Our Roshei Yeshiva
Rabbi Baruch Bodenheim is Associate Rosh Yeshiva at Ner Boruch/PTI and teaches the in-depth Gemara shiur on Monday-Wednesday, as well as a Gemara shiur for the morning seder program. He grew up in both Washington Heights and Monsey, NY. After marrying his wife, Rivka Singer, he went to learn for 10 years at the Mir Yeshiva in Yerushalayim. He earned his smicha from both Rabbi Zalman Nechamia Goldberg in Eretz Yisroel and Rabbi Menachem Goldman in America. Rabbi Bodenheim writes a weekly Dvar Torah for the New Jersey Jewish Link and Monsey Mevaser, and oversees a drop-in center for troubled teens, and interacts on a personal level with a great many of our talmidim.
Our Faculty
Rabbi Shlomo Besser gives an in-depth shiur on the Parsha each erev Shabbos morning at PTI. He was born in Eretz Yisroel, moving to the US at a young age. Rabbi Besser learned in Telshe Yeshiva, as well as by Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l. Currently, he is Rav of Congregation Bnai Israel Chaim in Manhattan's Upper West Side. His father, Harav Yechezkel Besser zt”l instilled in their family a deep ahavas Torah coupled with ahavas Yisroel. These two are inseparable and together illuminate his derech hachayim.
Rabbi Ari Chechik currently gives a Medrash Rabbah shiur on Sunday & Monday nights. He formerly gave the Daf Yomi shiur in PTI the previous cycle. He studied in Ner Israel, Baltimore and then learned in the Mir Yeshiva, both in Yerushalayim and Brooklyn., where he earned Smicha. In addition to Smicha, Rabbi Chechik received tutelage in Psak Halacha from Rav Z. Gelley, the Av Beis Din of KAJ Washington Heights, as well as Dayan Glucksman, a Talmid of the Chazon Ish for 5 and 3 years respectively. Rabbi Chechik brings tremendous energy and depth to his shiurim, having learned through Shas four times himself and Medrash Rabba two times. He also holds a Juris Doctor degree from Brooklyn Law School, but no longer practices in order to focus on Limud HaTorah and his Talmidim.
Rabbi Mordechai Moshe (Marty) Goldberg currently leads our Sunday morning bekius chabura for Bava Metzia. Marty was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, where he attended Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim, before learning at Yeshiva Ohr Yerushalayim in Eretz Yisroel. Rabbi Goldberg then attended Yeshiva University and, subsequently, New York University Law School. Rabbi Goldberg has had the privilege to learn with Rabbi Singer, Shlita, one on one. In addition, Rabbi Goldberg learns with avreichim in the West Side Kollel of Manhattan, where he lived for seven years, as well as with his brother, Rabbi Avraham Goldberg, Shlita, who is a Rosh Kollel in Eretz Yisroel and talmid of Rav Meir Stern, Shlita.
Rabbi Yerachmiel Moshe Hamburger leads our “Kinyan Hamesechta” program on Monday-Wednesday nights. He guides his devoted chevra to really “own” their Gemara. Rabbi Hamburger was born in Brooklyn and grew up under the influence of Rav Avigdor Miller zt"l who gave him a special Brocha and even guided his davening for the Amud! Rabbi Hamburger learned in Bais HaTalmud in Bensonhurst, then Bais Medrash Elyon in Monsey, the Kaminetz Yeshiva in Eretz Yisroel and about 10 years in Kollel right here in Passaic at Yeshiva Gedola. Rabbi Hamburger developed a gift in teaching “kriah” [reading] which he applies in his work at Yeshiva Ktana of Passaic, and also teaches at the Mesivta of Passaic.
Rabbi Shaya Jaffe teaches Gemara in the morning seder at Ner Boruch/PTI. He grew up in Washington, DC and then moved to Queens, NY to learn for 12 years at Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim. Rabbi Jaffe taught in Jewish day schools for over 20 years, developing his noted skills in analytical reading of texts which he brings to all his students.
Rabbi Tzvi Mayerfeld leads the Daf Hashovua program at Ner Boruch/PTI. Originally from Rochester, NY, he moved with his family to Monsey and later became a talmid of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel in Baltimore, where he learned under Rav Yaakov Yitzchok HaLevi Ruderman and Rav Shmuel Yaakov Weinberg, zt'l. By 1990, he moved his family to Passaic, a few doors away from PTI. Rabbi Mayerfeld works in computers, but “bookends” his days with Torah learning. His early morning class focuses in understanding and articulating the p'shat, the straightforward (often mistranslated as "simple") meaning of the Gemara or the Rashi or Rishonim, as clearly as possible.
Rabbi Avraham Meisels teaches our weeknights Amud-a-Week chabura. He grew up in Chicago, near the Telshe Yeshiva, where his family was very involved and where he later attended high school. Rabbi Meisels then learned in Linden under Rav Gershon Neumann and the Mir Yeshiva in Yerushalayim with Rav Asher Arieli. He moved his family to Passaic some years ago, working in the lighting industry, but loves spreading the “light” of Torah in the evenings to his devoted group of talmidim.
