Board of Directors

Meet our talented leaders who guide our Yeshiva with skill, sensitivity and vision, setting the tone for success.

Dr. Allan Jacob

President

Meet Dr. Allan Jacob
Dr. Jacob’s name has become synonymous with Jewish education and has been involved with YTCTE and its Board since its beginning. He has a Masters Degree in mental health and marital counseling and is a board-certified nephrologist who serves as the Chairman and Chief Medical Officer of Physicians Dialysis. His commitment to the community and to Torah learning is legendary, and as the Chairman of Teach Florida, he has helped YTCTE, and all South Florida Jewish schools, secure millions of dollars in government funding. Dr. Jacob also serves as the Chairman of the Rabbinical Seminary of America (Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim).

How I make a difference at YTCTE:
As Co-President of the Board, I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to help build the Yeshiva that my children attended and my grandchildren now attend. By participating in activities that help the community, one not only is engaged in an important mission, but it motivates others to participate as well. The frum community can be very powerful and impactful if we all step up and work together to help our mosdos and our neighbors.

Mr. Marcos Lapciuc

President

Meet Mr. Lapciuc:
Mr. Lapciuc is the Managing Partner of Skylightholdings LLC and has over thirty year experience in international trade and real estate. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and a Law Degree from the University of Miami. He has expertly served as Treasurer for Urgent Inc, Treasurer and Chairman of the Miami Dade Public Health Trust and is a member of the Board of Florida International University Medical Health Practice. In addition to his professional work, Marcos is extensively involved in the community as Board Member of the Miami Beach Community Kollel, past Board Member of Congregation Ohr Chaim and Past President of the Collegiate Learning Exchange. Mr. Lapciuc joined the Yeshiva’s Board in 2014 to make a difference in the Jewish community. He currently serves as its President where his extensive experience in real estate, project management and fiscal responsibility has helped spearhead the Yeshiva’s largest ever capital campaign.

How I make a difference at YTCTE:
My parents gave me a love for Klal Yisroel, and my wife and family helped me develop that love and appreciation. I feel that the Yeshiva is one of the most important Torah engines of South Florida. It does not compromise true Torah values while preparing the next generation of Jewish leaders across all fields. As YTCTE and the whole South Florida Jewish community experiences such exponential growth, I want to do my part, together with the Roshei HaYeshiva, to assist the Yeshiva and help it meet the challenges that come with this growth.

Rabbi Moshe Lehrfield

Vice President

Meet Rabbi Lehrfield:
Rabbi Lehrfield’s relationship with YTCTE dates back to its infancy, and his decades-long involvement in the North Miami Beach community has played an instrumental role in its growth and vibrancy. Rabbi Lehrfield is a shareholder at Greenberg Traurig PA and has been an attorney specializing in commercial real estate transactions, financing and leasing at their firm since 1990, earning numerous awards and recognitions throughout. In addition he is an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Law, received a very rare semicha from Rabbi Betzalel Zoly z”l, former Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, served as the assistant Rabbi of the Young Israel of Greater Miami and was a member of Bais Yaakov of Miami’s Board. His prestigious professional position notwithstanding, Rabbi Lehrfield devotes a significant portion of his day to learning and community work, joining the Yeshiva’s Board early on at the request of our founding Rosh HaYeshiva, Rabbi Bentzion Chait. He currently serves as a Member of the Yeshiva’s Executive Board as well as the Vice President of the Board of Directors.

How I make a difference at YTCTE:
As a member of the Executive Board, I help the Yeshiva make solid decisions that ensure its long term viability and financial security. My extensive involvement in the community allows me to provide feedback to the Yeshiva “from the ground” allowing the Yeshiva to properly meet the growing needs of the community at large and each family individually. I am proud to offer my legal expertise and experience to help the Yeshiva with its property acquisitions as it navigates the often complex real estate world. As a parent, and now grandparent at the Yeshiva, I am grateful for the opportunity to be one of the longest serving Board Members, working together with the Roshei HaYeshiva to help strengthen our beautiful Torah community.

Dr. Jonathan Rubin

Immediate Past President

Meet Dr. Rubin:
Long-time resident of Miami Beach, Dr. Rubin is a well-respected, Board Certified radiologist at Radiology Associates of South Florida with forty years of experience in the field. Yet, he is equally known for his active and extensive involvement in the Klal and the leadership roles he has taken in the South Florida Torah community. Dr. Rubin was instrumental in the founding of the Vaad HaKashrus of Miami-Dade (Kosher Miami) and currently serves as its Vice President. He is also the decades-long President of the Agudath Israel of Florida which, under his leadership, has procured significant funding for our Yeshiva and our community. Dr. Rubin joined the Board of YTCTE in 1991, seeing it as an opportunity to help Klal Yisroel. In 2013, he saw the need to revamp the Board spending countless hours creating an active and involved Board of Directors, with financial accountability, for which he served as the President from 2013-2017.

