Dr. Julie Goldstein

Rosh HaMidrasha, Director

Dr. Julie Goldstein’s teaching experience includes NYU, Ma’ayanot High School, JLIC at UCLA, and two decades of Jewish communal and adult education lectures. Dr. Goldstein received an MA in Jewish philosophy at YU and a joint PhD in medieval history and Judaic Studies at NYU. In 2013-14, she was a Golda Meir postdoctoral fellow at The Hebrew University and a research fellow at The Global Research Institute at Tel Aviv University. Dr. Goldstein has received a number of awards, including fellowships from Cardozo’s Center for Jewish Law and Civilization and The Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture. She lives in Beit Shemesh with her husband and five children.

jgoldstein@amudimisrael.org

Rabbanit Shira Zimmerman

Gemara Ra’M

Rabbanit Shira Zimmerman teaches halakha at Midreshet Lindenbaum, and serves as Rosh Beit Midrash at Midreshet Emunah V’Omanut. She is a graduate of the Susi Bradfield Women’s Institute for Halakhic Leadership at Midreshet Lindenbaum and the Matan Institute for Advanced Talmudic Learning. Rabbanit Shira also holds a BA in Talmud and Tanakh from Bar Ilan. She has spent many years giving shiurim in Gemara, Halakha, and Tanakh to seminary students and to her community in Gush Etzion. 

Rabbi Uri Goldstein

Dean

In addition to his role at Amudim, Rav Uri Goldstein is the Director of the Overseas Program at Yeshivat Hakotel. He received Semikha from YU and before making Aliyah in 2016, was rabbi of a community in Fair Lawn NJ, while also teaching at Frisch and Ma’ayanot high schools in NJ. Along with Dr. Goldstein, Rav Uri founded the Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus at UCLA. The Goldsteins live with their children in Beit Shemesh.

admin@amudimisrael.org

Brie Reich

Director of Student Life

Brie Reich grew up in Chicago and received her BA in Education from Stern College. Prior to making aliyah in 2004, she taught at the Arie Crown Hebrew Day School in Chicago. Since her aliyah, Brie has been deeply involved in hinuch both formal and informal. Her work includes teaching on Michlelet NCSY, kallah education, coordinating local youth programming and working as a Rakezet and teacher at Tiferet Midrasha. Brie is very excited to be joining the Amudim family.

Kelila Slonim

Menahelet, Administrative Coordinator

Kelila Slonim is originally from Melbourne Australia, where she served as a community educator and received a degree in Psychology. Kelila made Aliyah in 2016 and lives in Jerusalem. A graduate of Matan's Eshkolot and Lapidot programs, as well as Mizrachi's Shalhevet program, she is currently undertaking a Masters degree in Jewish History. Since making aliyah, Kelila has taught in a number of Midrashot and learning programs in Israel and online. Alongside with her role at Amudim, Kelila teaches at Midreshet Amit and Jewessence and is an Educator at the National Library of Israel.

kslonim@amudimisrael.org

R. Chaim Metzger

Night Seder

Rabbi Chaim Metzger studied for two years at Yeshivat Har Etzion, completed a B.A. in Physics and Mathematics at YU, an M.A in Mathematics from the Katz Graduate School, and an M.A. in Bible from YU. Aftrer receiving rabbinic ordination from YU, Rabbi Metzger returned to Yeshivat Har Etzion and studied in the Kollel Gavohah for three years. Rabbi Metzger has long sought to bring serious academic rigor to his Torah learning, incorporating his knowledge of Mathematics in teaching at Mesivta Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch, and utilizing his knowledge of Machine Learning to create a predictive neural network for Taamei Hamikra (the cantillation notes of the Torah reading). While in Yeshivat Har Etzion, Rabbi Metzger was involved with the American program, teaching and mentoring gap year students.

Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey Woolf

Rabbi Prof. Jeffrey R. Woolf is an internationally known scholar, lecturer and public figure. He is an Associate Professor in the Talmud Department at Bar-Ilan University, specializing in the History of Halakhah, Medieval and Renaissance Jewish History, the Philosophy of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, and the inter-action between Judaism, Islam and Christianity. He received his PhD in Medieval Jewish History at Harvard University and spent two years at Yale University, as a Post-Doctoral Fellow. Rabbi Woolf studied for nine and a half years under Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik זצ”ל, from whom he received semikhah in 1982.

