FACULTY
Sharei Bina's faculty is composed of individuals who are devoted to imparting Torah wisdom to their students. More importantly, they are committed to living up to these values themselves. Each teacher is a role model, a mountain climber, who is aspiring to reach new heights, and encouraging students to take their next step up the hill of self discovery.
Rabbi Rafael Weingot’s passion for Torah and breadth of knowledge are given over in every one of his lessons. Rabbi Weingot learned under the tutelage of Rabbi Shlomo Freifeld zt"l, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Sha'ar Yashuv in Far Rockaway from 1961 until 1978, when he left for Israel. He received his Master's Degree in Education from Mesivta Rabbi Chaim Berlin under Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner zt"l, following a B.A. in English Literature from Brooklyn College. He founded Yeshiva Shalom Rav and Kollel Mishnas Aharon Smicha Institute in Tsfat in 1993, as well as establishing Sharei Bina with his wife Tova.
Mrs. Tova Weingot is originally from Brooklyn and Florida. After receiving a Bachelor's Degree in Comparative Religions from Florida State University, her searching led her to Diaspora Yeshiva in Yerushalayim, where she explored, and immersed herself, in Torah Judaism. Now, over 30 years later, Tova extends her role as Rebbitzen and mother to envelop Sharei Bina students with her caring and true appreciation. She loves enabling students to find inspiration, strength, and direction in their lives.
Rabbi Avraham Lasky is our Minahel Ruchni, as well as our daily teacher. He has an especially broad base of Torah knowledge and hashkafa, and knows how to give it over to the student of today. He has a B.A. in Jewish History from Lehman College, NY 1981, a Teacher's Certification from Chinuch Atzmai in Israel 2002, and Smicha from HaRav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg, Av Beit Din Jerusalem Rabbinut 2002. Rabbi Lasky’s classes include: Shmuel beis, Halacha, Derech Hashem, Wisdom of the Aish Kodesh, Nesivos Shalom on Education, Spirituality of Shabbos, and Modern Israeli History and Society.
Rabbi Aharon Nikop gives over the beauty and depth of Judaism by teaching how it is relevant to our daily lives and how it leads to greater self awareness. He also has a special way of making halacha interesting to all. He graduated with honors in Political Science from SUNY at Stonybrook in 1985, has an MS in Clinical Sociology, as well as Smicha from HaRav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg.
Rabbi Baruch Shaver teaches Tanya, a classic work of Chassidic thought and philosophy which deals with the struggles and conflicts in the human psyche. Rabbi Shaver graduated from Rhode Island College 1986.
Rabbi Eliyahu Reiter's Chasidus class is a great inspiration. He shares his love of Torah through deep teachings and through his musical band called "Simply Tsfat" which tours the United States and Israel. Rabbi Reiter has a Masters Degree from Stanford University.
Mrs. Janine Gallin holds a Masters Degree in Germanic Languages from the University of Liege, Belgium. She is a seasoned mother and grandmother, and is full of enthusiasm when giving over the wisdom of the establishment and maintenance of a Jewish home. Her class on the "Jewish Home" is based on Rabbi Ezriel Tauber's book Thoughts For A Jewish Home- Foundation Of Lasting Happiness. Her course on Prayer provides both a theoretical and practical understanding of the daily prayers, including explanation of the structure of the siddur, it’s historical development, and special focus on the Amida.
Mrs. Laya Jackson has an M.A. in Applied Psychology from the University of Santa Monica 1990, and is the author of the book You Don't Have to Learn Everything the Hard Way (Kadima Press). With love, depth, humor, and clarity, students explore women in Tanach - their stories, choices, strengths and triumphs, in order to apply these lessons to their own personal development.
Mrs. Ariella Bracha Waldinger invites students to share insights and tap into strengths that she has acquired during her interesting journey of life. A "self made" woman, she ran a yearbook business with a million dollars in sales volume, and has taught creative design, sales, marketing & photography. In her class "A Call to Live - Self Empowerment through Torah Knowledge and Personal Effort", Mrs. Waldinger guides the students through the steps necessary to implement real change in their lives.
Mrs. Tamar Wallach has a way of making Ulpan fun. A native Israeli, she provides students with overall basic Hebrew grammar and vocabulary, emphasizing as well reading and comprehension skills. She holds a Teaching Degree in Judaic Studies and Special Education.
Mrs. Avigayil Warburg, our dorm mother, teaches Parshas HaShavua. A skilled teacher in her own right, she is the daughter of Rabbi Hillel Mandel, world renowned chinuch educator, and Principal/Educational Consultant of "The Cheder", a Montessori school in Passaic NJ, and Mrs. Adina Mandel, Principal, Bnos Bais Yaakov High School, Far Rockaway, NY.
Mrs. Chava Ben Zion is a licensed Midwife from the Medical Board of California, 2003. In her class on "Women's Health and Well Being", she focuses on the basic elements of good health: diet/nutrition, and exercise. Women's physiology, hormonal changes, and wholistic health are explained and discussed.
TEACHERS OF CREATIVE WORKSHOPS
Mrs. Batya Erdstein. Originally from San Diego, Batya became a Registered Nurse at Regents College in 2001. She gives a ceramics workshop in her home once a week, in which students enjoy the process of creating pottery, from start to finish. Batya and her family are Sharei Bina's next-door neighbors.
Mrs. Batya Levi is a certified drama workshop leader. Role playing, improvisation, and movement are some of the tools used in her workshops, with the goal of building awareness and self confidence. Batya and Mrs. Ariel Gordon are the cooks at Sharei Bina, and are they talented!!
Mrs. Maureen Greenberg has taught art for many years, and believes in the cathartic power of creativity. She received a Bachelor's of Fine Arts Degree at the University of Michigan. In addition to teaching, she has a gallery in the Artist's Quarter of Tsfat displaying her beautiful paintings.
Mrs. Tzivia Reiter received her BA in General Arts, with an emphasis on dance, from Penn State. Tzivia enjoys nature and hiking, often leading the students on their hikes and field trips. She also holds a weekly Thursday "late night zitz", in her unique, informal way.
Mrs. Irit Vinikor is an experienced art, crafts, and music teacher. She uses a variety of materials, including acrylics, water paint, paper mache, wire, glass, and materials found in nature as a means to express Jewish indentity and inner creativity.
GUEST LECTURERS
During our year, we often have visiting Rabbis and teachers, both from Tsfat, and from out of town. Amongst them, here are some of our "regulars"...
Rabbi Chaim Rubin shlita, aka "Zaidy Rubin", comes to Tsfat from his Jerusalam home a few times a year. A talmid chacham of great stature, Rabbi Rubin imparts lessons through stories in a most entertaining and grandfatherly way. Our students eagerly await his visits.
Originally from the Detroit area, where he studied anthropology at the University of Michigan, Reb Baruch Emanuel Erdstein has been learning and teaching in Israel for over fifteen years. Inspired by Jewish mysticism, he uses music, storytelling and even nature walks to communicate deep concepts in Judaism. Baruch put out his new rock/reggae/jazz album, named "Ingathering".
Mrs. Shira Yehudit D'jlilmand’s writings appear weekly in Mishpacha Magazine. She comes to give us a class, not often enough, as the girls love her creative ways of bringing out their writing talents. She has a B.A. in Philosophy and PsychoPhysical Education, an M.A. in Political Philosophy, and a Postgraduate Certificate of Secondary Education.