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 Alexander Neeman
Rabbi Neeman spent his beis medrash and kollel years in Eretz Yisroel learning in Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim. From there he continued his learning in Monsey, while serving as an Iyun Nosaf rebbi in Yeshivas Ohr Reuven, providing the stronger students of the 10th grade with a higher level of learning. Rabbi Neeman is a member of the Naugatuck Kollel and a beloved night seder Sho'el Umeishiv for the Mesivta. He is committed to helping the bochurim pursue their goal of completing the yeshiva mesechta, and maintains a structured learning atmosphere, one that encourages a depth of understanding in their bekius learning. Rabbi Neeman's warmth and positive energy pervade the beis medrash,
as he creates a personal connection with each bachur.
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 Mordechai Miller
Rabbi Miller grew up in Los Angeles, California and spent his mesivta years in Yeshiva Ohel Torah in Monsey. He went on to learn by Rabbi Shmuel Abba Olshin in Yeshiva Gedola of Hillside followed by Yeshivas Brisk in Eretz Yisrael and Beis Medrash Gevoha of Lakewood. He joined the Kollel Avreichim of Waterbury four years ago as a founding member. Rabbi Miller truly enjoys learning with the bochurim and helping them advance toward their goal of finishing the mesechta.
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 Yehuda Abadi
Rabbi Abadi learned in Yeshiva of Far Rockaway for most of his beis medrash years, after which he learned in Eretz Yisroel in the Mir and Toras Chaim, followed by Yeshiva Ateres Shmuel of Waterbury and Rabbi Yehoshua Kalish’s kollel. He holds a master’s degree in clinical counseling (MSCC) and is a licensed mental health counselor. Rabbi Abadi utilizes his excellent interpersonal skills in his role as assistant principal, demonstrating sincerity and genuine warmth toward all the bochurim.
Rabbi Zev Simcha Bergman
Having learned in yeshiva out of town from age fourteen on, Rabbi Bergman brings to his position great sensitivity to the needs of bochurim who do not have their parents nearby to take care of their day-to-day needs. While in the Mir in Eretz Yisrael, he gained extensive experience in the day-to-day running and maintenance of his chaburah and its beis medrash. Afterwards, he was involved with the logistic and technological operations of SpeedX messenger service based out of Monsey, New York. He works hard to ensure all the bochurim have a warm, safe, and well-kept environment that enables them to grow both spiritually and academically.
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. James Goddard
Mr. Goddard is a veteran public school teacher and administrator with 12 years of experience as a school principal and vice principal, and 25 years in the classroom teaching Physics and Chemistry. Mr. Goddard graduated with a bachelor's in Education, majoring in Biology, with a minor in Physics and Chemistry from Michigan State University, and completed his master’s degree in School Leadership from the University of Toledo. With his wealth of educational experience and breadth of scientific knowledge, Mr. Goddard is an invaluable member of our general studies team.
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. Jacob McElligott
Mr. McElligott earned his undergraduate degree in Biology and later an MFA in Fiction at Southern Connecticut State University, where he has been teaching and tutoring English as well as other subjects for several years. He is also a small business owner, and runs writing workshops for a local non-profit organization serving the youth homeless population. He is excited to be joining the Yeshiva team this year.
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.
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.