Our Kollel Family
Rabbi Zvi Holland, Dean
Dr. Steve and Lynn Kanner Chair of Talmud
Rabbi Holland hails from the "Jerusalem of the Poconos" Scranton, PA. Educated in the U.S. and Israel, Rabbi Holland was ordained by the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem and a member of the Council of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. He is dedicated to promoting Torah study and building community. An active member of the Orthodox Rabbinical Council he commits time to practical halachic rulings , the Phoenix Community Eruv and serves as Posek to Ohr Hatorah Congregation. In addition to his leadership role in the Valley, he is active in the national arena serving in various capacities for Jewish Unity International, Agudath Israel of America, and the National Community Kollel Network. Rabbi Holland has an infectious personality, an intelligent style, and a delicious recipe for every occasion. He and his wife Sima maintain a brood of exclusively red-headed children in an environment of frenetic enthusiasm and well-fed guests.
Rabbi Raphael Landesman, Director of Education
Cindy Landesman, Director of Women's Education
Rabbi Landesman is one of the founding members of the Phoenix Community Kollel, having moved with his family to the Valley from Israel six years ago. An alumnus of Yeshiva Ner Israel in Baltimore and the Mir yeshiva in Jerusalem, he received ordination from a member of the Council of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. He has served as advisor to the local chapter of the NCSY teen group. Rabbi Landesman is the Head of School at Shearim Torah High School, is active at Ohr Hatorah and Shaarei Tzedek Congregations, and a sought after halachic advisor and teacher of Bar Mitzvah students. His busy schedule revolves around a dogged committment to advancing his own erudite Torah scholarship. He lives in Phoenix with his wife Cindy, his five children, and his Pittsburgh Steelers championship gear. Cindy has a master's degree in speech therapy from the University of North Texas and is a graduate of Michlala College for Women. She earned her Certificate in Clinical Competence by working at a pediatric speech clinic in the Scottsdale area, andthen moved on to Boswell Hospital in Sun City. Eventually, Cindy’s passion for community involvement took over and she left her position at Boswell to assume the position as the Director of Women’s Education for the Kollel. Cindy has expanded the educational and social programming available for women to now include day and evening classes, lunch-and-learns, semi-annual luncheons, Rosh Chodesh groups and one on one learning. A highlight of the women’s division is Phoenix Conference for Jewish Women which each years draws women from all over the valley. Contact them at rlandesman@aztorah.com or clandesman@aztorah.com
Rabbi Yakov Bronsteyn, Senior Lecturer
Esther Bronsteyn, Account Executive Arizona Jewish Spirit
Rabbi Bronsteyn, another of the Kollel's founding "fathers", was raised in Lawrence, NY and studied in both the US and Israel and was ordained as a rabbi at yeshiva Mercaz Hatorah in jerusalem. As Senior Lecturer he offers opoular public classes at the Kollel, Ohr Hatorah and Ahavas Torah Congregations and at other venues valley-wide. Many of his lectures are available online at www.bronsteyn.org. As a recognized expert in Jewish Law Rabbi Bronsteyn serves as the West Coast director of supervision for the world reknowned Star-K Kosher Supervision Service. Rabbi Bronsteyn’s responsibilities include maintaining STAR-K kashrus standards throughout the western United States and Mexico, in everything from bakeries to pharamaceutical productions. He and his wife Esther host many guests in their home along with thier five wonderful children. Rabbi Bronsteyn may be reached at yakov.bronsteyn@gmail.com
Rabbi Daniel & Yael Abramowitz
Daniel was born in Monterey, California and the son of a rabbi. His father, an army chaplain, and gave him the opportunity to experience frontier Judaism in the twentieth century. He was raised primarily in Elizabeth, New Jersey, studied at Torah V’Daath and Mir in Jerusalem AND he is also a CPA. Yael hails from Brooklyn and studied at Prospect
Park and at Meor Bais Yaakov. She has worked as a teacher, administrator and camp director for various special
education organizations in Brooklyn and is a graduate of Long Island University with an MA in Special Education. Yael is the Director of Camp Nageela and teaches Judaic Studies at Shearim Torah HIgh School. They are the proud parents of Meira Ruth, 5, Yehudit Malka, 3 and Tziporah Esther, 4 months. Contact them at dabramowitz@aztorah.com or yabramowitz@aztorah.com
Rabbi Gavriel & Gittel Goetz
The Goetz family joined us from Lakewood, New Jersey.
