About:Who We Are/en

<article class="mainContent" id="mainContent"> <nav> <div class="well sidebar-nav"> <ul class="nav nav-list toc" id="toc"> <li>About AlHaTorah <li class="divider"> <li class="nav-header">Who We Are <li data-level="3" class="tocItem">על התורה ועל העבודה<ol> <li data-level="4" class="tocItem">Advisory Board</li> <li data-level="4" class="tocItem">Letters of Endorsement</li> <li data-level="4" class="tocItem">אתרי תורה Chairpersons</li> <li data-level="4" class="tocItem">Circle of Friends</li> <li data-level="4" class="tocItem">Founders</li> </ol> <li class="divider"> <li data-level="3" class="tocItem">ועל העבודה ועל גמילות חסדים<ol> <li data-level="4" class="tocItem">Benefactors</li> <li data-level="4" class="tocItem">Patrons</li> <li data-level="4" class="tocItem">Sponsors</li> <li data-level="4" class="tocItem">Supporters</li> <li data-level="4" class="tocItem">Contributors</li> <li data-level="4" class="tocItem">In-Kind</li> </ol> </ul> </div> </nav>

<div class="twocol"> <h1 style="color:#832525; font-size: 1.6em"><span id="On_Torah,_Service,_and_Philanthropy_–_עַל_הַתּוֹרָה_וְעַל_הָעֲבוֹדָה_וְעַל_גְּמִילוּת_חֲסָדִים"></span><span class="mw-headline" id="On_Torah.2C_Service.2C_and_Philanthropy_.E2.80.93_.D7.A2.D6.B7.D7.9C_.D7.94.D6.B7.D7.AA.D6.BC.D7.95.D6.B9.D7.A8.D6.B8.D7.94_.D7.95.D6.B0.D7.A2.D6.B7.D7.9C_.D7.94.D6.B8.D7.A2.D6.B2.D7.91.D7.95.D6.B9.D7.93.D6.B8.D7.94_.D7.95.D6.B0.D7.A2.D6.B7.D7.9C_.D7.92.D6.B0.D6.BC.D7.9E.D6.B4.D7.99.D7.9C.D7.95.D6.BC.D7.AA_.D7.97.D6.B2.D7.A1.D6.B8.D7.93.D6.B4.D7.99.D7.9D">On Torah, Service, and Philanthropy – עַל הַתּוֹרָה וְעַל הָעֲבוֹדָה וְעַל גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים</span></h1> <section id=AlHaAvodah> <h3 id="AdvisoryBoard"><span class="mw-headline" id="Advisory_Board">Advisory Board</span></h3> <ul class="twoColumn"> <li><span class="link" title="Dean, Bernard Revel Graduate School, Yeshiva University, Chair of Yeshiva College's Jewish Studies Department">Professor David Berger</span></li> <li><span class="link" title="Founder and Rabbinical Dean, Eretz Hemdah Institute for Advanced Jewish Studies in Jerusalem, Av Beit Din, Eretz Hemdah – Gazit">Rabbi Yosef Carmel</span></li> <li><span class="link" title="Associate Dean and Professor of Bible, Bernard Revel Graduate School, Yeshiva University">Professor Mordechai Cohen</span></li> <li><span class="link" title="Israel Prize Laureate, noted author, Professor Emeritus at Hebrew University">Professor Avraham Grossman</span></li> <li><span class="link" title="Professor Emeritus of Jewish Thought, Hebrew University">Professor Zev Harvey</span></li> <li><span class="link" title="President of Academic College of Education at Givat Washington, formerly Rector of Machon Lander">Professor Carmi Horowitz</span></li> <li><span class="link" title="Prominent Jewish educator, the pioneering force behind Torah education on the Web">Rabbi Menachem Leibtag</span></li> <li><span class="link" title="Founder and Dean of the Joan and Shael Bellows Joint Graduate Program in Bible and Biblical Interpretation at Matan">Dr. Bryna Levy</span></li> <li><span class="link" title="Rabbi of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun and Principal of the Ramaz School">Rabbi Haskel Lookstein</span></li> <li><span class="link" title="Founder and Dean of Reishit Yerushalayim / Genesis, Rabbi Emeritus of the Young Israel of Staten Island">Rabbi Jay Marcus</span></li> <li><span class="link" title="Distinguished Rabbi and educator, founder and longtime Rosh Yeshivah of Yeshivat Sha'alvim">Rabbi Meir Schlessinger</span></li> <li>Professor Uriel Simon</li> <li><span class="link" title="Professor of Semitics, Bernard Revel Graduate School, Yeshiva University">Professor Richard Steiner</span></li> <li><span class="link" title="Founder and President of Gesher, Chairperson of Keren Kehilot">Rabbi Daniel Tropper</span></li> <li><span class="link" title="Rabbi Emeritus of Congregation Ohav Shalom">Rabbi Jeremiah Wohlberg</span></li> <li><span class="link" title="Educator, software designer, and developer of TextStudio">Rabbi Nissan Zisken</span></li> </ul>

