Meet the soul
of the Yeshiva.
Behind everything we do are the talented and devoted staff who work every day to uphold the Yeshiva’s legacy.
Meet the soul
of the Yeshiva.
Yeshiva Administration
Rabbi Yitzchok Grossbard, Dean
A graduate of Yeshiva Beth Yehudah, Rabbi Grossbard has been with the Yeshiva for 25 years. Prior to taking the position as Dean of the Yeshiva in 2011, Rabbi Grossbard served as a rebbi, assistant principal and principal.
Rabbi Shragie Myers, Executive Director
Armed with semicha from the Chief Court of Jerusalem and Ner Le’Elef Leadership training, Rabbi Myers left Israel in 2013 to work for the Young Leadership Division of Partners Detroit. An awardee of the 2018 Jewish News 36 under 36 and a volunteer EMT for Detroit Hatzalah, Rabbi Myers and his wife Chana ‘Liza live in Southfield with their five children.
Mrs. Rivkie Cohen, Director of Event Planning & Grant Management
Rivkie Cohen has worked in nonprofit management for more than half of her lifetime. After moving from New York to Michigan for her husband to pursue his PhD, she joined the Yeshiva team as an administrative assistant and steadily assumed additional responsibilities. Today she coordinates the Yeshiva’s Annual Dinner, in addition to other fundraising projects and events.
Rabbi Yossi Goldblatt, Director of Operations
Rabbi Goldblatt's career in nonprofit management began in Pinsk, Belarus, as the assistant director of Yad Yisroel — a nonprofit dedicated to the social welfare and education of underprivileged Jewish children. More recently, he was the Director of Development and Programming at the Portland Kollel in Portland, Oregon.
Rabbi Goldblatt received his MBA with a concentration in nonprofit business management from Touro College and lives in Southfield with his wife and five children.
Mrs. Rochel Lea Groundland, Director of Marketing
Rochel Lea Groundland is a proud graduate of Yeshiva Beth Yehudah, and all of her children are Yeshiva graduates as well. For over twenty years she has worked for the Yeshiva in various roles; the last decade spent on Yeshiva fundraising projects, events and marketing.
Rabbi Shimshon Jonas, Development Director
Mrs. Alissa Rothstein, Director of Special Education and Support Services
Throughout Lissie’s diverse teaching career — in preschool, special education, autism-centered classrooms, and universities — she’s always remained committed to helping each student achieve their potential. The former Autism Coordinator and Teacher Trainer for Western Wayne County, Lissie has participated in a statewide autism educational leadership program and the Prizmah Jewish Dayschool Leadership program.
Lissie’s extensive training includes early childhood, parent education, and special education with a host of specialties: cognitive impairments, learning disabilities, emotional impairments, autism spectrum disorders, and Special Education Administration.
Mr. Ari Silverstein, Buildings Manager
Mr. Moshe Tomases, Controller
Moshe graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University with an MS in Accounting and is a licensed CPA. His previous experience includes CFO of an online retail company and indulging his personal passion to help individuals with their personal finances, tax and financial planning.
Moshe loves attending 3-day seminars on nonprofit best practices and financial management and his hobbies include excel sheets, P&L statements and financial presentations.
Bais Yehudah Preschool
Mrs. Rivka Goldberg, Director
A dedicated educator who’s been in the field for 30 years, Mrs. Goldberg is passionate about individualized education — providing every student with the services and support that allow them to thrive.
She holds a masters degree in Early Childhood Special Education and is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.
Mrs. Zahava Levi, Program Director
A 30-year teaching veteran who’s taught a range of elementary and middle school classes — and received the Gruss Teacher of the Year Award — Mrs. Levi is most at home in preschool.
Since 2004, she has directed the programming of the Yeshiva’s preschool, working to ensure that every child has the resources they need to flourish.
Bais Yaakov Girls Elementary School
Mrs. Tziporah Kunstlinger, Limudei Kodesh Supervisor
Drawing on 15 years in the classroom — and an additional six in the Yeshiva’s administration — Mrs. Kunstlinger works to foster her students’ love for Torah and Yiddishkeit through stimulating curricula and innovative extracurricular programs. She also composes songs and scripts to add color to every school day and give her girls opportunities to shine outside the classroom.
Mrs. Libby Abraham, General Studies Supervisor
With more than a decade of teaching experience spanning elementary, middle and high schools — in both limudei kodesh and secular studies, and traditional and special education — Mrs. Abraham believes in reaching every child at their level of need. She takes great pride in observing how the students imbibe the Yeshiva’s core message of inclusion and care for each other.
Bais Yaakov Girls Middle School
Mrs. Esther Landsman, Principal
In 1984, Mrs. Landsman began her first day of teaching at the Yeshiva — the very same school her father had attended — and 35 years later, she’s still going strong. From 5th grade teacher to Assistant Principal of Bais Yaakov High School, to her current position at the Middle School, Mrs. Landsman has always sought to forge relationships with her students, building them up for bright futures.
