Shimon Avraham Silman

Rabbi Silman

Professor Rabbi Shimon Avraham Silman (born 1951) is a Professor of Mathematics at Touro College in Brooklyn, New York, a research team member in Nuclear Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, founder of the RYAL Institute, and formerly a faculty member at the University of Minnesota.

Life History

Born on the 11th of Cheshvan 5712 in Duluth, Minnesota, where his father Rabbi Moshe Dov Ber Silman served as rabbi. Rabbi Silman studied at Yeshiva Yitzchak Elchanan under Rabbi Joseph Ber Soloveitchik. He received his education at Yeshiva University, and after marrying Mrs. Netel née Feldman, he studied in the Kollel near the Rebbe's secretariat.

He studied mathematics and physics at the University of Minnesota and at the Technion in Haifa, where he maintained contact with Rabbi Reuven Dunin. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Minnesota, after which he joined the university faculty and taught mathematics there for several years. During those days, he studied Chassidic teachings with Rabbi Manis Friedman. After Gimmel Tammuz 5754, there was deliberation regarding the "Yechi" proclamation at the end of Torah reading in the Rebbe's minyan, and Rabbi Silman proclaimed "Yechi" from his place. Since then, he customarily purchases the right to proclaim "Yechi" during Torah reading in the Rebbe's minyan each year.

Following his connection with renowned nuclear scientist Professor Alvin Radkowsky, he began studying nuclear technology and joined the nuclear engineering research team at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.

Currently, he serves as Professor of Mathematics at Touro College in Brooklyn, New York.

The RYAL Institute Under His Leadership

In 5752 (1992), he organized for the first time, together with Rabbi Moshe Feller, a conference dealing with connecting Torah, Moshiach, and science, attended by researchers and prominent figures from academia emphasizing the connection between science and Torah. Professor Pesach Rosenbloom was notably present at the conference, to whom the Rebbe had given his brother Rabbi Israel Aryeh Leib Schneerson's work for translation and publication.

The conference was held near the yahrzeit of Rabbi Israel Aryeh Leib Schneerson, the Rebbe's brother, in connection with the fortieth anniversary of his passing. This was after Rabbi Silman noticed that the Rebbe's letter dealing with this topic was written exactly on his brother's twentieth yahrzeit, about which he elaborated in an interview given to Beis Moshiach magazine issue 1358.

In Adar 5753, he asked the Rebbe in a letter whether to organize a conference in New York on "Moshiach and Science," similar to the conference held the previous year, and whether to publish the content of the speeches given at the previous year's conference. The Rebbe answered affirmatively to both questions. Consequently, in connection with 13 Iyar 5753, a 'Moshiach and Science' conference was held in Beis Rabeinu. The conference was accompanied by blessings and encouragement from the Rebbe: On the morning of 11 Iyar 5753, he wrote to the Rebbe about the idea of establishing "RYAL Institute for Moshiach and Science," which would organize similar conferences annually for 13 Iyar. That same day in the afternoon, the Rebbe gave his holy blessing. Before the conference, the Rebbe graciously sent - through the secretariat - a small bottle of mashke. Since then, he established the RYAL Institute (The RYAL Institute) named after the Rebbe's brother, which organizes an annual conference near his yahrzeit dealing with connecting Torah and science, new developments in science and technology characteristic of the Messianic era, and scientific thought corresponding to the time of redemption.

His Book

Scientific Thought in Messianic Times

His Family

• His son, Rabbi Moshe Dov Ber Silman - Principal and Dean of Yeshivas Ohel Torah Crown Heights
• His son, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Silman - One of the Rebbe's Shluchim in South Africa
• His son, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Silman - Principal and Dean of Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim Poconos
• His son, Rabbi Israel Aryeh Silman
• His son, Rabbi Yehuda Leib Silman - Student at Yeshivas Ohel Torah Crown Heights
• His son-in-law, Rabbi Chaim Levinson - The Rebbe's Shliach in Kharkov, Ukraine
• His son-in-law, R' Daniel Green - Crown Heights
• His son-in-law, R' Israel Mogulsky - Crown Heights

Additional Reading

Beis Moshiach Weekly, Issue 1358, pp. 42-47 Interview with Professor Rabbi Shimon Silman, his life history and about the RYAL Institute named after R' Israel Aryeh Leib Schneerson.