2025 RABBIS & LECTURERS
BEN SHAPIRO
Ben Shapiro is founding editor-in-chief and editor emeritus of The Daily Wire and host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” the top conservative podcast in the nation. Shapiro is the author of numerous nonfiction books, including The New York Times #1 Bestseller The Right Side of History: How Reason and Moral Courage Made the West Great (HarperCollins, 2019), New York Times Bestsellers Bullies: How the Left’s Culture of Fear and Intimidation Silences America (Simon & Schuster, 2013), and How to Destroy America in Three Easy Steps (HarperCollins, 2020), and national bestsellers Brainwashed: How Universities Indoctrinate America’s Youth (WND Books, May 2004), Porn Generation: How Social Liberalism Is Corrupting Our Future (Regnery, June 2005), Project President: Bad Hair and Botox on the Road to the White House (Thomas Nelson, 2007), Primetime Propaganda: The True Story of How the Left Took Over Your TV (HarperCollins, 2012), and The People vs. Barack Obama: The Criminal Case Against the Obama Administration (Simon & Schuster, 2014). Shapiro was hired by Creators Syndicate at age 17 to become the youngest nationally syndicated columnist in the U.S. He earned a BA in Political Science from UCLA in 2004 and graduated from Harvard Law School in 2007. After working as an attorney for Goodwin Procter LLP, Shapiro began his own legal consulting firm, Benjamin Shapiro Legal Consulting (Los Angeles).
Ben Shapiro’s columns are printed in major newspapers and websites including Townhall, ABCNews, WorldNet Daily, Human Events, FrontPage Mag, Family Security Matters, the Riverside Press-Enterprise and the Conservative Chronicle. His columns have also appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, Chicago Sun-Times, Orlando Sentinel, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, RealClearPolitics.com, Arizona Republic, and Claremont Review of Books, among others. He has been the subject of articles in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Associated Press, and Christian Science Monitor, and quoted on “The Rush Limbaugh Show,” “The Dr. Laura Show,” at CBS News, in the New York Press, in the The Washington Times, and in The American Conservative magazine, among many others. Shapiro has appeared on hundreds of radio and television shows around the nation, including “The O’Reilly Factor” (Fox News), “Fox and Friends” (Fox News), “In the Money” (CNN Financial), “DaySide with Linda Vester” (Fox News), “Scarborough Country” (MSNBC), “The Dennis Miller Show” (CNBC), “Fox News Live” (Fox News Channel), “Glenn Beck Show” (CNN), “Your World with Neil Cavuto” (Fox News) and “700 Club” (Christian Broadcasting Network), “The Laura Ingraham Show,” “The Michael Medved Show,” “The G. Gordon Liddy Show,” “The Rusty Humphries Show,” “The Lars Larson Show” (nationally syndicated), “The Larry Elder Show,” The Hugh Hewitt Show,” “The Dennis Prager Show,” among others.
Since he began writing his first book, Brainwashed (2004), Shapiro has frequently addressed the issue of the Left’s ideological stranglehold on academia and has worked to push back against that trend through fact and logic-based speeches and debates. “Facts don’t care about your feelings,” has become one of Ben Shapiro’s trademark lines. He has appeared as the featured speaker at many conservative events on campuses nationwide, several of those appearances targeted by progressive and “Antifa” activists. Shapiro, an Orthodox Jew, has also worked to expose the anti-Israel and anti-Semitic motivations behind the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.”
RABBI DR. GIL S. PERL
Rabbi Dr. Gil S. Perl is the incoming CEO of the Ades Family Foundation and the Founding Head of School of the Jewish Leadership Academy, a selective Jewish Middle and High School opening in the Miami area for the Fall of 2023. For the past seven years Rabbi Perl has served as the Head of School at Kohelet Yeshiva, a Modern Orthodox K-12 in suburban Philadelphia, and as Chief Academic Officer of the Kohelet Foundation. In his capacity as CAO of the Kohelet Foundation, Rabbi Perl led the team that designed and launched Yeshiva Lab School, a highly innovative elementary school intended to re-imagine what Jewish Day School can and ought to be. A nationally sought after speaker, teacher, and thinker known for challenging the status quo, Rabbi Perl earned his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master’s Degree and Ph.D. from Harvard, and rabbinical ordination from Yeshiva University. As a Teaching Fellow at Harvard, Dr. Perl was twice awarded the university’s prestigious Certificate of Distinction in Teaching and as an instructor of Modern Jewish History at Yeshiva College he was named Yeshiva University’s Lillian F. and William L. Silber Professor of the Year.
