Experienced, vibrant rebbeim mold our talmidim. The mesivta recognizes that the rebbe-talmid relationship is critical to the proper development of talmidim. Consequently, our rebbeim shower the bochurim with warmth, encouragement and hadracha. The warm connections they develop with the talmidim are relationships that last a lifetime.
Our Menahel
HaRav Aryeh Reiss, Shlita
Rabbi Aryeh Reiss, a native of Los Angeles, California, is a talmid of the Telshe Yeshiva in Chicago, where he studied for 8 years and developed a lasting and close bond with the Rosh Yeshiva, Hagaon Harav Avrohom Chaim Levin, זצ”ל . Following his years at Telshe, he continued his studies at the famed Yeshivas Brisk in Eretz Yisroel and Bais Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, New Jersey. Rabbi Reiss spent his four kollel years in Eretz Yisroel, learning at Kollel Tiferes Tzvi (Brisker Kollel), and served as night seder Sho'el Umeishiv for bochurim in Bais Medrash L’Torah.
From there, Rabbi Reiss joined the staff of Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim as a Bais Medrash Sho'el Umeishiv, as well as rebbi in Mesivta Yesodei Yeshurun. His signature warmth and enthusiasm, along with his superior teaching abilities, made him a very successful and beloved rebbi.
Rabbi Reiss is our Menahel and 9th grade Rebbi. “My goal for each and every talmid is to give him the skills necessary to have fluency and confidence when approaching Gemara, Rashi, Tosfos, and Meforshim so that the pshat in the gemara is crystal clear.” “Moreover,” he adds, “I see it as my obligation to inspire in the bochurim an appreciation and a geshmak in their avodas Hashem, a love for learning, and an understanding of how fortunate they are to be B'nei Torah.”
He always makes himself available for the bochurim, and the bochurim seek his guidance and counsel in all areas of life. Many of his former talmidim keep in close contact with Rabbi Reiss even after leaving his shiur.
A talmid of Rabbi Reiss has a rebbi for life.
Rebbeim
Rabbi Zvi Dana
Rabbi Dana began his beis medrash years in Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim and proceeded to learn in Eretz Yisroel for several years under Rav Tzvi Kaplan. He learned in Beis Medrash Govoha in Lakewood and spent his kollel years in Eretz Yisroel. Rabbi Dana was then encouraged by Harav Lander to return to Ohr Hachaim/Yesodei Yeshurun where he gave a shiur to first-year beis medrash bochurim, while also serving as a Sho’el Umeishiv for beis medrash bochrim and Bekius Rebbi for the 9th grade hasmadah program. Rabbi Dana is committed to nurturing his talmidim to grow in their learning while also providing them the tools and foundation to develop into refined B’nai Torah in every aspect. He forms warm and lasting relationships with his talmidim to help them with their development as they progress beyond the Yeshiva.
Rabbi Yosef Goldfinger
Rabbi Goldfinger is renowned for his incisive lomdus and clarity of presentation. Rabbi Goldfinger began his beis medrash years in Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim and proceeded to learn in Eretz Yisroel for several years under Rav Asher Arieli and Rav Tzvi Kaplan. His early kollel years were spent in Eretz Yisrael in the Brisker Kollel. Upon his return to America, Rabbi Goldfinger joined Kollel Knesses Yisrael of Eltingville, Staten Island. He also served as a Night Seder Rebbi for six years in Yeshiva Zichron Leyma under the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Gershon Newman, and for three years as a Sho'el Umeishiv in Yeshiva Toras Chessed of Lakewood under Rav Nosson Stein. Rabbi Goldfinger feels that when a rebbi does all he can to help a bochur grow in his learning, enabling the talmid to taste the sweetness of shteiging, the bochur can then truly achieve his potential.
