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Our Faculty

Our dedicated teachers and mentors are committed to guiding you through the intellectual rigors of learning and fostering balanced spiritual growth.

Our Leadership

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  • Rabbi Karlinsky is co-founder and dean of both Shapell’s/Darché Noam and our sister seminary for women, Midreshet Rachel v’Chaya. A Los Angeles native, Rabbi Karlinsky studied at UCLA before going to Israel in 1968, to study at Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh and the Mir Yeshiva. After receiving smicha from ITRI, he completed a Master’s degree in educational psychology at Philadelphia’s Temple University and returned to Israel in 1975.

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  • Rabbi Schoonmaker came to Shapell’s in Elul, 5777 after 16 successful years as the Rosh Beit Midrash at Aish HaTorah. He developed curricula and programs for the Yeshiva, mentored faculty, and has guided the academic and spiritual growth of hundreds of students. An alumnus of NCSY (and later a faculty member of their acclaimed Summer Kollel), he learned at Kerem B’Yavneh, Heichal HaTorah, Yeshivas Mir, and Birchas Mordechai, and has smicha from HaRav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg, zt"l.

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  • Originally from Chicago, Rabbi Hirshfeld is a graduate of the Hebrew Theological College (“Skokie Yeshiva”). In 1969, after completing a BA in Mathematics at Roosevelt University, he came to Israel to learn at Mir Yeshiva from Roshei Yeshiva, Rabbi Chaim Shmulevitz zt”l and Rabbi Nachum Pertzovich zt”l. Before co-founding Yeshiva Darché Noam in 1978, Rabbi Hirshfeld taught at the original Shapell College and at Aish HaTorah. For 39 years, Rabbi Hirshfeld served as our Rosh Yeshiva, devoting his energy and talent to our students and alumni.

Our Rebbeim

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  • Rabbi Cohen has been learning and teaching at Shapell's since 1995. He received smicha from the Israeli Chief Rabbinate. With a father who worked for the Mossad, he traveled the world as a child, living in France, Switzerland, Ethiopia, Turkey, and Italy. In the past, Rabbi Cohen has led Shapell's smicha program (with the talmidim receiving smicha from Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg זצ"ל) and continues to be available for this purpose if there is a critical mass of qualified and interested students.

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  • Rabbi Fischer has a BA in English Literature from Yeshiva University, smicha from RIETS, and an MA in English Literature from NYU. After serving as Rabbi and educator with a small congregation in New Jersey, Rabbi Fischer made aliya in 1986. He was Director of Jewish Studies at the WUJS Institute in Arad, and continues to teach there as well as at a number of other educational and outreach programs. Rabbi Fischer, his wife Cheryl, and their children live in Beit Shemesh.

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  • Rabbi Haber came to Shapell´s in 2007 with a decade of expertise in high-level Torah education at Yeshiva University and as a teacher at Stern College for Women. Rabbi Haber is a graduate of Yeshivat Kerem B´Yavneh and Yeshiva University, holds a master’s degree in Computer Science, and was a fellow at YU’s prestigious Kollel Elyon. He is a dedicated student of Rav Hershel Schachter shlit”a and Rav Mordechai Willig shlit”a and shares with his students the mesorah of Torah from Rav Soloveitchik that he received from his rabbis.

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  • Rabbi Kwass, originally from Milwaukee, received smicha and a masters degree in Jewish Philosophy at Yeshiva University, studied for many years under Rav Yehuda Amital zt”l and Rav Aharon Lichtenstein zt”l at Yeshivat Har Etzion. Rabbi Kwass’ tremendous Torah knowledge and gift for writing has made him the ideal editor for many of our past Torah publications. He also gives a weekly online chabura for alumni.

