Meet the Staff
Joe (Yosef) Back, has been a tour guide for over a decade. He is thoroughly versed in the archaeology, geo-politics, history, and nature of the land of Israel. A graduate of the Ner Le’Elef Jewish Leadership Institute, Joe received his rabbinical ordination from Yeshivas Aish HaTorah and from Rabbi Zalman Nechemia Goldberg of Jerusalem. He holds a BA in Liberal Studies with a focus on Judaic Studies, and an MA in Archaeology and Land of Israel Studies from Bar Ilan University. He is a licensed Israel Tour Guide, as well as a certified Israel Ministry of Tourism Specialist. Most importantly, he is an alumnus of Ohr Somayach. Originally from Los Angeles, Joe moved to Israel in 2001, and lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh with his wife and children.
JOE BACK
Tour Guide
Joe (Yosef) Back, has been a tour guide for over a decade. He is thoroughly versed in the archaeology...
Read More
Rabbi Yaakov Lubow received his rabbinical certification from Machzeki Das Beis Din of Jerusalem and studied at Chovetz Chaim and Torah Ohr Yeshivos. He completed a music performance degree from Hart College of Music. Rabbi Lubow has served many years as a member of the Ohr Somayach faculty with special responsibility of maintaining relationships with past, present, and future students. His experiences have eminently qualified him for his current role as administrator of the jinternship program.
RABBI YAAKOV LUBOW
Founder and Program Director
Rabbi Yaakov Lubow received his rabbinical certification from Machzeki Das Beis Din of Jerusalem...
Read More
Senior Educational Faculty
HaRav Yitzchok Breitowitz, (Rav of Kehillos Ohr Somayach), after a distinguished career as a Rav in Silver Spring, Maryland and as a world-renowned lecturer and rabbinic authority, has made aliya to Eretz Yisrael and joined the Ohr Somayach faculty as a senior lecturer. He was ordained by the Ner Israel Rabbinical College in 1976 and is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and Harvard Law School (JD, 1979, Magna Cum Laude). In addition to his rabbinical position, he was a tenured professor of law at the University of Maryland specializing in contracts, commercial law and medical ethics.
RABBI DR. YITZCHOK BREITOWITZ
Senior Lecturer
After a distinguished career as a Rav in Silver Spring, Maryland and as a world-renowned lecturer and rabbinic authority, has made aliya to Israel. He was ordained by the Ner Israel Rabbinical College in 1976 and is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University
and Harvard Law School (JD, 1979, Magna Cum Laude).
Read More
Having received his Ph.D. at Brandeis University, Rabbi Gottlieb went on to become Professor of Philosophy at Johns Hopkins University. Today he is a senior faculty member at Ohr Somayach in Jerusalem. An accomplished author and lecturer, Rabbi Gottlieb has electrified audiences with his stimulating and energetic presentations on ethical, moral and philosophical issues. His latest publication is Reason To Believe from Mosaica Press. You can visit his website at www.dovidgottlieb.com
RABBI DR. DOVID GOTTLIEB
Senior Lecturer
Having received his Ph.D. at Brandeis University, Rabbi Gottlieb went on to become Professor of Philosophy at Johns Hopkins University...
Read More
Guy Matalon, born in Israel and grew up in Los Angeles. Received his B.A. in Political Science from California State University at Northridge. Began his graduate studies at UCLA, then UC Berkeley in Semitic Studies and then continued at NYU where he received his M.A. and Ph.D from the Skirball Department of Hebrew and Judaic Studies at NYU. His area of expertise is Medieval Philosophy and Mysticism. Dr. Matalon served as the Jewish Federation of Omaha Professor of Judaic Studies in the department of Philosophy and Religion at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He was also the founding director of the Schwalb Center for Israel and Jewish Studies at UNO and he also served as the Executive Director of the Center for Jewish Education in Omaha. He has taught in the area of Jewish and Islamic Studies, philosophy, religion (comparative religions) film studies (served as the associate editor of the Journal of Religion and Film), comparative literature (classical literature, Christian, Muslim and Jewish texts) and Holocaust studies. He currently serves on the faculty of Ohr Somayach and is one of the co-directors of the Ohr Somayach Mechina program.
RABBI DR GUY MATALON
Educational Specialist
Guy Matalon, born in Israel and grew up in Los Angeles. Received his B.A. in Political Science from California State University at Northridge. Began his graduate studies at UCLA, then UC Berkeley in Semitic Studies and then continued at NYU where he received
his M.A. and Ph.D from the Skirball Department of...
Read More