Mrs. Mira Cooper, General Studies Supervisor
A proud alumna of the Yeshiva, Mrs. Cooper is thrilled to be able to give back to her hometown. Throughout her career in education, she’s held a variety of positions: math teacher, department chair, and now administrator. Mrs. Cooper and her husband have six sons, all of whom attend or have graduated from the Yeshiva.
Bais Yaakov Girls High School
Rabbi Zev Poss, Menahel
Rabbi Zev Poss is himself a graduate of Yeshiva Beth Yehudah and continued his studies in the Telz Yeshiva in Cleveland, Ohio. He spent 34 years in Telz beginning as a student in the 9th grade and completing his tenure as the Principal of the General Studies program. Rabbi Poss devotes his time as the Menahel of the Beth Jacob Girls School to transmitting his excitement and passion for Torah education and Chinuch to the students of our Yeshiva.
Mrs. Shulamis Rubinfeld, Limudei Kodesh Principal
Mrs. Rubinfeld’s 40-year career in chinuch has taken her all over the globe: from her first positions in Akron, Ohio and Lakewood, all the way to teaching and school leadership positions at Adass Israel School in Melbourne, Australia. Since 2000, Mrs. Rubinfeld has focused her effervescent energy on this side of the ocean, passing on her love for Torah to the Yeshiva’s teenagers. Mrs. Rubinfeld holds a teacher’s license from Yavne Seminary as well as a Secondary School Instruction Certificate from the State of Ohio.
Mrs. Rochel Schwartz, General Studies Principal
Over her 30 year career in education, Mrs. Schwartz has taught nearly every age group — from elementary through college and adult education. She most enjoys working with teens, inspiring them to grow into productive young adults. Mrs. Schwartz trained in Breuer’s Teacher’s Seminary, Touro College, and Columbia University’s Teachers’ College — where she earned her Masters in Educational Administration — followed by countless hours of post graduate enrichment workshops and seminars.
Bais Yehudah Boys School
Rabbi Aryeh Cohen, Menahel
Rabbi Cohen began his career in education in 1989 as a 7th grade Rebbi in Toronto, ON. In 2007 Rabbi Cohen took the position as Principal of a Torah Day SChool in Milwaukee, WI before moving to Detroit in 2012 to assume his current role as Menahel of the Bais Yehudah Boys School.
Rabbi Cohen received his BA from Ner Israel, Toronto and Semicha and Teachers License from Machon Lemorim. Additionally, he is a graduate of the Torah Umesorah Yesod Maalah Principals Fellowship Program.
Rabbi Shlomo Newman, Assistant Menahel
Rabbi Shlomo Newman is the S'gan Menahel of the Bais Yehudah Boys Division. An alumnus of Telz Yeshiva and Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, he has been active in education both in the classroom and as a member of the school leadership for over twenty years. He is a member of the National Conference of Yeshiva Principals and has developed many innovative curriculum and programs in our Yeshiva, both on academic topics and extra-curriculur and middos development.
Rabbi Zev Pam, Principal
Rabbi Pam comes to the Yeshiva by way of Cincinnati, where he was Principal of the Cincinnati Hebrew Day School, and Miami, where he served as Curriculum Coordinator and Assistant Principal of Rohr Middle School, among other roles. In every position, Rabbi Pam has assembled cohesive teams of teachers focused on professional growth, including curriculum development, differentiated and individualized instruction, and student engagement. Rabbi Pam holds semicha from Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim and a Masters in Administration and Supervision from Loyola University, and is also a FranklinCovey trained facilitator.
Rabbi Menachem Z. Greenfield, Menahel Ruchani
Kollel Bais Yehudah
Rabbi Shlomo Loketch, Rosh Kollel
A Detroit native, Rabbi Loketch graduated from the Yeshiva’s eighth grade and went on to attend the Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia and Yeshivas Brisk.
After eight invigorating years in Israel, Rabbi Loketch brought his passion for learning and teaching back to Detroit to lead the Yeshiva's Kollel.
Rabbi Mutty Frey, Sgan Rosh Kollel
Partners Detroit
Rabbi Bentzy Shechter, Director - Partners Detroit
After completing the Ohr Lagola outreach training program in Jerusalem, Rabbi Schechter spent 23 years establishing a network of outreach programs on college campuses across America. During his extensive travels, he examined outreach practices in communities across the US, and he now implements the best of them in his Partners role — planning, directing and overseeing all programs.
Rabbi Schechter enjoys spending time with his wife and nine kids, travelling and exploring Jewish communities across the country.
Rabbi Leiby Burnham, Educator
A self-described “wandering Jew,” Rabbi Burnham was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, then moved to Israel in his late teens. From there, he moved on to NYC, spending 9 years studying in Yeshiva Shor Yoshuv and earning a Masters in Social Work from Yeshiva University before finally settling with his family in Oak Park. (Whew!)
During the past 13 years at Partners, Rabbi Burnham has taught hundreds of Jewish classes for all members of the local community. He is known for his dynamic style, captivating openers, and unique ability to break down complex ideas with real-life stories and examples. He enjoys writing, snowboarding, and spending time with his family.
