Nathaniel Helfgot

Rabbi Nathaniel Helfgot is the President of the International Rabbinic Fellowship and the Rabbi of Congregation Netivot Shalom of Teaneck, New Jersey. Born in Buenos Aires, Rabbi Helfgot moved to the Upper West Side of Manhattan as a child, and later moved to Teaneck, New Jersey. Rabbi Helfgot studied at Yeshivat Har Etzion for two years (later serving on the board of the Yeshiva), and developed a close lifelong relationship with Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein. He also attended Yeshiva University and the Azrieli Graduate School, and was ordained by the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. Rabbi Helfgot has taught at the Drisha Institute for Jewish Education, the Frisch School, the Ma'ayanot Yeshiva High School, and the Torah Academy of Bergen County in the past, and currently teaches at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah and SAR High School, where he is also a department chair. In addition, Rabbi Helfgot has served or continues to serve on the steering committee of the Orthodox Forum, as the plenum of the Orthodox Caucus, and on the board of the Association of Modern Orthodox Day Schools.

Rabbi Helfgot and his wife Rachel have four children.

Rabbi Helfgot is the author of Mikra and Meaning (ISBN 9781613290019), and Divrei Berakah U’Moed -Halakhic Essays on the Topics of Holidays and Blessings; he is also the editor of Community, Covenant, and Commitment: Selected Letters and Communications of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (ISBN 9780881258721) and The YCT Companion to the Book of Samuel. Rabbi Helfgot has also published many articles in various journals, including Tradition, Tehumin, Jewish Action, Ten-Daat, Beit Yitzchak, Megadim, Alon Shvut, Or HaMizrach, The Orthodox Forum Series, The Jewish Week, The Jewish Standard, and Hamevaser.