Rabbi Shalom Pasternak

is an inspiring teacher and mentor known for his passionate command of Chassidic thought. He speaks throughout Israel and abroad in various institutions, seminaries and yeshivas, focusing primarily on distilling complex concepts in Judaism for beginners. Rabbi Pasternak graduated Vassar College with a degree in philosophy, and studied piano with contemporary jazz masters. He pursued his Jewish education in Oregon as well as Hadar HaTorah in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and received his Certificate of Rabbinic Ordination at Kollel Tzemach Tzedek.

Rabbi Ariel Gorenstein

is best known for his authoritative command of classical Jewish law. After studying in the famed Kollel of Rechovot, where he gained a stellar reputation as an expert in Jewish law, Rabbi Gorenstein is authorized to render judgment in many areas of Torah. As a spiritual mentor, Rabbi Gorenstein oversees the spiritual well being of our students, as well as others from across the country that come to seek his trusted advice and guidance. Rabbi Gorenstein is a graduate of Boston University. He pursued his Jewish studies in Tiferes Menachem, Sea Gate and in Tzfat, and received his Certificate of Rabbinic Ordination at Kollel Ohr Yaakov of Rechovot.

Rabbi Amichai Cohen

Rabbi Amichai Cohen was born in Jerusalem Israel. He studied in illustrious Mizrachi, Lithuanian and Chabad Yeshivot such as Merkaz Harav Kook, Yeshiva Shor Yoshuv, Yeshiva Ateret Yaakov, Rabbinical College of America, Emek Halacha and Kollel Menachem. Rabbi Cohen received his Rabbinic ordination in 2004 from Rabbi Yeruslavsky Shli’ta the head of the Chabad Rabbinical court in Israel. Rabbi Cohen holds a bachelors of Talmudic law from the Rabbinical College of America, and a Masters degree in Special Education from Touro College in Manhattan NYC. Rabbi Cohen was the Rabbi of the Boca Torah Center and worked in the field of Jewish education, teaching children and adults for the past ten years.

Rabbi Mordechai Siev

After beginning his life of shlichus on the University of Pennsylvania campus, Rabbi Mordechai Siev went on to join the staff of Ascent of Tzfat over twenty-five years ago. As the director of English programing in Ascent and one of Tzfat’s original pioneer shluchim, Rabbi Siev has influenced thousands of young men and women in strengthening  their connection to their Jewish roots. His devotion to every Jew that crosses his path and his enthusiasm for Yiddishkeit are well known to all.

Rabbi Asi Spiegel

An internationally renown speaker who inspires people through a unique combination of music, wit and down-to-earth spiritual sensibilities. Rabbi Asi has worked on Jewish outreach projects throughout the world. For nearly a decade Asi manned the Chabad house of Eugene, Oregon where his inspiring scholarship serviced both town locals and Jewish students at the University of Oregon. The Tzfat community welcomed Asi in 2010. Picking up right where he had left off, Rabbi Spiegel immediately began giving high level Torah classes, with a concentrated effort on influencing beginners.

Rabbi Eyal Peled

Rabbi Peled is our most accomplished Talmudic scholar with over twenty years of training behind him . After learning for six years in Tomchei Temimim yeshivas and an additional three years in the Tzemech Tzedek Kollel in Tzfat , Ayal began teaching high level courses in local Tzfat yeshivas over ten years ago. In the winter of 2012, Ayal joined the YTD staff and currently gives the yeshivas highest gemarah shiur.

Rabbi Eliyahu Naiditch

Rabbi Naiditch is a trusted advisor for our student body. He monitors the daily progress of the students, both academically and spiritually. At his time away from the Yeshiva, Rabbi Naiditch organizes programing at the famed Ascent hostel in Tzfat. There he lectures for the many hundreds of yearly visitors with inspirational classes and presentations. He received his rabbinical ordination from Rabbi Avtzon in Jerusalem.

Eliezer Akiva Galatzan

Was born in Santiago, Chile. After working for companies such as eBay and IBM, Eliezer pursued his Jewish studies in the Mayanot Institute in Jerusalem and afterwards moved to Tzfat, where he received his rabbinical ordination from the Kollel Beis Levi Itzchok. Eliezer holds a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration, a Masters degree in Marketing and a degree in Computer Graphic Design. Currently, Eliezer serves as YTD’s Marketing and Administration manager.

Yisroel Ber Kaplan

Yisroel Ber comes to us from quite a varied and distinguished background in Jewish communal work. While at Florida State University in the early 70′s, he served as president of Hillel, Youth Advisor for Temple Israel and a founder and Education Director of Congregation Shomrei Torah. Following graduate school at FSU, Yisroel Ber began his Yeshiva Education at the Leibel Muskat Institute (Chabad) in Miami Beach, later serving as Assistant Director for Chabad of North Dade, Campus Director for Chabad of Long Island, Executive Director of the Manhattan Sephardic Congregation, Secretary with the Crown Heights Beis Din, Associate Director of the Chassidic Discovery Center, and Development Officer for the Shluchim Office. YTD is proud to have Yisroel Ber aboard as its Director of Recruting and Development.

Guest Speakers

Tzfat is known for is its extraordinary wealth of Torah personalities and inspirational speakers. Home of the Rebbe’s first emissaries sent to Israel, Tzfat is considered by many the spiritual headquarters of Chabad in Israel. To say the least, there is no shortage of guest speakers to choose from for special lectures and farbrengens.