Rabbi Avi Cohen, Senior Director
Born in Rochester, NY, Rabbi Cohen has studied and taught Torah across the world: Scranton, Detroit, Brooklyn and Jerusalem.
Rabbi Cohen taught for ten years at Shaare Torah, a Sephardic high school in Brooklyn, until he was recruited back to Detroit to serve as principal of Yeshiva Beth Yehudah. He served five years in that position, then resumed his lifelong passion: teaching Torah in the classroom.
Rabbi Cohen’s most important—and challenging—job at Partners is matching mentors to the interested learner. Thanks to his broad connections in the Detroit Jewish community, the program has expanded tremendously under his direction.
Rabbi Cohen also teaches classes on various subjects of Jewish interest, while serving as mohel to the greater Detroit community and beyond. He loves learning, and when not teaching or spending time with family, can be found buried in the Talmud.
Rabbi Chaim Fink, Rabbi and Educator
Rabbi Fink grew up in a small NY suburb called New Rochelle, where his father served as rabbi for the past 37 years. After his marriage, he lived in Jerusalem for many years and earned his rabbinic ordination and a Masters in Educational Leadership. At Partners, participants call his classes “fresh,” “engaging,” and “stimulating;” he has a unique talent for teaching Torah in a way that appeals to the modern Jewish mind.
Whether learning with participants on the trails, in the classroom or one-on-one, Rabbi Fink is constantly looking for ways to connect with fathers and family men. He loves cooking, running, and spending time with his wife and five children.
Shaindel Fink, Women's Division Educator
Born to visionary parents who ran an open home, Jewish outreach is in Shaindel’s blood. She holds a Master’s in Education and is a certified instructor of the laws of family purity.
Shaindel combines a thrill for learning, meaningful content, and charismatic delivery. At Partners, she teaches, learns one-on-one, plans programs, and serves as the in-house party planner for events. Along with spending time with her husband and five children, Shaindel loves using her sharp aesthetic sense to arrange flowers, set tables and add beauty to her world.
Rabbi Noam Gross, YP Division Director
A native of Ottawa, Canada, Rabbi Gross received his rabbinical ordination from the Jerusalem Kollel and served as an educator for Aish HaTorah’s Essentials program in Jerusalem. He spent years studying Jewish history and philosophy, and is uniquely skilled at teaching core Jewish concepts for beginners.
Rabbi Gross and his wife Tsippi moved to Detroit three years ago with their three children when he assumed the role of Partner Detroit’s Young Professional Division Director. Rabbi Gross keeps busy learning with young professionals, hosting large Shabbat meals, and running inspirational trips and programs.
Racheli Indig, Educator
Racheli was born in Brooklyn, NY and is a graduate of Prospect Park Yeshiva. After her marriage, she lived with her husband in Far Rockaway, NY, then moved to Oak Park 10 years ago.
For the past 18 years, Racheli has been educating diverse crowds and teaching women and girls from all backgrounds. Her work with Partners Detroit allows her to combine her two passions: meeting and getting to know people, and learning Jewish texts to extrapolate their messages. When not working, Racheli spends time with her husband and five sons. She plays a mean game of basketball and loves listening to music, making challah, staying fit, and creating photobooks.
Sara Aliza Scheinberg, Senior Lecturer
A veteran women’s educator, Sara Aliza has spent the past 20 years connecting with women and spreading Torah knowledge around the globe: first in Jerusalem, Colorado, and Texas, then in her native, beloved Detroit.
Sara Aliza’s style is intellectual-cum-practical. Her favorite part of teaching is opening listeners’ eyes to new perspectives — and allowing them to arrive at their own conclusions. Friendly and outgoing, she takes every opportunity to learn from every person she meets. She’s passionate about building communities through Torah learning — and about spending time investing in her own family too.
Erin Stiebel, Educator
Originally from Silver Spring, Maryland, Erin holds a BA in Judaic Studies, an MBA in Management, and a Masters in Jewish Education from Yeshiva University.
Erin fell in love with Jewish outreach when she became an NCSY summer staff member— and she’s kept at it for the past 14 years. A Southfield resident, she has served as the Director of NCSY GIVE since 2009, and is a beloved educator at Partners. Her goal is to impart a love of Judaism, build Jewish communities, and introduce people to age-old traditions that will keep them Jewishly connected even as society evolves.
Erin loves spending time with her family, and shopping at Target (not necessarily in that order).
Shmuli Wolf, Educator
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Rabbi Wolf studied Jewish law in Torah institutions in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Israel. In 2015, he and his wife Nechama and family moved to Dallas, where he joined DATA’s YJP outreach division and led the Monday night Partners in Torah program for three years. Rabbi Wolf also ran a successful Jewish flag football league for young professionals, and coordinated national and international trips.
Rabbi Wolf moved to Detroit and joined Partners three years ago, where his frank discussion of any topic of interest makes him the go-to rabbi for young professionals with questions. When he’s not running trips, learning with participants, or spending time with his family, he enjoys playing (and winning at!) football.
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