<h3 id="LettersofEndorsement"><span class="mw-headline" id="Letters_of_Endorsement">Letters of Endorsement</span></h3> <ul class="twoColumn"> <li>Rabbi Shimon Altshul</li> <li>Professor Robert Aumann</li> <li>Rabbi Jeffrey Kobrin</li> <li>Rabbi Binyamin Krauss</li> <li>Rabbi Leonard Matanky</li> <li>Professor Uriel Simon</li> </ul>

<h3 id="Chairpersons"><span id="אתרי_תורה_–_Chairpersons"></span><span class="mw-headline" id=".D7.90.D7.AA.D7.A8.D7.99_.D7.AA.D7.95.D7.A8.D7.94_.E2.80.93_Chairpersons"><span lang="he">אתרי תורה</span> – Chairpersons</span></h3> <ul> <li>Michael Hochstein</li> <li>Jonathan Koschitzky</li> </ul>

<h3 id="CircleofFriends"><span class="mw-headline" id="Circle_of_Friends">Circle of Friends</span></h3> <ul class="twoColumn"> <li>Rabbi Hayyim & Maxine Angel</li> <li>Rabbi Gad Dishi</li> <li>Rabbi Seth Farber</li> <li>Rabbi Aharon Frazer</li> <li>Dr. Chanan & Elisheva Gafni</li> <li>Dr. Yehuda Galinsky</li> <li>Rabbi Seth Grauer</li> <li>Rabbi Richard Hidary</li> <li>Dr. Aaron Koller & Shira Hecht</li> <li>Rabbi Binyamin Krauss</li> <li>Rabbi Ari & Mindy Marcus</li> <li>Drs. Ari & Shoshana Mermelstein</li> <li>Rabbi Ian & Dr. Rachel Pear</li> <li>Rabbi Jonathan & Ayelet Rabinowitz</li> <li>Dr. Avi Shmidman</li> <li>Rabbi Yedidya Sinclair & Yaffa Aranoff</li> </ul>

<h3 id="Founders"><span class="mw-headline" id="Founders">Founders</span></h3> <ul> <li><strong style="font-variant:small-caps">AlHaTorah.org</strong> was founded by <a href="/About:Contact Us">Rabbi Hillel & Neima Novetsky</a> and their children, Yonatan, Aviva, Ariella, and Yehuda. They are currently assembling a team to develop the project.</li> <li>The site's design and interface is the work of Yonatan Novetsky.</li> <li>To learn more about participating in this project, please <a href="/About:Contact Us">contact us</a>.</li> </ul> <br/>

</section> <section id=AlGemilutChasadim> <h3 id="Benefactors"><span id="Benefactors_($50,000_–_$99,999)"></span><span class="mw-headline" id="Benefactors_.28.2450.2C000_.E2.80.93_.2499.2C999.29">Benefactors ($50,000 – $99,999)</span></h3> <ul> <li>In Memory of Miriam & Bernard Hochstein ז"ל</li> <li>The Koschitzky & Gitler Families</li> <li>Warren & Jane Weiss & the Applebaum Foundation</li> </ul>