Rabbi Perl writes and lectures widely on topics relating to the history of Modern Jewry, contemporary Jewish education, and Modern Orthodoxy. He is the author of the book The Pillar of Volozhin: Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin and the World of Nineteenth-Century Lithuanian Torah Scholarship, published by Academic Studies Press.
Follow Rabbi Perl on his blog gilperl.com and on Twitter @gperl
R' EFRAIM PALVANOV
Efraim Palvanov is among the world’s most sought-after Torah educators, celebrated for his unique blend of scholarly depth and engaging delivery. The author of five influential books, including the widely acclaimed Secrets of the Last Waters and Garments of Light series, Efraim is also one of the most popular Jewish speakers on YouTube, captivating audiences with his profound insights. His extensive scientific background, including multiple degrees in Science and Education, enriches his Torah teachings with a distinctive, resonant perspective. Through his widely-read blogs, Mayim Achronim and Jew of the Week, Efraim brings readers into a deeper exploration of Jewish thought and history. An esteemed educator at Toronto’s Yeshivat Or Chaim and Ulpanat Orot, Efraim's diverse experiences, including service in the Canadian Armed Forces, lend a dynamic, multifaceted approach to his work.
In addition to Efraim's captivating lectures, we are also pleased to have him leading our Sephardic Minyan
Discover more of Efraim’s teachings at www.youtube.com/efraimpalvanov
BAILA SEBROW, MATCHMAKER/SHADCHAN
Baila Sebrow is world renowned global Matchmaker/Shadchan and Relationship Coach, and president of Baila Sebrow Events, LLC. Her work has been featured in various publications, including The New York Times. Over 350 marriages and families have resulted from Baila's dedication to helping singles find their soul-mate - whether it's working one on one with singles, organizing her own large singles events and Shabbatons, as well as organizing and facilitating at numerous organizational events.
Baila is also an acclaimed journalist, inspirational international speaker, 5TJT columnist, and producer and host of the syndicated podcast The Definitive Rap.
Additionally, Baila is an educator, and active on many human rights and political causes, and president of Neshoma Advocates, Inc.
DAVID SACKS
Born and raised in New York City, David Sacks attended Harvard College, graduating with a degree in Government. While there he began his comedy writing career for the school’s humor magazine, The Harvard Lampoon. Upon graduating, David moved to Los Angeles and began writing for television. Among the shows he’s worked for are “The Simpsons”, where he won an Emmy Award, and “Third Rock from the Sun” for which he won a Golden Globe Award, “Malcolm in the Middle”, “Murphy Brown”, and “Final Space” on Adult Swim. David is the co-founder and Senior Lecturer of The Happy Minyan of Los Angeles. David is married and raises his family in Beverly Hills, CA. David Sacks gives the weekly Torah podcast “Spiritual Tools for an Outrageous World” and has spoken to enthusiastic crowds, opening the hearts of people across the US, Europe, Israel, and South Africa. His topics range from the meaning of life, to Hollywood’s impact onthe world, to achieving happiness.
AMI HOROWITZ
Ami Horowitz is an irreverent media personality. Ami is currently an on-air contributor for Fox News, creating satirical videos and expert analysis on a variety of topics, his videos have been seen over a hundred million times around the world. Ami released the feature documentary U.N. Me, which he produced, directed and starred in. U.N. Me was one of the most talked about documentaries in recent years and was released theatrically and broadcast on television in 15 countries.Ami has appeared on Fox News, Access Hollywood, CNN, NBC Nightly News, Morning Joe, the BBC, NPR, Russia Today, CSPAN among many others national television programs.
