Rabbi Joshua Maroof (הרב יעקב עזרא) received his rabbinic ordination from Yeshiva Bnei Torah in Far Rockaway, NY and his certification in arranging Gittin from HaRav Golan Aluf of the Kollel LeDayyanut Yechave Daat in Har Nof, Israel, under the supervision of HaRav Eliyahu Abergel. Rabbi Maroof earned his BA with Honors in Psychology from SUNY Stony Brook, and his Masters in Educational Psychology from the CUNY Graduate Center. He served as a member of the rabbinic staff of the United Mashadi Jewish Community (UMJCA) for seven years, helping meet the needs of its approximately 6500 congregants on a daily basis. In this capacity Rabbi Maroof served as the spiritual leader of one of UMJCA’s three vibrant synagogues (Young Mashadi Jewish Center – Ohr Esther Congregation) and as the rabbinic head of its popular and dynamic Sephardic Bet Midrash. Prior to that, he served for twelve years as a pulpit rabbi in major Sephardic congregations in Maryland and New York. Rabbi Maroof is also the founder of Yeshivat Deah VeHaskel, an innovative online educational platform that electronically distributes written and audio Torah classes to thousands of committed subscribers every day. For over twenty five years, Rabbi Maroof has enjoyed a reputation as a widely sought-after author, lecturer, educator and public speaker, and has had the privilege of teaching and learning from students of all ages, religious affiliations and backgrounds. He currently resides in Kiryat Gat, Israel, with his wife Elana and his six children, Netanel, Zehara, Yedidya, Zerachya, Tiferet and Amira.
