What do They Have in Common?

What do they have in common, one may ask? Both active students and recent graduates of Online Smicha share glowing praise for the outstanding merits of the unique program. Rabbis looking to refresh their smicha, doctors, lawyers, chaplains, and other professionals agree that Online Smicha offers a truly remarkable experience in Rabbinical ordination. To date, the rigorous, yet flexible program, offering tracks ranging from 1 to 2-1/2 years, has attracted a diversity of participants hailing from six different countries and several continents.

According to Yoel Edelson, there are two Smicha programs in the city where he lives, but between his work schedule and time demands at home, he would not be able to make the commitment to attend them.

“With this program, even if you cannot participate in the live shuir, a video recording is available for viewing at your convenience on the Online Smicha site. The program staff also provides you with an mp3 audio copy of the shuir which you can download and listen to anytime. Rabbi Wilhelm is an excellent magid shiur, very knowledgeable and with just the right amount of wit and humor,” relates Edelson. “The program offers good support, both from Rabbi Wilhelm and from the administrative and technical staff.”

As a current student of the program, Rabbi Yisrael Ort, Shaliach from Chabad of Auraria Campus in Denver, CO, says “Online Smicha is the ‘real deal’ when it comes to learning for smicha.”

“Rabbi Wilhelm is an excellent speaker and maggid shiur who presents truly geshmoke aspects of halacha in a really amazing and animated way. The charts and handouts are truly outstanding. Rabbi Wilhelm fields a lot of tricky questions in the shiurim, by phone and through the discussion board. All the standard material is covered and then some, with some very profound questions often posed by Rabbi Wilhelm which he expects the class to research and attempt to answer,” continues Rabbi Ort.

“I literally look forward to the classes like nothing else all week. The truly ingenious arguments of the meforshim (commentary) are presented in a clear and lucid manner that illuminates even the most challenging of concepts and makes them comprehensible, yet not ‘dumbed-down’. Many other commentaries in addition to the Taz and Shach are covered such as Rabbi Akiva Eiger, the Mateh Yehonasan, and many, many more.”

“Of course, one cannot truly appreciate how enjoyable the classes are without mentioning the funny yiddishe expressions and mushulim (analogies) used in class that really stick with you. And lastly, the wonderful chassidic lessons that are peppered throughout the shiurim make such a program truly unique,” concludes Rabbi Ort who remains an active student in the program.

Newly ordained Rabbi Zalman Levy of Johannesburg, South Africa recently completed the 16 month accelerated track. According to Rabbi Levy, Online Smicha is like no other smicha program. “It is unique by the fact that we don’t just quickly move through the material in order to cover ground, but rather, Online Smicha’s learning schedule gives one the time and ability to dissect and break down everything that is being taught in the shiurim. From the comprehensible and outstanding way that Rabbi Wilhelm explains the topics, to the superb charts and diagrams that the Rabbi creates, this program gives one the sense of challenge, but at the same time allows one to enjoy the bliss of Torah learning,” stated Levy.

“Coming from a secular background and spending over thirteen years focused on learning Chassidus and Jewish spirituality, I felt the need to expand my learning and searched for hardcore, halacha-based knowledge,” relates Dr. Gill Heart, PhD in Biomedical Engineering, Entrepeneur, and Mind Trainer.

“I researched a variety of available programs, and decided to enroll in Online Smicha – a decision that I do not regret for a moment. The weekly shiurim are conducted in a professional, serious and thorough manner, yet the atmosphere is one that pervades with warmth, patience, enthusiasm, and genuine caring from the maggid shiur, Rabbi Wilhelm. For me, Tuesdays and Thursdays are as highly anticipated as Shabbat. I find the content of the shiurim very helpful both on a practical and spiritual level.”

A graduate of the Touro Law Center and practicing attorney for the past 18 years, newly ordained Rabbi Fishbein was very satisfied by the challenge the program posed and by the technological support he received.

“I found the accelerated program to be intellectually challenging especially at the accelerated pace. The level of academics was quite high especially since we are charged with covering a fair amount of material on our own, but the fact that there was great detail and attention given to difficult concepts in Basar B’Cholov and Ta’aruvos was helpful especially for someone like me who came to the program without a complete yeshiva background.”

“Learning with Rabbi Wilhelm online in the comfort of my office has been an amazing experience. Rabbi Wilhelm knew the material well and it was a pleasure to learn from him. Being able to learn the Shach and Taz with the Rabbi, then having the opportunity to review the shiur by watching the video playbacks or listening to the mp3 files on my phone, has facilitated my ability to learn better on my own and was simply invaluable.”

As a busy professional, Dr. Hananya Dahan, admits that the demand on his schedule is very challenging. “The Online Smicha program has given me the opportunity to learn in great depth using the latest internet tools available today. Rabbi Wilhelm is a power house of information. His devotion and patience as an educator is a true bracha indeed. Although the program is not easy, the journey is certainly well worth the efforts. I would highly recommend for everyone who wants to seriously learn in a well-structured program to enroll and benefit from a dedicated and genuinely committed Shaliach,” stated Dr. Dahan.

Through the use of interactive web video conferencing, Online Smicha offers a structured, yet flexible, learning program for working professionals, retired people, and those who missed the opportunity for “smicha” in yeshiva. The rigorous, yet flexible program offers a Standard track and an Accelerated track both covering the laws of Basar B’Chalav (Meat with Dairy), Ta’aruvos (Mixtures), Melicha (Salting), Shabbos, and more.

Participants login to the online shiurim 2-3 times weekly for a dynamic 60-minute live interactive shiur from the comfort of their home, office, or even while away on business. Time outside of regular shiurim is dedicated to studying in chavrusas (both online and offline), following up with review questions, tests, and quizzes, and participating in an ongoing interactive dialogue through the site’s private discussion board and group forums.

Talmidim may ask questions live, type them through chat, or post their question on the private group discussion boards. Video playbacks and mp3s of every online class ensure the talmidim have easy access for review, and flexibility to watch the shiur at their convenience if they are unable to attend live. A final in-person exam takes place at the conclusion of the program with prominent Rabbanim Masmichim.

The structured, yet highly flexible internet-based classroom runs on the same technology as the Shluchim Online School. Since its inception in 2005, the Online School has received acclaim for providing hundreds of children of shluchim worldwide, high quality Jewish education, via its live audio/video internet classrooms.

For more information or to inquire about the fall semester please visit www.onlinesmicha.com or send an email to [email protected]