Amid Record Growth, YCT 2.0 Brand Identity Launches

Over the last three years, YCT has been undergoing a period of major institutional growth. This growth is being propelled by a fresh, new vision and is evidenced by its expanding range of initiatives and the generous and enthusiastic support from its growing funder base.

This new YCT, dubbed “YCT 2.0,” has broadened its reach with the addition of a non-rabbinic certificate program for Jewish educators and professionals, as well as a  leadership program for Israeli rabbis and rabbaniyot. YCT has simultaneously increased its Torah offerings, including an advanced Kollel, and the addition of more rabbis and scholars to its Torah faculty.

To reflect this energy and expansion, YCT has launched a totally new look, which includes a new logo, tagline, and brand colors, and a full redesign of its website. The new brand identity was created by the Israel-based Ira Ginzburg Creative Agency in partnership with ImpactNPO of New York, working closely with YCT leadership.

“In our conversations with YCT stakeholders and in our analysis of YCT’s brand essence, it became clear that YCT was doing far more than just training pulpit rabbis,” said Karen Radkowsky of ImpactNPO. “YCT produces Jewish leaders who are having a transformative impact on the Jewish community and on the surrounding world. This insight led us to YCT’s new tagline, Vibrant Torah Leadership.”

Designer Ira Ginzburg explained, “We were looking for striking, up-to-date imagery, to reflect the boldness that is YCT.” Ginzburg continued, “The logo was inspired by the concepts of breaking molds (shvirat hakelim) and energy radiating from the core. It symbolizes transformation, movement, and openness. The use of a color gradient communicates vibrancy, leadership, and inclusion.”

Rabbi Dov Linzer, YCT’s President and Rosh HaYeshiva, praised Ginzburg’s design expertise. “Ira was a godsend,” Rabbi Linzer noted. “She dove deeply into what we were about and what we stood for and fully ‘got us.’ The new look perfectly expresses our character and essence.”

This vibrancy can be immediately felt in the bold colors and clean, modern look of YCT’s fully revamped website, to be found at www.yctorah.org. YCT’s new vision and mission statement appears right on the site’s homepage, with its strongly articulated core values alongside it. This transformation is reflected throughout the website:

• On its The YCT Difference page, one can see what makes YCT truly stand out and everything that it has accomplished over its 23 years.
• In addition to its Semikha (ordination) Program, YCT’s other leadership training programs include: Rikmah, a rabbinic training program in Israel, and Jewel, a certificate program for non-rabbi educators and Jewish professionals.
• Its Leading the Way page beautifully presents how YCT rabbis—now numbering close to 200!—excel in terms of their innovation and leadership. These rabbis’ global reach can be seen in a powerful, graphic form on the site’s Alumni Map
• YCT is known for halakhic rulings (psak) that are deep, authentic, and compassionate. These rulings—and the scholarship behind them—are now available to the public on the site’s Lindenbaum Center, and Rosh Yeshiva Responds On its Kollel for Psak page one can read about how YCT is even training the next generation of Modern Orthodox halakhic decisors (poskim).
• YCT has been making a name for itself in recent years in thought leadership, especially in the areas of climate and disabilities. Both topics receive focused treatment on the new site.
• An abundance of Torah resources by YCT’s leading rabbis and scholars—essays and audio recordings on Tanakh, parsha pieces, podcasts on halakha, daf yomi, source books, Torah journals and more—can be found via the site’s YCT Torah Library and is easily accessible from the home page.

YCT’s Executive Director Ruthie Simon emphasized the ways in which the new website captures the enduring essence of YCT amid its current period of innovation. “It has been an incredible privilege and blessing for me to be part of this institution over the past 18 years,” Simon said. “Most exciting to me is that this expansion beyond our semikha program has enabled us to train even more leaders, thereby widening and deepening our impact.”

To view YCT’s new look and find out more about its programs and curriculum, visit www.yctorah.org.