Yehuda Willig
Sanford Lurie Fellow

Rabbi Yehuda Willig is an instructor of Talmud at Yeshiva University. Rabbi Willig is an alumnus of Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh in Israel and Yeshiva College. He received his Rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva University’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary where he was a member of the Wexner Semicha Honors Program. Subsequently he was a fellow at the Beren Institute for Higher Talmudic Studies. He is a frequent lecturer in communities in the United States and Canada.

Josh Brown
Sanford Lurie Scholar

Returning for his second year as a Sanford Lurie Scholar, Joshua Brown, a native of Teaneck N.J., attended The Frisch School followed by two years of study at Yeshivat Shaalvim in Israel. Joshua graduated Yeshiva College with a major in History and a minor in Business Administration.    He also completed the pre-health sciences and spent a year working at Columbia University Medical Center in a basic science laboratory involved in biomedical research.  Joshua is currently studying Talmud and Halacha at RIETS and is the Rabbinic Intern at Congregation Ahavath Torah in Englewood, N.J.

Josh Podolski
Sanford Lurie Scholar

Josh Podolski is currently a fourth year rabbinical student at RIETS.  After studying Talmud for two years at Yeshivat Har Etzion, he completed his Bachelors degree in Political Philosophy from Yeshiva College.  Alongside his rabbinical studies, Josh has been involved in the Yatzkan Center and Women’s League Community Residences, mentoring at-risk teens and children with developmental disabilities.  He is also an avid jazz musician and intends to continue his music studies post ordination.

Zev Goldberg
Sanford Lurie Scholar

Zev Goldberg grew up in Teaneck, NJ, and spent two years studying in Israel, at Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh. He graduated with honors from Yeshiva College with a BA in Economics. A fourth year student at RIETS, he has served as a rabbinic intern in Livingston, NJ and Riverdale, NY, and is currently the rabbinic intern at the Park East Synagogue. He has also participated in a YU leadership program in which he traveled frequently to Charleston, SC to deliver Torah classes to both adults and youth of the Jewish community. Zev and his wife, Michal, were recently blessed with the birth of their first child, Meira.

Etan Ehrenfeld
Sanford Lurie Scholar

Etan Ehrenfeld is currently a third year rabbinical student at RIETS. He grew up in Teaneck, NJ and attended Torah Acadamy of Bergen County. He continued his studies for two years at Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh in Jerusalem before attending Yeshiva University where he majored in mathematics. In addition to his studies at RIETS, Etan is currently completing his Masters at the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education. He resides in Washington Heights with his wife, Tamar.

Uriel Rabinovitz
Sanford Lurie Scholar

Uriel Rabinovitz, a native of Pittsburgh, PA, is currently a Rabbinical student at Yeshiva University’s RIETS. He is a third year law student at Fordham University School of Law and is a member of the Fordham Law Review. Uriel attended Ner Israel High School in Baltimore, MD and subsequently studied for two years at Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavne in Israel. He graduated from Yeshiva College in 2005 with a B.A. in Mathematics. In addition, Uriel has been a Mechina mentor and a participant in the Torah Tours program, both of Yeshiva University, in past years. Uriel and his wife, Aviva, live in Washington Heights.

Sandy Shulkes
Sanford Lurie Scholar

Sandy Shulkes comes to The Jewish Center with a plethora of unique and diverse educational and work experiences. He studied accounting at University of Maryland, and learned at Yeshiva Ner Yisrael before entering YU/RIETS Semicha program and Bernard Revel Graduate School in Jewish Philosophy. He is currently the Rabbinic Intern at Young Israel of Jamaica Estates and served last year as Rabbinic Intern at Ramath Orah. He has prior experience as an educator for Aish HaTorah, NSCY, Young Israel of Hollywood, FL, and YU’s summer Kollel in Denver, CO.