Meet Our Speakers
HORAV REPHAEL MOSHE GETTINGER SHLIT"A, is presently Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Medrash Chaim, Lakewood, NJ and is a renowned talmid chacham and veteran mechaneich for many decades. Rav Gettinger shlit"a learned in the Philadelphia Yeshiva, in Lakewood under Rav Shneur Kotler zt”l and was a close talmid of Rav Yitzchak Hutner zt"l. Rav Gettinger was Rosh Yeshiva in South Bend, Indiana for many years and maintains a close kesher with many of his hundreds of talmidim across the globe including our own Rabbi Yosef Prupas and Rabbi Yehuda Nosenchuk. He is a direct descendant of the Netziv, zt"l1, and Rav Chaim Volozhiner, zt"l. His father was Rav Emanuel (Mendel) Gettinger zt"l, rov of Young Israel of the West Side in New York City for over 60 years. His maternal grandfather was Rav Naftali Zvi Yehuda Riff zt”l, spiritual leader of Congregation Sons of Israel, Camden, NJ and later Cherry Hill, NJ.
Rebbetzin Shifrah Gettinger attended Bais Yaakov of Monsey and Beth Jacob of Jerusalem. As a respected educator with over forty years’ experience, including twenty in South Bend, Indiana, Mrs. Gettinger has taught almost every age from preschool through seminary, students ranging from those from unaffiliated homes to Yeshiva families. She currently serves as Principal of Bnos Devorah Elementary School in Lakewood, and as Director of Camp Maarava in Marshall, Indiana. In addition to her role as principal, Mrs. Gettinger teaches a weekly course on Churban Europa to the eighth grade in Bnos Devorah, carrying on the legacy of her father, Rabbi Joseph Elias zt”l, initiator of Torah Umesorah’s Zchor Yemos Olam Program. The multitude of girls who attend these two institutions are beneficiaries of her vision and passion for the chinuch of our next generation, both in the classroom and through the medium of camp life.
Rabbi Moshe Binyamin Derhy grew up in Washington Heights, New York. He graduated from Yeshiva Rabbi Shamshon Raphael Hirsch, and then went on to learn in Passaic under Rabbi Meir Stern, shlit”a, and in Yeshivas Brisk, Yerushalayim. When he returned to the US, he married Naomi Shamie of LA and joined the Kollel of Beth Medrash Gevoha; during his 12 years there, Rabbi Derhy obtained semicha. Rabbi Derhy also works for BMG’s Machon Mishnas Rabbi Aharon, where he works to publish seforim, and he mentors bochurim in local yeshivos. In 2023 the Philadelphia Community Kollel welcomed Rabbi Derhy as its Second Seder Rosh Chabura, a position he continues to fill with exceptional scholarship and devotion.
Mrs. Chaya Rivky Leiser has spent over two decades in yeshivos and Bais Yaakov schools and camps, teaching and programming for young boys and for girls of all ages. Her dynamic style and lively content will engage and inspire our children here in Philadelphia as well!
Rebbetzin Shifrah Gettinger attended Bais Yaakov of Monsey and Beth Jacob of Jerusalem. As a respected educator with over forty years’ experience, including twenty in South Bend, Indiana, Mrs. Gettinger has taught almost every age from preschool through seminary, students ranging from those from unaffiliated homes to Yeshiva families. She currently serves as Principal of Bnos Devorah Elementary School in Lakewood, and as Director of Camp Maarava in Marshall, Indiana. In addition to her role as principal, Mrs. Gettinger teaches a weekly course on Churban Europa to the eighth grade in Bnos Devorah, carrying on the legacy of her father, Rabbi Joseph Elias zt”l, initiator of Torah Umesorah’s Zchor Yemos Olam Program. The multitude of girls who attend these two institutions are beneficiaries of her vision and passion for the chinuch of our next generation, both in the classroom and through the medium of camp life.
Rabbi Moshe Binyamin Derhy grew up in Washington Heights, New York. He graduated from Yeshiva Rabbi Shamshon Raphael Hirsch, and then went on to learn in Passaic under Rabbi Meir Stern, shlit”a, and in Yeshivas Brisk, Yerushalayim. When he returned to the US, he married Naomi Shamie of LA and joined the Kollel of Beth Medrash Gevoha; during his 12 years there, Rabbi Derhy obtained semicha. Rabbi Derhy also works for BMG’s Machon Mishnas Rabbi Aharon, where he works to publish seforim, and he mentors bochurim in local yeshivos. In 2023 the Philadelphia Community Kollel welcomed Rabbi Derhy as its Second Seder Rosh Chabura, a position he continues to fill with exceptional scholarship and devotion.
Mrs. Chaya Rivky Leiser has spent over two decades in yeshivos and Bais Yaakov schools and camps, teaching and programming for young boys and for girls of all ages. Her dynamic style and lively content will engage and inspire our children here in Philadelphia as well!