About

The Lindenbaum Center for Halakhic Studies at YCT Rabbinical School is a resource for advanced Torah scholarship that is dedicated to enriching the discourse of halakhah in the Modern Orthodox community. By exposing our community to Torah scholars and poskim of the highest caliber through the publication of original teshuvot (responsa) and halakhic articles that are creative, comprehensive and accessible, our goal is to instill a sense of ownership of the halakhic discourse in the Modern Orthodox community. A vigorous engagement with halakhah and the promotion of multiple halakhic voices is essential for the religious growth of our community.

One way to achieve these goals is through the writing and dissemination of teshuvot that address contemporary issues with sophistication, and sensitivity. Questions about kashrut and modern technologies on Shabbat, communal issues of membership, participation and status are addressed by Modern Orthodox poskim and, notably, the work of Rabbi Ysoscher Katz and Rabbi Dov Linzer of YCT. The Lindenbaum Center is committed to ensuring honest, vigorous discussion on halakhic issues central to our community.

The Lindenbaum Center is the publishing center for teshuvot by Rabbi Dov Linzer, Rosh HaYeshiva of YCT Rabbinical School on a wide range of issues that are of concern to the community. Rabbi Linzer’s source sheets accompanying The Joy of Text, the monthly podcast on Judaism and sexuality which he co-hosts with Dr. Bat Sheva Marcus, present a comprehensive compilation, translation and analysis of the relevant halakhic material.

Before each holiday, a teshuvah of a major halakhic decisor is translated and published on our website. The goal of this project is to create accessible points of entry to the work of major Sephardic and Ashkenazic poskim of the modern era.

We are thrilled to announce the inauguration of the Lindenbaum Scholars, a cohort of prominent poskim from the Modern Orthodox and daati leumi community. Each year, the Lindenbaum Scholars discuss and write teshuvot on a topic of great importance to our community. The 2017 Lindenbaum Scholars are: Rabbi David Bigman, Rabbi Yuval Cherlow, Rabbi Aryeh Klapper, Rabbi Dov Linzer and Rabbanit Dr. Michal Tikochinsky writing on the topic of pru u’rvu: fertility, reproductive technologies and family planning.

The Lindenbaum Center for Halakhic Studies was established through a generous grant from  Belda and Marcel Lindenbaum z”l. The Lindenbaum Family’s continued generosity continues to fund the Center.

Rabbanit Devorah Zlochower is Executive Editor of the Lindenbaum Center for Halakhic Studies.