After graduating from Yeshiva University with a BA in English Literature, Rav Jonathan Bailey studied for five years in Yeshivat Hamivtar, under Rav Riskin and Rav Brovender. He received his smicha from Hamivtar and Rav Zalman Nechemiya Goldberg in 2001, and in 2002 returned to the States to teach at Yeshiva Rambam High School in Baltimore, Maryland where he also joined the Torah Mi’Tzion Kollel and taught adult education classes in the community. He made Aliyah in 2006, continuing his teaching in multiple institutions, including Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi, Midreshet Lindenbaum, Midreshet Emunah V’Omanut and Midreshet HaRova. Rav Bailey has worked full-time at Midreshet HaRova since 2014, teaching a myriad of classes including Gemara, Chumash, Pirkei Avot, Contemporary Halacha and a course in comparative literature. He lives in Yerushalayim with his wife and two children. 

Rav Bailey’s teaching style focuses on challenging his students to think and self-discover, two ingredients he believes are vital to creating a true love of and dedication to Torah, its values and its continued meaningfulness in their lives. Inspired by his background in English Literature, Rav Bailey’s primary method of study is close textual analysis, encouraging his students to consider each word of a primary text so as to discover and understand its deepest meaning. Alumni of Rav Bailey’s classes, with whom he maintains close contact, consistently tell him that his approach, and the fundamental skills they learned in his shiurim, have continued to yield meaningful results for them in their lives after HaRova, both in their Jewish and secular studies.

Born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, Rav Berg  served in the Israeli army as a teaching Rabbi as well as in the reserves. He studied at Yeshivat Beit El where he was a part of the founding class. He then learned at the Kollel Meretz where he received his Semicha from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, along with his teaching diploma.

Rav Berg teaches comprehensive classes in the laws of Kashrut, Shabbat and Personal status as well as classes on Parashat Hashavua called “A Dvar Torah for Shabbat”.

Rav Berg trained students in the “Educational Leadership Program” to be leaders in their communities. The students were awarded a certificate and personal letter of recommendation.  Rav Berg is also Midreshet HaRova’s Mashgiach Kashrut in the kitchen.

Additionally, Rav Berg serves as a School Rabbi in the elementary school system in Jerusalem. In July of 2023 Rav Berg received an Award for Excellence for his work from the Israel Ministry of Education

Rav Berg lives in Har Nof, Jerusalem with his wife and has nine children, most of whom are married and live throughout Israel. 

Judith Fogel is an experienced educator and advocate, passionate about Jewish law and dedicated to pursuing and disseminating text-based evidence surrounding a Jewish woman’s role in family life and sexuality. Judith has invested nearly two decades in addressing the holistic relationship between halakha and women’s health, and today, advocates for transparency and candor on the subject among Halachic community leaders.

Judith is a certified Yoetzet Halakha through Nishmat, a veteran kallah teacher and founder of an innovative kallah curriculum through The Eden Center. She is a prized lecturer teaching Gemara, Mishnah, Halakha and women’s mitzvot. Judith holds a PhD in Human Sexuality, MA from Hebrew University in Jewish History and a BA from Barnard College. She is an alumnus of the Midreshet Lindenbaum Bruriah Scholars Program, an avid runner completing many half marathons in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and can be seen on a daily basis running first thing in the morning in the hills of Gush Etzion.

Judith currently lives in the Gush Etzion region with her family.

Originally from London, Rachel studied Art and Education in the UK, after a Gap year at Michala Bayit Vegan. After her Aliyah Rachel continued her studies in Special Education and Jewish Studies at the Michlala. She completed her B.Ed at Herzog in Migdal Oz and recently completed her Masters in Art Therapy in Netanya. Rachel connects to both Midrash and Aggada and the works of Rav Soloveichik. In addition has always been interested in current affairs, both in Israel and the world, which shaped her choice of courses for the Midrasha. Rachel also serves as Mashgicha at the Midrasha which creates connections to her students over the years. 

