In recent weeks, The Torah Blog has been sharing spotlights of just a handful of the many wonderful teachers and speakers that you will be able to find at the OU’s Torah New York event, Sunday, April 29, indoors at Citi Field. There are so many more that we didn’t get a chance to name, including many members of the OU family! (Please note that many of the following will only be speaking at the special tracks available for NCSY, OU-JLIC, and YU Connects/Saw You at Sinai. Consult the schedule for full details.) Among these, you’ll find:
Shira Boshnack – A renowned educator and a veteran kallah teacher, Shira serves as educator for the OU-JLIC program at Brooklyn College with her husband, Rabbi Reuven Boshnack.
Rabbi Robert Charnoff – Rabbi Charnoff and his wife, Shoshana, are the inaugural directors of the OU-JLIC program at Queens College. Rabbi Charnoff is also responsible for the daily women’s Torah learning program at Queens College, HaMidrasha at QC.
Rabbi Moshe Elefant – Not only is Rabbi Elefant the Chief Operating Officer of OU Kosher, he serves as maggid shiur for the OU’s Daf Yomi – one of the most popular Daf shiurim in the world!
Allen Fagin – Mr. Fagin practiced law at the leading international law firm of Proskauer Rose, LLP, beginning in 1976. He retired from Proskauer in 2013 in order to devote himself “with far greater intensity, to communal activity.” He currently serves as Executive Vice President and chief professional officer of the OU, where he has imparted greater professionalism throughout the organization.
Rabbi Noam Friedman – Rabbi Friedman serves, with his wife, Shiffy, as the OU-JLIC educators at ColumbiaUniversity/Barnard College, a position they have held since 2013.
Rabbi Menachem Genack – In addition to his role as Rabbinic Administrator of the Orthodox Union’s Kashrut Division, Rabbi Genack has served as spiritual leader of Congregation Shomrei Emunah in Englewood, NJ, since 1985. He is also the author of three halachic works and co-editor of the Mesorah Torah journal.
Rabbi Israel Lashak – A veteran educator, Rabbi Lashak has served as Regional Director of the Southwest region of NCSY and currently serves as Senior Educator for International NCSY. He co-founded NCSY in Latin America and delivers a popular Spanish-language shiur on OU Torah.
Rabbi Hershel Schachter – A distinguished faculty member of YU RIETS for nearly 50 years, Rabbi Schachter became the institution’s youngest Rosh Yeshiva at the age of 26. A prolific author, he has written more than 100 articles in Hebrew and English, as well as numerous seforim. At the OU, Rabbi Schachter serves as the Posek for the OU’s Kashruth Division.
Rebbetzin Dr. Adina Shmidman – Director of the OU’s newly formed Women’s Initiative, Dr. Shmidman is also rebbetzin at the Lower Merion Synagogue in Bala Cynwyd, PA, where her husband, Rabbi Avraham Shmidman, serves as rabbi. She has taught in many institutions and has directed the staff professional development program at Kosloff Torah Academy Girls High School.
Racheli Taubes – Mrs. Taubes serves as OU-JLIC Educator at the University of Pennsylvania along with her husband, Rabbi Yaakov Taubes. She previously worked at the Institute for University-School Partnership and taught Judaic Studies at Yeshivat Noam Middle School and Torah Academy of Philadelphia.
Rabbi Steven Weil – Currently the Senior Managing Director of the OU, Rabbi Weil began his career teaching and then continued as rabbi at the Young Israel of Oak Park, MI, and at Beth Jacob Congregation in Beverly Hills, CA. In 2009 he became the chief executive officer of the Orthodox Union.
Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb – Executive Vice President, Emeritus, of the OU, Rabbi Weinreb also has a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Maryland. He served as a psychotherapist for mental health organizations for many years while also maintaining a private practice. His positions included school psychologist for Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland and as Chief Psychologist of the Potomac Foundation for Mental Health.
These members of the OU family represent just a portion of the many internationally-acclaimed Torah personalities you can see and hear from at Torah New York. (See a complete list here.) So join us, this Sunday, April 29, indoors at Citi Field!