Yakov is 60 years old and lives in Phoenix, AZ. He always wanted to learn and receive smicha, but thought it was too late and that he lacked the skills. But after joining Machon Smicha, Yakov is proud to say that he is well on his way to achieving his goal. “Machon Smicha made it possible for me,” he says simply.
Yakov is not alone. Over the past few months, close to one hundred diverse students, across ages and oceans, have joined Machon Smicha. From Avi in California to Refael in Sydney, from a Johannesburg student in his twenties to a Chicago doctor in his fifties, Machon Smicha’s students have come together in pursuit of an important end, something the Rebbe encouraged of every chassid – to receive smicha.
“Baruch Hashem, we have seen tremendous interest in the program,” explains Rabbi Shlomo Chaim Kesselman, director of Machon Smicha, “so we have responded in kind. We have brought on new teachers to improve the student experience, new rabbis to better the curriculum, and new designers to enhance its presentation.”
At its core, Machon Smicha offers a program that solves two issues many face when contemplating learning for smicha. Firstly, it is difficult to find the time to join a structured program that requires one to be somewhere, learning something, at a specific time. And secondly, it is difficult to navigate the Shulchan Aruch and its commentaries. Machon Smicha’s unparalleled resources and helpful approach enables students to achieve their own success, as it works for them.
Machon Smicha offers students:
Online portal.
Individualized calendar and schedule.
English, linear, translation of the Shulchan Aruch
English Study Guide with introductions, overviews, and in-depth summaries for every halachah
Shiurim
Review material, quizzes, and mock tests
A dedicated team of rabbis and teachers available live for questions, discussions, etc.
Smicha certificate upon completion of the program.
Machon Smicha’s next semester begins on 19 October 2020, 1 Cheshvan 5781. To learn more, or to apply, visit onlinemachon.com.


