As part of their education and training to be intellectual, religious and civic leaders, are encouraged to take on internships and fellowships that extend their classroom studies into real-world challenges. Many Scholars have recently devoted their summers and semesters to projects at the intersection of Jewish life, education and public affairs. Over the coming months, we will highlight students whose work reflects this mission.
In this installment, recent Straus Center alumnus Aharon Soloveichik (YC鈥25) reflects on a summer that brought him from the Beth Din of America in New York to the pulpit of Shaarei Shamayim, a Modern Orthodox shul in Toronto, where he deepened his skills in halakhic research, communal leadership, and Torah and Western thought in action.
Beth Din of America
This summer, Aharon Soloveichik interned at the Beth Din of America under the mentorship of Rabbi Itamar Rosensweig. His work combined rigorous research in Choshen Mishpat (the section of Jewish law dealing with civil and financial matters) with exposure to the practical realities of contemporary halakhic (Jewish legal) adjudication.
鈥淢y primary responsibilities included conducting halakhic research to support Rabbi Rosensweig鈥檚 work on dinei Torah cases (rabbinical court cases) and sitting in on live proceedings,鈥 Aharon explained. 鈥淭hese experiences exposed me to the intellectual rigor and human sensitivity required in contemporary halakhic 补诲箩耻诲颈肠补迟颈辞苍.鈥&苍产蝉辫;
Much of his research focused on the principles underlying commercial disputes: trust, liability, investment structures and the evidentiary standards used when classical forms of eidus (witness testimony) are no longer practical. Observing actual cases being adjudicated reinforced how these sources play out in real time, often with significant moral and financial consequences.
鈥淭hroughout the internship, I deepened my skills in applied halakhic research, developed greater fluency in Choshen Mishpat and gained insight into the discretion that dayanim (judges) use when navigating complex financial and interpersonal situations,鈥 Aharon said. 鈥淥bserving how halakhah functions as a living legal tradition鈥攁daptable yet grounded鈥攚as an invaluable experience.鈥
Aharon noted that his Straus background shaped the way he thought about the work: 鈥淚 was consistently struck by the contrasts and parallels between halakhic jurisprudence and Western legal thought, where each tradition constructs precedent and weighs moral judgment. The Straus framework gave me language and categories to think critically about these tensions.鈥
The experience, he concluded, reaffirmed his conviction in 鈥渢he vitality of halakhah in addressing the realities of modern Jewish life. The Beth Din is one of the few institutions where halakhah governs real-world decisions in real time, and where the values of Torah are brought to bear on the challenges of commerce and conflict.鈥
Shaarei Shamayim - Rabbinic Internship in Toronto
Later in the summer, Aharon traveled north to serve as rabbinic intern at Shaarei Shamayim, a Modern Orthodox shul in Toronto. The position combined immersive communal leadership with opportunities to bring Torah into dialogue with political thought, Jewish history and contemporary culture.
Each Shabbat, Aharon delivered sermons that drew from halakhah, aggadah (rabbinic narrative and homiletics) and Western thought. One week, he connected Churchill鈥檚 iconic portrait with the midrash about Moshe transferring the Hebrew letter yud from Sarah鈥檚 name to Yehoshua, exploring how Jewish leadership balances inherited tradition with personal courage. Another week, he spoke about the doubling of arei miklat (biblical cities of refuge) east of the Jordan, reflecting鈥攖hrough the lens of Rabbi Mordechai Willig鈥檚 teachings鈥攐n societal breakdown and the responsibility of young people to step into mentorship roles during times of cultural instability.
In addition to his weekly sermons, Aharon gave extended Shabbat afternoon lectures. One explored the aggadot (rabbinic stories) of Rabbi Akiva and Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai against the backdrop of Roman political upheaval in 69 CE, arguing that their responses to the destruction of Jerusalem can only be understood in the context of Flavian propaganda. Another examined covenantal relationships, AI companionship and the concept of Tzelem Elokim (the human being created 鈥渋n the image of God鈥), drawing from Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, digital sociologists and contemporary AI debates to ask: Can technology substitute for human connection, or does halakhah insist on something deeper?
Beyond teaching, Aharon immersed himself in the pastoral life of the community. He led parts of the tefillah (prayer service), gave daily lessons in halakhah and shadowed Rabbi Sam Taylor throughout the week鈥攙isiting congregants in the ICU, attending shiva homes, preparing prospective converts and meeting couples ahead of their weddings.
鈥淭hese pastoral moments were deeply moving and reminded me that halakhic leadership demands not just scholarship but emotional presence,鈥 Aharon reflected. He also met with local rabbis and lay leaders, including representatives from the Jewish Federation of Canada and the Toronto Beit Din.
The Straus Center鈥檚 Role
At every stage, Aharon credited his Straus Center education with shaping his approach. 鈥淭he lens of Torah and Western thought influenced the way I approached each shiur (lecture) and each pastoral encounter,鈥 he said. 鈥淪traus taught me to see leadership not just as charisma or authority, but as covenantal responsibility鈥攔ooted in tradition and responsive to the moment.鈥
He expressed special gratitude to Rabbi Taylor: 鈥淗is guidance, mentorship, and trust made this experience both meaningful and formative. Watching him lead with warmth, precision and integrity was an education in itself, and I learned more from shadowing him than I could from any textbook.鈥 He also thanked the Jewish Federation of Canada for helping coordinate the logistics of his visit.
Looking Ahead
As Aharon reflected on his summer, he emphasized a common theme: the need for Jewish leadership grounded in Torah and attuned to the challenges of contemporary life. 鈥淚n a time when Jewish leadership is needed more than ever鈥攐n campuses, in synagogues and in public discourse鈥攖his summer gave me the chance to learn what it means to lead with integrity, with humility, and with faith.鈥
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