A B O U T E M E K L E A R N I N G C E N T E R
The Emek Learning Center, located in the heart of the German Colony on Emek Refa'im Street, seeks to build a warm and caring community for the English-speaking residents of Baka, Katamon, and beyond. Our staff of experienced and dynamic educators, under the leadership of Rav Shalom Myers and Rabbi Simcha Dumas, have gathered from all over the world to form what has become a unique center for Torah living and learning in Yerushalayim.
The daily and weekly schedule, including shiurim for men and women, chavruta learning, speakers, and tefillah, offer something for everyone, regardless of experience or level of exposure to Torah learning and concepts. Additionally, our newly renovated space, conveniently located at Emek Refa'im 64, provides a wonderful venue for all of your communal needs. Pay us a visit, whether for a scheduled shiur, a spontaneous chavruta during your day, one of the tefillah times listed, or for our delicious kiddush Shabbat morning! Help us build something truly special here at Emek.
T H E T E A M
Rabbi Shalom Myers is the founder, Rav and Rosh Kollel of the ELC. Previously, Rabbi Myers was director of the Mechina Program at Ohr Somayach in Jerusalem. He founded a Rabbanut Kollel and an evening Kollel in Telz Stone. He studied at Netzach Israel, Mir Yeshivah and Machon Ariel in Jerusalem where he received his smicha. He served as an army chaplain in South Africa and held rabbinic positions there. A qualified chartered accountant in South Africa and Israel, he represented South Africa in the Bible Quiz in Jerusalem in 1973.
Rabbi Yonatan Dorfman is the Rosh Kollel of the ELC. Rabbi Dorfman grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland and learned in Yeshivas Tiferes Gedaliah (YGW) High School. He spent years after that learning in Ateres Yerushalaim, Yeshiva University, RIETS, Gruss Kollel, and the Mir. There he had the opportunity to learn and have shimush under tremendous gedolei Torah such as Rav Asher Weiss, Rav Asher Arieli, and Rav Hershel Shachter, to name a few. Rav Dorfman has received semicha from various sources including RIETS and Rav Zalman Nechemyia Goldberg Ztzl.
Rabbi Simcha Dumas Is the Assistant Rabbi at the ELC. He was born and raised in Jerusalem,
he learned in the Mir Yeshiva Ketana and at Yeshivat Ohr Elchanan. During his studies in yeshiva. After his marriage in 2013, he began studying at a kollel in the Old City of Jerusalem, and to volunteered in several Kiruv organizations. He has also studied Christian and Muslim theology to help Jews under threat from missionaries. In 2017 he received Semicha from Rabbi Zalmen Nechimyia Goldberg and he continued learning for the Israel Rabanut tests, besides serving as the Assistant Rabbi at the ELC he also runs the worldwide 'Semichas Chaver Program' organization which was founded by an ELC alumni, Rabbi Elyada Goldwicht.
I'm Avi Blumgart, age 23 and a native of Switzerland. I moved to London in 10th grade. After high school, I learned for a year at Yeshivat Sha’alvim. Then, I spent 3 years studying for my undergraduate in Human Sciences at Oxford University. I kept up my kesher to Shaalvim throughout, and returned there for another year after graduating university. At the end of my Shana Bet, I decided I wanted to learn Halacha b’iyun and thankfully found the perfect kollel at ELC.
My name is Moshe Moskowitz, I am a kollel avriech here in the Emek Learning Center. I grew up in West Hempstead, NY and I went to Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh for 2 years and Yeshivas Shor Yoshuv for 5 years. I met my wife in Israel and we now live in the Baka area to partake in the ELC community kollel. When I'm not learning in the ELC I enjoy skiing and playing basketball. I aspire to be a software engineer and Rabbi in the future
Moshe Fixler learns and lives in the ELC community. Originally from Elizabeth NJ, Moshe spent time learning in YSMZ, Yeshivat Mercaz haRav and Yeshivas Mir. With a SUNY B.A. and a personal training certificate, Moshe enjoys playing hockey, making herring and honoring kohanim. Moshe, his wife and two kids look forward to a life of teaching Torah and bringing Am Yisrael together.
