About Us

The American Committee for the Advancement of Torah Education in Israel (TEI) is a pioneering organization created by Rabbi Brovender, dedicated to strengthening Torah learning through educational innovation. Founded in 1977, TEI has been active for decades in developing and supporting initiatives that expand access to in-depth Torah study and strengthen Jewish educational leadership.

Originally established to support and advance leading Torah institutions such as Yeshivat HaMivtar and Midreshet Lindenbaum, TEI helped shape a new model of Torah education for international students, many of whom came from leading universities abroad. These programs were among the first to focus not only on what students learn, but on how to learn, developing independent Torah learning skills and deep textual fluency.

Over time, TEI expanded its work to include broader educational innovation. Among its most significant contributions was the creation of ATID, an educational think tank dedicated to developing the next generation of Jewish educators and educational leadership, and WebYeshiva, the world’s first fully interactive online yeshiva, which pioneered live, teacher-led Torah learning through interactive online classrooms years before Zoom and virtual learning became commonplace. WebYeshiva enabled students and educators around the world to learn together in real time within a shared virtual Beit Midrash, opening new possibilities for accessible, high-level Torah study across geographic boundaries.

Today, TEI continues this mission by reimagining Torah learning for a changing world, combining traditional sources with modern educational design, digital tools, and collaborative learning frameworks to make Torah learning more structured, accessible, and impactful.

Leadership

TEI’s leadership brings together Torah scholarship, educational vision, and technological innovation, reflecting a long-standing commitment to improving how Torah is taught, learned, and transmitted across generations:

• Rabbi Chaim Brovender – Founder and guiding force of TEI. A pioneering Torah educator who reshaped how students learn Gemara and how to “learn how to learn,” through institutions such as Yeshivat HaMivtar, Midreshet Lindenbaum, ATID, and WebYeshiva. His educational approach has influenced generations of students and educators in Israel and worldwide.
• Rabbi Jeffrey Saks – Founding director of ATID and WebYeshiva. A leading figure in modern Torah education and curriculum development, with extensive experience in shaping structured learning environments and integrating classical Torah study with contemporary educational frameworks.
• Rabbi Yehoshua Geller – Senior Torah educator with decades of experience teaching advanced learners in yeshivot and educational institutions, including Yeshivat HaMivtar and The Jerusalem College of Technology. Known for his depth in Torah instruction and his ability to guide students toward independent analytical learning.
• Rabbi Moshe Scharf – Lead developer of WebYeshiva and pioneer in the integration of technology and Torah education. Combines expertise in educational system design, digital infrastructure, and advanced textual research to build platforms that support structured and scalable Torah learning.