July 29, 2026
Dear Alumni and Friends,
Summer is in full swing at HTC, and our campus continues to be filled with growth, learning, and exciting new beginnings.
We are thrilled to welcome Rabbi Yechiel Meir Bender as the new Maggid Shiur of the HTC Semicha Program and look forward to the inspiration and leadership he will bring to our talmidim. If you or someone you know may be a good fit for the program, please reach out!
We are also grateful to our community for its tremendous support of this year's FYHS Names, Not Numbers® project. Your generosity helped make this powerful educational experience and documentary premiere possible, ensuring that the stories of Holocaust survivors will continue to educate and inspire future generations.
This month also marked the official opening of our beautifully renovated Student Learning Center, providing students with a modern space for learning, collaboration, and personal growth. Meanwhile, across all our divisions, preparations are well underway for another exciting school year, and we look forward to welcoming both returning and new students in the weeks ahead. Please read on for more news, alumni updates, and highlights from across the HTC family. All the best, Rabbi Shmuel L. Schuman CEO, HTC |
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This monthly email newsletter is sponsored by: |
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Did you know the Rosh HaYeshiva puts out a weekly Dvar Torah before Shabbos? |
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The Yeshiva Show Podcast Returns for Another Season! |
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Upcoming Events and Programs |
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HTC Opens New Student Learning Center |
We're excited to announce the opening of HTC's new Student Learning Center of the Rabbi Saul Silber z"l Memorial Library—a completely transformed space designed to support student learning, collaboration, and academic success.
Featuring modern study areas, comfortable lounge seating, and four private study rooms, the new Learning Center is the first renovation of this space since our Skokie campus opened in 1958 and represents another significant investment in the future of our students.
Click here to read more |
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HTC Welcomes Rabbi Yechiel Meir Bender to Our Semicha Program |
This Elul, Rabbi Yechiel Meir Bender will be joining HTC as Maggid Shiur for the Semicha program. Rabbi Bender has spent several years in the Chicago Chassidishe Kollel, and has developed a reputation as an exceptionally gifted speaker and teacher. He brings a unique blend of the best of both the Litvish and Chassidish worlds, with a passion and expertise for Halacha. Rabbi Bender is highly regarded across multiple segments of the Chicago Orthodox community, and is rapidly becoming one of the most sought-after young rabbanim in the city. |
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On Monday evening, July 20th, HTC's Fasman Yeshiva High School (FYHS) welcomed nearly 600 community members, alumni, survivors, and friends to the Holiday Inn North Shore in Skokie for the premiere of the 2025–26 Names, Not Numbers® – A Movie in the Making Holocaust documentary.
Click here to read more and for more pictures |
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Alumni and Friends Gather for Special Mishmar in Memory of Zali Arnold z"l on His First Yahrzeit |
On Thursday evening, July 9 (25 Tammuz), alumni and friends gathered at the Yeshiva for a special Mishmar learning seder commemorating the first yahrzeit of beloved FYHS Class of 2020 alumnus, Zali Arnold z"l. The evening's limud was introduced by HTC CEO Rabbi Shmuel Schuman, after which...
Click here to read more |
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SHWCT Participates in Touro's Historical Rome Trip |
SHWCT student, Yael Cohen, participated in the HISTORICAL ROME TRIP, this past June, offered in conjunction with Touro University. Each year, an exciting trip is offered to our students, and they earn college credits during this 10 day adventure. This trip partnered with Collegio Rabbinico (The Rabbinical College) in Rome for an insider look at the Jewish Archives in Rome at the Great Synogogue. "The trip was incredible! There was touring of the Jewish ghetto, key historical sites from the Roman period to present day, and we got to experience, firsthand, the strength of the Roman Jewish community."
Click here to read more |
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HTC is proud of our students, past and present! Take a look at this month's spotlighted alumni. |
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Moshe Altman, FYHS 1998
Current Location: Springfield, NJ
Profession: Neve Yaakov, Yerushalyim
Profession: I work at Yeshivas Beis Yisroel and learn in kollel in the afternoon.
