‘Jewish Star’ Finds Smicha Online

By Julie Rothschild Levi

Not many seated at Sunday’s finals show of A Jewish Star Season Two at the Brooklyn School of Music were in on the fact that the soulful performer Zalmy Levy of South Africa is occupied on a daily basis with kashering kitchens and utensils in the Miami, Florida area.

Levy takes his job so seriously that his kashering business was a motivating factor for signing up with OnlineSmicha.com – the landmark rabbinic smicha program utilizing special web conferencing technology to bring students from around the globe together in an unconventional online classroom.

“I’ve found that the knowledge I have gained from Online Smicha assists me greatly in clarifying issues which arise in the kashering process,” says Levy, age 22, who was voted in as a finalist from among 144 contestants in the international Jewish singing talent competition.

Now several months into the current term, he adds that “the unique structure of learning of Online Smicha, which no other program offers, affords me the time to learn and dissect my studies at a steady pace.”

Online Smicha is specifically geared to men with limited free time. Currently, there are seventeen students from the U.S., Canada, Australia and Israel, including several Chabad shluchim learning to bolster their pulpit knowledge. Students learn in either one of two ongoing Accelerated programs or in the Standard program; the former for 64 weeks to attain smicha, the latter for 128 weeks.

Esteemed Torah scholar Rav Nachman Wilhelm launched Online Smicha in November 2010. A dynamic speaker and author of numerous books on topics in halacha, Wilhelm was Rosh Yeshiva for over 14 years in St. Paul, Minnesota, and serves as the program’s primary educator and guide.

“I have been impressed with the level of commitment and participation of the students,” he says, “many of whom break in the middle of a hard day at work from their office or home to attend an hour and a half shiur online three times a week.”

Recently, the program received a letter of recommendation from Rav Menachem Mendel Gluckowsky, Shlita, Deputy Secretary of Va’ad Rabbanei Lubavitch in Eretz Yisroel and Rav of Kehillat Chabad in Rehovot.

“Even if someone is in the vicinity of a yeshiva, he may not be able to attend shiurim because of his professional and family demands,” says Rabbi Wilhelm. “Online Smicha makes it possible for him to work towards ordination no matter where he lives.”

In addition to being convenient and affordable, Online Smicha provides strong support for students through a discussion board, online chevrusas, and offline review of past shiurim (all lessons are recorded for this purpose).

Dr. Daniel H. Dahan of Los Angeles, California, learns in the Standard program. In addition to improving his personal learning skills, the 53-year-old father of 7 and grandfather of 4 decided to register for Online Smicha to “show my children and grandchildren that it is never too late to learn and grow in Yiddishkeit.” It has been an “absolutely phenomenal” experience, says Dr. Dahan, adding that “the material is presented professionally and Rabbi Wilhelm is a powerhouse of information.”

The next session for both programs is scheduled to begin in May 2011 (Iyar 5771). In addition to the Accelerated and Standard programs, Online Smicha will offer a special seminar-based program for rabbis taking on more pulpit responsibilities.

Zalmy Levy has plans beyond his kashering business when he earns his smicha. “I hope to guide others along the path of service of G-d,” he says, “and to use my knowledge to preserve a kosher home.”