Our Staff

Rav Cytrin received Semicha from the Meretz Kollel, a BA from the Plan II Liberal Arts Program at the University of Texas (Austin), and has an MA in Education from Teachers College of Columbia University, and served in the IDF. Before making aliya, Rav Cytrin was Principal of Judaic Studies at the Yavneh Academy in Dallas. A Licensed Tour Guide, Rav Cytrin delights in sharing his enthusiasm for the history of Eretz Yisrael with his students. Rav Cytrin founded Or l’Doron, an organization that promotes high-level Torah learning for the Ethiopian Jewish community.

Rav Bagno learned and taught in Yeshivat Shaalvim. He served in the army’s Rabbanut unit during his tenure in the IDF. He studied with Rav Asher Arieli in Yeshivat Mir for almost a decade, and most recently taught at Bar Ilan. He is the founding Rabbi of the Mishkan Shilo community in Ramat Shilo, and the Rosh Kollel of Lev HaTorah’s Rabbinic Leadership and Semicha Program.

Rav Yehuda Odeser, a researcher for several institutes of halachic guidance, is a Beit Shemesh resident, and father to seven children. Since the advent of Lev LaChayal, Rav Odeser has inspired and prepared our future chayalim for Torah-observant army service. Rav Odeser received Semicha from Rav Zalman Baruch Melamed, and was ordained as a Dayan by Rav Kalav, the Rosh Kollel Psagot. For many years, he taught and inspired in Beit Shemesh as the Rosh Kollel Shaalei Torah. In addition to his passionate service to Am Yisrael in the Beit Midrash, Rav Odeser continues to volunteer in the IDF’s armored corps reserves.

Rav Siev received Semicha from RIETS, a BA in History from Yeshiva University, and an MS in Jewish Education from Azrieli Graduate School. Rav Siev is an editor for the Steinsaltz English Talmud Series, and many of his shiurim have been featured on Yeshivat Har Etzion’s Virtual Beit Midrash and on www.yutorah.org.

Rav Beasley has been lecturing passionately about Tanach in different venues in Israel and abroad for almost twenty years. His essays on new methodologies in Tanach study appear regularly in Tradition magazine, and he edited Yeshivat Har Etzion’s groundbreaking parsha series Torah MiEtzion. He loves to help students enjoy learning and discover new insights. When not teaching, he is writing his doctoral dissertation at Bar Ilan on Second-Temple-era Tanach study, or playing hockey with his five sons.

Rav Epstein is a graduate of Yeshivat HaKotel, Yeshivat Mir and Rav Tzvi Kushelevsky, and has taught in numerous educational settings both in Israel and in the UK.

Rav Asher received Semicha from RIETS, a BA in Philosophy from Yeshiva University and is completing an MA in Clinical Sociology at the University of North Texas. Rav Asher empowers his talmidim to become independent, sophisticated learners, capable of understanding Torah ideas, developing them and sharing them with others. He has published in the fields of Philosophy of Education and Chumash, and was a two-time fellow with ATID. As Director of Student Welfare, Rav Asher works with talmidim throughout the year to help them achieve their goals.

Rav Hartstein’s shiurim feature a unique mixture of fascinating halachic analysis and hilarious delivery. Rav Hartstein earned a BS in Marketing from YU, Semicha from Rav Aharon Soloveitchik, zt”l, and an MS in Management Engineering from the University of Bridgeport. Rav Hartstein worked for the Israeli Defense Ministry and served as a Telecom executive for over 15 years. Currently, he serves as CEO of Five Star Caterers of New York and when he is not traveling, Rav Hartstein teaches Business Ethics and his popular ‘Lessons From the Lev’ series at the Yeshiva.

