Clergy
RABBI DAVID ENGLANDER
SENIOR RABBI
Rabbi David Englander comes to us as only the 4th Senior Rabbi since World War II. Rabbi Englander served as Rabbi at B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton, Florida, for more than 20 years. He is a past president of the Palm Beach County Board of Rabbis and was a trustee of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County. He was also a member of the Boca Raton Interfaith Clergy Association, as well as the Ethics Committee of Boca Raton Regional Hospital. In addition to his pulpit duties, Rabbi Englander directed and taught in the Lillian and Philip Cooperman Academy for Adult Jewish Learning and was a principal instructor and coordinator for the Basic Judaism and Conversion program. Earlier career highlights include a focus on youth, serving as senior USY advisor at Temple Beth El of New Rochelle, NY, and ten summers on the staff of Camp Ramah in the Berkshires as a counselor, division head, and advisor for staff training. The Jewish Theological Seminary awarded him the Lillian M. Lowenfeld Prize in Practical Theology during his studies, and the Rabbi Simon Greenberg Rabbinic Leadership Award in 2004. While earning his rabbinic ordination, Rabbi Englander also earned a Master of Arts in Jewish Education. He also holds a B.A. in history from the University of Michigan.
In a message to his new congregation, Rabbi Englander said, “I am both overjoyed and deeply humbled to have been honored with the responsibility and opportunity to serve as your next Senior Rabbi… My first and main task is to continue the positive, upward trajectory that (Beth El’s) leadership has established and maintained over a long and storied history.”
HAZZAN ALISA POMERANTZ-BORO
CANTOR
Hazzan Alisa Pomerantz-Boro grew up on Mercer Island, Washington, in a rabbinic home, instilled with a love of Judaism and music. From an early age, she knew she would continue the long family line of rabbis and cantors.
She was ordained as a Hazzan and earned her degree in Sacred Jewish Music from the Cantors Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York, where she was awarded the Jacobson Memorial Prize in Hazzanut. She was selected as the speaker when she received her honorary Doctorate from JTS. She holds a B.A. in Near Eastern Studies and Music from the University of Washington.
Hazzan Pomerantz-Boro has served as our Cantor since 2004. For 13 years before that, she served at Tifereth Israel Synagogue in San Diego, California. While in Cantorial school, she broke new ground as the Assistant Cantor at New York’s Park Avenue Synagogue, that shul’s first female member of the clergy. She was among the first 14 women to be inducted into the Cantors Assembly in May 1991, an international organization she ultimately served as President.
Among numerous recognitions, Hazzan Pomerantz-Boro received the 2011 Hiddur Mitzvah Award presented by Masorti Olami/World Council of Conservative Synagogues to “pillars of leadership in the Conservative Movement”. She was the first recipient of The Cantors Assembly Hazon – Visionary Award and most recently received Hadassah’s coveted Myrtle Wreath Award.
Hazzan and her husband, Stephen, have two beautiful children, Rebecca and Joshua. She hopes and prays that by lifting our voices together, we will continue to build a better world.
RABBI SAM HOLLANDER
ASSOCIATE RABBI
Rabbi Hollander grew up in Cherry Hill, NJ and is thrilled to be back home serving the Jewish community of South Jersey. For five years, he served as the assistant rabbi at Temple Sinai in Dresher, PA. Rabbi Hollander was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City in May 2019, where he also received a Masters in Jewish Education from the William Davidson School of Education. During his studies at JTS, Rabbi Hollander served as rabbinic intern at the Glen Rock Jewish Center (Glen Rock, NJ), Congregation Beth El (South Orange, NJ), and Temple Sholom (Greenwich, CT). For two years, he worked as the youth and family program director at Ansche Chesed (New York City). Additionally, Rabbi Hollander was a hospital chaplain intern at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Rabbi Hollander graduated magna cum laude from Rutgers University, majoring in Psychology and Jewish Studies. Before beginning his rabbinic studies at JTS, Rabbi Hollander studied for a year in Jerusalem at the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies.
Passionate about immersive Jewish experiences, Rabbi Hollander has worked for both Camp Ramah in the Poconos and Ramah Israel Seminar. He has completed a Master’s Concentration in Israel Education with the iCenter and was an AIPAC Leffell Israel Fellow.
Rabbi Hollander and his wife, Amanda, are proud parents of their son, Leor, and “pandemic puppy” Kasha.
RABBI AARON KRUPNICK
RABBI EMERITUS
Rabbi Aaron Krupnick was born and raised in Philadelphia. He is a product of the Philadelphia Public School System and attended Gratz College throughout high school. Rabbi Krupnick holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Columbia University in Comparative Religion, a Bachelor’s Degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary in Philosophies of Judaism, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Hebrew Literature from the University of Judaism in Los Angeles. Other degrees include a Masters in Counseling and Human Development, as well as a Masters in Rabbinics.
Rabbi Krupnick was ordained by the Conservative Movement’s Jewish Theological Seminary in 1988. Upon ordination, Rabbi Krupnick and his wife Helene moved to Montgomery, Alabama, where he served as spiritual leader of Agudath Israel Synagogue for six years. In 1994 Rabbi Krupnick became Associate Rabbi at Congregation Beth El and was named Senior Rabbi in 2000. Rabbi Krupnick transitioned to Active Emeritus Rabbi on July 1, 2022. Rabbi and Helene have two children, Elisheva (Ellie) and Alexander (Alex).
RABBI ISAAC FURMAN z”l
Rabbi Isaac Furman z”l was with Beth El from August 1960 until his passing in July 2020. We all miss him dearly. He was a very beloved member of our clergy and community. To read more about Rabbi Furman z”l, please click here.
To contact our clergy, please call 856.675.1166