Who are the Rabbi & Rebbetzin of the TCS?

Who is the Rabbi of the TCS?

Rabbi Avram Rothman, the Rabbi of the Aish Thornhill Community Shul was ordained at Ner Israel Rabbinical College of Baltimore and received his Semicha from the esteemed Rabbi YY Ruderman. He holds a PhD in Comparative Literature, a Master of Science in Guidance & Counselling from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelors of Talmudic Law from Ner Israel.

A student of Rabbi YY Ruderman and later of Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg, the Rabbi has had the privilege of working and studying under some of the greatest rabbis and rabbinical leaders today. As of late, his relationship with Rabbi Noah Weinberg and following Rabbi Weinberg’s passing, with his son, Rabbi Hillel Weinberg has been his inspiration in striving to create the unique Shul & community that the TCS is known to be.

Where & what has the Rabbi been involved with before the TCS?

He was formerly a lecturer and administrator for Arachim International and was, together with the late Rabbi Uziel Milevsky, the founder of Ohr Somayach Toronto. Following the passing of Rabbi Milevsky, the Rabbi worked with Rabbi Mordechai Becher (today a renowned lecturer and author) and Rabbi Eliezer Breitowitz, the Rosh HaYeshiva of Toronto’s Yeshiva Darchei Torah.

Earlier, he was the Rabbi of Boulder, Colorado and the Executive Director of the Hillel Foundations of Colorado as well as a practising, certified marriage counsellor.

He is a prolific writer, publishing “Shattering the Star: Combatting Christian Missionaries on Campus”, is an occasional contributor to Aish.com and the National Post. As well, he is the author of the weekly newsletter, “The Gripes of Rothman” and of the blog, shalomrav.ca.

He is the creator of “Connections: The Significance of Mitzvoth Ben Adam L’Chavero” and is the founder and director of the Ginzburg Learning Centre.

Rabbi Rothman is a frequent lecturer for organizations in Canada and the United States and is a popular feature on the website, koshertube.com

He is the husband of Rebbetzin Ruth Rothman, the father of four and the grandfather of six.

Originally from Syracuse, New York, Rabbi Rothman has been the Rabbi of the TCS since its most recent inception in 2006.

Who is the Rebbetzin of the TCS?

Rebbetzin Ruth Rothman, the Rebbetzin of the TCS is a registered nurse with certification in a number of areas including psychiatric, obstetrics, major surgical and paediatric. Until recent the Rebbetzin, or Rebbetzin Ruthie, as she is affectionately called, was the Team Leader of Psychiatric Nursing at Toronto’s Sunnybrook Hospital until she resigned in 2011 to return to university.

Presently, the Rebbetzin is a one of 86 women chosen from throughout Canada to matriculate a course of study to become a Midwife in the Province of Ontario. Upon completion, the Rebbetzin will be one of the few fully credentialed Midwife’s in the province.

She, with her husband, Rabbi Avram Rothman is the mother of four children and the “Omi” to six grandchildren. Her counselling sessions, advising primarily the female members and friends of the TCS are greatly sought and she is involved with many of the women in different areas.

The Rebbetzin is originally from Kushu, Japan, was raised in Syracuse, NY and educated at the Beth Jacob High School of Denver and the Rika Bruer”s Seminary & Teacher’s College in New York.

She received her nursing and medical training at the University of Colorado and the Massachusetts Health Science Centre. She is registered in Ontario, Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey.

Together the Rabbi & Rebbetzin, as a team, are role models to the community, teaching by example the significance of welcoming everyone, treating the community like family and living a life immersed in Torah. With them in the central role of leaders, everyone is quick to see why the TCS is such a warm, welcoming, diverse and extending Shul.