Esti Rosenberg

Esti Rosenberg (Hebrew: אסתי רוזנברג; born July 24, 1965) is an American-Israeli Orthodox Rabbanit who is the founder and head of the Migdal Oz seminary.^[1] She is the daughter of Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein and Dr. Tovah Soloveitchik and the granddaughter of Joseph B. Soloveitchik.^[2]

Rabbanit Esti Rosenberg אסתי רוזנברג
Personal life
Born	July 24, 1965
Nationality	American, Israeli
Spouse	Herzl Rosenberg
Children	7
Parent(s)	Aharon Lichtenstein, Tovah Lichtenstein
Religious life
Religion	Judaism
Denomination	Orthodox Judaism
Position	Founder, Rosh Beit Midrash
Organisation	Migdal Oz
Residence	Alon Shevut
Dynasty	Soloveitchik dynasty

Biography

Esti Rosenberg was born in 1965 in the United States, the fourth child of her parents, Aharon Lichtenstein and Tova Lichtenstein, and immigrated to Israel with her parents on Aliyah in 1971 at the age of six, when her father was offered the position of Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshivat Har Etzion.^[3] She studied at the Chorev Ulpana in Jerusalem and was a member of the Ezra youth movement.^[4] Rosenberg graduated with a bachelor's degree in Hebrew Literature and History from Hebrew University.^[5] She studied Tanach studies at the Jerusalem Michlalah and learned in one of the first graduating classes of Matan Jerusalem.^[6][7]

Rosenberg was Rosh Beit Midrash at Midreshet Bruriah, now known as Midreshet Lindenbaum, and served as Training Coordinator of Bnei Akiva's Jerusalem region. In 1997 she founded Migdal Oz, the sister school of Yeshivat Har Etzion, under the guidance of Aharon Lichtenstein and Yehuda Amital.^[1][8] Rosenberg gives many Shiurim throughout Israel, is a member of Bnei Akiva's national administration and participates in peace dialogue groups between the religious and secular and between the right-wing and left-wing groups in Israel.^[4]

Worldview

Regarding the establishment of a Beit Midrash/seminary for women, Rosenberg said, "Placing Torah learning at the center of the beit midrash challenged the community of learners to delve into the experience of Abaye and Rava and into the halachic sugyot alongside serious critical thinking and learning. It is in part a building of their religious personalities and in part a meaningful breakthrough for the integration of women into the world of Torah and placing them as exemplary role models for the girls who they will teach."^[9]

Rosenberg believes, in line with the views of her grandfather Joseph B. Soloveitchik, that Torah study is a fundamental and significant component of Avodat Hashem for the Jewish woman. This includes all fields of Torah, including Talmud, Tanach, Jewish philosophy and hasidic philosophy. All these subjects are taught in depth at Migdal Oz with an emphasis on independent learning of students with each other which Rosenberg believes is crucial in cultivating Torah learning as a substantive component in the life of the student.^[10] Rosenberg has stated that learning in the beit midrash is a merit that becomes an obligation towards the Jewish People. Therefore, she calls upon her students to influence all areas of life in Israeli society, especially in the professions of teaching and education.^[9]

Personal

Rosenberg is married to Herzl Rosenberg.^[11] They have seven children and live in Alon Shevut.^[4]

Family tree

v t e Brisker family tree
Rabbanit Esti Rosenberg, director of Migdal Oz (seminary) Rabbi Yitzchok Lichtenstein, Co-Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas; Rabbi Bais Avrohom, Monsey, NY Rabbi Yosef Dov (Reb Berel) Soloveichik Rabbi Avrohom Yehoshua Soloveichik Rabbi Mosheh Lichtenstein, Co-Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Har Etzion Rabbi Meshulam Dovid (Reb Dovid) Soloveichik Rabbi Yitzchak Zev Soloveichik Rabbi Mayer Lichtenstein, Rabbi Ohel Menachem Bet Shemesh Rabbi Yosef Dov (HaLevi) Soloveichik author of Beis HaLevi Rabbi Chaim Soloveichik "Reb Chaim Brisker" Rabbi Yitzchak Zev (Reb Velvel) Soloveichik "The GRIZ" The Brisker Rov Lifsha Soloveitchik Feinstein Dr. Tovah Soloveitchik Lichtenstein Rabbi Jonathan Rosenblatt Rabbi Refael Shapiro, Rosh Yeshiva of Volozhin yeshiva Lifsha Shapiro Rabbi Refoel Soloveichik Rabbi Dr. Aharon Lichtenstein Tzipporah Rosenblatt Rabbi Meir Soloveichik Dr. Atarah Soloveitchik Twersky Rabbi Mosheh Twersky z"l, Maggid Shiur at Yeshiva Toras Moshe Rabbi Dr. Joseph B. (Yosef Dov) Soloveitchik "The Rav" Rabbi Dr. Isadore Twersky, Talner Rebbe of Boston Rabbi Mayer Twersky, Rosh Yeshiva at Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary Rabbi Moshe Soloveichik Rabbi Ahron Soloveichik Rabbi Dr. Haym Soloveitchik Rabbi Moshe Soloveichik, Rosh Yeshivas Brisk (Chicago); Rav of Kehilas Beth Sholom Ahavas Achim Peshka Feinstein Soloveichik Dr. Samuel Soloveichik Rabbi Eliyahu Soloveichik, Rosh Yeshiva at Lander College's Beis Medrash L'Talmud Rabbi Meir Yaakov Soloveichik Shulamit Soloveitchik Meiselman Rabbi Moshe Meiselman, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Toras Moshe Rabbi Yosef Soloveichik Sarah Orenshein Anne Soloveitchik Gerber Rabbi Chayim Soloveichik, Maggid Shiur at Yeshivat Reishit; Morah D’Asrah of Kehillat Ohr Shalom, Ramat Beit Shemesh Moshe Soloveichik Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveichik Rabbi Shmuel Chaim Soloveichik Rabbi Yitzchok Soloveichik Rabbi Yisroel Soloveichik Rabbi Yisroel Gershon Soloveichik Rabbi Moshe Soloveichik Rabbi Boruch Soloveichik Rabbi Avraham Yeshaya Soloveichik Daughter Soloveichik
Notes: Rabbi Chaim Halevi Soloveichik (the second)