Rabbi Elimelech Rosenberg heads our iyun (in depth) halacha chabura, currently learning the halachos of basar b'chalav (the laws prohibiting the eating of milk and meat together). Originally from Toronto, he learned in Yeshivas Bais Yisroel and Mir in Yerushalayim, and later in Bais Medrash Govoha in Lakewood NJ, were he received Smicha [Rabbinic Ordination]. After leaving the BMG Kollel, he immediately began teaching and has taught a variety of subjects to middle and high school aged students. The highlight of his education calling has been the opportunity to deliver shiurim that focus on practical halacha, including delving into traditional sources and deriving modern-day applications. With a passion to give that learning and knowledge over to others, he has led groups of working professionals and lay people to attain their goals in halacha understanding, first in Lakewood, and now in Passaic, after moving here with his family in 2020.
Rabbi Berel Schulman, born and bred in Rochester, is a new member of the Passaic community having moved here from Toronto, Canada this past summer 2022. Aside from the wonderful Torah infrastructure that Passaic is known for, having three daughters living in Passaic made the city an attractive choice of residence. Rabbi Schulman received Smicha (ordination) from the Ner Israel Yeshiva of Baltimore. He holds a Masters Degree in Education from Loyola University. Rabbi Schulman taught in Ner Israel of Toronto for 16 years, after which he served as Director of Chaplaincy at the Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto for 25 years. Currently, he is engaged in daily Torah studies, beginning his day learning before Shacharis at the Clifton Cheder, followed by mornings spent at PTI where he enjoys learning with chavrusas and leading a chabura.
Rabbi Avraham Shulman leads perhaps the biggest shiur at our Monday-Wednesday program, focusing on Gemara with Rashi and other sources. It’s been a 10-year endeavor for him. “I love that I’m able to learn and spend time with the guys!” He grew up in Staten Island, NY and later had the opportunity to learn under Rav Tzvi Kushelevsky. Rabbi Shulman earned his smicha [rabbinical ordination] at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS) in 2000. He returned to his alma mater in 2005 to teach at the YUHSB, where he is Maggid Shiur and 12th Grade Dean/Mashgiach, as well as Director of Israel Guidance. Rabbi Shulman lives in Passaic with his wife Temima and five children, and serves as Rav of Kehillas Beis Sholom in Clifton, NJ.
Rabbi Moshe Silverstein is our beloved baal kriyah and frequent speaker for drashos and divrei Torah, particularly over Yom Tov. He grew up in Woodmere, NY, where he attended Yeshiva Toras Chaim before going on to Yeshiva University for high school, college, smicha and kollel. It's there that he developed a love for learning and teaching Torah. During those years, he also spent a year and a half learning in Yeshivas Kerem B'Yavneh. Rabbi Silverstein came with his wife, Atara, and children to Passaic from Ramat Beis Shemesh and immediately became involved in PTI, where he taught a daily Gemorah shiur. Professionally, Rabbi Silverstein is a tax manager at Leshkowitz and Company, LLP, a CPA firm in New York City. He writes a weekly article on halachic topics connected to the Parsha for the Yeshiva's Timely Torah Insights weekly divrei torah sheet.
Rabbi Gershon West has been teaching at Ner Boruch/PTI for over a decade, focusing mostly in areas of halacha. He grew up in Monsey, NY and learned in Yeshiva Gedola of Passaic, Brisk in Yerushalayim and later in Lakewood. Rabbi West lives in Passaic and is currently the Rosh Kollel of Choshen Mishpat Kollel of Passaic/Clifton. He teaches a popular contemporary halacha shiur on Sunday mornings at PTI.
Rabbi Zev Wolbe teaches a Halacha shiur on weeknights at PTI. He grew up in Monsey, NY, studied at Yeshiva Gedola of Passaic, and then married and moved to Eretz Yisroel. There, Wolbe studied at the Mir Yeshiva, and The Jerusalem Kollel under Rav Yitzchok Berkovits. He also had the merit of spending extended time and learning from his grandfather, Rav Shlomo Wolbe zt”l. He is now involved in publishing his grandfather’s seforim. He also teaches at Yeshivas Toras Dovid in Monsey. He lives in Passaic with his family, and hosts a neighborhood shul in his basement.
Rabbi Eliyahu Zimmerman teaches our introductory level Gemara program on Monday and Wednesday nights. He grew up in Long Beach, NY where he attended mesivta. He then went on to learn in Denver and then Yerushalayim at Mercas HaTorah, where he received semicha. After time in Kollel, he joined the Freeda Health company, working in both formulation and sales of all products. Rabbi Zimmerman has been the first stop for many of our students in the last 18 years, as he translates and explains each word of the Gemara to ensure solid skills are gained to grow in learning.