כי הם חיינו
at heichal HaTorah
My son found a second home at Heichal. The Torah environment combined with the warmth and concern for every talmid is the perfect recipe for an amazing Yeshiva.
HEICHAL PARENT
My son found a second home at Heichal. The Torah environment combined with the warmth and concern for every talmid is the perfect recipe for an amazing Yeshiva.
HEICHAL PARENT
“HEICHAL HATORAH’S REBBEIM ARE WARM, SENSITIVE, AND CARING TALMIDEI CHACHAMIM WHO ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT, SUCCESS, AND HAPPINESS OF EACH TALMID.”
Rav Avi Oberlander
Judaic Studies Principal
My experience with Heichal HaTorah was a really positive one. The rabbeim at Heichal are really caring and always there for each and every talmid. It was really beautiful being part of an institution that stands for Torah and the spreading of Torah. I had such a wonderful time at Heichal that I wish I could go back!
SHUA WILHELM, HEICHAL ALUMNUS
Gemara Iyun
9:10 – 11:10 AM
Our talmidim study a challenging masechta each year with the goal of acquiring skills to “make a leining” on Gemara, Rashi, Tosafos, and other major rishonim and acharonim. Our rebbeim provide outstanding training in the analysis of each word and its implication. They teach students to uncover the conceptual underpinnings of the sugya. Significant time is allotted to chavrusah learning, as talmidim prepare for and review the shiur.
Gemara Bekius
12:40 – 2:00 PM
A second masechta is selected each year for bekius learning. Each talmid masters an entire masechta each year. Talmidim take regular bechinos on dapim and perakim, culminating in a year-end masechta bechina. Talmidim of the Yeshiva will complete four of the following Masechtas: Berachos, Rosh Hashanah, Megillah, Succah, Kiddushin, Gittin or Sotah. There is no prouder moment for our yeshiva or our parents than when our talmidim stand proudly at the podium at the end of the year to recite the Hadran on the masechtos that they have learned and then recite it once again after the summer when they make another siyum on the same masechta, which they reviewed over the summer.
Halacha and Chumash
11:15 AM – 12:00 PM
Every morning, talmidim study halacha. The Yeshiva follows a four-year cycle that completes the entire Kitzur Shulchan Aruch and Kitzur Hilchos Shabbos. This provides the requisite knowledge for our talmidim to live a life of diligent shemiras hamitzvos. Heichal talmidim learn parshas hashavuah with Rashi and other meforshim on a daily basis. Our rebbeim stress the fact that the Torah informs and inspires our avodas Hashem and everyday lives.
Mussar
Our Rosh Yeshiva, Hanhallah, and rebbeim present motivational speeches before or after shacharis, mincha and maariv. Derech eretz is emphasized as an essential characteristic of a ben Torah. Drawing from seforim that teach mussar in a positive manner inspires our talmidim to daven, live, and learn with passion and excitement.
Night Seder
Mondays and ThursdayS
7:00 – 7:55 PM followed by Maariv
Monday night seder offers our talmidim the opportunity to participate in dynamic chaburahs offered by older mentors from upper-classmen and the Heichal Bais Medrash. These mentors serve as role models and participate in Heichal trips, special events, and Shabbatons. On Thursday nights, all talmidim review Bekius with their rebbeim. The talmidim daven maariv together as a yeshiva at 7:55 PM.
Over the four years my son spent at Heichal, he grew in knowledge, skill, confidence and maturity. I am so grateful to the Heichal administration and staff for helping my son grow into the best version of himself!
PARENT OF HEICHAL ALUMNUS
“Heichal HaTorah is a place where a young man transforms into a ben Torah. Rabbeim dedicate their total לב שלם to ensure the success of each תלמיד.”
Rav Jason Finkelstein is a rebbe at Heichal. Rav Finkelstein studied at Yeshivat Hakotel and then continued on to Yeshiva University where he spent many years learning with Rav Michael Rosensweig and developing a close relationship with Rav Meir Twersky through YU’s Masmidim program. He was a member of the Wexner Kollel Elyon, and partook in extensive rabbinic training.
Rabbi Finkelstein was a beloved seventh and eighth-grade rebbe at Yeshivat Noam and has been involved in numerous roles of harbatzas HaTorah throughout the Teaneck community. His passion for learning and his ability to connect with all his talmidim makes a lasting imprint on his students.