Rabbi Aharon Lander
Rabbi Lander joined our Mesivta after six years at the Brisker Kollel in Yerushalayim. During that time, he also served as a Rosh Kollel of Kollel Zichron Chaim Sender Zev, a night kollel in Ramat Eshkol. Rabbi Lander spent his formative learning years at Mesivta Yesodei Yeshurun and Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim. He continued his limud haTorah at Yeshivas Ner Moshe (Rav Shalom Shechter) where he developed a close relationship with the renowned Rav Yaakov Lieberman. Rabbi Lander’s enthusiasm for learning and personal warmth is felt by all who know him.
Rabbi Tzvi Thaler
Rabbi Thaler has been a popular rebbi for the last 20 years in Yeshiva Ateres Shmuel of Waterbury’s Beis Medrash. He is known for his tremendous clarity in giving over a sugya and for the kesher he develops with each talmid. Rabbi Thaler is also the maggid shiur in Waterbury for Dirshu’s Daf Yomi B’Halacha. As a bochur, Rabbi Thaler learned in Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim in Queens followed by Ner Yisroel in Baltimore and the Mir Yeshiva in Eretz Yisroel. He then spent time in Kollel in Eretz Yisroel learning under Rav Tzvi Kushelevsky in Yeshivas Heichal HaTorah and then joined the Yeshiva in Waterbury at its inception in the year 2000.
Rabbi Moshe Halperin
Rabbi Halperin learned in Yeshiva Gedola of Passaic for his beis medrash years, after which he learned in Eretz Yisroel in the Brisk Yeshiva of HaRav Avraham Yehoshua Soloveitchik. He then learned in Beis Medrash Govoha of Lakewood before returning to Eretz Yisroel for seven years of learning in HaRav Prager’s kollel in Yerushalayim. A talmid chacham with tremendous insight, outstanding clarity, and personal warmth, Rabbi Halperin is truly appreciated by the bochurim in his role of Sho'el Umeishiv.
Rabbi Zvi Dana began his beis medrash years in Yeshivas Ohr Hachaim and proceeded to learn in Eretz Yisroel for several years under Rav Tzvi Kaplan. He learned in Beis Medrash Govoha in Lakewood and spent his kollel years in Eretz Yisroel. Rabbi Dana was then encouraged by Harav Lander to return to Ohr Hachaim/Yesodei Yeshurun where he gave a shiur to first year beis medrash bochurim while also serving as a Sho’el Umeishiv for beis medrash bochrim, and Bekius Rebbi for the 9th grade hasmadah program. Rabbi Dana is committed to nurturing his talmidim to grow in their learning while also providing them the tools and foundation to develop into refined B’nai Torah in every aspect. He forms warm and lasting relationships with his talmidim to help them with their development as they progress beyond the Yeshiva.
Rabbi Eli Blitz
Rabbi Blitz learned in Yeshiva Gedola of Detroit for Mesivta and Beis Medrash, and then Yeshivas Ner Moshe in Eretz Yisrael for ten years. There he became a close talmid and chavrusa of the esteemed Rav Yaakov Lieberman. He continued learning three more years in Eretz Yisrael in Kollel Pagi. Rabbi Blitz cherishes the opportunity to help each bochur cultivate simchas haTorah and develop their unique strengths.
Rabbi Eli Blitz
Rabbi Blitz learned in Yeshiva Gedola of Detroit for Mesivta and Beis Medrash, and then Yeshivas Ner Moshe in Eretz Yisrael for ten years. There he became a close talmid and chavrusa of the esteemed Rav Yaakov Lieberman. He continued learning three more years in Eretz Yisrael in Kollel Pagi. Rabbi Blitz cherishes the opportunity to help each bochur cultivate simchas haTorah and develop their unique strengths.