Gila Fine

Gila Fine is a lecturer in rabbinic literature at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies. She also serves on the faculty of the Nachshon Project, the London School of Jewish Studies, as well as Amudim, and has taught thousands of students at communities and conferences across the Jewish world. Gila’s work has been featured in the BBC, Haaretz, Jerusalem Post, Jerusalem Report, Tradition Journal, Jewish News, and Jewish Chronicle. Haaretz has called her “a young woman on her way to becoming one of the more outstanding Jewish thinkers of the next generation.” Her book The Madwoman in the Rabbi's Attic: Rereading the Women of the Talmud, was published by Maggid in 2024.

Rabbanit Leora Balinsky-Glauber

Mashgihah Ruhanit, Gemara Ra’M

Originally from Evanston, IL, Rabbanit Leora made Aliyah after graduating from Barnard College, where she studied philosophy and religion. Leora is an alumna of Migdal Oz, the Drisha Summer Kollel, and the Center for Modern Torah Leadership’s Summer Beit Midrash. Since making Aliyah three years ago, she has been learning in the advanced shiur at Yeshivat Drisha. She is pursuing an MSW from Tel Aviv University, and is a certified Kallah Teacher from the Eden Center. Leora has diverse experience teaching in post high-school and adult educational settings and is excited to share her passion for Torah with the students of Amudim. She lives with her husband Sam in Nahlaot.

Rabbi Matthew Nitzanim

In addition to Amudim, Rav Matthew Nitzanim teaches Torah at Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi and at Pardes, and works as lead editor for the Office of the President at Ohr Torah Stone. He studied for Smikha from the Chief Rabbinate at Yeshivat Machanayim, and holds a BA in Philosophy from Princeton University and an MA in Bioethics from Bar-Ilan University.

Rabbi Dr. Aharon Wexler

Rav Aharon Wexler is beloved by our students for his passion for Israel and the Jewish people and for his exciting, thought-provoking shiurim. He made aliyah from New York after high school and studied in Yeshivat HaKotel. After Yeshiva and his service in the IDF, Rav Aharon earned a BA in Archeology from Bar-Ilan University and then returned to Yeshivat HaKotel for Rabbinic Ordination. Rav Aharon went on to receive an MA in Jewish History, and a Doctorate in Jewish Philosophy. He is also a licensed tour guide and a popular columnist for The Jerusalem Post. Rav Aharon makes his home in Efrat with his family.

Rabbi Yonatan Rosensweig

Rabbi Yoni Rosensweig is Rabbi of the Netzach Menasheh community in Beit Shemesh and is a teacher of halakha, Gemara, and Jewish thought. He previously served as Rosh Kollel of the Mizrachi community in Melbourne, Australia. Rav Yoni is today's leading voice in the field of mental health and halakha. He is the author of several books, including Nafshi B’she’eilati, as well as the founder of Maaglei Nefesh, the Israel Institute for Mental Health and Halakha.

Rabbi Dov Laimon

Rabbi Dov Laimon has worked as a sofer sta"m, and as a teacher of the art of writing and the discipline of Jewish mystical thought regarding the Hebrew letters for over 30 years. He is a lifetime student of the Hornesteiple Rebbe (Jerusalem). Rabbi Laimon lives in Jerusalem.

Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash

In addition to her “Women and Judaism” class at Amudim, Rabbanit Nechama Goldman Barash teaches contemporary halakhah and Talmud at Matan, MTVA, and the Pardes Institute in Jerusalem. She also lectures on sexuality and halakhah through the Eden Center, an Israeli organization dedicated to enabling all women to have a meaningful experience in the mikvah (ritual bath). Nechama moved to Israel in 1991 after graduating with a BA from Stern College. She holds a master's degree in Talmud from Bar-Ilan University. She is an alumna of Matan’s Advanced Talmud Institute and Hilkhata program, and a graduate of Nishmat’s Yoatzot Halacha program. Nechama is an active member of the rabbinic organization Beit Hillel and participates in interfaith dialogue with Roots, an organization based in Gush Etzion where she lives. Her book, Uncovered: Women's Roles, Mitzvot, and Sexuality in Jewish Law, was published by Urim in 2024.