Gavriel Goetz was born in Jerusalem and lived in the West Bank for eight years before moving to Baltimore, MD. A graduate of Yeshiva Ner Israel, and Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, NJ. Gavriel is a published author with a series of articles on some of the more difficult areas of Talmudic Law. In his spare time, he also enjoys playing basketball. Gittelwas also born in Jerusalem and lived in South Bend, Indiana, Cleveland, Ohio and Monsey,
New York before settling with her husband in New Jersey. A graduate of Touro College with a B.A. in psychology, Gittel taught Hebrew School for four years. She is a professional graphic designer. They are the proud parents of two little boys - Shlomo Yitzchok, 3 and Daniel, 2. And Atara Chana just born in Phoenix! Get in touch with Rabbi Goetz by emailing him at ggoetz@aztorah.com
Rabbi Yossie & Baila Semel
The Semels arrived in the Valley from the holy city of Jerusalem, where they have lived since they married. Rabbi Yossie, originally from New York, has studied in Ner Israel of Baltimore and the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem. He has Rabbinic Ordination from the Rabbinic Court of Jerusalem, and becomes the first certified Mohel to join the Kollel faculty. Baila comes from Los Angeles and studied at the BYA Seminary in Jerusalem. They have three adorable little boys - Avraham, Dovid and Yitzchak. Get in touch with Rabbi Semel by emailing him at ysemel@aztorah.com
Rabbi Shragi & Chana Yankelewitz
Shragi Yankelewitz grew up in Philadelphia, graduated Yeshivath Beth Moshe of Scranton with highest honors and studied at the Mir Yeshiva of Jerusalem and Beth Medrash Govoha of Lakewood. He is a graduate of the Ner L’Elef Community Leadership program and Aish Dos Teachers Training course. Shragi enjoys singing Carlebach and warm weather. Originally from Monsey, N.Y., Chana Yankelewitz graduated Bnos Chava
Seminary in Israel. She taught in Torah High Schools of San Diego, California and subsequently in Breuer’s in Manhattan. She founded and directed an interactive “Jewish Joy!” program at senior facilities in the Lakewood area. Chana teaches at Shearim Torah High schools and enjoys meeting new people and milkshakes.Their two little boys are Shmuel Chaim, 2 1/2 and Avraham, 8 months.
Get in touch with Rabbi Yankelewitz by emailing him at syankelewitz@aztorah.com
Rabbi Dov and Chaya Finman
The Finman's arrived from Chicago but are really New Yorkers. in addition to his Kollel studies, Dov is completing a doctorate in Clinical Psychology and is an expert in the areas of Kosher Supervision and Shatnez testing.(www.shatnezlab.com ) Chaya is our Administrator where she uses her prodigious administrative skills and accounting background to keep the Kollel running smooth on an an even and organized keel. they are the proud parents of Simcha Meir. Contact them at phoenixshatnez@gmail.com or cfinman@aztorah.com
Miriam Mellovitz
Arriving in Phoenix from Chicago, Miriam brings the class and dignity of a native Dane to the Kollel front office. Miriam makes sure that everyone who contacts the Kollel is treated with our signature caring and respect-and she makes everything happen in a calm effective manner! reach Miriam at mmellovitz@aztorah.com
Kollel Alumni
We are most proud of our Alumni who have gone on to serve the Jewish Community. Their lasting contributions to the Jewish Community in general and in our community in particular, are a source of Nachas and satisfaction that we have succeeded in in the most basic of our goals; Building Jewish (Comm) Unity Through Learning.
Rabbi Elimelech and Chani Adler
Both hailing from Brooklyn, NY, The Adlers joined the Kollel in 2004 Rabbi Adler headed JSU- Jewish Student Union clubs in Valley High Schools and helped found JAC spending incredible amounts of time wearing out I-10 to Tucson. Rabbi Adler has enhanced the community with his fiery Divrei Torah and musical talents as a Chazzan and a instrumentalist performing and Simchas to the delight of everyone. Chani is the first grade Judaic studies teacher at the Phoenix Hebrew Academy and has changed the lives of every studen she has welcomed into her classroom. They live in Phoenix and share their home with three picture-perfect children.
Rabbi Jordan and Risa Brumer
Rabbi Brumer studied at Yeshiva Ner Israel in Baltimore, as well as receiving a Master of Education at Johns Hopkins U. Rabbi Brumer was recruited to be the head of the Kollel’s college outreach division, commuting to Tucson several times a week to run programs and shabbatons at the U of Arizona Hillel. With his success JAC-Jewish Arizonans on Campus grew to be an full time college outreach initiative at both Arizona State University and University of Arizona in Tucson. He lives in Scottsdale with his wife Risa, who is also active with JAC. They are the parents of four adorable children and the hosts of one of the most popular Shabbos tables in Arizona. Learn more about JAC at www.myjac.org .
