Faculty

Rabbi Shlomo Riskin is the founder and Chancellor of Ohr Torah Stone Colleges and Graduate Programs. Over the past 20 years, Rabbi Riskin has been the visionary force behind the network of OTS institutions. Click here for a complete biography.

Rabbi Joel Zeff is the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Hamivtar - Torat Yosef. He holds a BA from UCLA, in Hebrew Language, an MS in Jewish History from Yeshiva University, and received Rabbinic Ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University. Rabbi Zeff served as the spiritual leader of the Westwood Kehilla Congregation in Los Angeles for seven years before moving to Israel in 1994. Under his guidance, the Westwood Kehilla became one of the most dynamic outreach oriented Modern Orthodox synagogues in the Western United States. For the decade since making aliya he was Senior Lecturer at the David Shapell College of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. In 2007 Rabbi Zeff became Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Hamivtar - Torat Yosef, succeeding its founder, Rabbi Chaim Brovender. In close collaboration with Ohr Torah Stone founder and chancellor, Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, Rabbi Zeff is helping to produce the next generation of Jewish leaders firmly rooted in a broad-minded Orthodoxy. He is currently finishing a book on the philosophy of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, a favorite topic in his teaching. Rabbi Zeff is well known as a particularly exciting and edifying teacher and speaker. Joel and Donna Zeff are blessed with nine children, one son-in-law, one daughter-in-law, one grandchild, and make their home in Alon Shvut, Israel.

Rosh Yeshiva Emeritus, Rabbi Chaim Brovender was the founding Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Hamivtar – Torat Yosef and the Joseph and Gwendolyn Straus Rabbinical Seminary. 

Rabbi Gideon Sylvester is the Executive Director of the yeshiva, in addition to being a member of the teaching faculty. A graduate of both Yeshivat Hamivtar - Torat Yosef and of the Joseph and Gwendolyn Straus Rabbinical Seminary, Sylvester served for seven years as rabbi of Britain’s fastest growing Modern Orthodox Synagogue. Since making aliya, he has taught at Machon Pardes and Ohr Torah Stone’s Midreshet Lindenbaum college for women.

Rabbi Shuki Reich serves as the Rosh Kollel of the Joseph and Gwendolyn Straus Rabbinical Seminary's David Falk Kollel. Previously, Rav Shuki was previously the Rosh Yeshiva of OTS's Neveh Shmuel Yeshiva High School and spent two years as an emissary to Shalhevet High School in Los Angeles. Rav Shuki also offers a halakha shiur in Hebrew to the Yeshivat Hamivtar – Torat Yosef students, and is a popular teacher and lecturer in his home community of Efrat.

Rabbi Yitzchak Blau came to Yeshivat Hamivtar - Torat Yosef upon making aliya from the US, where he was a teacher at the Yeshiva of Flatbush High School. In addition to serving as a Rebbe in the yeshiva, Rabbi Blau is also a prolific writer, contributing articles on Jewish thought to periodicals such as "Tradition" and the "Torah u'Madda" journal. His Beginner's shiur helps introduce students to the key terms and structures of the gemara.

Rabbi David Fink teaches halakha to the Joseph and Gwendolyn Straus Rabbinical Seminary students, in addition to serving as an invaluable reference source to the entire yeshiva. A world class linguist, Rabbi Fink is also an expert in many fields, including the interface between modern technology, medicine and halakha.

Rabbi Aharon Frazer joined our yeshiva after spending several years as the Campus Rabbi of Brandeis University in Boston Massachusetts. Frazer, a qualified scribe, has also served as a Rabbinical Court assistant and scribe for the Rabbinical Court of America

Rabbi Daniel Reiser, a graduate of the Joseph and Gwendolyn Straus Rabbinical Seminary, joined our faculty as a teacher of Halakhah and Jewish Thought. In addition to his work here, Rabbi Reiser also teaches at Midreshet Moriah and is currently studying for his doctorate in Jewish thought at The Hebrew University. 

Rabbi Menachem Schrader is a Rebbe at Yeshivat Hamivtar/ Torat Yosef, in addition to being the Rav of Efrat's Tifferet Avot shul. Rav Schrader is also the guiding force behind the innovative JLI program, which places educators on college campuses to coordinate religious activities. Rav Schrader's previous rabbinical and educational experiences include teaching at the Mesivta Ohr Torah high school in Riverdale and serving as the Rabbi of Karmel. His advanced gemara shiur is one of the highlights of the yeshiva.

Rabbi Noam Himelstein has joined our faculty and will be teaching at night Seder. Rabbi Himelstein comes from New York, but made aliya at a young age. He studied at Yeshiva University, Yeshivat Har Etzion and Beit Morasha. He has a B.Ed from Michlelet Lifshitz and is currently working towards his Masters degree. Rabbi Himelstein joins us with a wealth of teaching experience having taught at the Kollel Mitzion in Australia, Midreshet Harova, Machon Gold and Michlelet Ye’ud."