Rachel lives with her husband, Noam, in the Gush Etzion and they are blessed with 6 wonderful children.

Rav Yonatan Horovitz is a senior faculty member at Midreshet HaRova where he teaches Tanach, Halacha and Contemporary Jewish thought. He is also a regular lecturer at various other venues in Jerusalem.

Born and raised in London, Rav Yonatan studied for several years at Yeshivat Har Etzion eventually completing his semicha studies. He also gained a BA Hons from Jews College in London. Rav Yonatan now lives in Elazar, Gush Etzion with his wife Michal and their five children.

Lielle has joined our staff as the Assistant Eim Bayit.

Her education to date inclues Midreshet Danieli; Metivta Program, Midrasha Bar Ilan; BA, Psychology, Bar Ilan University.

Rav Asher Manning teaches Tanach and Jewish Thought. Born in London and raised in Jerusalem, Rav Asher combines a British sense of humor with the Israeli mindset of thinking outside the box. He has a passion for teaching and broadening minds, always pushing his students to challenge their preconceptions and discover more of themselves.

Rav Asher learned at Yeshivat Har Etzion, where he was a close talmid of Rav Yaakov Medan and Rav Yoel Bin-Nun. He also studied at Yeshivat Maalot and Yeshivat Otniel, where he developed a passion for the thought of Rav Kook. After serving in a combat unit in the IDF, he returned to Kollel and received Semichah from the Israeli Rabbanut. Rav Asher completed a Teachers Degree (B. Ed.) in Tanach and Machshevet Yisrael at Herzog College and is currently writing his Master’s thesis in Tanach at Bar Ilan University.

Over the last three years, Rav Asher and his wife Lia had the zechut of being the NCSY Israel Chapter Directors for Gush Etzion. Rav Asher lives with his family in Alon Shvut.

Yeshivat Beit El; Kollel HaIdra

Rachel grew up in London and made Aliyah with her husband Sam in the summer of 2022 – straight to the Rova to join the Eim Bayit staff!

In England Rachel worked as an Informal Educator at a local school and Sunday programs and spent many Shabbatot and Summers as a madricha for Bnei Akiva. Rachel received her BA in History from University College London (UCL) and is studying for her MA in Jewish Education. Rachel is a proud bogeret of Midreshet HaRova (5778) and loves being back in the Midrasha – she is here as Head Eim Bayit for anything you need to make the Old City your home!

Orit grew up in New York and made Aliyah in the summer of 2023. Orit holds a BA in Judaic Studies from Stern College, a Masters in Constructivist Jewish Education from Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration and an MSW from Wurzweiler School of Social Work. She spends her summers as the Assistant Director of NCSY JOLT Israel. Before making aliyah, Orit both taught in High Schools and worked in clinical settings.

Orit’s passion is facilitating, supporting and engaging in healthy religious and spiritual growth. Her teaching synthesizes parshanut, chassidic thought and modern psychology. Currently, Orit lives, loves and learns in Jerusalem.

Rabbi Doctor Zvi Ron made Aliyah in 1986, learned in Yeshivat Shaalvim and served as a shooting instructor in the IDF. After receiving Smicha from the Israeli Rabbanut, he and his wife, Sharon went on Shlichut to Richmond, Virginia where he served as Rabbi of Keneseth Beth Israel Synagogue for 10 years.

The Rons moved to Israel in 2004 and live with their four children in Neve Daniel, Gush Etzion. He is the author of two books on Tanach; Sefer Katan V’Gadol and Sefer Ha’Ikar Chaser as well as dozens of articles in numerous publications. He is editor of The Jewish Bible Quarterly and he was a contestant on the game show The Weakest Link.

Rav Yonny Sack was born in South Africa but spent most of his early years in Sydney, Australia.