Rabbi Baruch and Elinor Cohen
The Cohen's arrived in Phoenix from Israel to accomplish the impossible. Recruited after a worldwide search in 2003 to reach out to the burgeoning Bucharian Jewish poulation in the Valley, They have presided together over a revolution. Since their arrival there has been a veritable renaissance of Judaism in their community. With unwavering committment and boundless enthusiasm they have inspired growth and cgange. Today the Bucharian Jews are a major part of Jewish life in town and their presence is felt throughout the Valley and the Cohen's have infused them with the spirit of Torah. rabbi Cohen serves as the Chief Rabbi of The Shaarei Tzion Ohel Bracha Phoenix Bucharian Jewish Community. they live in Phoenix with their daughter Ruty.
Rabbi David and Ziva Fleshitiyev
"Rabbi David" and Ziva arrived in 2004 to head a new Bucharian shul on the "West Side". After studying in Israel, they had already spent a few years in Tashkent, Uzbekistan serving their community there. Seeing so many of their brethren moving to Phoenix they did so as well and we were enriched while they were here. Rabbi David a accomplished "Shochet" -Ritual Slaughterer and Certified Mohel served the Bucharian community for over three years reaching out to families across the Valley. His direct style and oratory skills impacted everyone he encountered. Appointed in 2006 to the Bucharian Rabbinical Council and as the Mohel of Ohel Simcha the Fleshiyevs now make their home in Queens, NY.
Rabbi Shlomie and Sari Gelber
The Gelbers arrived in 2002 from Israel. Rabbi Gelber, originally from Queens, N.Y. studied in the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem and Sari from Fair Lawn, NJ is a graduate of Stern College and ASU. they taught at the Phoenix Hebrew Academy and were a part of the Kollel family for five years focusing on reaching out to children developing their love for Judaism and Torah learning. In 2006 they joined the founding group of the Kollel of SOuth Florida where Shlomie serves as the Director of Outreach. They are parents to five boys three born in Phoenix!
Rabbi Dovid and Shira Goldman
Rabbi Dovid Goldman, a native of Philadelphia, was ordained at Ner Israel Rabbinical College in Baltimore. He earned a Bachelor’s in Philosophy from
USC in Los Angeles, went on to graduate from Northeastern University School of Law in Boston, and is a member of the Bar in the State of Maryland.
Rabbi Dovid Goldman coulda’ been a lawyer. He also could have been a philosopher (though law definitely pays better!). But his heart tugged him back to
Yeshivas Ner Yisroel, even after finishing law-school, because there’s no substitute for the rigor of Torah learning. Joining the Kollel's founding group in May of 2000, Shira served as the administrator of the Kollel from the first day. Even with all of the responsibility they had The creative juices flowed freely from this couple of the Kollel’s original ‘Fab Four’, from magazines to election-themed Sheva Berachos. Welcome to the home of Camp Nageela and American Jewish Spirit. In 2008, the Goldmans moved back to Baltimore from where Rabbi Goldman directs the American Jewish Spirit family of magazines. to learn more go to www.ajspirit.com
Rabbi Pinchas and Sara Nisanov
Rabbi Pinchas and his family arrived in the Valley in 2004 to expand outreach to the younger members of the Bucharian Jewish Community. Together with his wife Sara they helped build a distinct community in North Phoenix wher ethey now reside. Always ready with anice word and a balanced approach to every issue he is now the Rabbi of Shaarei Tzion Ohel Bracha of North Phoenix where he and his family live. Sara founded Moked Tehilim which brings togethers hundreds of Bucharian women to pray for the welfare of the sick and destitute. Together they make time to raise their three beautiful daughters.
Rabbi Ariel and Ayala Shoshan
Rabbi and Mrs. Shoshan arrived from Baltimore in 2002. Rabbi Shoshan a graduate of both Ner Israel Rabbinical College and the University of Maryland, and a former ice cream vendor for the Chicago Cubs. Ayala , a native of Atlanta and scion of a well known Rabbinic family Studied in Israel and Maryland. Rabbi Shoshan served as the Kollel's Director for five years during which time he led the Kollel's efforts in North Scottsdale which became Ahavas Torah. He devloped many parograms that have become a major part of the Kollel calendar including Jewish Unity Live and The Abraham Samuel Friedman Distinguished Speaker Series. Since 2007 he has served as full time Rabbi of Ahavas Torah: Scottsdale Torah Center which due to his and Ayala's leadership is a shining example of a growth community. We are priviledged to have Rabbi Shoshan continue to teach his Thursday morning executive learning program at the Kollel and partner with him and Ahavas Torah to provide Torah learning opportunities and inspiration in North Scottsdale. Rabbi Shoshan is active on the Orthodox Rabbinical Council, Agudath Israel of America and has dedicated himself as a meaningful partner in the continued building of the Valley's Jewish Community. For more information on Ahavas Torah go to www.ahavastorah.org