A seasoned, award-winning educator, Rabbi Shimshon Jacob has spent the last twenty years working in the formal and informal Jewish Education world.  Having taught at both the Elementary and High School levels, while functioning as the Youth Rabbi for numerous communities, Rabbi Jacob is all about helping students develop their passion and excitement for Judaism and spirituality.  After making Aliyah four and a half years ago with his wife and four kids, (joined by a fifth child 1.5 years ago) they settled in Katamon, Jerusalem where Rav Shimshon has been engaged with various causes in the Jewish community.  Rav Shimshon’s out-of-the-box approach to teaching the Yeshiva’s beginning Gemara shiur has surprised and delighted his talmidim.

out-of-the-box approach to teaching the Yeshiva’s beginning Gemara shiur has surprised and delighted his talmidim.

Rav Machlis received Semicha from Yeshivat Torah v’Daat and has been teaching for 25 years. He and his family host around 100 guests in their home each Shabbat, exposing his guests to the beauty of Torah and a vision of true Jewish unity.

Rav Pollack grew up in Los Angeles attended YULA and loves to play basketball. He earned his bachelors in philosophy from YU , his MA in Jewish education from Azrieli and Semicha from RIETS.

Rav Rayman

Rav Jake received Semicha from RIETS and a BA from Yeshiva University. Before teaching at Lev HaTorah, he served as a Shoel U’Meishiv at Yeshivat Shaalvim and taught at Reishit Yerushalayim. Over the summers, Rav Jake served as Rosh Moshava and Rosh Kollel at Camp Stone and currently is Sgan Rosh Moshava at Camp Moshava, Indian Orchard, PA.

A Lev HaTorah alumnus from 2009-2011, Rav Noam served for three years in the elite sniper unit of the Givati Brigade.  Following his completion of a BA in Middle Eastern Studies from Bar Ilan, Rav Noam joined the Lev HaTorah Kollel.

His open and relatable personality enables talmidim of all backgrounds to connect to and learn from him, both inside and outside of the Beit Midrash.
Rav Wittenberg is a proud alumnus of Lev HaTorah (2003-2004). He received a BA in Economics from Brandeis University, Semicha from YU, and his MS in Jewish Education from Azrieli Graduate School. He is also a trained plumber and leads weekly bike rides with the Geerz organization.

He and his family made Aliyah in 1996 and moved to Ramat Beit Shemesh in 1998 with 30 other families.

Given the task to establish a neighborhood around Lev HaTorah, Mr. Naiman spent the first 5 years creating relationships with the city and builders, while helping over 150 families prepare for their move to Ramat Shilo. He was also intimately involved in the design and eventual completion of Lev HaTorah’s first building.

These last 10 years have been filled with unprecedented growth for the Yeshiva. With our staff and budget tripling, Mr. Naiman uses his organizational skills to keep our campus up-to-date while creating procedures and policies to allow our continued healthy expansion.

The next 5 years will IY”H include the addition of our Lone Soldier homes, the full integration of our new Hesder and Kollel programs as well as the design and construction of our main building!

He went to Yeshiva University where he received a BA in History. While at YU, Marc founded Torah Letzion an organization which has assisted hundreds of students who needed financial aid to study in yeshiva or seminary.

Before making aliyah, Marc worked at the Yeshiva of Central Queens as Director of Alumni Affairs, and most recently at RIETS as a Senior Development Officer. Marc is very excited to have returned to Israel and to combine his love for the Yeshiva with his passion for fundraising, to bring the Yeshiva to its next level.

Previously, as Principal of Judaics at King David School Manchester, UK, He led technology integration and training, while driving the relevance of Torah through engaging lectures and developing numerous digital learning games. Alongside my educational expertise, he brings a background in Marketing and PR, leveraging this skill set to craft compelling content. Sammy conducted extensive training across Europe, organized impactful conferences for Judaics teachers, and assisted schools in digitizing their Judaic curricula. Sammy holds dual BA degrees in Humanities and Education and a teaching qualification. He spent my Yeshiva years studying at Yeshivot Ohr Sameach, Kerem B’Yavneh, and Aish HaTorah.

R’ Kobi’s talmidim enjoy a wide range of discussion topics driven by the text of the Talmud.