Scholars-in-Residence

A fulfilling vacation extends beyond the activities, scenery and cuisine. At Rustic Elegance we strive to find some of the best scholars and rabbinic figures who will help us not only be focused on the physical aspects of the trip, but to  grow and be inspired spiritually, deepening our relationship with Hashem and his creations. 

Please scroll down to learn about our Scholars-in-Residence (In order of appearance)

Rabbi Efrem Goldberg

(July 2018 Scholar-In-Residence)

Rabbi Efrem Goldberg is the Senior Rabbi of the Boca Raton Synagogue (BRS), a rapidly-growing congregation of over 800 families and over 1,000 children in Boca Raton, Florida. BRS is the largest Orthodox Synagogue in the Southeast United States. Rabbi Goldberg's warm and welcoming personality has helped attract people of diverse backgrounds and ages to feel part of the BRS community, reinforcing the BRS credo of 'Valuing Diversity and Celebrating Unity.'

Rabbi Goldberg personally leads numerous weekly learning opportunities for large and small groups, as well as individualized study. Many of his classes are available to listen to online. 

Rabbi Goldberg is the author of a popular blog and is a frequent contributor to Aish.com and OU.org. His writings have appeared in Mishpacha, Klal Perspectives, Mosaic, Jewish Press, Jewish Link, Jewish Life, Jewish Action, Times of Israel, Sun Sentinel, Forward, YU to Go, and have been quoted by the New York Times and Wall St. Journal. 

Please click on the links below for copies of the Shiurim given on the past trip

Rabbi Ya'akov Trump

(August 2018, August 2019 Scholar-In-Residence)

Rabbi Ya’akov Trump serves as the Associate Rabbi of the Young Israel of Lawrence Cedarhurst. Rabbi Trump has been involved in many community wide projects including being hub coordinator of the Shabbos Project in the Five Towns-Far Rockaway bringing hundreds and thousands together raising the bar of Shabbos and the Five Towns Drug Awareness panel. Rabbi Trump teaches Halacha at the Shulamith High School for girls.

Rabbi Trump grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa. After graduating high school, he spent several years in Kerem BeYavneh in Israel followed by Ner Yisrael, Baltimore. He holds a BA in Mathematics from Yeshiva University and has taken multiple Actuary exams. While completing Semicha at RIETS, he served as Rabbinic Intern in Kesher Israel DC, Young Israel of Jamaica Estates and the Beth Din of America. He spent two years as Rabbinic fellow of the YU Torah Mitzion Kollel of Chicago creating new programs and shiurim. 

He has been a scholar at many programs including the OU Convention, Sharmel Caterers Pesach program, Kosher Rustic and the OU West Convention.
It is his passion to share his passion for the Torah and its relevance in contemporary times. He and his wife, Malka, and children live in Lawrence.

Please click on the links below for copies of the Shiurim given on the past trip

Rabbi Yakov Horowitz

(July 2019 Scholar-In-Residence)

Rabbi Yakov Horowitz is the Founding Dean of Yeshiva Darchei Noam and Director of The Center for Jewish Family Life. He is the author of two books, published the landmark children’s personal safety picture book Let’s Stay Safe!, which is in over 70,000 homes worldwide in 3 languages, and the Bright Beginnings Chumash and Gemara Workbooks which has helped over 5,000 children in 70 schools acquire Judaic Studies skills in a fun-filled manner in just the past 2 years. Rabbi Horowitz conducts child abuse prevention  and parenting workshops internationally and received the prestigious 2008 Covenant Award in recognition of his contribution to Jewish education.

Rabbi David Fohrman

(July 2019 Scholar-In-Residence)

Rabbi David Fohrman lectures internationally on Biblical themes. In recent years, Rabbi Fohrman has developed Aleph Beta, an online startup that develops animated video content based on his approach to Chumash, Navi and Chazal. Thousands of individual subscribers, as well as hundreds of schools, worldwide, make use of its material.

Rabbi Fohrman is the author of "The Beast that Crouches at the Door," finalist for the 2007 National Jewish Book Award, and "The Queen You Thought You Knew. " He served as a senior writer and editor for ArtScroll’s  Schottenstein Edition of the Talmud, and taught Biblical Themes at The Johns Hopkins University. He grew up in Northern California, and is always ready to go back to Yosemite at a moment's notice. Rabbi Fohrman currently resides in Woodmere, NY with his wife and children, where he also serves as resident scholar at the Young Israel of Woodmere.

Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Weinberg

(August 2019 Scholar-In-Residence)

Rabbi Moshe Tzvi Weinberg currently teaches in Yeshiva University’s Irving I. Stone Beit Midrash Program (SBMP), where he also he serves as Mashgiach Ruchani. A graduate of Yeshiva University, Rabbi Weinberg received his semicha from Rabbi Zalman Nechemia Goldberg of Jerusalem and has also been certified by the Center for Integrated Teacher Education.

Rabbi Weinberg has worked as Jewish educator for the past 15 years, and has previously taught at Torah Academy of Bergen County and the Moriah School of Englewood, before joining the Yeshiva University faculty seven years ago. He has served as a guest speaker and scholar in residence in Jewish communities and college campuses across the country.

Most recently, he was appointed to the position of Mashpia at Congregation Beth Abraham, a 450 member shul in Bergenfield (NJ) where he lives with his wife and four children. Additionally, Rabbi Weinberg teaches at Naaleh High School for Girls and Yeshivas Heichal Hatorah in Teaneck. More than 1,500 of his recorded shiurim appear on yutorah.org.

Simcha Leiner

(July 2019 Shabbos Chazzan)

Since 2008 Simcha Leiner has been a sought after Jewish Music Star. After releasing his breakout single Kol Berama he went on to reach international critical aclaim garnering over 450,000 views on that video alone, as well as over a million views on his other songs and videos!  In 2014 Simcha teamed up with producer extrodinaire Yochi Briskman to release his chart topping album PISCHI LI.

Since then they haven't rested for a moment. Aside from releasing 2 collaboration albums 'PROJECT RELAX' with Baruch Levine, and joining the legendary cast of that years HASC Concert, they have release Simcha's second solo album SL2 to excellent review in 2015.  In November of 2016 Simcha and Yochi embarked on the most ambitious show of the decade, performing Simcha's greatest hits to a sold out crowd in Odessa Ukraine. They were joined by a 62 piece symphony orchestra.  Simcha has traveled the world bringing his unique range and energy to simchos and event. He is also currently leading the tfillos at Shuls and Hotel programs multiple times a month.