Yeshiva Ner Yisrael: Ner Israel Rabbinical College
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Yeshivas Ner Yisrael: Ner Israel Rabbinical College (also known as NIRC) is a Orthodox yeshiva in Baltimore, Maryland founded in 1933 by Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman who was a key disciple of Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel, dean of the famous Slabodka yeshiva in Lithuania.
The yeshiva was named for Rabbi Yisrael Lipkin Salanter, the founder of the Mussar Movement and teacher of Rabbi Finkel (known as Der Alter - "the elder") who was in turn the teacher of Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman - founder of Ner Yisrael.
It is an all-male Lithuanian-style Talmudic Charedi but non-Chasidic yeshiva. It presently consists of a high school numbering over 200 students, a post-high school beth midrash program numbering about 400 students, and a kollel post-graduate rabbinical division numbering about 200 students.
The yeshiva is on a self-contained campus, in a wooded Baltimore suburb, consisting of a central study hall (also doubling as the main prayer sanctuary), lecture halls, classrooms, libraries, dormitories, a dining hall and much outdoor recreational space. It is thought to be the largest Yeshiva campus in the world.
Apart from its prominence in religious studies, Ner Israel is also recognized as an accredited college by the state of Maryland, and has agreements with Johns Hopkins University, Towson University, Community College of Baltimore County, Loyola College in Maryland, University of Baltimore, and University of Maryland Baltimore County whereby the yeshiva's students can take courses at these colleges and universities in a variety of academic fields, and in turn gain academic credits for their religious studies. This is a feature which they feel appeals to many Orthodox young men who seek to have the basis for becoming future professionals. A large percentage of students choose to pursue law school after graduating from NIRC.
Some prominent rabbinical graduates include:
- Rabbi Shmuel Bloom
- Rabbi Aharon Feldman,who currently serves as rosh yeshiva ("dean") of the school.
- Rabbi Emmanuel Feldman, Rabbi Emeritus of Beth Jacob in Atlanta , GA
- Rabbi Yissocher Frand, Baltimore, MD
- Rabbi Mordechai Jofen, Brooklyn, NY
- Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky, Philadelphia, PA
- Rabbi Nota Schiller, Jerusalem, Israel
- Rabbi Moshe Sherer
- Rabbi Noah Weinberg, Jerusalem, Israel
- Rabbi Yochanan Zweig, Miami, FL
- Rabbi Moshe Brown, Far Rockaway, NY; Rabbi, Agudath Israel of West Lawrence and Magid Shiur at the Yeshiva of Far Rockaway.
- Rabbi Ilan Feldman, Current Rabbi of Beth Jacob in Atlanta , GA
[edit] Past Leadership
Rabbi Naftoli Herman Neuberger is the brother-in-law of Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman.
Rav Ruderman and Rav Neuberger were partners in creating Ner Israel. They shared a vision, to build a Yeshiva in the European style on American soil. Despite the Yeshiva’s facilitating students going to college in the evening, Rav Neuberger personally encouraged parents to let their children study without pursuing other things.
Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg served the Ner Israel community for over 50 years. From 1987 until 1999 Rabbi Weinberg served as rosh yeshiva. Rabbi Weinberg was married to Chana Ruderman (the only child of Yaakov Yitzchok Ruderman).
Rabbi Weinberg's brother is Rabbi Noah Weinberg, founder and dean of Aish HaTorah.
Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg and Chana Ruderman-Weinberg are also the parents to both Rabbi Matis Weinberg and Rabbi Simcha Weinberg.
[edit] Present Leadership
The yeshiva is headed by Rabbi Aharon Feldman who serves as the rosh yeshiva, and Rabbi Beryl Weisbord who is the Mashgiach ("dean of students") and is the husband of Dr. Aviva Weisbord, daughter of the past Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Yaakov Weinberg. Rabbi Sheftel Neuberger is president of the yeshiva and succeeds his father Rabbi Herman N. Neuberger who held the same position. Rabbi Herman Neuberger was known as one of the leaders of Orthodox Jewry in the United States and served as international president of the yeshiva until his passing in 2005.
