The Pacific Torah Institute or PTI is an all-male yeshiva high school in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
The school is an affiliate of the Rabbinical Seminary of America or Chofetz Chaim yeshiva. The school is the only all-male yeshiva high school in the Pacific Northwest or Western Canada[1]. The school was started in 2003 with 16 students in grades 8-10.
PTI is headed by three deans: Rabbi Noam Abramchik, Rabbi Aaron Kamin, and Rabbi Dovid Davidowitz. Rabbi Shalom Meltzer and Rabbi Hillel Brody assist the deans in their teaching. Academic studies are directed by Mr. Sandy Wohl (principal) and taught by a staff of four teachers. In 2010 PTI welcomed a new Rabbi to the Yeshiva, Rabbi Zev Davidowitz.
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A graduate of Touro College (New York) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management, received his Smicha Yoreh-Yoreh/Yadin-Yadin (Advanced Rabbinic Ordination) from the Rabbinical Seminary of America. Rabbi Abramchik studied at Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim for 17 years. He has been active in outreach and youth programming, including directing a large NCSY chapter in Queens, New York. In September 2000, Rabbi Abramchik founded the Jewish Learning Centre in Roslyn, New York. The JLS has become a very successful educational centre for students ranging from ages 8 to 80. Rabbi Abramchik’s wife, Rivka, is a professional educator and administrator currently teaching in the pre-school at the Vancouver Hebrew Academy as well as Director of Education at Shalhevet.
Comes to the Yeshiva from Queens New York, where he received his Semicha Yoreh-Yoreh/Yadin-Yadin (Advanced Rabbinic Ordination) from the Rabbinical Seminary of America, Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim. This was the culmination of 17 years of intense study, including two years in the Milwaukee campus and one in the Jerusalem campus. He spent 2 years teaching the Grade 11 honors students in Monsey at Yeshiva Zichron Yaakov, one year as the grade 10 Rebbi in Brooklyn at Yeshiva Tiferes Yisroel, and an additional 2 years teaching Jewish Law at the main Chofetz Chaim campus in Queens, New York. Rabbi Brody and his wife Devora, also an expert educator in her own right, decided the best place for this was in Richmond, British Columbia where Rabbi Brody served as the Rabbi of Young Israel of Richmond. Rabbi Brody is not the Rabbi in Richmond any more, he still teaches at PTI and is now the Rabbi for the Louis Brier home and hospital. Mrs. Brody currently teaches in the Vancouver Hebrew Academy.
A native of Rochester, New York, received his Smicha Yoreh-Yoreh/Yadin-Yadin (Advanced Rabbinic Ordination) from the Rabbinical Seminary of America. Rabbi Davidowitz has been a teacher of Gemara for advanced honours students at the Stanley M. Klein High School in Kew Gardens Hills, New York. He has coordinated the S.E.E.D program in several cities across North America. Rabbi Davidowitz has initiated Sunday morning outreach programs for children and he has taught weekly Gemara programs as Congregation Ahava Yisroel, as well as serving as guest lecturer at several prominent New York congregations. Rabbi Davidowitz’s wife, Yocheved, received her teaching certificate in Israel and enjoys raising their five children in Vancouver.
Most recently from Long Island, New York, received his Smicha Yoreh-Yoreh/Yadin-Yadin (Advanced Rabbinic Ordination) from the Rabbinical Seminary of America, Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim. This was the culmination of 16 years of intensive study, including two years on the Jerusalem campus. Rabbi Kamin’s leadership qualities and expertise in Talmudic study brought him to the position of Rich Yeshiva of Mesivta of Rosly, Josef Grunberg Torah Academy. Several of his students have followed him to Vancouver to study under his guidance in the Beis Medrash program. Rabbi Kamin’s broad experience includes developing outreach programs for public school children, teaching Gemara to Grade 11 in Mesivta of Forest Hills, and serving as guest lecturer in several Synagogues in Queens and Long Island, NY. Rabbi Kamin’s wife, Rochel, is an Occupational therapist, and has her own practice, Vancouver Occupational Therapy For Kids. They come to Vancouver with their six daughters.
Received his Semicha Yoreh/Yadin-Yadin (Advanced Rabbinic Ordination) from Rabbinical Seminary of America, Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim. This was the culmination of 16 years of intense study, including a year on the Milwaukee campus. Concurrently, Rabbi Meltzer earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Touro College, and sat for the CPA exam. Rabbi Meltzer’s dynamic teaching skills were honed by his 5 years as an advisor for the Bronx Chapter of NCSY, where he was noted for the care and concern he showed for each and every one of his students. In 2000, Rabbi Meltzer was appointed coordinator of Torah U’mesora’s Hemshech Program in Queens, NY. Rabbi Meltzer has recently start working at Torah Hight. Rabbi Meltzer's wife, Shira, is a Speech Language Pathologist, and presently runs her own private practice.
Rabbi Davidowitz has been a welcome addition the PTI family and has had a tremendous affect on the high schoolers. He is focused on his life as a Rebbe and is a true professional.