We are delighted to welcome Rabbi Siff to Heichal as our 9th grade Rebbe and Assistant to the Menahel. Rabbi Siff’s illustrious journey as a Ben Torah took root during his rigorous studies at the Yeshiva of Far Rockaway, Mir Yeshiva, and BMG in Lakewood. These efforts culminated in his receipt of Smicha from Yeshiva Torah Vodaath. In addition, Rabbi Siff holds a Master’s degree in Private School Leadership and Organization from the Columbia University. With years of dedicated service as a Gemara Rebbe at HAFTR and an administrative role at Mesivta Chaim Shlomo of Yeshivas Darchei Torah, Rabbi Siff brings to our institution not only an immense reservoir of Torah knowledge but also a rich tapestry of educational experience. Above all, his profound commitment to nurturing our students’ growth makes him a truly valuable addition to our community.
Rav Shimon Kronenberg learned in Yeshivat Sha’alvim as well as Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim. While in Ohr Hachaim, he attended Touro College, majoring in Judaic Studies. Rav Kronenberg taught Gemara at Yeshivat Noam and worked for NCSY as a summer camp rebbe and chapter director.
Rav Dani Staum received semichah from the renowned Rav Berel Wein and graduated from Fordham University with a Masters in Social Work, with a special focus on adolescent mental health.
He has served as a division head at Camp Dora Golding as well as rebbe, teacher, general studies principal, and guidance counselor at several top-tier yeshivas and day schools. A sought-after speaker and noted author on issues relating to the mental health of teenage boys, Rav Staum has distinguished himself as a leader in the guidance of young men.
Rabbi Staum serves as a 9th grade Rebbe at Heichal and he has authored and edited many Heichal publications.
A close talmid of Rav Meir Twersky, Rav Dovid Komet also studied under the tutelage of Rav Hershel Schachter, and in the Kollel Elyon of YU. Rav Komet received a B.A. in Mathematics from Yeshiva College. He later became a Meishiv at the RJJ Yeshiva of Edison. Over the past two decades, Rav Komet developed a stellar reputation as a master mechanech and talmid chacham.
After many years as the tenth grade rebbe and pre-Calculus and Calculus teacher at Moshe Aaron Yeshiva High School, Rav Komet served as Menahel of MAYHS for three years. For many years, he served as the S’gan Menahel of Shaarei Tzion in Piscataway, NJ. Rav Komet is respected for his sincere and warm personality, coupled with a sharp sense of humor, which enables him to form life-long relationships with his talmidim. Heichal is extremely blessed that Rav Komet decided to return to the classroom and serve as our tenth grade rebbe and Honors Mathematics teacher.
Heichal is extremely blessed that Rav Komet has served as a Heichal Rebbe, Israel Guidance and Honors Math teacher for many years.
Rav Ronen Dvash grew up in Staten Island, New York. He learned in the Beis Medrash L’Talmud/Lander College Kollel for nine years while earning semichah and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Touro University.
Rav Dvash was the Rav of Ohr HaTorah of Kew Gardens Hills for many years. Currently he is a Rebbe at Heichal and a Rebbe at Machon Ora in Passaic, NJ.
Rav Mordechai Reiss is a tenth grade Bekius Rebbe and a Bais Medrash night seder Rebbe at Heichal HaTorah. Mordechai grew up in Flatbush where he attended Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim for elementary and high school.
He attended Philadelphia Yeshiva for bais medrash where he learned under Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky, Shlit”a and earned a bachelors in talmudic law. He then learned in Eretz Yisroel in the yeshiva of Rav Dovid Soloveitchik zt”l where he spent two years learning Kodshim. He then went on to learn in Bais Medrash Gavoha for a number of years earning a masters in Talmudic Law.
Mordechai currently resides in Passaic where he was a member of the Passaic Clifton Community Kollel for three years. Mordechai gives a weekly Halacha shiur at Rabbi Halberstam’s shul in Passaic.
He was recently appointed as the Assistant Rabbi at Agudas Yisroel Bircas Yaakov of Passaic Park. He is actively involved in the community, offering weekly shiurim and making himself available to meet with members of the shul.
Rav Chaim Marcus is the Heichal Mashpiah and also teaches an Iyun shiur to seniors. Rav Marcus studied under Rav Aharon Lichtenstein zt”l, at Yeshivat Har Etzion, and earned his semichah at RIETS, at Yeshiva University. In addition to serving as the marah d’asrah of Congregation Israel of Springfield (CIS), Rav Marcus was the Senior Halacha Rabbi of Bruriah High School for Girls for nearly two decades, and leads the Semichat Chaver program at CIS. “It is an honor that Rav Marcus, one of the most influential and inspirational rabbis in our community, has chosen Heichal to continue to his illustrious chinuch career,” said Rav Stechler.
