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Rabbi Zitter

RABBI DAVID ZITTER

    Our brand new Rabbi, Rabbi David Zitter, was here for the High Holidays. It was a great connection from the beginning, and we now have hired him as our Rabbi.

    Rabbi David is a born and bred Brooklyn boy. However, even as a child, he would travel out of town with his father, who was a chazzan, for many a Shabbat and Holiday service. In this way he is no stranger to '"Out of Town" Jewish communities. As just a Senior in High School, he spent many weekends at an old synagogue in Jersey City, NJ, learning from the Rabbi there and being an assistant Rabbi.

    After graduating from High School in 1983, Rabbi David went to Jerusalem and studied at some of its finest Yeshivas, including Merkaz HaTorah and Lakewood Yeshiva branch in Israel. It was a rather natural continuum for him to go to Israel, as his mother came from an old time Jerusalem family and he studied in schools that emphasized the Hebrew language.

    His life turned rather colorful when he began disseminating Torah. Rabbi David began his teaching and Rabbinic career in Budapest, Hungary, continued both careers back in Israel and then San Jose (Rabbi at Ahavas Torah there), Chicago and Virginia Beach. Much versatility and understanding is necessary for dealing with such differing cultures and situations. Unusual and difficult situations usually do not faze him, and he likes to say that there was only one time inĀ  life when he was truly shocked. Having been raised in a religious home with much connection to American culture as well, everything about his upbringing was strongly anti-communist. Although he arrived in Budapest after the fall of communism, there still existed, at the very least in some people's minds, agents of some continuum of the KGB. There were two people who became interested in learning more about Torah, but were wary to approach Rabbi David, who finally understood that they feared he was a KGB type agent!

    In addition to regular smicha (Jerusalem Rabbinate), Rabbi David received smicha from Rabbi Yoel Schwartz shlita, to be involved with the intricate subject of Anusim or descendants of Spanish Jews who practiced Judaism secretly. Rabbi David also holds many Teacher Certificates as well as a Bachelor's in Talmudic Law with a minor in psychology. We are very happy and fortunate that Rabbi David Zitter, having had much experience around the world, has now chosen to come to Ahavas Torah in Eugene.