Assaf Bednarsh
{{Short description|Modern Orthodox rabbi}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox Jewish leader
| honorific-prefix =
| organisationposition =
| synagogueposition =
| synagogue =
| alma_mater = Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy, Yeshivat Har Etzion, Princeton University, Yeshiva University
| residence = Alon Shevut
| denomination = Modern Orthodox
| nationality = American, Israeli
| name = Assaf Bednarsh
אסף בדנרש
| birth_date = 1971
| buried =
| caption =
| organisation =
| title =
| honorific-suffix =
| semicha = Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary
| predecessor =
| yeshiva = Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary
| yeshivaposition = Rosh Yeshiva;
Ruth Buchbinder Mitzner Chair in Talmud and Jewish Law
| image = Harav Assaf Bednarsh.png
}}
Assaf Bednarsh (Hebrew: אסף בדנרש; born December 29, 1971) is an American–Israeli Modern Orthodox rabbi and Rosh yeshiva of the Yeshiva University affiliated Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary.{{Cite web|title=Faculty {{!}} Yeshiva University|url=https://www.yu.edu/riets/faculty#roshei|access-date=2022-01-21|website=www.yu.edu}} He is Sgan Rosh Kollel for the Gruss Kollel in Jerusalem, and he is the first Ruth Buchbinder Mitzner Chair in Talmud and Jewish law.{{Cite news|last=yunews|date=April 24, 2007|title=Rabbi Assaf Bednarsh Invested as the Ruth Buchbinder Mitzner Professor of Talmud and Jewish Law|url=https://blogs.yu.edu/news/rabbi-assaf-bednarsh-invested-as-the-ruth-buchbinder-mitzner-professor-of-talmud-and-jewish-law/|access-date=2022-01-21|website=Yeshiva University News|language=en-US}} He also teaches at Yeshivat Har Etzion in Alon Shevut.{{Cite web|title=Rabbi Assaf Bednarsh|url=https://www.ou.org/sinai/speakers/rabbi-assaf-bednarsh/|access-date=2022-01-21|website=Chag at Home|language=en}}
Biography
Bednarsh was born in Kfar Etzion, Israel in 1971, and moved to the United States with his parents 8 months later. He graduated from the Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy, the Yeshiva University High School for Boys, in 1989.{{Cite web|last=Bettencourt|first=Michael|date=July 5, 2017|title=YU in Israel: A Whirlwind of Action|url=https://blogs.yu.edu/news/yu-in-israel-a-whirlwind-of-action/|access-date=2022-01-21|website=Yeshiva University News|language=en-US}} He went on to learn at Yeshivat Har Etzion, then headed by Aharon Lichtenstein and Yehuda Amital.{{Cite web|title=Rav Assaf Bednarsh {{!}} Yeshivat Har Etzion|url=https://www.etzion.org.il/en/authors/rav-assaf-bednarsh|access-date=2022-01-21|website=www.etzion.org.il}} He holds a B.A. from Princeton University, from which he graduated in 1992, and an M.A. in Jewish history from Yeshiva University.{{Cite web|title=Princeton community stands with Israel|url=https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2021/05/princeton-israel-hamas-rockets-antisemitism|access-date=2022-01-21|website=The Princetonian}}{{Cite web|title=Rabbi Assaf Bednarsh|url=https://mizrachi.org/speaker/rabbi-assaf-bednarsh/|access-date=2022-01-21|website=World Mizrachi|language=en-US}} Bednarsh received his Semichah from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary in 1997.
Bednarsh served as a Maggid Shiur and assistant director of Yeshiva University's Graduate Program for Women in Advanced Talmudic Studies, and as a Rebbe at TMSTA – Yeshiva University High School.
In 2004, Bednarsh moved to Israel with his family on Aliyah from New York City, leaving his positions at Yeshiva University to take on new positions in Israel.{{Cite web|title=Rabbi Assaf and Mrs. Leora Bednarsh|url=https://mizrachi.org/speaker/rabbi-assaf-and-mrs-leora-bednarsh/|access-date=2022-01-21|website=World Mizrachi|language=en-US}}
On April 14, 2007, he was invested as the first Ruth Buchbinder Mitzner Chair of Talmud and Jewish Law of the Gruss Kollel in Jerusalem. Bednarsh also serves as Rosh yeshiva for YU and teaches at Yeshivat Har Etzion.
Personal
Bednarsh is married to Leora Bednarsh, a graduate of Drisha’s Scholars’ Circle, Yoetzet Halacha.
The Bednarsh family resides in Alon Shevut, where Yeshivat Har Etzion is located. They have seven children.
References
{{YU Roshei Yeshiva}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bednarsh, Assaf}}
Category:Yeshiva University rosh yeshivas
Category:Israeli Modern Orthodox rabbis
Category:American Modern Orthodox rabbis
Category:Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary semikhah recipients
Category:21st-century Israeli rabbis
Category:21st-century American rabbis
Category:Yeshivat Har Etzion alumni
Category:Yeshivat Har Etzion faculty