Rabbi Dovid Darabaner
Rabbi Darabaner learned in Telshe Yeshiva of Riverdale for high school and beis medrash, and then in Brisk in Eretz Yisroel for two years. He learned in Beis Medrash Gevoha of Lakewood for three years before moving to Waterbury as one of the founding families of Kollel Avreichim. He strives to help bochurim reach their potential, and inspires them to truly enjoy learning. He also runs a highly successful Yeshivas Bein Hazmanim, along with Rabbi Goldfinger, in which over seventy local Waterbury bochurim utilize their precious time to continue shteiging in a supportive and energizing atmosphere.
Rabbi Elimelech Zimmer
Rabbi Zimmer originally hails from Queens, New York, and began his kollel years in Yerushalayim. He initially learned in Kollel Zichron Nosson and later continued his studies in the Brisker Kollel. After several years of learning in Eretz Yisrael, Rabbi Zimmer moved to Los Angeles, spending six years in Kollel Los Angeles. During this time, he became a beloved rebbi in the local mesivta, where his warm and approachable manner made a lasting impact on his students. Rabbi Zimmer is known for his ability to convey complex Torah concepts with clarity and precision. His shiurim are a testament to his commitment to both the academic and personal development of each student.
Rabbi Halperin learned in Yeshiva Gedola of Passaic for his bais medrash years, after which he learned in Eretz Yisroel in the Brisk Yeshiva of HaRav Avraham Yehoshua Soloveitchik.
He then learned in Bais Medrash Gavoha of Lakewood before returning to Eretz Yisroel for seven years of learning in HaRav Prager’s kollel in Yerushalayim. A talmud chacham with tremendous insight, outstanding clarity, and personal warmth, Rabbi Halperin is the ideal person to be our Sho'el Umeishiv.
Faculty
Rabbi Yossi Kenigsberg
Rabbi Kenigsberg previously served as the general studies principal at Mesivta Yesodei Yisroel, an affiliated yeshiva in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. He has a master’s degree in Mental Health Counselling and is a certified Wilson Dyslexia Practitioner working with children who have reading disabilities. He is dedicated to establishing a rapport of genuine warmth and respect toward the students and their families. In addition to facilitating an engaging and creative academic curriculum, Rabbi Kenigsberg teaches several classes and monitors the academic and social/emotional status of every student in Mesivta.
Rabbi Moshe Eisgrau
Born and bred in Monsey, New York, Rabbi Eisgrau was raised in a family of noted educators. He inherited his passion for chinuch from both his father, a principal in Monsey for two decades, and his mother, a longtime classroom teacher and student counselor. He attended Mesivta of Greater Boston and Yeshiva Gedolah Shaarei Shmuel and is currently a popular 7th grade rebbi in the Yeshiva K'tana of Waterbury. Rabbi Eisgrau utilizes his rich educational background, as well as his classroom experience, in his role as Assistant Principal.
Rabbi Binyomin Rabinowitz
Rabbi Rabinowitz, a native of Toronto, learned in Yeshiva of Twin Rivers in New Jersey, and then in Eretz Yisrael at Yeshivas Ner Moshe under Rav Yaakov Lieberman. He spent the past eight years learning at Beis Medrash Govoha. In the summers he served as a division head in Camp Chevra, where he ensured that the boys had an enjoyable and safe experience. Rabbi Rabinowitz has embraced his role as administrator, contributing to the success and wellbeing of our talmidim.
Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Mittel
Rabbi Mittel grew up in Kew Gardens, Queens, learned in Mesivta of Long Beach for high school and beis medrash, and continued learning in Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim. He began his kollel years in Lakewood in Beis Medrash Govoha before joining the Naugatuck Kollel. He learns full time in the Kollel, and is a warm and responsible contact for all the bochurim living in the dormitory.