<h3 id="Patrons"><span id="Patrons_($25,000_–_$49,999)"></span><span class="mw-headline" id="Patrons_.28.2425.2C000_.E2.80.93_.2449.2C999.29">Patrons ($25,000 – $49,999)</span></h3> <ul> <li>Rabbi Hillel & Neima Novetsky</li> </ul>

<h3 id="Sponsors"><span id="Sponsors_($10,000_–_$24,999)"></span><span class="mw-headline" id="Sponsors_.28.2410.2C000_.E2.80.93_.2424.2C999.29">Sponsors ($10,000 – $24,999)</span></h3> <ul> <li>Dr. Abraham & Channy Greenberg</li> <li>Michael & Suzanne Hochstein</li> <li>Rabbi Jonah & Fran Kupietzky</li> <li>Daniel & Deborah Schwartz</li> </ul>

<h3 id="Supporters"><span id="Supporters_($5,000_–_$9,999)"></span><span class="mw-headline" id="Supporters_.28.245.2C000_.E2.80.93_.249.2C999.29">Supporters ($5,000 – $9,999)</span></h3> <ul> <li>Fred & Suzan Ehrman</li> <li>Moshe & Arlene Kupietzky</li> <li>Jacob & Edy Kupietzky</li> <li>Drs. Allan & Chaikie Novetsky</li> </ul>

<h3 id="Contributors"><span id="Contributors_($1,000_–_$4,999)"></span><span class="mw-headline" id="Contributors_.28.241.2C000_.E2.80.93_.244.2C999.29">Contributors ($1,000 – $4,999)</span></h3> <ul> <li>Seth & Ruth Berkowitz</li> <li>Barry Best</li> <li>Andrew Borodach & Rachel Wolf</li> <li>David & Karen Lehmann Eisner</li> <li>Harold & Dora Engelstein Foundation</li> <li>David & Joyce Friedman</li> <li>Eugen & Jean Gluck</li> <li>Rabbi Robert & Virginia Bayer Hirt</li> <li>Martin & Irene Kofman</li> <li>Steve Kay Kupietzky</li> <li>Rashi & Dr. Adina Kuhr</li> <li>Jeff & Carolyn Kupietzky</li> <li>Drs. Ari & Shoshana Mermelstein</li> <li>Dr. Howard & Stacey Nathanson</li> <li>Arthur & Dorothy Ritholtz</li> <li>Jack & Martine Schenker</li> <li>Shaykin Family Foundation</li> <li>Ronald & Adele Tauber</li> <li>David & Ina Tropper</li> <li>Dr. Walter & Adele Wasser</li> </ul>

<h3 id="In-Kind"><span class="mw-headline" id="Contributions_in_Kind">Contributions in Kind</span></h3> <ul> <li>Meitar Law Firm (special thanks to attorneys David Glatt, David Mirchin, and Anthony Herman)</li> <li>Mosad HaRav Kook (special thanks to Rabbi Yosef Eliyahu Movshovitz)</li> </ul> <p style="text-align:center">For information on how to contribute, please click here.</p> </section> </div> </article>

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Rabbi Shimon Altshul, Director of the Jesselson Institute for Advanced Torah Studies at Bar Ilan University

י' מרחשוון, תשע"ב

Dear Rav Hillel,

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing you again and being introduced to AlHaTorah.org. While a bit daunting at first, the site impressed me as being a product of unusual erudition, pedagogical skill, and painstaking effort. You have clearly invested your formidable learning and teaching experience in this creative venture, which has the potential to serve as a significant resource for teachers and students alike, and, in time, could revolutionize the teaching – and learning – of Limudei Kodesh.

While I am no longer on the “front lines” of day school education, I would be happy to advise you if you feel I can be of help. Incidentally, while we did not discuss it, a Hebrew version for Israelis is certainly a desideratum.

