Benjamin Kelsen

Rabbi Benjamin Gideon Kelsen (February 8, 1972) is an Orthodox Rabbi, Dayan, practicing attorney, and political consultant in New Jersey Democratic Party politics. He received his rabbinical ordination, both Yoreh Yoreh and Yadin Yadin, from the Yeshiva University affiliated Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. A graduate of the Frisch School in Paramus, New Jersey, Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh, Yeshiva University's Yeshiva College, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, and Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, Rabbi Kelsen is currently a member of RIETS' Kollel l'Hora'ah Yadin Yadin the elite program at Yeshiva University for the training of Dayanim (Religious Judges).

Rabbi Kelsen is known for his lectures on the convergence between Halachah (Jewish Law) and contemporary society as well his weekly discourses on the Parshah and his Mussar "Schmuzen". Kelsen is also well known for his written summaries of the lectures of the late Rabbi Shlomo Elimelech Drillman, Rosh Yeshiva at RIETS for close to fifty years and close student of both Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman and Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik. Kelsen has compiled the weekly lectures of Rabbi Drillman on the Torah portion in The Wisdom of Solomon. His eulogy for Rabbi Drillman, originally printed in the Yeshiva College student newspaper The Commentator, has been recently republished in a new volume released by Yeshiva University entitled My Yeshiva College.

Rabbi Kelsen has lectured throughout the United States, Israel, and in Glasgow, Scotland.

In addition to Rabbi Drillman, mentioned above, Rabbi Kelsen is close to Rabbi Aharon Kahn, Rabbi Hershel Schachter, Rabbi Mendel Blachman, Rabbi Yaakov Neuburger (under whom he studied the laws of Taharat hamishpacha and Niddah), and Rabbi J. David Bleich, the Rosh Kollel of the RIETS Kollel l'Hora'ah, for whom he serves as a substitute of the Yorkville Synagogue when Rabbi Bleich is away. Rabbi Kelsen was also known to be close to the late Rabbi Ahron Soloveichik and Rabbi Chaim Yaakov Goldvicht, founding Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh, as well.

Rabbi Kelsen is consulted frequently by both individuals, rabbis and organizations on controversial issues. Kelsen has recently been elected to serve as a member of the Bergen County Democratic Committee.

At the present, Rabbi Kelsen has daily minyanim and shiurim at his private Beis Medrash in Teaneck and is considered by some to be the Rabbi and spiritual leader of the "apartment community" in Teaneck, New Jersey where he was raised and still lives. This community is mostly young married couples.

Rabbi Kelsen practices in the areas of Civil Rights Litigation, Criminal Law, Civil and Commercial litigation, Real Estate and Estate Planning.

Kelsen is married to Abigail Yaffa (formerly Arfe), a social worker who works at Yeshiva University. They have two children, Elisheva Chana and Esther Bracha.

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