In Sydney, with a secular upbringing, he received a Bachelor’s in Business degree from UTS and also studied and performed as an actor. After turning to religious observance, Rav Yonny came to Israel ,  learned in various yeshivot and kollels including Ohr Somayach , Yeshivat Har Etzion and YU’s Gruss Kollel, receiving smicha from HaRav Zalman Nechemya Goldberg zt”l.  He also studied for a teacher’s certification from the Herzog College.

Rav Yonny is married to Dalya and together they have 5 beautiful children, and live in Yishuv Mevo Choron . Rav Yonny is deeply passionate about Torah and sharing the beauty and depth of Torah with others as well and feels a great zchut in being any part of the spiritual growth of the wonderful students at Midreshet HaRova. Rav Yonny teaches a wide variety of classes from in-depth  chumash , to tikkun hamidot and chassidut.

Originally from Denver, Colorado, Rav Ari Shames made Aliyah in 1986. He spent 6 years in Yeshivat Har Etzion, including active army service, and received his BA from Bar Ilan University in Psychology and Political Science and Semicha from the Rabbanut Harashit LeYyisrael. He teaches Gemara, Halacha, Teffila, Chassidut, Zionism and more and finds it critical to portray the passion in our avodat Hashem through the various classes and informal activities at the Midrasha. In addition to all of the classes that Rav Shames teaches, he serves as Associate Director, as well as overseeing programming, our madrichot and general behind the scenes. 

Rav Shames is married to Haya, has six children and lives in Neve Daniel, Gush Etzion.

Raised in Riverdale, New York, Rav Chwat made Aliyah and completed the Hesder Program at the Ohr Etzion and Kiryat Arba yeshivot where he received smicha and served as a sergeant in Tzahal. He holds a B.A. in Tanach and an M.A. in Jewish History and Talmud, and enjoys utilizing his music as an educational medium, producing two albums of original compositions (including a tune for the bracha of Al HaMichya taught in the religious school system in Israel and in many schools and camps around the world). Rav Ari is currently a senior lecturer at numerous educational institutions as well as for the Israeli Army Air Force. Rav Chwat is also the director of Rav Kook’s archives in Beit HaRav and is considered a world authority on his writings and philosophy. He has authored and co-authored many books and articles and is a popular international lecturer. His teaching style has successfully deepened the connection with the Land, the People and the State of Israel for thousands of students from abroad, through his

warm personality, informal style, music, and a unique synthesis of high-level

intellectual philosophy and halacha together with history and an internalizing

emotional experience. He currently lives in Kochav HaShachar with his wife Tzvia and they have seven children.

Leiba Smith is our Office Manager for the Overseas Program and teaches “The Written Word”, a hands-on writing workshop that both imparts skills of writing and allows students to express, via the written word, some of their life and Midrasha experience, as well as “The Written Word – Journaling” where students learn structured journaling techniques for self-exploration and an eye to the future.

Leiba hails from Winnipeg Canada, where she completed a BA in Comparative Religion and Anthropology before spending several years learning and working as a madricha in Michlelet Bruria, the precursor to Midreshet Lindenbaum. Leiba has accumulated many years of experience in administration and management, and enjoys both a good logistics challenge and serving students with a smile. With over 15 years of experience in writing workshops and groups, Leiba is passionate about using words to explore, untangle, and share life experience.

Leiba lives in Tekoa with her husband and 7 chickens, and is visited often by her six children, children-in-law and the grandkids.

Atara Starr is a passionate Jewish educator currently working full time in Midreshet HaRova. Atara teaches Tanach, Topics in Chassidut and Jewish Philosophy as well as Jewish Literacy. Atara is also a Mashgicha, regularly meeting with and guiding the students through their year long experience in Israel. One of the highlights of her time in HaRova is joining the girls for their annual trip to Poland where her passion for Chassidut and Jewish History come alive.

