About | Kollel of Greater Boston

About Us

Because We Are One

The Roshei Kollel and the kollel members are focused on one thing: giving back to the klal. All of the Jewish People are one neshama, one soul. When we learn Torah, we learn for everyone.

THE MISSION:

To give back to the Nation by bringing Torah to every Jew and by creating leaders who will bring Torah to every Jew.

Hear It from the Founder

“When I started the Kollel, my goal was ‘What can I do for klal yisrael?’ And when we do for the tzibbur, Hashem helps us. When klal yisrael needs a person, Hashem gives them the ability to do things they never could do before.

“If you would have asked me 30 years ago to go to Harvard and speak to young feminists about tznius without getting tomatoes in my face, I wouldn’t have known where to begin. But I did just that, and four of the women became baalei teshuva because they saw the emes, the truth.

“The purpose of the kollel is to create an environment where men can become talmidei chachamim—there’s very intense learning here—and at same time to give the members an opportunity to integrate with the community and get an appreciation for what klal yisrael is. It’s an environment where people learn to feel ‘we have to do for klal yisrael, this is why we’re here.’ All the while, the members never go away from Torah learning itself. Because Limud HaTorah is what changes and elevates the community.”

- Rabbi Naftoly Bier, Rosh Kollel, Founder

Our Impact:

“Over the close to 30 years that I've been here, the Kollel's impact has been incredible. Actually, not incredible, I would say miraculous. I've seen so many families and individuals whose lives have been transformed by the kollel, giving them a deeper and more meaningful connection to their Jewishness and to Torah. Keep up the tremendous work that you're doing, recognize the impact that you've had on this community, and we wish you continued hatzlacha and bracha.”

- Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Levin, Principal, Bais Yaakov Boston“not incredible—miraculous”

“Rabbi Bier and Rabbi Leff do a wonderful job of putting the kollel members in positions where they're able to give back to the community.”

- Rabbi Aron Benmergui, Rebbe, Torah Academy, Brookline, Rabbi, New Ashkenaz Minyan“give back to the community”

“Does the kollel have communal influence? Undoubtedly, yes. The kollel is part of the community like the Charles River is part of the community. Simply measure their impact by looking at the people who’ve graduated and stayed to assume positions of leadership and are contributing to the community in various ways.”

- Longtime member of the community, Brookline“part of the community like the Charles River”

Rabbi Naftoly Bier

Rosh Kollel, Founder

Rabbi Naftoly Bier founded the Kollel in 1989. Originally from Elizabeth, NJ, he graduated from the Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia and received his ordination from Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, NJ. He and his wife, Rebbetzin Yehudis are involved in many aspects of the Boston community. Their home is open to anyone who needs to talk, revitalize, or eat a good meal. Rabbi Bier’s classes throughout Massachusetts are inspiring and thought-provoking. Rebbetzin Bier, originally from Monsey, NY, is a celebrated educator in the Aleph Bet Child Care center in Cambridge, MA. Together they’ve touched hundreds of lives. Rabbi Bier’s ideas, which have helped so many, have been compiled in a book, 20 Questions: A Guide to Living with Confidence and Joy. Rabbi Bier was strongly influenced by his seventh-grade rebbe, Rabbi Shmuel Kaufman, zt”l, who inculcated his talmidim with a sense of achrayus to Klal Yisrael.

Rabbi Zalman Leff

Rosh Kollel

Rabbi Zalman Leff joined Rabbi Bier at the helm of the Kollel in 2000. Rabbi Leff, originally from Chicago, Illinois, graduated from the Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia and received his semicha from Rabbi Ruderman zt”l of Ner Israel Rabbinical College in Baltimore. Rabbi Leff and his wife, Rebbetzin Gitty (originally from Baltimore) have become key players in building the community. Their home is open to anyone looking to get to know our beautiful community better. Rabbi Leff is famous for his advanced Talmud classes, which he delivers at the Kollel as well as at the Young Israel of Brookline. Rebbetzin Leff is the extracurricular activities coordinator at the Bais Yaakov High School, directs the Shabbos afternoon Bnos program for girls, and is involved in organizing many communal events.

Rabbi Yaakov Bier earned a reputation in Lakewood, NJ for being reliable, enthusiastic and dedicated to the needs of the klal. He joined the Kollel to help with administration, procuring affordable housing, and organizing new learning programs. He has endeared himself to many. His wife Adel (originally from Brooklyn) works as a bookkeeper.

Rabbi Yaakov Bier

Rabbi Yair Kaufman is from Monsey, New York. He studied in Philadelphia, the Mir, and Bais Medrash Govoha. Blumie, his wife, works in the healthcare industry as an account manager.

Rabbi Yair Kaufman

Rabbi Tzvi Lieber hails from Brooklyn, New York. He studied in both the Philadelphia Yeshiva and Lakewood’s Bais Medrash Govoha. His wife, Dena, is from Baltimore, Maryland and works in the travel industry.

Rabbi Tzvi Lieber

Rabbi Shlomo Lindenbaum, originally from Queens, NY, is one of the newest members of the Kollel. His wife, Rikki, is from Detroit, Michigan.

Rabbi Shlomo Lindenbaum

Rabbi Boruch Nissim Lebovitz and his wife. Rochel joined at the start of our 32nd year. They came to us from the Mir Yeshiva in Eretz Yisrael. Mrs. Lebovitz currently works for “Olami”.

Rabbi Baruch Nissim Lebovits

Rabbi Nesanel Luria and his wife Esty came from Lakewood, NJ, where he studied in Beth Medrash Govoha. Mrs. Luria works at Torah Academy.

Rabbi Nesanel Luria

Rabbi Moshe Miller is one of the newest members of the Kollel. He and his wife, Rachel, came from Los Angeles, CA to join the Kollel.

Rabbi Moshe Miller

Rabbi Betzalel Reifman learnt in Yeshivas Toras Chaim Lakewood, Yeshivas Kodshim Yerushalayim, and Beth Medrash Govoha. His wife Nechama, originally from Far Rockaway, NY, is teaching in Torah Academy and Bais Yaakov.

Rabbi Betzalel Reifman

Rabbi Yehuda Shepard is originally from Baltimore, Maryland. He learned in Ohr Naftali of Windsor, NY, Brisk, and Lakewood’s Bais Medrash Govoha. His wife, Rivka Rochel, (originally from Brooklyn, New York) is a reading specialist in TA.

Rabbi Yehuda Shepard

Rabbi Shaul Simon and his wife Ricka joined the kollel in Elul 2020, coming from Lakewood’s Bais Medrash Govoha. Mrs. Simon is employed at Torah Academy.