Our instructors come from all walks of life. They are educators, Rabbis and even lawyers.

Rabbi Bob Garber runs the Beginner’s Minyan at the Jewish Heritage Center in Queens, and runs Our Jewish Children to further Jewish education. He received a law degree from Columbia University and is currently doing business and technical consulting as well as getting a masters degree in education. He has been studying the Talmud on a daily basis for over 25 years and teaches the Flame’s ongoing Parshat HaShavua class.

Susie Garber has a masters degree in education from Yeshiva University, and also studied at Michlellet Bruria in Jerusalem. She is the author of “Denver Dreams” a Jewish novel; and “Memorable Characters… Magnificent Stories”, a book on teaching writing (Scholastic). She currently teaches and consults in Jewish schools throughout the tri-state area, runs an annual seminar for Jewish educators, and contributes regularly to Jewish newspapers and publications.

Rabbi Mat Hoffman received his first rabbinical ordination in 1988, received Yoreh, Yoreh thereafter and is studying for an advanced rabbinic degree. His rabbinic work has been featured in the New York Times, the Gannett newspapers and the Jewish Week. Rabbi Mat has appeared on CBS-TV and on the Maury Povich Show. He has been selected as a Super Lawyer in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 indicating that he is in the top 5% of his profession. Rabbi Mat has a psychology degree from the University of Michigan and a law degree from Columbia University and has been published in the United States, Europe and Japan. He has run the Flame’s Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur Services since 1991.

Rabbi Meir Leibowitz received rabbinical ordination from Yeshiva University, and is currently pursuing a masters degree in Jewish Education. He is currently studying for a Masters Degree in Jewish History, and teaches high school in Jewish schools in Queens.

Hillel Newerstein teaches Bible and Talmud at Yeshiva Kesser Torah in Queens. He has a Masters Degree in counseling at Queens College. He previously studied at yeshivas in Israel and in New York.

Michael Poulad has a BA in Judaic Studies at Queens College, and has studied at yeshivas in Jerusalem and New York. He is actively involved in Jewish music and Jewish spirituality.

Joseph R. Rackman is a partner in the International law firm of Hogan Lovells, L.L.P. and has published in numerous Jewish periodicals including Moment, New York Jewish Week, Tradition, Sh'ma, Jewish Review, Jewish Action and Midstream.