Rabbi Jeffrey Saks

Rabbi Jeffrey Saks is the Editor of Tradition, the journal of Orthodox Jewish thought published by the RCA, as well as founding director of ATID – The Academy for Torah Initiatives and Directions in Jewish Education and its WebYeshiva.org program. Rabbi Saks is the Series Editor of The S.Y. Agnon Library at The Toby Press, and lectures regularly at the Agnon House in Jerusalem.

Gila Lowell

Gila Lowell is a mother of 5 and has been teaching a wide variety of Torah-related topics via an interdisciplinary approach at Mayanot Women's Institute and several other seminaries over the past 20 years. She also makes sure to drag her students annually to museums to illustrate how understanding the cultural backdrop on which the Tanakh was written makes the text accessible. 

Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Shore

R. Dr. Eliezer Shore is a teacher of Jewish thought and spirituality who has studied with some of the great Hasidic masters of today. In addition to receiving rabbinic ordination from R. Zalman Nechemia Goldberg and maintaining deep commitment to Jewish life and practice, he has a university background in comparative religion, an M.A. in Jewish Education from YU and a Ph.D. in Jewish Philosophy from Bar Ilan University. R. Shore teaches as the Rothberg International School at Hebrew University and Michlalah Jerusalem. He is widely published and also a dynamic storyteller, whose original tales and renderings have appeared in various anthologies and read over international radio. He lives in the Ramat Eshkol neighborhood of Jerusalem with his wife and five children.

Rabbi Dr. David Harbater

Rabbi Dr. David Harbater teaches Bible and Jewish thought at MTVA and at the Women’s Beit Midrash of Efrat. He previously served as a lecturer in Jewish education at Herzog College, a curriculum writer for the Florence Melton School, and a teacher of Bible, Jewish thought, and Talmud in a variety of frameworks. He studied at Yeshivat Har Etzion, YU, and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, received his rabbinic ordination from Rabbi Zalman Nechemiah Goldberg, and earned his PhD in education from the University of Haifa. He recently published In the Beginnings: Discovering the Two Worldviews Hidden within Genesis 1-11.

Dr. Rachel Pear

Dr. Rachel Pear, the co-founder of Shir Hadash, received her undergraduate degree from Columbia University in pre-historic archeology, an MA in the same subject from Hebrew University and her doctorate in the interdisciplinary department of Bar Ilan University, where she studied Science and Religion generally, and specifically how Orthodox Judaism relates to evolution. Her subsequent post-doctoral research at the University of Haifa has expanded this exploration to include studying how other religious groups in Israel – Christian and Muslim – relate to evolution. She has taught throughout the country, including for religious teachers of High School Biology classes, about this subject.

Leah Herzog

Leah Herzog, M.Ed. has over 30 years of experience teaching high school and adults in the United States, Canada and Israel. She graduated Phi Betta Kappa from Barnard College, holds teacher's certification from Michlalah, and earned an M.Ed. and ABD in Education Psychology from Loyola University of Chicago, as well as having done doctoral work in Educational Administration at the University of Cincinnati.  For the past 13 years, Mrs. Herzog worked at Ma'ayanot Yeshiva High School in Teaneck, NJ, where she taught Tanakh, Ivrit and was the co-Director of Israel Guidance.  In addition to teaching at Amudim, Mrs. Herzog is also a lecturer at Matan.

Ditza Eitan

דיצה איתן גרה בבית אל, ישראל. היא מורה לעברית במשך שנים רבות: בבית ספר משמשת כרכזת תחום העברית, וגם באולפנים לעולים חדשים, לימדה בכל הרמות. לאחרונה יצרה קורס דיגיטלי ללימוד און ליין של השפה העברית לעולים חדשים. בשיטה שלה היא שמה דגש על : אוצר מילים נרחב, כללים וחוקים בסיסיים של השפה, וחזרתיות. בשיעורים דיצה משלבת טקסטים ממקורות היהדות, קטעים אקטואליים מהחדשות, סרטוני יוטיוב, משחקי לימוד, ועוד

Rabbi David Levin-Kruss

Rabbi David Levin-Kruss is a Jerusalem-based educator, life coach, and
community organizer. Affectionately known as “DLK,” he sees himself as a bridge between Jewish wisdom and those who want to utilize this wisdom to live more meaningful lives. DLK has held educational and leadership positions at the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Pardes, Melitz Centers for Jewish Zionist Education and at Stanmore Synagogue in north-west London.

