Rabbi
Kenneth Brander is the
Rabbi Emeritus of the Boca Raton Synagogue, Dean of the
Boca Raton Community Kollel and the founder of the
Weinbaum Yeshiva High School of
Broward and Palm Beach County.
During his
fourteen years as rabbi the community underwent explosive growth
(from 60 families to close to 600 families). Under the Rabbi’s
leadership the Hahn Judaic Campus was built which includes the
Boca Raton Community Mikvah, a beautiful sanctuary, library,
social hall and a two story Youth and Senior Center as well as
two satellite communities –
BRS West and The Weiss Family
Shul by the Grove. On the campus the community mikvah and the
Weinbaum
Yeshiva High School is also housed. Rabbi Brander served as the
posek
for the Boca Raton Community
mikva,
Co-Chaired and established the ORB/South Palm Beach County
Va'ad Hakashrut.
Rabbi Brander is also a member of several community boards and
has received many awards for his community service. Rabbi
Brander was the first recipient of the Yeshiva University
Wexner Rabbinic Leadership Award in
1999. Most recently, he was honored with the State of Israel
Medal of Honor presented by the Mayor of Gush Etzion for
Rabbinic Leadership in supporting Gush Etzion.
Rabbi Brander studied at Yeshivat Sha'alvim in Israel and
then received his B.A. in Computer Science and Mathematics
from Yeshiva University. He continued his studies as a
fellow in the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan
Theological Seminary and was awarded ordination in 1986. In
1999, he received an advanced level of ordination from
Machon Puah
and Rav Mordechai Eliyahu acknowledging the Rabbi's
particular expertise in the areas of
Taharat
hamispacha
(Family Purity), infertility, gynecological procedures, and
their interface with
halacha.
We owe
to Rabbi Brander the existence of almost all of the orthodox
institutions which serve our community and have led to its
rapid development.
In
October 2004 Rabbi Brander was asked by the President of
Yeshiva University, Richard Joel, to become the inaugural
dean of the Center for the Jewish Future. On September 1,
2005 Rabbi Brander assumed that position which allows him to
share, on an international platform, the message of
community building seen within the Boca Raton Synagogue
Jewish community.
The
Rabbi has authored many articles and co-edited The Yeshiva
University Haggadah. He is
married to Rachel Tambor
Brander. They are blessed with five children.