Rabbi Yehuda Tzvi Selengut
Rabbi Selengut is a highly sought after rebbi, community organizer, and mentor. He is an alumnus of Yeshivas Chaim Berlin, where he was a close talmid of the Rosh Yeshiva, and of Mir Yerushalayim, where he learned with HaRav Refoel Shmulevitz זצ"ל. Rabbi Selengut has a special expertise in hilchos kashrus, and brings his excitement and passion to his classes and shiurim. Rabbi Selengut spent many years learning with mesivta bochurim in Chaim Berlin, and is currently a beloved 6th grade rebbi in Yeshiva K’tana of Waterbury. Rabbi Selengut brings a palpable and infectious simcha to his chinuch, along with an engaging educational methodology.
After learning in Ner Yisroel in Baltimore and under Rav Tzvi Kaplan in Eretz Yisrael, Rabbi Gordon is now learning full-time in the Naugatuck Kollel, Kollel Sifsei Dov. He and his family live on campus, which allows him to be available for anything the bochurim may need. Whether a bachur is not feeling well or needs a listening ear, Rabbi Gordon is their address.
Mr. Ezequiel Doiny
Mr. Doiny graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil and also attended Purdue University, and Queen’s University in Canada. He has 11 years’ experience teaching Math and Physics in the public school system, including AP Calculus with Hartford Public Schools. In addition to his position at MYH, he currently teaches Math at Danbury High School.
Rabbi Yechezkel Schuck
An alumnus of Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin, Rabbi Yechezkel Schuck moved to Waterbury as one of the founding kollel members of Yeshiva Ateres Shmuel of Waterbury. After Rabbi Schuck’s subsequent administrative positions, he transitioned to the field of school psychology. He holds master’s degrees in Education from Loyola University, Chicago and in School Psychology from Touro University. In addition to teaching at the Mesivta, Rabbi Schuck also works for Naugatuck Public Schools and is an adjunct professor for the College of Mount Saint Vincent.
Mr. Robert Lawson
Mr. Lawson is certified in Biology and Chemistry instruction, as well as Intermediate Administration and Supervision. His breadth of education includes an AS degree in Liberal Science from Manchester Community College, a BS in Biotechnology from Rochester Institute of Technology, an MA in Servant Leadership from Viterbo University, and a Sixth Year in Educational Leadership from Central Connecticut State University. He also pursued a PhD in Molecular Biology & Biochemistry at Wesleyan University. He taught in a Connecticut public high school before joining our faculty. His love of working with young people, his passion for education, and his belief that everyone has the ability to learn and grow drives his teaching.
Mr. Michael Winkler
Mr. Winkler received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts, and a master’s in Secondary Education with a concentration in History from the College of William and Mary. He is a Connecticut certified Social Studies teacher and has taught in both public and private schools for 30 years. He also has 25 years’ experience coaching high school sports, including baseball, lacrosse and football. In addition, Mr. Winkler works as a volunteer reporter/writer for radio station WPKN and is a Civil War reenactor. He utilizes all his interests and experience to make history come alive in the classroom.
Mr. Mark Tzovarras
Mr. Tzovarras was born and raised in Miami, Florida before moving to Connecticut where he earned his degree in English Education from the University of Connecticut. He has worked for the Naugatuck and Waterbury school districts, as well as The Princeton Review as a classroom instructor and individual tutor, preparing students for college admissions exams. He has also worked for many years as a private tutor, helping a wide variety of students with a broad range of abilities reach their academic goals.
After learning in Ner Yisroel in Baltimore and under Rav Tzvi Kaplan in Eretz Yisrael, Rabbi Gordon is now learning full-time in the Naugatuck Kollel, Kollel Sifsei Dov. He and his family live on campus, which allows him to be available for anything the bochurim may need. Whether a bachur is not feeling well or needs a listening ear, Rabbi Gordon is their address.
After learning in Ner Yisroel in Baltimore and under Rav Tzvi Kaplan in Eretz Yisrael, Rabbi Gordon is now learning full-time in the Naugatuck Kollel, Kollel Sifsei Dov. He and his family live on campus, which allows him to be available for anything the bochurim may need. Whether a bachur is not feeling well or needs a listening ear, Rabbi Gordon is their address.