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  • Rabbi Lerner is a Shapell’s/Darché Noam alumnus who returned to teach here. After completing his BA in International Relations from Concordia University in his hometown, Montreal, Rabbi Lerner began his studies at Shapell’s in 1992. After three years at Shapell’s, he went on to learn at Medrash Shmuel and received smicha from Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg זצ"ל. Rabbi Lerner continues to pursue high-level Talmud study, and together with his family, frequently hosts students in their Betar Illit home.

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  • Rabbi Manning is Director/Rosh Midrasha of Midreshet Rachel V’Chaya. Growing up in England, he learned in Yeshivat Etz Chaim, Yeshivat Hamivtar, Ateret Yisrael, and at the Jerusalem Kollel of Rav Yitzchak Berkovits. After receiving an MA in Law from Oxford University, he worked as a lawyer in London before moving to Israel in 2002. Rabbi Manning has taught at MRC since 2005, gives a weekly shiur at the OU Israel Center and is a member of the Rabbinical Council of America. His 2023 book: Reclaiming Dignity – A Guide to Tzniut for Men and Women gained wide acclaim and he is pursuing a doctorate in Jewish Philosophy at Yeshiva University. Rabbi Manning and his wife, Sarah, live in Alon Shevut.

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  • Rabbi Avi Rowe is the Rebbe for our shiur for "veteran" students. Originally from Rochester, he came to Israel after high school. He learned at Kerem b'Yavneh, Heichal haTorah and the Mir Yeshiva, earning s'micha from HaRav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg zt"l. He then received his law degree from Bar Ilan University and was in the business world for 15 years. He then returned to the Mir for another 7 years. He teaches Daf Yomi at Kolel Yad Binyamin in Katamon and gives in depth halacha and haskfafa shiurim to working men. He and his wife Shoshana are blessed with seven children.

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  • Originally from Toronto, Rabbi Schneider earned degrees in Criminology, History, Philosophy of Law and Social Thought, and a professional certificate in Dispute Resolution. An alumnus of Shapell’s, Rabbi Schneider learned in the Mir Yeshiva before joining Yeshiva University’s Gruss Kollel from which he received smicha. He also received a Masters in Jewish Education and Administration and smicha from Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg.

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  • A Shapell’s alumnus, Rabbi Silverberg came to Israel at 27, and, after six years of intensive yeshiva study, was the first alumnus to join the full-time faculty. Born and raised in Toronto, Rabbi Silverberg has a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Toronto and worked for an electric corporation in Canada before arriving in Israel.

Our Administration

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  • Rabbi Shmuel Jablon has been the Executive Director of Shapell’s/Darché Noam and Midreshet Rachel V'Chaya since the spring of 5775 (2015). He is responsible for the smooth financial and administrative functioning of the entire organization. As part of this, he works with every student on their tuition plan and assists, as applicable, with MASA Israel grants. In addition to serving as Executive Director, he teaches our Modern Israel course. Prior to his aliyah, he served as a Jewish Day School administrator in the U.S. for 17 years. A musmach of Hebrew Theological College (Skokie Yeshiva), he also holds a Masters in Education and has significant experience in strategic planning and community relations. Rabbi Jablon and his wife reside in Efrat and love being Israeli grandparents.

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  • Michael has been welcoming students to Shapell’s since 1981 when he first began as both a student and administrator. He has held a variety of positions here over the past 3 decades. Originally from Connecticut, Michael holds a BA from Colgate University and an MBA from Indiana University. He particularly enjoys staying connected with almost 40 years of alumni.

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  • Mrs. Dana Margolis, as Director of Philanthropy, is responsible for alumni relations and fundraising. Dana and her husband, Adam, are also alumni of our Married Couples Program. Before fulfilling a life-long dream-making aliya in the spring of 2021, Dana and Adam were star lay leaders in the Milwaukee Jewish community led by their mentors, Rabbi Michel and Rebbetzin Feige Twerski. Professionally, Dana has been a Senior Lecturer in Jewish Studies at the University of WI-Milwaukee for 20 years and most recently served as the Director of Women’s Philanthropy for the Milwaukee Jewish Federation.

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