Meet the Team
Rabbi Benjamin Goldschmidt
Born in Jerusalem and raised in Moscow, Rabbi Benjamin Goldschmidt studied in Bnei Brak’s Ponevezh Yeshiva, Jerusalem’s Chevron Yeshiva, and continued his post-graduate studies at Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, New Jersey, and at Yeshivas Ohr Reuven in Suffern, New York. He received rabbinic ordination from Rav Dovid Cohen and Rav Yosef Chevroni of the Chevron Yeshiva (Givat Mordechai) and Rav Betzalel Rudinsky of Yeshivas Ohr Reuven. He served Manhattan’s Jewish community at Park East Synagogue for the last decade.
Rabbi Goldschmidt and his work has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Haaretz, Mishpacha, Kikar Shabbat, Kan TV, the Headlines podcast, and the Forward, among others.
Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt
Avital Chizhik-Goldschmidt is a journalist, rebbetzin and mother. Her work has appeared in the Atlantic, New York Times, Foreign Policy, The New Republic, Vox, Vogue, Salon, Glamour, Business Insider, Los Angeles Review of Books, Jewish Review of Books, and Religion & Politics, among others.
Previously, she was an editor at the Forward and a reporter for Haaretz. She has taught journalism at Yeshiva University’s Stern College for Women, and is an adjunct at Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.
Chaya Weiss
Chaya Weiss is the Altneu’s Program Director, coming with an extensive and diverse administrative background. At her last position at Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York, she served as the B’nei Mitzvah Coordinator and Executive Assistant to the Senior Rabbi, Rabbi Joshua M. Davidson.
A native Floridian transplanted into New York with a background in English/Communications from Yeshiva University, Chaya has built a career through a variety of Judaic administrative environments. When not strategizing schedules, firing off emails and helping build new synagogues, Chaya spends her time going to the theater, reading and spoiling her nephews.
Yonatan Israel
Baal Tefilah
For over a year Yoni has been inspiring our community with his beautiful voice and prayers. Born and raised in Stamford, CT, Chazzan Yoni Israel graduated SAR High School in 2014, and attended Yeshivat Ma’aleh Gilboa in Israel for a year of religious studies. He graduated from Brandeis University in 2019 with a major in biology and a minor in music, and dedicated his time outside of classes to directing his college acapella group, playing ultimate frisbee, and helping strengthen the Brandeis Orthodox Organization.
He is currently a 4th year medical student at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and living on the Upper East Side. Yoni recently got engaged to Shoshana Rosenzweig – Mazel tov! Yoni loves leading weekly Shabbat services at The Altneu, and is excited to be a part of its growing community.