Golda Koschitzky Hotline Staff

Ayelet Kaminetzky

Yoetzet Halacha & Director

Ayelet Kaminetzky

Yoetzet Halacha & Director

Ayelet Kaminetzky graduated Nishmat’s Keren Ariel program for Yoatzot Halacha in 2003 and has been answering questions on the Golda Koschitzky Hotline since. She became the director of the hotline in 2004. Ayelet also teaches the halachot of Taharat Hamishpacha in Tzohar’s kallah teacher training courses. A graduate of Hebrew University, Ayelet completed her doctorate in Hebrew linguistics at Tel Aviv University and teaches linguistics there as well as at Levinsky Teachers College. She currently resides in Tel Aviv with her family.

Rav Yaacov Varhaftig

Rabbinic Supervisor

Rav Yaacov Varhaftig

Rabbinic Supervisor

Rav Yaacov Varhaftig is the senior rabbinic consultant on Nishmat's Golda Koschitzky Hotline. Rav Varhaftig is the rabbinic head of the Keren Ariel Yoetzet Halacha Program in Jerusalem and also the halachic supervisor of Nishmat’s Hebrew Yoetzet Halacha website. Rav Varhaftig was a partner in the founding of the Yoetzet Halacha initiative in 1999 with Rabbi Yehuda Henkin z"l and Rabbanit Chana Henkin. Rav Varhaftig is the head of Kollel Beit David at Machon Harry Fischel, the former Rav of Kehilla Neve Nof in Har Nof, Jerusalem, and a retired dayan of the Israeli Rabbanut Beit Din for Conversion.

Hotline Responders

Leora Bednarsh

Yoetzet Halacha

Leora Bednarsh

Yoetzet Halacha

Leora Bednarsh graduated Nishmat’s Keren Ariel program for Yoatzot Halacha in 2006 and has been responding to questions on the Golda Koschitzky Hotline since 2008. She is also certified as a Nishmat Fertility Counselor, a yoetzet halacha who has received advanced training in fertility issues and halacha. A long-time kallah teacher, Leora trains kallah teachers at Yeshiva University’s Jerusalem campus. She answers questions within her community in Alon Shvut, where she resides with her family. Leora has taught Talmud and Halacha at several midrashot in Israel, including Sha’alvim for women and Midreshet Moriah. With an undergraduate degree in psychology from Princeton University, Leora recently finished her master's degree in social work from Wurzweiler.

Adi Bitter

Yoetzet Halacha

Adi Bitter

Yoetzet Halacha

Adi Bitter graduated Nishmat’s Keren Ariel program for Yoatzot Halacha in 2009 and has been responding to questions on the Golda Koschitzky Hotline since 2010. Adi is certified as a Nishmat Fertility Counselor, a yoetzet halacha who has received advanced training in fertility issues and halacha, and serves as a resource for couples on their fertility journey. She answers questions within her community in Jerusalem, where she resides with her family. Adi teaches Talmud and Halacha at various institutions of women’s learning in Israel, including Mayanot and Michlelet Mevaseret Yerushalayim. A graduate of Columbia College, Adi graduated from Yeshiva University’s Graduate Program for Advanced Talmudic Studies and from Yeshiva University’s Bernard Revel Graduate School in Modern Jewish History.

Ruthie Finn

Yoetzet Halacha

Ruthie Finn

Yoetzet Halacha

Ruthie Finn graduated Nishmat’s Keren Ariel program for Yoatzot Halacha in 2021 and has been responding to questions on the Golda Koschitzky hotline since the beginning of 2023. Ruthie is a long-time kallah teacher and also teaches refresher courses for married women. She answers questions within her community in Beit Shemesh, where she resides with her family. Born in London, Ruthie made aliya in 1994 after graduating from University College London, where she trained as a speech and language therapist. She currently specializes in working with young children with special needs.

Shir Hacker

Yoetzet Halacha

Shir Hacker

Yoetzet Halacha

Shir Hacker graduated Nishmat’s Keren Ariel program for Yoatzot Halacha in 2021 and has been responding to questions on the Golda Koschitzky Hotline since 2022. Shir also fields questions received through Nishmat’s Health and Halacha Hebrew website, and answers questions in her community in Tzur Hadassa, where she resides with her family. A graduate of Hebrew University, Shir is trained as a social worker, and works at the Summit Institute in Jerusalem supporting foster families.

Robin Jacobowitz

Yoetzet Halacha

Robin Jacobowitz

Yoetzet Halacha

Robin Jacobowitz graduated Nishmat’s Keren Ariel program for Yoatzot Halacha in 2003 and has been answering questions on the Golda Koschitzky Hotline since 2006. Robin is certified as a Nishmat Fertility Counselor, a yoetzet halacha who has received advanced training in fertility issues and halacha, and advises couples on their fertility journey. She also has been teaching kallot for many years and teaches refresher courses for married women. Robin answers questions within her community in Jerusalem, where she resides with her family. With a BA in English from Brooklyn College, Robin completed her graduate degree in Music Therapy at New York University, and she works for the Israeli Ministry of Education as a music therapist in Special Education settings.