How I make a difference at YTCTE:
Shortly after my children began attending the Yeshiva, I was honored to have been asked to join the Board, now over thirty years later, with grandchildren now in YTCTE, I am thrilled to still be a member of the Yeshiva’s Executive Board. I feel that the partnership between the Board and the Roshei Yeshiva and Hanhala is critical for the proper growth of the Yeshiva. In addition, my long term tenure on the Board has given me the opportunity to develop cherished close personal relationships with the Roshei Yeshiva, Principals and Rebbeim.

Dr. Eli Berman

Meet Dr. Berman:
A physician with over 30 years experience practicing medicine and close to 20 years as an administrative physician, Dr. Berman’s success can be credited in part to his personable nature and his passion to help others. He has served in a leadership position for 30 years and his results-driven, measured approach guides him as the Chief Medical Officer of CGS and in his communal leadership roles. He is one of the founders of the Hollywood Community Kollel, investing much effort into its success. Dr. Berman has been on the Yeshiva’s Board since 2013, focusing on improving procedures and management.

How I make a difference at YTCTE:
I am very passionate about Torah education and was honored to join such an amazing group of professionals, dedicated to helping develop the future leaders of Klal Yisroel. I am grateful for the opportunity to use my skills and experience to help YTCTE accomplish its important goals. I have been a long time proponent of leadership development, streamlining processes and implementing the necessary procedures to run effectively and efficiently. I love helping the Yeshiva improve in these areas as it grows.

Mrs. Deborah Chames Cohen

Meet Mrs. Deborah Chames Cohen
Dedicated and determined, Mrs. Chames Cohen is driven by her passionate desire to help the Yeshiva and her sense of responsibility to the community she has been involved in for so many years. A partner in the law firm of Kluger, Kaplan, Silverman, Katzen & Levine, PL, she has been ranked as one of the top Marital and Family Law Attorneys in Florida and uses her expert mediation skills to help the Yeshiva navigate complex situations and agreements professionally and equitably. In addition to serving on the Yeshiva’s Executive Board, Mrs. Chames is on the Editorial Board of the Orthodox Union Jewish Action Magazine.

How I make a difference at YTCTE:
I think investing in Jewish education is the most important thing you could do for the future of our people, and it is for this reason that after many years of involvement with YTCTE, I formally joined the Board in 2014. As a strong advocate for fairness and integrity, I help the Yeshiva in its goal to maintain the highest levels of yashrus and ensure that communication lines always remain open for all.

Mr. Michael Chesal

Meet Mr. Chesal:
Always on the move, Mr. Chesal uses his skills and talents, not only in the professional world, but also to help the community. Michael graduated the University of Miami School of Law cum laude, is certified by the Florida Bar in Intellectual Property Law and is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator. Yet, he still finds the time to serve as the Chairman of the Board of Aish South Florida and as President of Bais Medrash of South Florida. As a member of the Yeshiva’s Board, Mr. Chesal’s legal advice continues to be an invaluable guide to YTCTE.

How I make a difference at YTCTE:
How I make a difference at YTCTE I am a proud parent of four children who all attended YTCTE. I have always been impressed by YTCTE's sensitivity to each student's needs as well as its focus on their character development. While any institution can provide an education, YTCTE goes above and beyond educating minds by also nourishing the souls. I feel a tremendous debt of gratitude to the Yeshiva for all it did for my children and for all it does for our community. Serving on the Board is one small way I can express my gratitude by utilizing my legal skills to help the Yeshiva maneuver its way through various issues that it inevitably encounters as it grows and expands.

Dr. Mordechai Gibber

Meet Dr. Gibber:
Dr. Gibber, a highly trained, board certified cardiothoracic surgeon, received his medical degree from the University of Maryland. He is currently in private practice and affiliated with Aventura Hospital. He joined the Yeshiva family as parents in 2017 when he moved to Miami Beach with his family and has been involved with the Yeshiva since. Hard working and dependable, Dr. Gibber became a member of the Board in 2018 and has passionately been a champion of affordable, quality Jewish education.

How I make a difference at YTCTE:
How I make a difference at YTCTE I feel that I bring an important perspective to the Board. As a current parent who truly understands the tremendous costs involved in running such a successful Yeshiva, I constantly stress the need to keep it affordable for parents at the same time and engage our families in all the neighborhoods that the Yeshiva services.

