Our Rabbinic Staff
Rabbi - Rabbi Elliot Schrier
Rabbischrier@bnaiyeshurun.org
Rabbi Elliot Schrier joined Congregation Bnai Yeshurun in August of 2021. He previously served as the Rabbi of the Albert Einstein Synagogue, in the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and on the rabbinical staff of Congregation Beth Sholom, in Lawrence, NY. He also served as the Chair of the Talmud Department and Rosh Beit Medrash at the North Shore Hebrew Academy High School.
Rabbi Schrier is a graduate of Yeshiva University, where he studied History and Judaic Studies. While in YU, he studied extensively under Rav Michael Rosensweig. He received his Semikha from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary as part of the Bella and Harry Wexner Semikha Honors Program.
Rabbi Schrier and his wife, Rena, are the proud parents of Coby, Zecharia, and Gavriel.
Associate Rabbi - Rabbi Ari Zahtz
Rabbizahtz@bnaiyeshurun.org
Rabbi Ari Zahtz has served on the Rabbinic staff at Congregation Bnai Yeshurun since 2008.
Together with his wife, Michal, and their children, they have used their love and passion for Torah and the Jewish people to inspire many people around them.
Rabbi Zahtz firmly believes in trying to inspire all of us in our shul family to be better today than we were yesterday and that the purpose of our kehilla is to help each other do it together.
Outside of the shul Michal and Rabbi Zahtz co-founded i-Shine Teaneck in 2012 to help those dealing with serious illness in the family. Rabbi Zahtz is passionate about reaching those suffering from mental illness and working to remove its stigma and co-founded Project Ometz in 2017.
Rabbi Zahtz has become well known for his clarity in presenting complicated halachic concepts and his passion and sensitivity in helping people navigate the challenges of life.
Rabbi Zahtz also serves as a Rebbe at the Mazer Yeshiva Program at RIETS where he has focused his energies on training young men to gain a derech halimud, an approach that can be applied to all Talmudic learning. He is well known for the individual attention given to each talmid and devotion to help each student maximize his potential.
Rabbi Zahtz has lectured throughout the United States on a variety of topics including gemara, halacha, machshava, and mussar.
After attending Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh for two years, Rabbi Zahtz received a BA from Yeshiva College, with a major in psychology and subsequently both Yoreh Yoreh and Yadin Yadin semicha from RIETS where he was a member of the Katz Kollel, the Wexner Kollel Elyon and the Kollel l'hora'ah.
Assistant Rabbi - Rabbi Yosef Weinberger
Rabbiweinberger@bnaiyeshurun.org
Rabbi Yosef Weinberger graduated from Yeshiva University’s Sy Syms School of Business in 2013. He received a BS in Accounting and subsequently completed the CPA examination. Upon graduation, he earned semicha from RIETS, as part of the Wexner Semicha Honors Program, and is currently working toward a Master’s from the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education. He is also a Rebbe at The Frisch School.
Rabbinic Staff - Rabbi Yehoshua Szafranski
Rabbiszafranski@bnaiyeshurun.org
Rabbi Yehoshua Szafranski was born and bred in Teaneck,, and along with his wife, Rivka, became the director of the David Frohlich z"l Youth Department in 2019. Together, they have spearheaded many initiatives and fostered many strong relationships within the CBY community. Rabbi Szafranski is proud to continue serving the CBY community in this new role.
Rabbi Szafranski was a member of the first graduating class of Yeshivat Noam, attended YUHSB, and then spent two years learning in Yeshivat Kerem B'Yavneh. After studying in Israel, he became a member of the YU/RIETS B.A.-Semikha Fellowship, studying gemara under Rav Mayer Twersky, and halakha under Rav Michael Taubes, Rav Tanchum Cohen, and Rav Tzvi Sobolofsky.
While in college, Rabbi Szafranski served as a fellow in the Memphis Torah Fellowship and worked for NCSY in various capacities, including staff director of NJ NCSY, director of the L.E.A.D. Fellowship, JSU director at the Bergen Technical High School in Teterboro, and a senior advisor in Western Canada. Rabbi Szafranski also worked for Names Not Numbers and helped coordinate and guide multiple highschool leadership missions to Eastern Europe. After his marriage to his better half, Rivka, he moved to the old city of Yerushalayim for a number of months, where together with his wife he taught young professionals Gemara, machshava, and Chassidus, at the Aish HaTorah World Center.
Rabbi Szafranski received semikha at RIETS as well as his Masters in Social Work degree from Wurzweiler. In addition to his youth director work and learning schedule, he is also an 8th grade Rebbe at his Alma Mater, Yeshivat Noam, where he teaches Gemara, Navi, and Ivrit, and works in their mental health and guidance office.
The Szafranskis are the proud parents of two adorable children, Moshe Dovid’l and Racheli.
Rabbi Emeritus - Rabbi Steven Pruzansky
Rabbi Pruzansky became the Mara D'atra of Bnai Yeshurun in August, 1994. Previously, Rabbi Pruzansky was the spiritual leader of Congregation Etz Chaim in Kew Gardens Hills, New York for nine years. While in New York, he served a two-year term as President of the Vaad Harabonim (Rabbinical Board) of Queens.
Rabbi Pruzansky graduated from Columbia University in 1978 with a B.A. in history, and received a Juris Doctor degree from the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law in 1981. He practiced law for 13 years as a general practitioner and litigator in New York City until assuming the pulpit at Bnai Yeshurun. He is a member of the New York and Federal Bars, and is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. Rabbi Pruzansky studied in yeshivot in Israel and the United States, and was ordained at Yeshiva Bnei Torah of Far Rockaway, New York under the guidance of Rabbi Yisrael Chait, shlit”a.
In July 2020 Rabbi Pruzansky ended his tenure as Mara D'atra at Bnai Yeshurun after 26 years and assumed the title of Rabbi Emeritus. Rabbi Pruzansky fulfilled his life-long dream of aliyah along with his wife Karen and now happily resides in Modiin, Israel.