Talia Katchen

Yoetzet Halacha

Talia Katchen

Yoetzet Halacha

Talia Katchen graduated Nishmat’s Keren Ariel program for Yoatzot Halacha in 2013 and has been responding to questions on the Golda Koschitzky Hotline since 2023. Talia answers questions on Nishmat’s Health and Halacha website, as well as within her community in Jerusalem, where she resides with her family. Talia made aliya in 2005, after completing her undergraduate degree in English Literature and Ancient Near Eastern Studies at the University of Pennsylvania and Yeshiva University’s Graduate Program for Advanced Talmudic Studies. She completed three years of study at Matan's Machon HaTalmudi, and currently teaches English and Judaic studies at Jerusalem’s Evelina de Rothchild High School for girls in Jerusalem.

Shira Kfir

Yoetzet Halacha

Shira Kfir

Yoetzet Halacha

Shira Kfir graduated Nishmat’s Keren Ariel program for Yoatzot Halacha in 2011 and has been answering questions on the Golda Koschitzky hotline since 2012. Shira is certified as a Nishmat Fertility Counselor, a yoetzet halacha who has received advanced training in fertility issues and halacha, and serves as a resource for couples on their fertility journey. Shira is a researcher under the auspices of Nishmat’s Research Institute for Yoatzot Halacha, and is a contributor to Nishmat Habayit, a muti-volume project with responsa from Yoatzot Halacha. She answers questions within her community in Neve Daniel, where she resides with her family. Shira is originally from Australia, and made aliya in 1997. A graduate of Hebrew University, Shira works as an occupational therapist and specializes in child development.

Hadassa Klein

Yoetzet Halacha

Hadassa Klein

Yoetzet Halacha

Hadassa Klein graduated the Keren Ariel program for certification of Yoatzot Halacha in 2017 and began responding to questions on the Golda Koschitzky Hotline in 2018. She is the director of Yoatzot.org, Nishmat's Women's Health and Halacha website. Hadassa has also been a kallah teacher for many years and trains kallah teachers under the auspices of Nishmat. A native of Montreal, Canada, Hadassa made aliya in 1999 after graduating Columbia College in New York and completing a master's degree in Jewish History from New York University. She currently lives in Ramat Gan with her family.

Shlomit Kroyzer

Yoetzet Halacha

Shlomit Kroyzer

Yoetzet Halacha

Shlomit Kroyzer graduated Nishmat’s Keren Ariel program for Yoatzot Halacha in 2009 and has been answering questions on the Golda Koschitzky hotline since 2010. Shlomit teaches kallah classes as well as refresher classes for married women, and for forty years worked as a mikveh attendant in her community in Mitzpeh Yericho, where she resides with her family. A graduate of Michlalah in Bayit vegan, Shlomit coaches women seeking new approaches and skills in their path to personal growth and development.

Yedida Marcus

Yoetzet Halacha

Yedida Marcus

Yoetzet Halacha

Yedida Marcus graduated Nishmat’s Keren Ariel program for Yoatzot Halacha in 2019 and has been responding to questions on the Golda Koschitzky hotline since 2022. She teaches kallot and answers questions within her community in Beit Shemesh, where she resides with her family. A graduate of Hebrew University, where she studied English Linguistics and Marketing, Yedida currently works as a travel operator at Ambassador Tours in Jerusalem.

Yifat Misgav

Yoetzet Halacha

Yifat Misgav

Yoetzet Halacha

Yifat Misgav graduated Nishmat’s Keren Ariel program for Yoatzot Halacha in 2006, and has been answering questions on the Golda Koschitzky hotline since 2008. Yifat teaches kallot in Alon Shvut, where she resides with her family. A graduate of ------ University, with a masters's degree in government and political science, Yifat is a consultant for the Amit school system, advising secondary school principals on pedagogy and organizational development. She also teaches Civics at Neveh Chana High School for girls in the Gush Etzion region.

Tehilla Richter

Yoetzet Halacha

Tehilla Richter

Yoetzet Halacha

Tehilla Richter graduated Nishmat’s Keren Ariel program for Yoatzot Halacha in 2015, and has been answering questions on the Golda Koschitzky hotline since 2016. Tehilla is a Nishmat-certified Fertility Counselor, a yoetzet halacha who has received advanced training in fertility issues and halacha and serves as a resource for couples navigating their fertility journey. Tehilla is also a kallah teacher.

