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Our Teachers RABBI AVROHOM AND ROOKSIE DAVID
Rabbi Avrohom David is one of the original Kollel Rabbis and serves as Rosh Kollel. He was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Rabbi David attended high school at Rabbi Moshe Feinstein's Yeshiva Mesivta of Staten Island. He continued his studies at Yeshiva Shaarei Torah in Queens, the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, and the Lakewood Yeshiva in New Jersey.
RABBI BINYOMIN AND SHIRLEY EDELSTONE Jewish Student Experience, Rabbi Binyomin Edelstone was born and raised a proud Steelers fan in Pittsburgh, PA. During his college years at the University of Pitsburgh, he spent some time in Israel milking cows on a kibbutz. After discovering there's more to life than football (and cows), he found his way to Yeshivas Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem, where he spent 3 1/2 years studying. During that time he helped found the first Aish on Campus branch in Boston, getting some early seasoning for his later task as the Kollel's Campus Outreach Director. After marrying Shirley in May 2002, Binyomin joined the Jerusalem Kollel of Rav Yitzchak Berkovits where he continued his studies, culminating in receiving his smicha 3 years later. Shirley Edelstone was born in Israel to parents who made Aliyah from Mashad, Iran. Soon after, her father became a member of the Israeli Knesset. At the age of 8, her family relocated to Queens, N.Y. Following high school she returned to Israel, first to Bar Ilan University and then to Neve Yerushalayim College of Jewish Studies. She completed her B.A. in Psychology there, while also attending the school's most intensive Judaic learning programs. Over the course of the next several years in Jerusalem, Shirley gained extensive outreach and teaching experience with the Jerusalem Fellowships and JEWEL. The Edelstones joined the Kollel in the summer of 2005 with their 2 children, Mordechai Yosef (affectionately known as Moyo) and Shlomie. They are the directors of Campus Outreach, centered at the University of Washington. (The Jewish Student Experience, www.thejse.com )
RABBI SHRAGIE AND RIVKA GESTETNER A familiar face in the Seattle Kollel, Rabbi Shragie Gestetner was with the Kollel for a six-month stint in 1995. A fan of the Northwest, he made Seattle his home since his marriage to Rivka Bartfeld in March 2000. Shragie attended the Talmudic Research Center in Passaic, New Jersey and Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem. Upon his return to the United States, he completed his Bachelors in Talmudic Studies in Beth Medrash Gevoha, Lakewood New Jersey. Rivka Bartfeld was raised in Mexico City, the daughter of the chief Rabbi of the Ashkenazi Community. She completed her high school studies at Bais Yaakov of Toronto, Canada and received her teacher's diploma from B.Y.A Seminary in Jerusalem. She completed her B.A. in Psychology from Maalot, Toronto and then pursued a career in early childhood education, graduating with a degree in Montessori Education. Rivka is currently employed by the Seattle Va'ad HaKashrus.
RABBI YITZCHAK AND SARA PESHA GOLDMAN Yitzchok was born in Johannesburg and attended the Northview High School. While in high school he wrote, directed and produced two major plays. Yitzchok attended the university of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg where he received a degree, bachelor of commerce. After finishing University he traveled to Greece, Turkey, Austria, France, Spain, Portugal and Iceland. In 1993 he enrolled in Ohr Somayach and has learned in Yeshivas in Israel since. Rabbi Goldman received his Semicha last May from Rabbi Goldberg in Jerusalem. Sara is from Baltimore and has a BFA from the school of the Art Institute of Chicago. Sara and Yitzchok married in 1997 and have three children.
