YCT rabbis distinguish themselves in their serving of both the Orthodox community and the entire Jewish community at large.

Their desperately needed and hugely impactful work is grounded in principle that כל ישראל ערבים זה בזה – that every Jewish person is intertwined with, and responsible for the well-being of, every member of our Jewish family – and propelled by the mandate to action that emerges from the verse of Yosef’s plaintive cry, את אחי אנכי מבקש, “It is my brothers and sisters whom I seek.”

Our rabbis serve in community schools; in camps and camping organizations; on major college campuses throughout the U.S.; and in chaplaincy positions in hospitals, assisted living facilities, prisons, and in Israel. Our rabbis are innovators, thought-leaders and change agents.Some of the most transformative and visionary initiatives in the Jewish community over the last 20 years have been founded, launched and headed by YCT rabbis.

When Am Yisrael needs leaders, our rabbis are there.

YCT RABBIS:
TOP LEADERSHIP POSITIONS ACROSS THE U.S. & THE WORLD

R’ Ben Berger
VP, Hillel International

R. Avi Orlow
VP of Education & Innovation, Foundation for Jewish Camp

R. Aaron Lerner
President & CEO, Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles

R. Justin Pines
CEO, Jewish Broadcasting Service

R. Josh Feigelson
President & CEO, Institute for Jewish Spirituality

R. Mordechai Harris
Chief Impact Officer, Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas

R. Jason Weiner
Senior Rabbi & Head of Spiritual Care, Cedars-Sinai, Los Angeles, CA

R. Aaron Potek
Senior Rabbi & Executive Director of Jewish Life at Sixth & I, D.C.

R. David Kasher
Director, Hadar West Coast

R. Mish Zion
Director, Mandel Program for Leadership in Israeli Jewish Culture, Jerusalem, Israel

R. Daniel Silverstein
Founder and Director,
Applied Jewish Spirituality, Jerusalem, Israel

YCT RABBIS:
ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES

R. Ben Berger
Vice President for Jewish Education
Hillel International

R. Joel Dinin
Director of Education and Orthodox Rabbi
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

R. Dan Epstein
Senior Jewish Educator
George Washington University

R. Eric Garfinkel
Community Educator
Hofstra University

R. Gabe Greenberg
Executive Director
University of Pennsylvania

R. Azi Horvitch
Co-Director and Torah Educator, JLIC, Center for Jewish Life
Princeton University

R. Drew Kaplan
Rabbi
University of Cincinnati

R. Dani Passow
Senior Director of Public and Alumni Programs
Harvard University

R. Aaron Portman
Campus Rabbi and Senior Jewish Educator
The Ohio State University

R. Ben Shefter
Senior Jewish Educator
McMaster University

R. Ari Weiss
Executive Director
Cornell University

R. Seth Winberg
Executive Director & Senior University Chaplain
Brandeis University

R. Jonah Winer
Senior Jewish Educator
Brown University

R. Ben Berger
Vice President for Jewish Education
Hillel International

R. Joel Dinin
Director of Education and Orthodox Rabbi
Michigan Institute of Technology

R. Dan Epstein
Senior Jewish Educator
George Washington University

R. Eric Garfinkel
Community Educator
Hofstra University

R. Gabe Greenberg
Executive Director
University of Pennsylvania

R. Azi Horvitch
Co-Director and Torah Educator, JLIC, Center for Jewish Life
Princeton University

R. Drew Kaplan
Rabbi
University of Cincinnati

R. Dani Passow
Senior Director of Public and Alumni Programs
Harvard University

R. Aaron Portman
Campus Rabbi and Senior Jewish Educator
The Ohio State University

R. Ben Shefter
Senior Jewish Educator
McMaster University

R. Ari Weiss
Executive Director
Cornell University

R. Seth Winberg
Executive Director & Senior University Chaplain
Brandeis University

R. Jonah Winer
Senior Jewish Educator
Brown University

Organizations serving Am Yisrael founded by our alumni, include:

Ask Big Questions

National initiative of Hillel for bringing together diverse college students for reflective conversations

Founded by Rabbi Josh Feigelson

BASE

Movement of pluralistic rabbinic couples who use their homes as convening points for Jewish life centered upon hospitality, learning and service

Founded by
Rabbi Avram Mlotek & Rabbi Jon Leener

Fact Finders Israel

National Hillel initiaitve bringing non-Jewish student leaders to Israel to learn directly about the Israeli-Palenstinian conflict.