Tell us a little bit about your family: I am married to my wife Michal, a native Chicagoan. We have 11 kids that keep busy: Shlomo (22), Tova (20), Akiva(17), Yehoshua (15), Dovid (15) Elchanan (13), Elisheva, (11), Yosef Shalom (8), Yonatan (6), Batya (3), Yaakov (1)
What is your favorite memory/(memories) from FYHS/HTC/Kayitz: There are many but Rabbi Twerski’s “mind reading” shtick at the Purim seuda was incredible.
Please share a lesson/takeaway from your time at FYHS/HTC/Kayitz: I appreciated how the rebbeim went beyond the call of duty. I was from Phoenix and was a full-time dormer. I vended over the summers for the Cubs and White Sox. Rabbi Cardash and Rabbi Schuman opened their homes to me free of charge allowing me a place to stay in the summers. I am forever grateful to this day.
Advice for current students: Build a kesher with your rebbeim while in Yeshiva. Maintain a lifelong kesher with at least one rebbe. For me, that is Rabbi Cardash.
Anything else to share: Take your studies seriously. Life gets busy so enjoy your time now! |
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Eliyahu Prero, FYHS 1998
Current Location: Monsey, NY
Profession: I’m currently a lawyer and a mohel. I was a rebbe for many years and then started practicing law a few years ago. I graduated Magna Cum Laude from Seton Hall. I have my own firm where I practice municipal work, corporate, and commercial litigation.
Tell us a little bit about your family: Married with 8 kids
What is your favorite memory/(memories) from FYHS/HTC/Kayitz: Davening Yom Kippur with Rabbi Isenberg. Many people from the community would walk in for Neila. Hearing schmoozing from Rabbi Teller z”tl was very special and nice to have an interaction with him. He had a real influence on the boys. I was also impressed with the high level of secular studies.
Please share a lesson/takeaway from your time at FYHS/HTC/Kayitz: A person should be proud of where they came from. Draw inspiration from those who inspired you.
Advice for current students: Apply yourself to your studies and always be there for your friends. They will remember you later in life.
Anything else to share: The Yeshiva gave students their own space. There was such a vast background of guys. |
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Divrei Torah from Alumni and Rebbeim |
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To Be Mindful
By Rabbi Gershon Schaffel
The parashah begins this week with the famous words "וְ×”ָ×™ָ×” ×¢ֵקֶב ïŠִשְׁמְעוּן" –“And it will be because of your listening". Rashi explains that the unique term "×¢ֵקֶב" refers to one’s heel, and references those mitzvos that one normally tramples with his heels. The Torah is telling us that regarding those mitzvos you should specifically "ïŠִשְׁמְעוּן"– listen to and fulfill them. In other words, the Torah is telling us not to simply pay attention to the “big” and “major” mitzvos. Rather, one should be attentive to fulfill even the “small” and “minor” mitzvos. One may ask, then, why the Torah didn’t just state: “Fulfill all of the mitzvos.” Why does the Torah use the unusual phrase of "×¢ֵקֶב ïŠִשְׁמְעוּן"? |
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Growing in Our Service to God
By Rabbi Ephraim Kletenik
There is a mitzvah of "וְ×”ָלַ×›ְתָּ בִּדְרָ×›ָיו" – “And you shall follow in His ways.” We are obligated to emulate Hashem’s attribute of being kind and merciful. The Chafetz Chaim points out that this mitzvah is mentioned three times in this week’s parashah. The first instance is found in our pasuk (8:6): “And you shall guard the commandments of God your Lord to go in His ways and to fear Him.” Here the mitzvah of following in Hashem’s ways is mentioned before the mitzvah of fearing Hashem. |
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Hebrew Theological College is a member of Touro University
and a partner with the Jewish United Fund in serving our community
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