Dr. Daniel Heller

Meet Dr. Daniel Heller:
Dr. Heller’s history with the Yeshiva is multi-generational. His father is a past-president, and he attended YTCTE as a child, as did his wife whose father is the current Vice-President. Her grandfather, Rabbi Dovid Lehrfield zt”l, played an integral role in founding and growing the Yeshiva. Although his position as Pulmonary and Critical Care Specialist and Associate Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Aventura Hospital and Medical Center keeps him quite busy, Dr. Heller is committed to strengthening the Torah community. He is the President of the Young Israel of Greater Miami and is a Board Member of Tomchei Shabbos of Florida. His sharp analytical mind and determination to keep the Yeshiva on firm grounds play a crucial role in the Yeshiva’s ability to maintain a balanced budget.

How I make a difference at YTCTE:
I joined the Yeshiva’s Board to help the school my children attend and strengthen the North Miami Beach community. The Yeshiva is the future of our community, and I feel privileged to contribute towards its growth by offering my time to serve on the Board. I feel very strongly that an institution must remain financially solvent and push very hard each year to make sure the Yeshiva operates within its budget and meets its financial obligations.

Rabbi Shmuel Jeger

Bio coming soon

Mr. Ely Levy

Meet Mr. Ely Levy:
A founding partner in the law firm Levy and Partners, PLLC, Mr. Ely Levy is a respected attorney and equally respected community leader. A Board Member and pillar of the Safra Synagogue, as well as one of the founders of Ohr HaTorah Yeshiva High School, he joined YTCTE’s Board in 2017 to help spread Torah even further in the community. Mr. Levy’s involvement in YTCTE has helped the Yeshiva strengthen its education and expand its programming.

How I make a difference at YTCTE:
My main goal, in whatever I do, is to always try my best. I agreed to join the Board of YTCTE because I truly believe that this Yeshiva upholds true Torah values and tradition. YTCTE offers a beautiful Torah education that inculcates in the students an awareness and yearning to learn Torah in a meaningful way. By helping the Yeshiva accomplish its goals and strengthen the product it offers, I feel I am doing a real service to the greater Torah observant community in South Florida. What a privilege it is.

Mrs. Chava Mann

Meet Mrs. Mann:
Mrs. Mann is a chemical engineer who has worked in the Petrochemical Industry in Venezuela and as a Research Assistant at NYU and a Research Associate for Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. She has chosen to devote her time and energy to her family, our Yeshiva and the community. She has been organizing shiurim and learning opportunities for her shul for over a decade and is very involved in the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. Mrs. Mann joined the Yeshiva’s Board in 2016, and in her many projects, has shown her passion for Jewish education, her focus on getting the job done and her commitment to help the Yeshiva grow and develop while maintaining a top-notch education in a safe and pleasant environment.

How I make a difference at YTCTE:
When our family moved from Venezuela in 2007, the Yeshiva welcomed us, providing many meaningful experiences for our family. I love having the opportunity to help the Yeshiva and make an impact. I have organized various campus enhancements and beautification projects to improve the physical infrastructure and create a positive atmosphere for our students, teachers and parents. Being so closely involved has given me an even deeper appreciation for the Rebbeim, Moros and administration whom I so admire and for the bochurim who frequently grace our Shabbos table.

Mr. Robert Moskovitz

Meet Mr. Moskovitz:
Mr. Moskovitz is a long time member of the South Florida Torah community. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in both Science and French Literature, but devotes much of his time to helping community mosdos and local families. He is very involved with the Miami Beach Community Kollel and has served as a member of the Yeshiva’s Tuition Committee for many years. When approached by Rabbi Akiva Grunblatt, Mr. Moskovitz agreed to join the YTCTE Board in its very early years and has been involved with and learning at the Yeshiva ever since.

How I make a difference at YTCTE:
For many years I took the lead in assessing tuition assistance for many families and ensuring that everyone receives a fair tuition contract. Although I have stepped back from that role, I remain involved with the Yeshiva and with helping individual families meet their tuition obligations. However, the highlight of my week is coming to learn at the Yeshiva and experiencing, first hand, the power of the Kol HaTorah within its four walls.

Dr. Tuvia Peppard

Meet Dr. Tuvia Peppard:
An experienced Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Specialist, Dr. Peppard is the Medical Director of Rehabilitation Services at Mercy Hospital. His dedication to helping others and his care and concern for each individual, and the community at large, are evident in both his professional success and his communal involvement. Dr. Peppard joined the YTCTE Board in 1990, when his children were young students at YTCTE and remains committed to the Yeshiva now as a proud grandparent. In addition, he has been on the Board of many community institutions including the Miami Beach Community Kollel, Congregation Ohr Chaim, Agudas Yisroel of South Florida, Bais Yaakov of Miami and Kosher Miami.

