Rabbi mayer hurwitz
Shaar Director and Rosh Chabura
Rabbi Mayer Hurwitz founded the Shaar in June of 2019, and he guides, directs, implements and oversees the Shaar’s spiritual and physical operations (and everything in between). Rav Mayer teaches the Shaar’s advanced Talmud track, as well as giving regular shiurim and classes on a wide range of Torah topics. Prior to founding the Shaar, Rav Mayer led the Dallas Kollel in Texas for 10 years. Rav Mayer studied in the Mir Yerushalayim for close to a decade, and prior to that at Yeshivas Ner Yisrael of Baltimore.
Rabbi Ephraim Kamin
Shaar Mashgiach Ruchani
Rav Ephraim has spent thirteen years on University campuses in the Bay Area, inspiring secular young Jewish men and women of Stanford and UC Berkeley to reconnect with their Judaism. Rav Ephraim and his wife have hosted hundreds of Shabbos dinners, Maimonides Fellowships and MEOR trips to Poland and Israel. In September of 2021, the Kamins returned to the East Coast and Rav Ephraim joined The Shaar as Mashgiach Ruchani. In his role as Mashgiach, Rabbi Kamin will continue to teach and inspire the students of the Shaar in their journey toward becoming spiritually healthy baale teshuva. In addition to his role as Mashgiach, Rabbi Kamin directs trips of university students and young professionals to the Shaar and Five Towns community to experience the ‘spiritual magic’ of the Shaar. Rav Ephraim is a musmach of Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim.
reb shlomo reich
Shaar Co-Director and Senior Mashpia
Originally an enthusiastic local host and supporter of the fledging program, Reb Shlomo joined Rav Mayer Hurwitz at the Shaar in November of 2019. Together with Rav Hurwitz, he has grown the Shaar from its infancy stages to new heights, while simultaneously co-founding, launching and directing the groundbreaking Olami House @ the Shaar program and other Shaar spin-off projects. As Co-Director of the Shaar, Reb Shlomo manages the Shaar’s ruchniyus, gashmius and community relations, and adds his special brand of energy, ruach and music to all Shaar activities, rituals and events. Reb Shlomo studied at Yeshiva Beth Moshe of Scranton and at Yeshivas Ner Yisrael of Baltimore, earned graduate degrees from Johns Hopkins University and, alongside his avodas at the Shaar, continues to be engaged in his business ventures.