Atara is originally from New York where she studied Bible and Jewish History in Stern and earned her Masters degree in Azrieli in Jewish Education. After making Aliyah in 2011 she taught in numerous seminaries as well as working on projects in curriculum building before joining the HaRova faculty in 2016.

Atara lives in Mitzpe Yericho with her husband and four delicious children.

Raised in Teaneck, NJ, Rav Michael Susman is an alumnus of Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavne and a graduate and Musmach of Yeshiva University and RIETS. He has been involved in Women’s education ever since having the zechut to mentor with Mrs. Chaya Newman as a young teacher at Bruriah High School. As the second longest tenured faculty member at the Midrasha, Rav Susman gets tremendous nachas from meeting bogrot from years past and greeting second generation students whose mothers were past students.

Rav Susman lives in Maale Adumim with his wife Sheryl, and they are the proud parents of six children who live all over Israel, and prouder grandparents to a gaggle of grandchildren. 

Rav Aviad Tabory studied for seven years at the Hesder Yeshivot of Ohr Etzion and Har Etzion (Gush) in Israel and received Semicha from the Israeli Rabbinate. Additionally he received a degree in Jewish education from Herzog College, and is a graduate of Amiel – the rabbinical training programme of Ohr Torah. Rav Tabory alos served as the Rav Shaliach of the Jewish Agency to Bnei Akiva in the UK as well as the founding community Rabbi of Alei Etzion in Hendon, London as well as serving as scholar-in-residence in communities around the world.

Rav Tabory currently teaches Gemara, Halacha and Jewish philosophy at Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi in Jerusalem. In the summer he serves as the Rosh Bet Midrash in Bnei Akiva Camp-Camp Stone.

Rav Tabory is the editor of “To Stand and Serve” (published by Maggid) – and the author of series on the Yeshivat Etzion Virtual Beit Midrash on “Halacha Response to Israeli History”.

Rav Aviad, Debra, and their four children live in Alon Shvut.

Dara lives in Efrat. She and her family made Aliyah from Cleveland, Ohio in 2012. Dara is a native New Yorker, but since she lived in Cleveland for 19 years, appreciates the “out of town” culture! She and her husband Michael are blessed with 5 awesome kids and 4 adorable grandchildren, who all live here in Israel.

Dara studied for her gap year in Michlala, and graduated from Stern College for Women. She is a teacher and Mashgicha at Midreshet Harova and really enjoys learning and speaking with the students!

Rabbi Michael Unterberg received his smicha from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanon Theological Seminary at Yeshiva University. He has worked in formal and informal Jewish education for over 30 years. At the Fuchs Mizrachi School he became the Jewish History Department Chair. He came to Cleveland as a founding member of the first religious Zionist kollel in America, the Torat Tzion Kollel. Mike has taught about Israel and Zionism in many varieties of organizations and Gap Year programs. His wife is the amazing Dara Unterberg, and they are both very proud parents and grandparents who live in Efrat.

Franny lives and breathes Torah and Art. A professional VIP guide, she infects princes and politicians with her passionate love of Eretz Yisrael. A song writer and performer, Franny touches many with her authentic Jewish music.

Franny is a bogeret of the Overseas Program at Midreshet HaRova. She studied Tanach and Machshava at Herzog College and Midreshet Migdol Oz. She is well known for her deeply spiritual and personal Torah classes as well as her music and art.

BEd, Orot Israel College for Women; BA Psychology, UNISA

Miriam is originally from West Hempstead, NY. She has been involved in formal and informal education for the past 15 years. While living in New York she served as the Director of Religious Guidance at YUHSG and taught various classes in Tanakh, Maschshava, and Tefillah. Miriam received her B.A. from Stern College; M.S. at Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education & Administration. She studied at the Bellows Eshkolot Educators Institute for Tanakh and Jewish Studies at Matan.

Miriam and her family made Aliya in 2020 and they feel blessed to be living in Jerusalem in the beautiful neighborhood of Arnona.