Rabbi Chaim Blumenau was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa. He learned in Yeshivot Meshech Chochma and Ponevez in Bnei Brak. He is excited to now live in the area with his wife and three children, and to teach in the ELC community.
Yosef Markov was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. He spent 5 years in yeshiva gedolah in Eretz Yisroel before getting married and joining the Emek Learning Center. He lives in Givat Ze'ev and enjoys learning and teaching bechavrasah, trying to expand access to the Torah to all Jews.
After 3 years learning in Gateshead Yeshiva Gedola in England, Eli Rubenstein feels fortunate to have had the opportunity to move to Israel, where he continued his learning in Mir Yeshiva. His interest in Halacha caused him to briefly join R' Mordechai Eliyahu's kollel, before a profound desire to connect with a community and explore the vast expanses of the Torah further - in addition to a lot of Hashgocha - led him to the ELC...
R A B B I E M E R I T U S
HaRav Azarya Berzon was the Rav and Rosh Kollel of the ELC. Previously Rav Berzon served as Rosh Mesivta at the Beis Medrash L'Talmud of Lander College for Men. He served as Rosh Mesivta in Yeshivat Hesder Ma’aleh Adumim, as well as senior Rosh Mesivta at Yeshivat Sha'alvim from 1981-1991, and founded Yeshiva Sha’arei Mevaseret Zion in 1991, where he served as Rosh Yeshiva until 2009. Rabbi Berzon also founded Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim for women in 1996. Most recently he has served as Co-Rosh Kollel of the Yeshiva University Kollel in Toronto. A Talmid of HaRav Yoseph Dov Soloveitchik, zt”l, Rabbi Berzon also studied in Yeshiva Kerem B’Yavneh and Yeshiva Beis HaTalmud in Israel. He has over 9,000 Torah Shiurim online at YU Torah and has served in many communities across the world as a Scholar in Residence. You can also find many of his shiurim on YouTube.
A L U M N I
Rabbi Shimmy Wieder is passionate about learning and teaching Torah to a wide variety of audiences. Born in London, he studied at the Hasmonean High School and was actively involved in the Ezra youth movement as well as in one-on-one Torah teaching. He came to Israel in 2004 to study at Yeshivat Midrash Shmuel followed by Yeshivat Mir. He has received semicha in Issur V'Heter and niddah from Rav Moshe Sternbuch, has completed a teacher training course, and is completing the Rabbanut semicha in the ELC. He has taught in a yeshiva and seminary in Jerusalem in an enthusiastic, dynamic, interactive and effective manner. He and his wife Abi have three young daughters. They continued their involvement in youth work, being the host family and rabbi of Ezra Summer Camp in Europe. Rabbi Wieder continues to give several shiurim in the ELC, including the Daf Yomi shiur.
Rabbi Yitzchak Thaler was born in Jerusalem. He studied at Yeshiva Ketana of Rabbi Stefansky, and Yeshiva Gedola at Mir Brachfeld by HaGaon HaRav Nosson Tzvi Finkel zt"l. He got a degree in Jewish Studies from the Michigan Jewish Institute. For two year, he taught Judaic Studies at night at Hebrew University in a program called "Afikim". He is married to Hadassah Gibralter, and they have two sons. He is completing the Rabbanut Semicha while teaching at the ELC. He runs a program for the Lone Soldiers in the community.
Rabbi Benny Gold grew up in Afula. He is the son of Rabbi Menachem Gold who established a kiruv organization - the Afula Torah Center "Mashmaut" which changed the face of the city. He took part in helping his father make Torah available to all. Rabbi Gold learned in Nehorah yeshiva high school then continued onto Yeshiva Gedola Netivot Yitzchak of Rabbi Yisroel Meir Lau in Tel Aviv. From there he went to learn in Derech Chochma Yeshiva of Rabbi Silver in Har Nof.
During the first two years of marriage Rabbi Gold learned in Raanana Community Kollel, there he experienced learning with balebatim, giving shiurim and teaching kids how to learn Gemara.
Rabbi Yitzi Schaefer grew up in Israel to an Anglo family. He learned in Yeshiva Ketana Maoz Chayil, followed by Mir Brachfeld and then the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem at Rabbi Yosef Elefant’s shuir. He loves learning Halacha and teaching Torah and also enjoys playing basketball and surfing.