Rav Michoel Parnes teaches the most advanced Iyun shiur at Heichal HaTorah. Rav Parnes is a veteran mechanech and talmid chacham who came to Heichal after serving as rebbe for the twelfth grade honors shiur at JEC for 36 years. Rav Parnes received his semichah from the Mirrer Yeshiva of Brooklyn, New York. He also studied at the Mirrer Yeshiva in Israel, and at YU under the Gaon HaRav Dr. Joseph Ber Solovetchik, zt”l. He has the privilege of being a chavrusa with his father, HaRav Yehuda Parnes, the esteemed maggid shiur at YU and Lander College.
Rav Parnes is known for earning the respect of his students and inspiring them to live up to their full potential. His talmidim emerge highly skilled and sought-after by prestigious yeshivos in Israel. Rav Parnes has maintained close relationships with his talmidim long after graduation, as they transition into adults and contributing members of their communities. He is always available for his past and present talmidim to discuss any and all life issues.
Rav Reichman is a talmid of Yeshiva Shaar HaTorah in Queens, where he developed a close relationship with the roshei yeshiva, Rav Kalman Epstein, shlit”a, and Rav Sholom Spitz, shlit”a, his father in law. In Eretz Yisroel, he learned in Yeshivas Brisk under the leadership of Rav Avrohom Yehoshua Soloveitchik.
For 14 years, he learned in kollel in Bais Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, New Jersey, including, 6 years as a rosh chabura. This chabura focuses on the combination of classical lomdus and halacha, attracted a large number of outstanding avreichim interested in the derech haLimud as well as the hadracha they would receive in formal chaburos and one-on-one discussions.
Rav Yitzchok also collaborated with his father, Rav Herschel Reichman of Yeshiva University, on a number of volumes of Reshimos Shiurei HaGrid Soloveichik, the shiurim of Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, Rosh Yeshiva of YU.
Rav Eli Zakutinsky is a night seder rebbe at Heichal. Rav Zakutinsky learned in Yeshivas Shaar HaTorah and the Mir, where he learned under Rav Asher Arieli and Rav Akiva Friedman. He went on to receive semicha from Yeshivas Mir and Rav Zalman Druck. Rav Zakutinsky served as a shoel u’meishiv in Yeshivas Merkaz HaTorah for two years before moving back to America. Rav Zakutinsky currently lives in Passaic with his wife and children.
Rav Yehuda Willig leads the optional night seder program at Heichal and teaches medical ethics from a Halachic perspective. Rav Willig currently serves as a maggid shiur at RIETS, at Yeshiva University.
An alumnus of Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh as well as Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim, Rav Willig earned his BA at Yeshiva College and received his semichah from RIETS, where he was a member of the Wexner Semikha Honors Program. He also spent time as a fellow at the Beren Institute for Higher Talmudic Studies. In the summer, Rav Willig serves as mara d’asra of Camp HASC.
During junior and senior year, talmidim can opt to learn an extra hour of bekius and finish a larger masechta, such as Berachos, Gittin or Kidushin.
Many boys voluntarily stay in the yeshiva each night for night seder. After joining the Bais Medrash talmidim for dinner, these high school boys have a two-hour Gemara seder each night.
Talmidim who learn more than 10 hours will receive Chickies for dinner
Talmidim who learn more than 25 hours will go out to Dougie’s for dinner.
Talmidim who learn more than 40 hours will go out to ETC. Steakhouse for dinner
We are so incredibly grateful and lucky to be apart of Heichal HaTorah. The yeshiva cares about each individual boy and works tirelessly so that our son can be successful. The rebbeim have been so warm and kind and really try to teach each talmid at their level. Our son goes to school happily and comes home happy which means a lot to us.
HEICHAL PARENT
Talmidim who learn more than 10 hours
will receive Chickies for dinner
Talmidim who learn more than 25 hours
will go out to Dougie’s for dinner.
Talmidim who learn more than 40
hours will
go out to ETC. Steakhouse for dinner
I have only been at Heichal for a few weeks and I already feel that the way I learn, the way I daven, and the way I serve Hashem has changed for the better.
YEHUDA BESSER, HEICHAL STUDENT