The Jerusalem Kollel was founded with the intent of inspiring and training kollel students of the highest caliber to assume positions of leadership in waning Jewish communities worldwide.

The concept is simple and just had to be done.The yeshiva community continues to grow at a steadily increasing rate while assimilation is eating away at the dwindling Jewish population. Torah Scholarship is on the rise while ignorance in Jewish values is more rampant than ever. What could be more obvious than enlisting some of the finest products of the yeshiva system to stand at the forefront of the battle against assimilation?

And so, in the summer of 5762-2002, recruitment began for the initial group of twelve students who would form the cornerstone of the kollel-to-be. The kollel opened in the autumn and within months the student body exceeded twenty high quality young men committed to serving the Jewish people. Now starting its 4th year, the Kollel boasts over 60 hand-picked students, being groomed for their future roles.

The first kollel member to be placed assumed a major outreach position in the UK within the kollel's first year, with many more accepting positions since that time. Today, Jewish communities and outreach organizations regularly approach the kollel in search of talent to fill leadership positions throughout the world. Currently, the Kollel already has over 40 alumni working throughout the world for Klal Yisrael: from Seattle to Berlin; from Johannesburg to Edmonton.

The concept has become reality.

The Kollel is directed by Rav Yitzchak Berkovits who, in addition to being a leading posek and Jewish thinker, comes with years of experience in Jewish education and preparing students from different backgrounds for rabbinical and outreach positions.

As menahel ruchani of Yeshivat Aish HaTorah for over sixteen years, Rav Berkovits nurtured hundreds of young men and women on their path to Torah observance and continued to guide them through the various stages of growth as dedicated Jews,responsible parents and community leaders. Rav Berkovits developed and taught the Aish Hatorah smicha program guiding over one hundred students through successful completion of many areas of halacha and practical rabbinics.These Rabbis, as well as many others worldwide, continue to consult with him on matters of halacha and Jewish thought.

Rav Berkovits is recognized as a prominent posek throughout the world,and especially within the English speaking community in Jerusalem.He regularly trains groups of yeshiva students as future rabbanim,and his advice on community matters is sought across the globe.He also heads the Kollel Linas HaTzedek network in Israel and in the U.S.,currently numbering ten different evening kollelim dedicated to the study of bein adam lachaveiro -responsibility to one's fellow man.His classes on halachic issues in kiruv have been an important component in many outreach training programs.

Further, Rabbi Berkovits is widely renowned as an original Jewish thinker. His output, in the form of writing, tape and video, has been disseminated throughout the Jewish world.