Jeff and Sarah Rosner, together with their children Yisroel, Yossi a”h, and Rina, have become integral and beloved members of the Greater Philadelphia Jewish community since their move here from Raleigh, North Carolina in 2011. Jeff, a Long Island native, met Sarah at the University of North Carolina when he was in law school, and they initially settled in the Raleigh Jewish community. Upon moving to Wynnewood, Jeff started Rosner Settlement Services, and with Hashem’s help, he has successfully expanded his business efforts into Florida as well. Members of Congregation Beth Hamedrosh and Chabad of Penn Wynne, the Rosner’s have made their mark on a broad spectrum of both local and international Jewish community organizations including Chasdei Eliyahu, Bikkur Cholim of Philadelphia, Chai Lifeline, Mercaz Daf Yomi, and Moshia. Sarah, who is a professional violinist, health and nutrition coach, and who is working on certification to be a therapeutic trauma support coach, serves as Vice President of the local Amit chapter and as a board member of the Wynnewood/Overbrook Mikvah, and she is active in Beth Hamedrosh’s Women’s Organization.
Jeff and Sarah consider the Kollel the heart and soul of the Philly community. When their children were younger, Masmid and Kesher were the highlights of their week. Two years ago, when their son Yossi a”h was diagnosed with a brain tumor, the Rosner’s faced that unspeakable challenge by bolstering their emuna, tefilla, and limud haTorah. Jeff began davening regularly at the Kollel and increased his daily learning along many channels, including Kollel Boker and steady chavrusa learning. Sarah also increased her participation in Kollel women’s classes and programs. The Rosner’s saw the Kollel rabbis and their wives as a haven of support during those challenging times, and the relationship they built with the Kollel continues to flourish and grow. 

Rabbi Yitz and Frimi Levi and their family moved to Lower Merion from Rhawnhurst in 2015 and have been involved with the Kollel ever since. At that time, Rabbi Levi was the Philadelphia City Director of NCSY, building upon his years at the Jerusalem Kollel and Ner L’Elef, and their move here was designed to enhance family and student participation in the kiruv rechokim and kiruv krovim that Rabbi Levi and his wife are so devoted to. In that position, both Rabbi and Mrs. Levi impacted hundreds of teens and their families and drew them closer to passionate, committed, Torah-true Yiddishkeit. Even though Rabbi Levi left NCSY in 2022 to work in real estate and construction, he and his wife Frimi continue to be committed to meeting the spiritual needs of the klal in both formal and informal ways. Frimi, a school psychologist, is a popular kallah teacher and mentor and a member of the Lower Merion Community Mikvah board. Rabbi Levi teaches Mishnayos to boys at The New Shul on Shabbos afternoons, spends mornings in the Kollel as a founding member of Kollel Boker, and has steady evening chavrusas with Kollel yungeleit.
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The Levi’s and their mishpacha expanded their relationship with the Kollel even further with Frimi’s parents’ move to Lower Merion in 2020. Mr. Avraham and Shirley Walfish have become a core part of the Kollel chevra, and it gives them and their children mutual pride and nachas to see how each has integrated into the fabric of our community!

Rabbi and Mrs. Yerachmiel and Yitty Lichtman joined the Kollel in 2012 after his years of learning in Long Beach, Brisk, and BMG. After four years of full-time learning here in Philly, Rabbi Lichtman, who hails from Chicago, started teaching in Caskey Torah Academy while simultaneously attaining his Masters degree in Special Education. He has been a beloved 2nd and 3rd grade rebbe there for the past seven years, and he is admired for his warmth and genuine love for his talmidim and talmidos. Rabbi Lichtman’s indefatigable chinuch efforts brought him to partner with Rabbi Dovie Steier in running Camp Rayim, a Lower Merion-based boys’ day camp, which gives him a summer stage for his ruach and Torah-teaching. Those efforts have also found expression in his new position as Youth Director at The Merion Shtiebel. He has also served as a gabbai at The New Shul since its inception.

Mrs. Yitty Lichtman has out-of-town-Kollel roots, as she was born in Scranton while her father was learning in the Kollel there. She grew up in Lakewood, and came back to Pennsylvania with her move here in 2012. She worked for many years for Goldstar Rehab, and currently works for Primetex Inc. Rabbi and Mrs. Lichtman are an integral part of the Kollel family. From his famous grammen at the Kollel Purim seuda way back when, to his current devoted attendance at Kollel Boker, from Masmid to Kesher to alumni events, R’ Yerachmiel, his rebbetzin, and their children Malka, Yechezkel and Elazar have formed a special bond with the Kollel families and have positively impacted our entire community.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND RECOGNITION OF OUR HONOREES!