RABBI AVI WEISS, FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
Rabbi Avi Weiss founded YCT in 1999.  He is Senior Rabbi of the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, a modern and Open Orthodox congregation of 850 families in Bronx, NY. Rabbi Weiss is the National President of the AMCHA – the Coalition for Jewish Concerns, a grassroots organization that speaks out for Jewish causes throughout the world.  He has authored two books: "Women at Prayer: A Halakhic Analysis of Women’s Prayer Groups" and "Principles of Spiritual Activism."

RABBI DOV LINZER, ROSH HAYESHIVA & DEAN
Rabbi Linzer studied for many years at Yeshivat Har Etzion, was a member of Yeshiva University’s Gruss Kollel Elyon, and received his ordination from the Israeli Rabbinate. He is a recipient of the Javits Graduate fellowship, and a doctoral candidate in Religion at Columbia University. Rabbi Linzer headed the Boca Raton Kollel for the first two-and-a-half years of its existence, giving classes to the rabbis of the Kollel, and lecturing throughout the South Florida communities. He has published Halakha and machshava articles in Torah journals and lectures widely at synagogues and conferences on topics relating to Halakha, Orthodoxy, and modernity. Rabbi Linzer spearheaded the development of the YCT Rabbinical School curriculum into an innovative four year semikha program which provides its students with rigorous halakhic study and sophisticated professional training in the context of a religious atmosphere which cultivates openness and inclusiveness. In addition to overseeing the Yeshiva's Torah curriculum, he teaches advanced Halakha in a broad range of areas across all four sections of the Shulchan Aruch – including Kashrut, Ishut and Niddah, and Shabbat and Eruvin. Rabbi Linzer teaches advanced classes in Talmud and a year-long class in Contemporary Challenges of Modern Orthodoxy.

RABBI YAMIN LEVY, VICE PRESIDENT OF YESHIVA AFFAIRS
Rabbi Yamin Levy was ordained by Yeshiva University.  Formerly the Academic Director of Sephardic Studies at Yeshiva University (2001-2006), he spent 18 years in the rabbinate in New Jersey, Seattle, WA. and Long Island, NY. Rabbi Levy is the author of the internationally acclaimed "Confronting the Loss of a Baby: A Personal and Jewish Perspective," which was translated into Hebrew by Ruben Mass Publishers. He also wrote "Journey Through Grief: A Sephardic Manual for the Bereaved and Their Community" and authored numerous scholarly articles published in English and Hebrew on a range of topics including Jewish Law, Biblical Studies, and Maimonidean Studies.  Most recently, Rabbi Levy co-edited a book entitled "The Legacy of Maimonides: Religion, Reason, and Community." He is also teaching a class at the Rabbinical School. In addition to his work at YCT, Rabbi Levy is the Founder and Dean of the Maimonides Heritage Center.

MATI FRIEDMAN, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Mati Friedman has many years of experience in finance and administration in nonprofit organizations and in the private sector.  A certified public accountant, she earned a B.S. in accounting from Brooklyn College.  Her work experience includes positions in organizations as diverse as the Metropolitan Opera and Ma'ayanot Yeshiva High School. In a volunteer capacity, Mati has been actively involved in various institutions, most recently having served as a Vice President on the executive board of Torah Academy of Bergen County. 

RABBI YSOSCHER KATZ, DIRECTOR OF BEIT MIDRASH PROGRAM 
Rabbi Ysoscher Katz received ordination in 1986 from Rabbi Roth, dayan of UTA Satmer. Rabbi Katz studied in Brisk and in Yeshivat Beit Yosef, Navaradok for over ten years. A graduate of the HaSha'ar Program for Jewish Educators, Rabbi Katz has taught at the Ma'ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls and SAR High School.  He was a leading teacher of a daf yomi class in Boro Park for over eight years.

RUTHIE STROSBERG SIMON, DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES
Ruthie Strosberg Simon holds a Master's Degree in Jewish Education from Hebrew College in Newton, MA.   Born and raised in Schenectady, NY, Ruthie graduated from Union College with a B.A. in Russian and Spanish languages.   Previously she worked at Prozdor Hebrew High School of Hebrew College.

RABBI DOV WEISS, DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS
Rabbi Dov Weiss previously served as the Director of Operations at YCT.  He is currently pursuing a doctorate in rabbinic theology at the University of Chicago. A former Wexner Graduate Fellow, he received Semicha (ordination) from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary - RIETS (affiliated with Yeshiva University) and an MA in Modern Jewish History at Yeshiva University (Revel). He was previously a visiting professor of Jewish Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

DR. MICHELLE FRIEDMAN, CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF PASTORAL COUNSELING
Dr. Michelle Friedman is the Founder and Chair of the Department of Pastoral Counseling at YCT.  She received an MD from the NYU School of Medicine and has completed advanced training at the Columbia University Psychoanalytic Center for Training and Research. Dr. Friedman is a highly respected psychiatrist who focuses on the Jewish community and has a special interest in the rabbinate and pastoral counseling. In addition to her private practice and her role at YCT, Dr. Friedman is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York.

RABBI NATHANIEL HELFGOT, CHAIR, DEPARTMENTS OF BIBLE AND JEWISH THOUGHT / DIRECTOR OF CONTINUING RABBINIC EDUCATION
Rabbi Nathaniel Helfgot is Chair of Departments of Bible and Jewish Thought and Director of Continuing Rabbinic Education at YCT.  He was previously Director of the Judaic Studies Curriculum at Ma'ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls. Ordained by RIETS and a recipient of the Jerusalem Fellowship, Rabbi Helfgot holds an MA in Education from the Azrieli Graduate School of Yeshiva University.  He has authored dozens of essays in Hebrew and English, serves as co-editor of the Hebrew journal Or HaMizrach and most recently served as editor of the volume "Community, Covenant and Commitment: Selected Letters and Communications of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik." He is also a faculty member of the Wexner Foundation Heritage program.

RABBI YAACOV LOVE, CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF HALAKHA
Rabbi Yaacov Love is the Chair of the Department of Halakha at YCT.  He has studied at Yeshiva Netzach Yisrael under Harav Yisrael Gustman, z"l. He received Yoreh Yoreh and Yadin Yadin ordinations from noted rabbis and dayanim in Israel. Rabbi Love taught at Shappel Institute and Machon Pardes and at Bruriah High School in New Jersey. He also completed course work for the MA/PhD program in Talmud at Hebrew University, Jerusalem.

RABBI CHAIM MARDER, CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF PRACTICAL RABBINICS
Rabbi Chaim Marder is Chair of YCT's Department of Professional Rabbinics.  He has served as Rabbi of the Hebrew Institute of White Plains since 1995. He is a graduate of Yeshiva University, holds an MA in Jewish History and received rabbinical ordination from RIETS. He is a former office and a member of the executive board of the Rabbinical Council of America and other rabbinic and communal organizations.