How I make a difference at YTCTE:
I have known the hanhalla as well as many of the Rebbeim and teachers at YTCTE over many years and I am continuously inspired by their mesiras nefesh as well as their firm commitment to Daas Torah. I view it as a tremendous zechus to be involved in such a Yeshiva and help insure the chinuch of our children and the continued growth of South Florida as a beautiful Makom Torah. By supporting the Yeshiva and participating in its decisions needed for its growth I can make a difference for our future! Such a Torah organization is certainly worthy of having the broadest base of support.

Mr. Mayer Rosenberg

Meet Mr. Mayer Rosenberg
Mr. Rosenberg is a long-time parent in YTCTE as well as a husband of one of KES’s popular Morahs. He has a degree in accounting and has been working in the healthcare industry for many years. Currently the Director of Purchasing at Centers Healthcare, he joined YTCTE’s Board in 2014 to use the skills and experiences he has acquired in his field to help the Yeshiva. Focused and dedicated, he has the ability to see the whole picture while at the same time zone in on areas that can be more efficient. Mr. Rosenberg has also served on the Board of various community organizations including Congregation Shaarey Tefilah, Kollel Zichron Michel of NMB and Tomchei Shabbos.

How I make a difference at YTCTE:
Positive by nature, I like to look at situations as opportunities to improve, and as the Yeshiva grows, and along with it, its budget, it is important to maximize efficiencies, run effectively and spend wisely. As a proud YTCTE parent, I am grateful for the opportunity to give back to the Yeshiva and make a difference both now and to the Yeshiva’s future financial health by providing guidance and direction whenever it is needed.

Mr. Joseph Saka

Meet Mr. Joseph Saka
For more than 20 years, Joseph Saka has provided financial planning, tax consulting and business advice as a partner at Berkowitz Pollack Brant Advisors +CPAs. Motivated and committed, he joined the Board of YTCTE in 2018 to use his extensive business knowledge and experience to help guide and advise the Yeshiva as its budget expanded along with its tremendous growth. Mr. Saka’s community involvement at the Board level extends to mosdos throughout South Florida including the Miami Beach Community Kollel, the Shul of Bal Harbour, Shaare Ezra Sephardic Congregation and Yeshiva Elementary School, often working behind the scenes to help strengthen each institution.

How I make a difference at YTCTE:
A few years ago I was approached by the Yeshiva for advice and while assisting the leadership, I learned about its mission and was very impressed. I continue to be impressed by the vision of the organization and what it accomplishes each year. I joined the Board to bring a business perspective to the team, and I always approach problem solving holistically, viewing the broader picture. I believe that if we give children the best opportunities, they can grow up and be even better than the previous generation. YTCTE is doing that right here.

Rabbi Chaim Summer

Meet Rabbi Summer:
Rabbi Summer is a reliable and dependable member of the Miami Beach community and our Yeshiva family. He is the chief operating officer of Pan Am Diagnostic Services and uses his experience in the professional world to help local Mosdos HaTorah strengthen the Torah growth in South Florida. He is actively involved in the Miami Beach Community Kollel, the Miami Mechanchim Kollel and, driven by his desire to maintain mesoras avoseinu,the sacred traditions of our forefathers, he joined the Board of YTC in 2016.

How I make a difference at YTCTE:
As a parent in the Yeshiva and an active member of my community, my finger is on the pulse of the needs of today’s parents. My relationship to the Yeshiva, however, dates back even further as my wife is a proud alumna of YTCTE, and together, we have watched the Yeshiva grow, both in numbers and in ruchniyus. With this perspective, and my strong commitment to maintain the proper chinuch direction, al pi taharas hakodesh, I often serve as a liaison to parents and students, guiding, encouraging and directing them onto a path of Torah growth and success. Of course throwing in some humor (especially at Board Meetings) is important too!

Dr. Raphael Yechieli

Meet Dr. Yechieli:
An Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology, Dr. Yechieli works at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and as the Medical Director of Radiation Oncology at Jackson Memorial Hospital where his care and dedication to his patients is evident every day. Yet equal to it, and perhaps even more so, is his unending dedication to his family and his community. His passion to help others has spurred him to participate in Bike 4 Friendship and in RCCS fundraisers. Dr. Yechieli is a member of the Board of Shaarey Tefilah and is actively involved in the Yeshiva, devoting much of his valuable time and expertise to serve as a member of our Executive Board.

How I make a difference at YTCTE:
I view my position on the Board as an opportunity to help the Yeshiva be the best it can be and thereby have a greater impact, not only on its students and staff, but on the whole community. By providing guidance and support to the school leadership, thoughtfully and sensitively, I can help the Yeshiva chart their path to success.

Mr. Doriah Zaret

Bio coming soon

For a full listing of our extraordinary staff, see our Staff Bio page.