Nurith Rokach

Yoetzet Halacha

Nurith Rokach

Yoetzet Halacha

Nurith Rokach graduated Nishmat’s Keren Ariel program for Yoatzot Halacha in 2013 and has been answering questions on the Golda Koschitzky Hotline since 2014. Nurith is certified as a Nishmat Fertility Counselor, a yoetzet halacha who has received advanced training in fertility issues and halacha and serves as a resource for couples on their fertility journey. An experienced kallah teacher, Nurith also teaches refresher classes for married women and trains women to become kallah teachers under the auspices of Nishmat. She answers questions in her community of Sussiya, south of Hebron, where she resides with her family. A graduate of Bar Ilan, with an undergraduate and graduate degree in comparative literature, as well as the Hilchata program at Matan, Nurith also guides tours to Poland.

Michal Roness

Yoetzet Halacha

Michal Roness

Yoetzet Halacha

Michal Roness graduated Nishmat’s Keren Ariel program for Yoatzot Halacha in 2005 and has been answering questions on the Golda Koschitzky Hotline since 2008. Michal is certified as a Nishmat Fertility Counselor and is the coordinator of Nishmat’s Fertility Counselor program, which helps couples navigate the halachic aspects of their fertility journey. Michal is also the director of Machon Nishmat HaBayit, established in 2012 as the Research Institute of Nishmat’s Yoatzot Halacha. She frequently lectures on Taharat Hamishpacha and other halachic topics and responds to questions within her community in Ramat Beit Shemesh, where she resides with her family. Michal was born in Australia and made aliya in 1994. A graduate of Bar Ilan University, with a degree in Political Science and Communications, Michal completed a master’s degree in Conflict Resolution at Hebrew University.

Sarah Sharman Moser

Yoetzet Halacha

Sarah Sharman Moser

Yoetzet Halacha

Sarah Sharman Moser graduated from Nishmat's Keren Ariel program for Yoatzot Halacha in 2017 and has been answering questions on the Golda Koschitzky Hotline since 2018. Sarah teaches Jewish studies in various institutions of women’s learning in Israel, teaches kallot, and volunteers her time working for a crisis center. Sarah was born in London and made aliya with her family in 1998. She holds a BPharm and MSC in pharmacy from universities in the United Kingdom and currently works in cancer research for Maccabi Health Services.

Rachelle Sprecher Fraenkel

Yoetzet Halacha

Rachelle Sprecher Fraenkel

Yoetzet Halacha

Rachelle Sprecher Fraenkel graduated Nishmat’s Keren Ariel program for Yoatzot Halacha in 2004 and has been answering questions on the Golda Koschitzky Hotline since 2005. Rachelle currently hosts “Nishma’at,” Nishmat’s podcast in Hebrew featuring Yoatzot Halacha discussing a range of contemporary issues. Rachelle studied at Bar Ilan University, Midreshet Lindenbaum, and Matan’s Talmudic Institute. She now teaches Talmud and Halacha at Nishmat and serves as director of Matan’s Hilkhata Program for women studying advanced-level halacha. A co-founder of The Jerusalem Unity Prize and Unity Day, she is an active and popular teacher and speaker in Israel and in the Diaspora. Rachelle resides with her family in Nof Ayalon.

Esti Sacher

Yoetzet Halacha

Esti Sacher

Yoetzet Halacha

Esti Sacher graduated from Nishmat's Keren Ariel program for Yoatzot Halacha in 2023 and has been responding to questions on the Golda Koschitzky Hotline since 2024. Esti answers questions in her community in Akko, where she lives with her family. A graduate of Herzog college, Esti teaches in Midreshet Tachlit and teaches kallot.

Rakefet Zlotnick

Yoetzet Halacha

Rakefet Zlotnick

Yoetzet Halacha

Rakefet Zlotnick graduated Nishmat’s Keren Ariel program for Yoatzot Halacha in 2017, and has been responding to questions on the Golda Koschitzky Hotline since 2018. Rakefet has also fielded questions received through Nishmat’s Health and Halacha Hebrew-language website, and answers questions in her community in Jerusalem, where she resides with her family. A graduate of Hebrew University, Rakefet is trained as a physical therapist, and specializes in the treatment of lymphedema.

Nishmat's Women’s Health and HalachaIn memory of Chaya Mirel bat R' Avraham

Ayelet Kaminetzky

Rav Yaacov Varhaftig

Hotline Responders

Leora Bednarsh

Adi Bitter

Ruthie Finn

Shir Hacker

Robin Jacobowitz

Talia Katchen

Shira Kfir

Hadassa Klein

Shlomit Kroyzer

Yedida Marcus

Yifat Misgav

Tehilla Richter

Nurith Rokach

Michal Roness

Sarah Sharman Moser

Rachelle Sprecher Fraenkel

Esti Sacher

Rakefet Zlotnick

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