About Aish Smicha

The Goal

The Aish Smicha Program is located in Yeshivas Aish Hatorah Jerusalem. This 1.5-2 year program was established with the goal of providing avreichim both from frum and bal tshuvah backgrounds an opportunity to develop their foundations in halacha in preparation for finding a placement in the field of kiruv rechokim.

The Method

The limud focuses on Hilchos Shabbos and other sugyos in Orach Chaim. The avreichim spend their afternoons delving into these sugyos through the traditional "aliba d'hilchasa" style. Upon completion the avreichim have the option to sit with Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg and receive smicha.

Practical Training

In addition to this we sit once a week in a chaburah with Harav Yirmiahu Kaganoff. Rav Kaganoff is a musmach from Ner Israel and has been in Rabbanus for the last 25 years. He polishes and refines the yedios the talmidim have garnered during the previous week. His unique "heimishe workshop" style allows the avreichim to hash out difficult questions and clarify the drachim in psak that have been m'kubal in Klal Israel throughout the generations. Rabbi Kaganoff also gives chaburos in a broad range of topics including kashrus, eruvin, siddur kiddushin, rabbis, yichus, bishul nachri, tznius, nihul beis knesses, aveilus, and much much more. The purpose of these chaburos is to provide a framework for the avreicim to become completely aware and familiar with the myriad of questions that come up in the broader spectrum of Rabbanus.

Rabbi Asher Resnick (together with other world renowned Aish Jerusalem staff) heads up a practical kiruv training workshop. This daily workshop is comprised of hands on development of personal teaching styles including class development, how to deal with people, speaker training, current hot issues, and much much more.

Professional Job Placement Services

Rabbi Jamie Cowland has taken over in the role of job placements. Every avreich has the opportunity to find the most suitable position for himself and his family available in kiruv today (both within and beyond the aish umbrella).

Altogether the aish smicha program is providing an unusual balance between traditional aliba d'hilchasa learning, accountability, kiruv training, and shimush talmidei chachamim that is quickly becoming a major force in the Jewish world for developing the leaders of tomorrow in kiruv rechokim.