SHABBOS KESTENBAUM
Shabbos Kestenbaum is a student activist and the lead plaintiff against Harvard University, alleging pervasive and systemic antisemitism. He is a regular contributor on national media, has testified in front of the United States Congress multiple times, and lectures internationally on Jewish communal issues. Recently, Shabbos gave a primetime address at the Republican National Convention, and is an official surrogate for the Trump 2024 Presidential Campaign
RABBI DAVID PARDO
Rabbi David Pardo is the Director of the Orthodox Union's Torah Initiatives - dedicated to increasing access to and quality of Torah learning available to Orthodox adults in North America. With products like All Daf, OU Torah, Semichas Chaver, Torah NY, and Chag at Home, Torah Initiatives is making Torah central for hundreds of thousands of Jews.
He left a career in finance at Merrill Lynch in Beverly Hills to pursue his passion of community building. He was previously the Executive Director of Bring Israel Home (the largest post-Birthright program in the US), the Co-Director of JLIC at Brandeis University, Rabbi of Sephardic Congregation of Paramus, and an educator and organizer at a number of college and post-college level program in Israel, Canada, and America.
Rabbi Pardo has rabbinic ordination from YU, an MBA in Social Impact from Brandeis, and a BA in Economics from UCLA, and lives in New Jersey with his wife — a talented local educator — and their four awesome kids.
RABBI AVROHOM BRASHEVITSKY
Rabbi Avrohom Brashevitzky has called Doral home for the past 18 years. Together with his family, they are the founders and directors of the Chabad Jewish Center of Doral, where they passionately provide a variety of services to the Jewish community in the extended area. Before taking on this role, Rabbi Brashevitzky served as a Rabbi for multiple congregations in both Miami Beach and Massachusetts. Additionally, he has dedicated over 18 years to the field of education, serving as a religious day school educator and principal.
During his Rabbinical studies, Rabbi Brashevitzky traveled to Ukraine in the former Soviet Union, actively participating in the establishment of Jewish communities in Kharkov and Dnepropetrovsk. Alongside his wife, Zelda, Rabbi Brashevitzky is the proud parent of 10 children, one of whom has Down Syndrome and Autism. Their commitment to community service goes beyond their own family, as they continuously seek creative ways to contribute to and support the larger community.
SUZANNE STONE
Suzanne Last Stone is University Professor of Jewish Law and Contemporary Civilization at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University, where she directs the Center for Jewish Law and Contemporary Civilization. A graduate of Princeton University and Columbia Law School, she has held visiting positions at Harvard, Penn, Princeton, Columbia, and leading Israeli law schools. Stone clerked for Judge John Minor Wisdom of the Fifth Circuit and practiced litigation at Paul, Weiss before transitioning to academia. She teaches courses on Jewish law, Federal Courts, and the intersection of law, religion, and the state. Stone is co-editor-in-chief of Diné Israel, a peer-reviewed journal of Jewish law, and serves on editorial boards for the Jewish Quarterly Review and Hebraic Political Studies. Her board memberships include the Jewish People Policy Planning Institute and the Center for Ethics at Yeshiva University. A prolific scholar, her works include “In Pursuit of the Counter-text: The Turn to the Jewish Legal Model in Contemporary American Legal Theory” (Harvard Law Review), “The Jewish Conception of Civil Society” (Princeton University Press), “Feminism and the Rabbinic Conception of Justice” (Indiana University Press), and “Rabbinic Legal Magic” (Yale Journal of Law & Humanities). Her widely translated research explores Jewish thought, legal theory, and the humanities, earning recognition across academic disciplines.
ROCHEL HOLZKENNER
Rochel is a mother of four children and the co-director of Chabad of Las Olas, Fla., serving the community of young professionals. She is a high-school teacher and a freelance writer—and a frequent contributor to Chabad.org. She lectures extensively on topics of Kabbalah and feminism, and their application to everyday life. Rochel holds an MS in Brain Based Learning from Nova SE University.