Founded by
Rabbi Aaron Lerner

Institute for Applied Spirituality

Center for deep, accessible online courses and resources on the texts and practices of Jewish meditation and spirituality.

Founded by
Rabbi Daniel Silverstein

Livyat Chen

YCT’s Center for Pastoral Counseling Training in Israel

Founded by
Rabbi Mike Schultz

Solu

Orthodox social action initiative that builds bridges between the Jewish community and other communities in Chicago

Founded by Rabbi Ari Hart and Rabbi Hody Nemes

Uri L'Tzedek

Orthodox Social Justice organization

Founded by
Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz

Yatom

The Jewish Foster and Adoption Network

Founded by
Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz

Read more about YCT serving Am Yisrael:

You Should Know… Rabbi Daniel Epstein

At Rikers Island, Jewish volunteers find a ‘powerful connection’ with inmates by leading prayer services

From Berkeley to Boston, YCT Rabbis Rally for Israel

Photograph of a pro-Israel rally in front of a city college campus. Image of several people, most of whom appear to be college age or young professionals are gathered around a figure standing on the right on top of a platform and who is speaking into a microphone. Most of the figures have a pale, tanned or pinkish skin tone and many are wearing blue or holding posters or flags. There appear to be at least 9 Israeli flags, two of them are being worn by people on the bottom right like capes. There are also 2 large flags that each have the American flag on the left (a flag with 13 horizontal stripes that interchange between white and red, a large blue square on the top left corner which is dotted with 50 white, 5-pointed stars) and an Israeli flag on the right half (a white flag with two broad, blue, horizontal stripes, one on the top and one on the bottom, and a large blue Magen David in the middle, a six-pointed star made from 2 over lapping and opposite facing triangles). Several of the protesters are holding up posters that depict the American and Israeli flag with large white text over them saying "WE STAND WITH ISRAEL". Several of the protesters are wearing keepote and many of which are white, a few protesters are older, middle aged and a small number even older, and several individuals are holding phones. The figure on the right who is speaking is facing left with an arm extended and pointing outwards while the other hand is holding the black microphone. The figure appears to be male, is wearing a navy blue suit and pants, a white button down shirt, a black watch and a navy blue keepah with yellow or white patterns on the rim. He has brown, neat, short hair and beard. A poster is being held up by one of the people wearing the Israeli flag like a cape next to the speaker which reads "I (then a blue heart) ISRAEL". The poster is white with blue text and a blue stripe on the top and bottom. Around the rally are 4 large black street lamps that have a light glowing from behind a black cage-like design and the lamp is topped with a small black minaret. Behind the rally is a street with several cars and a yellow school bus either parked or driving behind them. In the distance are a few large rectangular buildings. One building is off-white, another dark grey and the last two large buildings are made of reddish-brown brick. The largest building, one of the reddish-brown ones, has a sign made of large white suspended letters that says "COLLEGE OF ART". The sky is an overcast greyish-blue and there are a few yellow-green leafed trees in the background.

I’m So Proud Of Our Rabbis At This Moment – Reflections from Rabbi Linzer

Talking openly about Israel will make us less polarized, not more

Rabbi Avi Weiss

Loving Other Jews: A Meditation

Photograph of UCLA (university of California, Los Angeles) Hillel building. Image of a grey stone building made up of large rectangular blocks arranges vertically with small window-like gaps spread throughout. The building appears to be about 3 floors tall with a large windowed balcony section on the top left and what might be a large square garage entrance on the bottom right and a big stone arch main entrance. To the right and left of the building are some scraggly trees with an asphalt road/ walk-way leading up to and past the building. The sky behind the structure is a bright, cloudless blue.

How Hillel at UCLA Moved beyond Tolerance to Embrace Difference

Rabbi Aaron Lerner

Rabbi Aaron Lerner (’13) Selected as Next President and CEO of Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles

headshot of aaron finkelstein

Jewish Journal- Rabbis of LA | Rabbi Aaron Finkelstein: The Educator With a Pastoral Focus

Jewish Journal: Rabbi Jason Weiner—The Calm, Unanxious Presence

Rabbi Aaron Frank (’08) leads his students in faith