RABBI YEHOSHUA AND DEVORA PINKUS Devorah Pinkus was born in Memphis, Tennessee. Her father, Rabbi Hillel Belsky, is dean of the Ateres Bnos Yerushalayim seminary in Jerusalem, Israel. Her mother, Dr. Judy Benoliel-Belsky, wasborn and raised in Seattle and presently practices psycotherapy in Israel. Devorah feels that she is coming back to her roots. She was raised in Memphis, New York and Chicago. She attended Hanna Sachs Bais Yaakov girls high school in Chicago and continued her education at Moreshes Seminary in Staten Island, New York. In 1997, she married Yehshua Pinkus and joined him in a life of learning, teaching and outreach. After their marriage, she went with her husband to Israel, then Chicago and now Seattle. Rabbi Yehoshua Pinkus was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Rabbi Pinkus attended high school at the Yeshiva Gedolah of Greater Detroit and continued his studies at Yeshiva RJJ in Edison, NJ. He then spent two years learning in Rabbi Yitzchok Soloveitchik's Yeshiva in Jerusalem, Israel. After his marriage he went back to Israel for six months to learn in Rabbi Soloveitchik's Yeshiva. He most recently has spent three years at the Chicago Community Kollel where he continued his studies and was involved in community outreach. Among his responsibilities were teaching a Medical Ethics Course accredited by the Chicago School of Medicine. He also coordinated two successful summer Yarchei Kallah programs. Rabbi and Mrs. Pinkus have four sons, Yosef Chaim, Avraham Zev.
RABBI EPHRAIM AND ALIZA SCHWARTZ Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz is the director of the West Seattle Torah Learning Center (TLC) a division of The Seattle Kollel. Having moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2001 from his previous position as Founder and Dean of the Norfolk Area Community Kollel (Norfolk, Virginia), Rabbi Schwartz brings a delightful sense of exuberance for Jewish learning to all of his classes and his warm welcoming Shabbat table has been host to hundreds of Jews from all over the local area. A former professor of Hebrew at Old Dominion University, Rabbi Schwartz has lectured on topics that range from Talmud to Jewish History, Mysticsm and Medical and Legal ethics as well as basic Torah study. Bringing his expereince as a registred matchmaker for www.sawyouatsinai.com to the local area, Rabbi Schwartz also heads up the "Kollel Singles" division and programming which has been succesful in connectng many local singles of all backgrounds and affiliations. He is the author of the weekly Email Insights and Inspiration which currently has over 1000 weekly subscribers. His greatest source of joy however is his wonderful wife Aliza and three children Shani, Yonah and Rivkah. Aliza Schwartz or "The Rebbetzin" as she is fondly known as by the West Seattle TLC family was the founder of the Seattle Kollel's Sunday morning Jewish Experience for Kids ToTal program. Although she recieved her degree in psycology from Edison State College and having spent 12 years of early childhood teaching experience in communitites as diverse as Brooklyn New York, Des Moines Iowa and Norfolk VA and her degree in psycology from Edison State College, Aliza now chooses to put her talents inot developing the Seattle Kollel's womens events and to maintaining the active always busy Schwartz home. She also singlehandedly holds the honorary position of the best Chulent and Kiddush chef in the entire Pacific North West
RABBI RICHARD AND SHARON TOBAN Born in Vancouver, BC, Rabbi Richard Toban moved to San Diego early in his life until he graduated from San Diego State University with a BA in Business. His accomplishments are diverse, ranging from learning in yeshiva, involvement in and founding of various, successful organizations, to commissioning in the United States Army Reserve. He spent 12 of the past 13 years learning in Jerusalem, beginning at Machon Shlomo, later receiving his Smicha and graduating from Ohr L'Golah Leadership Institute. Born and raised in Montreal, Sharon Toban graduated from McGill University with a BS in Bio-Chemistry. She then spent time working in research at Montreal's Children's Hospital and Montreal's Jewish General Hospital, in Endocrinology and Immunology. She spent time learning in Jerusalem and Montreal. Rabbi and Mrs. Toban met while she was on a Sabbatical in Jerusalem. Presently they have three children, Malca Dina, Reuven Shimshon Refoel, Esther Bracha and Tehilla Yehudis.
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