Rabbi David Fine

Rabbi David Fine is the Founder and Dean of the Barkai Center for Practical Rabbinics and Community Development located in Modiin. Prior to founding Barkai, Rabbi Fine was the Director of Rabbinic Outreach at the Eretz Hemdah institute for Advanced Judaic Studies in Jerusalem and the Coordinator of Jewish Identify at the Modiin Community Center. Rabbi Fine made Aliyah in 2008 from Overland Park, Kansas, where he served as Rabbi of Congregation BIAV. Prior to moving to Kansas Rabbi Fine served as the Rabbi of Lake Park Synagogue in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He holds rabbinic ordination from the Joseph and Gwendolyn Straus Rabbincal Seminary (Yeshivat HaMivtar) in Efrat as well as a BA and MA in Judaic Studies . He also is a licensed Poland tour guide. He is married to Dr. Julie (Nee Goldstein) Fine, a child psychologist) and is the proud father of Etan, Chanan , Amiel and Zachy and the grandfather of Naveh Shalom.

Efrat Shani

Efrat Shani received a B.FA in sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, Italy and a B.ED in Art Education from Talpiot College. Specializing in classical figurative art, sculpture and drawing, she teaches at Talpiot College and offers private art workshops for art students and aficionados at her Jerusalem studio, aptly named "Rinascimento."

Rabbi Josh Yuter

Rabbi Josh Yuter received ordination from YU and holds MA degrees in Talmud and Social Sciences, and a BA in Computer Science. He is a former spiritual leader of The Stanton St. Shul on the Lower East Side of New York, an award-winning blogger, and repeatedly recognized for his influence on social media.

Rabbi Ari Ze’ev Schwartz

Rabbi Ari Ze’ev Schwartz is the author of “The Spiritual Revolution of Rav Kook: Writings of a Jewish Mystic” (Gefen, 2018) and written several other books on the meaning of Shabbat, Prayer and the Parasha. Originally from Sydney, Australia, R. Schwartz studied at the University of New South Wales majoring in music and film before coming to Jerusalem, where he studied for eight years in several yeshivot in Jerusalem, receiving rabbinical ordination at the Shehebar Sephardic Center in Jerusalem under Rabbi Yaakov Peretz, and studying Talmud and Jewish Philosophy at Herzog Academic College. Rabbi Schwartz served as the head rabbi of Bnei Akiva’s Hachshara program for three and a half years. From 2017-2020 he cofounded and was the dean of the Society of Independent Spirituality, an English-speaking learning center in Jerusalem that combined Jewish spirituality and Zionism. Currently, Rabbi Schwartz teaches at several yeshivot and midrashot in Jerusalem.

Orna Alexander

As part of Amudim’s goal to foster healthy mind, body and spirit, Orna Alexander, skilled and certified Krav Maga instructor and fitness motivator, brings her friendly, energetic, encouraging, and goal-oriented style of training into Amudim's weekly Hilutz Atzamot sessions. Specializing in empowering women and girls, Orna is 100% dedicated to the next generation of female leadership in the Jewish community. Orna pushes our students to work to their potential without going past their maximum limits of exertion and helps them to strive high in every aspect of their Amudim experience.

Rivka Gopin

Rakezet; Programming Coordinator

Born and raised in Israel, Rivka currently lives and studies biotech in Jerusalem. When she is not doing homework or out looking for an adventure, she enjoys playing basketball, traveling, sharing a good laugh with friends, and can never turn down the opportunity to open a book. Having spent a lot of time in a midrasha environment, both as student and staff, Rivka is a pro!

Natali Biton

Madrikha

“Hey guys! My name is Natali, I’m from Miami and am 20 years old. Three fun facts: I am more of a tea person than a coffee person, I love making pieces of art out of clay, and I just made Aliya! So excited to meet everyone!”

Yona Citron

Madrikha

“I made Aliya from the UK in 2006 and have been living in Beit Shemesh ever since. I did a year of national service at Shalva, an organization that works with the special needs community, and had the most amazing time. I also just finished a year of midrasha at Midreshet Shilat. A few fun facts about me: I have both strong British and American accents which change depending upon who I’m speaking to! I’m a certified tour guide and ⁠I love music—singing, playing piano and guitar, or just a fun Karaoke night. I can’t wait to meet all you and build long lasting connections!”