Regional Ambassadors
The Regional Ambassadors of the Coalition for Jewish Values are traditionally-educated rabbinic leaders, well-known and widely respected in their home communities. They enhance rabbinic support for our efforts, promote CJV activities locally, and demonstrate widespread national support for the agenda and activities of the CJV. We are grateful for their involvement.
Rabbi Avrohom Bleich
Detroit, MI
Rabbi Avrohom Bleich is the Rabbi of Congregation B’nai Yisroel – Bais Yehuda in Oak Park, MI. A native of New York, Rabbi Bleich and his family spent 23 years in Modiin Ilit, Israel, where he founded and led a yeshiva, before returning to the United States to take on the Rabbinate in Oak Park. Rabbi Bleich studied in Yeshiva Karlin Stolin in New York and Yeshiva Shaarei Simcha (Harav Yitzchok Soloveitchik) in Yerusholayim, receiving ordination from the Stoliner Rosh Yeshiva Harav Wolpin ZL, Harav Simcha Kook ZL, the Debretziner Rov Shlita, and others. Over the past decades, he has counseled, taught, lectured and written on a wide range of Torah topics.
Rabbi Chaim Goldberger
Minneapolis, MN
Rabbi Chaim Goldberger studied for the rabbinate at Ner Israel of Baltimore under Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg zt”l, and at the Talmudic University of Florida under Rabbi Yochanan Zweig, where he received ordination. He has served in the rabbinate for over a quarter century, leading congregations in Lowell, Massachusetts and Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Rabbi Yonah Gross
Philadelphia, PA
Rabbi Yonah Gross is the Rabbi of Congregation Beth Hamedrosh in Wynnewood, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia. He is also the Kashrus Administrator for Community Kashrus of Greater Philadelphia (Keystone-K) and the Founder of Mezuzah and More. A native of Queens, NY, Rabbi Gross attended Yeshiva University (RIETS) where he received semicha. He previously held Rabbinic Positions in Phoenix, AZ and Riverdale, NY.
Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
Lakewood, NJ
Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz is the publisher and editor of Yated Neeman, an international English language weekly. He is also the Rav of Congregation Beis Bracha in Lakewood, NJ. Born in Monsey, NY, he studied in the yeshivos of Philadelphia, Stamford, Lakewood and Brisk and maintains a close relationship with the roshei yeshiva, Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky, Rav Avrohom Yehoshua Soloveitchik and Rav Malkiel Kotler, from whom he has rabbinic ordination. He serves on the board of Shuvu, Lev L’Achim, Torah Umesorah and several other institutions. He is author of Peninei Chein, Ikvei Brocha, Editor’s View and hundreds of essays examining contemporary issues from the Torah perspective.
Rabbi Yaakov Rich
Dallas, TX
Rabbi Yaakov Rich is the current and founding Rabbi of Congregation Toras Chaim in Dallas, Texas. A native of Canada, Rabbi Rich earned a BA in economics from York University, and studied in Yeshivas Ohr Somayach in Monsey and Ner Israel Rabbinical College in Baltimore, receiving ordination from Rabbi Avrohom Pam, zt” l, Rosh Yeshiva of Torah V’Daas. Over the past 16 years, he has taught, lectured and written on a wide range of Torah topics reaching learners of all ages.
Rabbi Raphie Schochet
Providence, RI
Rabbi Raphie Schochet spent his childhood in Johannesburg, South Africa. He came to the US as a teenager to study at the Ner Israel Rabbinical College, where he spent eighteen years. While receiving a Masters in Talmudic Law and Rabbinic ordination, R’ Raphie was the director of the Baltimore chapter of SEED, an organization that helps to stimulate the growth of Jewish communities across the country through innovative summer programming. When not studying or teaching, he has a passion for history and spending time outdoors with his children.
Rabbi Hayim Schwartz
Queens, NY
Rabbi Hayim Schwartz, originally from the Bronx, NY, studied at the Rabbinical Seminary of America (Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim) in Queens, and received rabbinical ordination from Mesivta Tifereth Jerusalem Seminary and Rabbi Dovid Feinstein. While still a student, Rabbi Schwartz served as Director of Programming for the Jewish Education Program (JEP) of Queens, helping to give Jewish public school youth a positive introduction to Judaism. He serves today as Executive Vice President of Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim, where he was Executive Director from 1995-2008. Rabbi Schwartz is a sought-after lecturer and gives many Torah classes in the community of Kew Gardens Hills, where he resides with his wife and family.
Rabbi Jonathan Aryeh Seidemann
Baltimore, MD
Rabbi Jonathan Aryeh Seidemann is the Rabbi at Congregation Kehilath B’nai Torah in Baltimore, MD, where he studied for many years in the Ner Israel Rabbinical College, receiving rabbinical ordination from Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman zt”l, the late Rosh Yeshiva (Dean). In addition to serving as Morah D’Asra of Kehilath B’nai Torah, Rav Seidemann has served on the faculty of many Jewish educational institutions in Baltimore. He serves on the boards of the Baltimore Jewish Council of the Associated Jewish Charities and Hatzalah of Baltimore, the Rabbinic Advisory boards of the Baltimore Shidduch Center and Jewish Caring Network, and is a member of the Vaad HaRabbonim Rabbinical Council of Greater Baltimore and of the Council of Synagogue Rabbonim of Agudath Israel of America.