mayer Twersky. He continued his studies in the RIETS semikha program and spent three years learning in Rav Hershel Schachter’s kollel. He is currently in his second year as a member of the Wexner Kollel Elyon learning under the guidance of Rav Mordechai Willig and Rav Michael Rosensweig. Menachem lives in Washington Heights with his family.  

Rabbi Yoni Rabinovitch is the Rabbinic Intern at Mount Sinai Jewish Center in Washington Heights, a coordinator of the night seder program at Yeshiva College, and a public speaking teacher at RIETS. He was previously Rabbinic Intern at the Jewish Center in Manhattan.  

Rabbi Rabinovitch was born and raised in Denver, CO, received semikha from RIETS, and graduated with an MSW from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work. He has written for the RJJ Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society and lives in Washington Heights with his wife and children.

Rabbi Natan Siegel grew up in Silver Spring, MD, and spent two years learning in Yeshivat Hakotel before attending Yeshiva University, where he majored in mathematical economics and graduated as MYP valedictorian. He continued his studies at RIETS including two years at the Gruss Kollel in Yerushalayim and is currently in his second year in the Wexner Kollel Elyon.

For the past eight years he has studied under his rebbe, Rav Michael Rosensweig and now serves as his shiur assistant. Rabbi Siegel has taught in a variety of settings, including NCSY, Camp Mesorah, YU Israel and Yeshivat Hakotel. He currently serves as the Rabbi of Beis Knesses of Teaneck Apartments (BKTA) and lives in Teaneck, NJ, with his wife Gabi and their two children, Yisrael and Shaya.  

Kollel Elyon Alumni

Rabbi Eli Belizon – BMP Rebbe at Yeshiva University; Rabbi at Young Israel of Fair Lawn  

Rabbi Gedalyah Berger – Rebbe at GPATS

Rabbi Reuben Berman – Faculty, Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim (MMY); Account Executive, Megadata

Rabbi Akiva Block – Rabbi at Kehilat Kesher: The Community Synagogue of Tenafly and Englewood

Rabbi Reuven Brand – Rosh Kollel at the Yeshiva University/Torah Mi-Tzion Kollel of Chicago  

Rabbi Baruch Dov Braun – Rabbi at Young Israel of Avenue J

Rabbi Yosef Bronstein – Rosh Beit Midrash at Machon Zimrat Ha’Aretz

Rabbi Jonathan Cohen – Director of Professional Recruitment at NCSY  

Rabbi Tanchum Cohen – Rebbe at MTA, Assistant Rabbi at Congregation Beth Abraham

Rabbi Ariel Diamond – BMP Rebbe at Yeshiva University  

Rabbi Jonathan Drory – Senior Kollel Fellow at Rebbe at the Yeshiva of South Florida  

Rabbi Aryeh Federgrun – Rabbi at Bnai Israel Ohev Zedek in Northeast Philadelphia  

Rabbi Yaacov Feit - Middle School Assistant Principal, RPRY, Edison, NJ; Administrator, RCBC Beis Din for Geirus

Rabbi Daniel Feldman – Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva University and Rabbi at Congregation Ohr Saadia in Teaneck

Rabbi Jason Finkelstein – Rebbe at Heichal HaTorah

Rabbi Joshua Flug – Director of Torah Research at Yeshiva University  

Rabbi Noah Gardenswartz – Rosh Kollel and Talmud Faculty at Yeshivat Frisch

Rabbi Chaim (Yitzy) Genack – Rabbi at Shaare Torah in Pittsburgh  

Rabbi Moshe Genack – Magid shiur at Heichal HaTorah and Assistant Rabbi at Shomrei Emunah in Englewood

Rabbi Noach Goldstein – Assistant Rabbi at KINS in Chicago

Rabbi Mayer Goodman – Rosh Kollel at Forest Hill Jewish Centre in Toronto  

Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb - Ra”m at Yeshivat Har Etzion (Gush) and the rabbi and co-founder of Ganei Ha’ela in Beit Shemesh

Rabbi Shmuel Hain – Rabbi at YIOZ of North Riverdale

Rabbi David Hellman – Rabbi at YI of Brookline

Rabbi Scott Hoberman – Administrator at the Beth Din of America

Rabbi Mordechai Hochheimer – Phd in Social Work  

Rabbi Yaakov Jaffe – Rabbi at the Maimonides Kehilah and Dean of Judaic Studies at Maimonides School  