B'hatzlacha

Shimon

Rav Shimon Altshul

Director

The Ludwig and Erica Jesselson Institute

for Advanced Torah Studies (RA)

Bar Ilan University

Ramat Gan 52900

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Professor Robert Aumann, Nobel Prize Laureate (2005),
Center for the Study of Rationality at Hebrew University

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Rabbi Jeffrey Kobrin, Principal,
North Shore Hebrew Academy Middle School

November 29, 2011 / 3 Kislev 5772

To Whom It May Concern:

I was extremely excited recently to have the chance to preview a new web resource, AlHaTorah.org. In a world which is, Baruch Hashem, rapidly becoming inundated with Torah internet resources of varying degrees of accessibility, it was a true pleasure to find a site that brings together so many aspects of limud Torah and technology in an utterly unique way.

As a school principal, I am constantly on the lookout for resources to share with teachers seeking to prepare lessons; for parents looking to understand what their children are learning; and for students preparing Divrei Torah.   AlHaTorah.org provides a go-to source for all three.

Even those who are able to utilize the classic sources in the original will benefit from this site, as it brings together a range of perspectives and sources that would take a stack of books and sources to otherwise collect. I am particularly intrigued by the social media potential in the site, which would foster dialogue on topics of Torah between students of all ages and backgrounds.

I see AlHaTorah.org as a resource with remarkable potential for myself as a student of Tanakh, for the teachers under my supervision, and for the parents and students in our school community. I am excited to watch the site and its influence grow in the months and years to come.

Rabbi Jeffrey Kobrin

Principal

North Shore Hebrew Academy Middle School

Great Neck, New York

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Rabbi Binyamin Krauss, Principal, SAR Academy

כ"ז תשרי, תשע"ב

Dear Rabbi Novetsky,

Thank you for taking the time to show me the prototype for the Torah Website project you are working on. As a growing learner, a teacher, and an administrator at a Jewish day school, I must tell you that I was enthralled by the potential of this project, and my only disappointment was learning that I can’t start using it, and recommending it to others, tomorrow. By the nature of the relatively small market for Jewish studies, finding substantive, broad, and sophisticated resources for Torah learning and teaching is a big challenge. While our secular teachers have been able to bring the collective knowledge of great experts into their classrooms and lesson preparation, Limudei Kodesh teachers are much more limited. I have no doubt that if the breadth that you brought to Shemot Perek 18 would be available for the entire Torah, it would have an immediate impact on the kind of learning that could take place in our classrooms.

The structure that you developed in your prototype is comprehensive, but organized in a way that is not overwhelming. The availability of accessing primary sources allows for serious learning and inquiry for independent learners, as well as teachers for use in classrooms at all levels. The modern scholarship and references to the arts will allow students with multiple talents, interests, and passions, to find their path to relating to our text. The web 2.0 tools embedded into the site will allow for conversations to take place that could potentially create an interactive global beit midrash that, as far as I am aware, does not yet exist.

If such a resource were to exist, we would certainly be prepared to pay an annual subscription fee to make it available to our staff.

If there is anything I can do to help you bring this project to fruition, please let me know. This is something that is worthy of real investment (and something that, in my opinion, should eventually be able to sustain itself). Of course, if you visit the US, I would be happy to have you present to our staff, so that their input can help you further develop this.

Rabbi Binyamin Krauss

Principal

SAR Academy

655 West 254th Street

Riverdale, NY 10471

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Rabbi Leonard Matanky, Ph.D.,
Dean, Ida Crown Jewish Academy, Chicago IL
Rabbi, Congregation K.I.N.S of West Rogers Park

“It is my pleasure to add these few words of admiration for the AlHaTorah project. Having reviewed the material presented on this website, I can imagine many different and powerful uses for this wonderful resource. Once additional chapters and materials are added I can see it being used both by teachers and students to enhance their study and understanding of Torah. Kol HaKavod!”

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Professor Uriel Simon, Tanakh scholar and author,
Chairperson Emeritus of Bar Ilan University Bible Department

“Just as the invention of the printing press facilitated the creation of the Mikraot Gedolot which expanded the horizons of Torah study, the invention of the computer has enabled the unbounded exposure to the richness of Biblical interpretation. AlHaTorah.org has the potential to make an unprecedented contribution toward the realization of this goal.”

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