Rabbi Matt Berkowitz Is The Schechter Institutes, Inc. New President

On July 1^st 2025, The Schechter Institutes, Inc. underwent a generational change. Rabbi Matt Berkowitz, who served as Vice President since 2023, became President, taking over from Rabbi Prof. David Golinkin who retired after 35 years of inspired leadership at Schechter and transitioning into the role of President Emeritus.

The Schechter Institutes, an academic and educational institution, is the largest provider of pluralistic Jewish education in the state of Israel, teaching over 125,000 children and adults every year, in addition to thousands of Ukrainian Jews.

Founded 41 years ago, Schechter has campuses in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv as well as in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Schechter includes four non-profits: the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies graduate school for educators and communal workers; the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary; the TALI Center Educating for Jewish Pluralism; and Midreshet Schechter, which operates Neve Schechter in Tel Aviv and Midreshet Schechter throughout Ukraine.

Proudly entering the office of the President, Berkowitz notes. “I plan to continue and expand our core programs. In addition, since October 7th, the Schechter Institutes responded quickly not only with emergency programs but also by introducing five certificate programs in Jerusalem, Ofakim and the Galilee, which train educators and communal leaders to tackle the very real trauma that Israeli society has experienced over the past two years.”

Effortlessly uniting his rabbinical training, professional experience and artistic outlook, Berkowitz says, “My vision is to nurture the creativity and talents of our exceptional team; push our staff to dream big and think outside of their comfort zones; give art and culture a more central and transformative role, not only at Neve Schechter in Tel Aviv but also in our graduate school. I am thinking expansively of how our four non-profits can work more closely together to capitalize on partnerships and synergies as they continue to have a profound impact on Israeli society as we further religious pluralism in the Jewish state.”

Ordained at The Jewish Theological Seminary of America, Berkowitz is an alum of The Wexner Graduate Fellowship Program and faculty member of The Wexner Heritage Program. He is a founder of Kol HaOt and was recently appointed to the board of the Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture and will serve as a faculty member in their Nahum Goldmann Fellowship Program.

Rabbi Golinkin is the author or editor of 67 books on topics ranging from Halakhah and Responsa to Talmud, Liturgy and Midrash and author of 250 articles on subjects ranging from Halakhah to Israel to the Holocaust.

“I am thrilled that my friend and colleague Rabbi Matt Berkowitz joined Schechter Inc. as Vice President in July 2023 and will now become President. He is a gifted artist, a wonderful teacher, a successful fundraiser and, most importantly, a mentsch,” says Golinkin.

As a leader at the Schechter Institutes, Rabbi Golinkin has been at the forefront of Jewish life in Israel.

During his leadership years, the Schechter Rabbinical Seminary ordained 115 rabbis; the graduate school awarded over 2,000 MA degrees; via TALI, hundreds of thousands of Israeli children have been educated in pluralistic Jewish education; finally at Neve Schechter in Tel Aviv, hundreds of thousands have participated in innovative contemporary Jewish music and art programs.

“I am humbled and exalted to have been chosen for this role – especially at this critical time in Israel’s history,” says Rabbi Berkowitz. “Succeeding Rabbi Golinkin — a giant in Jewish learning, teaching and a foundation of Jewish life in Israel as well as for Jewish communities abroad — is an exciting task.”