Rabbi Yosef Kalinsky – Dean of Undergraduate Torah Studies and Max and Marion Grill Administrative Dean of RIETS at Yeshiva University  

Rabbi Shua Katz – Assistant Rabbi at Congregation Darchei Noam of Fair Lawn  

Rabbi Aaron Kraft – Dayan at the Chicago Rabbinical Council  

Rabbi Shmuel Kresch - Rabbi at Pirchei Shoshanim

Rabbi Aviyam Levinson – Kollel L’hora’ah at RIETS

Rabbi Eliron Levinson – Avreich at Northeast Philadelphia Community Kollel  

Rabbi Shmuel Marcus – Rabbi at Young Israel of Queens Valley and Senior Magid Shiur at Landers College for Men  

Rabbi Geoffrey Meth - High School Rebbe at Rambam Mesivta in Cedarhurst

Rabbi Dovid Mintz – Rebbe at Aish HaTorah

Rabbi Duvie Nachbar – Limudei Kodesh teacher at TABC

Rabbi Motti Neuberger – Associate Rabbi at the White Shul in Far Rockaway

Rabbi Eli Ozarowski – Editor of Tzurba MiRabbanan in English and editor of the Semichas Chaver Program  

Rabbi Yoni Pere – Sgan Rosh Kollel at the YU Kollel of LA

Rabbi Zev Reichman - Rabbi, East Hill Synagogue of Englewood, NJ; Instructor at YU's Isaac Breuer College and Stern College for Women

Rabbi Rafael Rosenblum – teacher at Midreshet Amit  

Rabbi Jared Rosenfeld – Rosh Kollel at Yeshiva of South Florida  

Rabbi Itamar Rosensweig – Rabbi of the Lower Merion Shtiebel, Dayan at the Beth Din of America, and Magid Shiur at YEshiva University  

Rabbi Jacob Sasson – Actuary and Author

Rabbi Shay Schachter – Rabbi and Rosh Beit Midrash at YI of Woodmere

Rabbi Kenny Schiowitz – Associate Principal of the Upper School and Director of Judaic Studies and Religious Life at Ramaz, Rabbi of Congregation Shaare Tefilah in Teaneck

Rabbi Seth Schmulowitz - Rebbe at SAR Academy in Riverdale

Rabbi Etan Schnall – Rebbe at Yeshiva University, Rabbi at YI of Hillcrest

Rabbi Robbie Schrier – Rebbe at Yeshivat Mevaseret

Rabbi Dr. David Shabtai – Rabbi of the Sefardic Minyan at Boca Raton Synagogue, Director of the Florda Chesed Network  

Rabbi Yigal Sklarin – Associate Principal at Yeshiva of Flatbush

Rabbi David Snyder – Lawyer  

Rabbi Moshe Stavsky - Rabbi Emeritus, Beis Medrash of Bergenfield; Rebbe, Yeshivat Lev HaTorah and creador of educational resources for teachers

Rabbi Bezalel A Stechler – Dean at Heichal HaTorah  

Rabbi Daniel Stein – Rosh Yeshiva at RIETS and Rabbi of Ahavath Chesed in Manhattan

Rabbi Yaakov Zev Steinmetz – Ram at Yeshiva of South Florida

Rabbi Jonah Steinmetz – Rosh Kollel of YU Kollel in LA

Rabbi Shimmy Steinmetz – Rabbi of Adath Israel in Hillside, NJ

Rabbi Ike Sultan – BMP Rebbe at YU, Editor of Halachipedia

Rabbi David Weiss – Chair of Talmud Department, Rosh Kollel, and Rebbe at North Shore High School

Rabbi Yaakov Werblowsky – MYP Rebbe at YU

Rabbi Netanel Wiederblank – Rebbe at RIETS  

Rabbi Ari Zahtz –Rebbe at YU, Associate Rabbi at Bnai Yeshurun in Teaneck

Rabbi Daniel Y. Zuckerman – Ram at Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh  

Rabbi Shlomo Zuckier - Research Associate at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton

Rabbi Michoel Zylberman – Sgan Menahel at Beth Din of America