Menachem Penner
American rabbi
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Menachem (Marc) Penner (Hebrew: מנחם פעננער; born 1971) is an American Modern Orthodox rabbi and executive vice president of the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA).[1] He formerly served as the Max and Marion Grill Dean of the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University[2] and Dean of Men's Undergraduate Torah Studies Program at Yeshiva University.[3] Penner is the Rabbi Emeritus of the Young Israel of Holliswood.[4]
Rabbi Menachem Penner | |
|---|---|
| Personal life | |
| Born | 1969 (age 56–57) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Yeshivat Har Etzion, Yeshiva University |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Judaism |
| Denomination | Modern Orthodox |
| Jewish leader | |
| Predecessor | Yona Reiss |
| Position | Rabbi Emeritus |
| Synagogue | Young Israel of Holliswood, Queens |
| Position | Dean |
| Yeshiva | Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary |
| Began | July 1, 2013 |
| Ended | December 21, 2023 |
| Semikhah | Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary |
Education
Following high-school, Penner attended Yeshivat Har Etzion in 1988, then headed by Aharon Lichtenstein and Yehuda Amital.[3] He graduated from Yeshiva College in 1991 and received Semicha from RIETS in 1994.[5][4]
Career
Penner served as the spiritual leader of the Young Israel of Holliswood in Queens for 20 years, a position he was elected to in 1996.[4] He is now the Rabbi Emeritus. He continues to teach, focusing on Tanach, Tefillah and Machshavah in Queens and in communities worldwide.[6]
In 2013, Penner was elected Max and Marion Grill Dean of the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. He succeeded Yona Reiss and began his deanship on July 1, 2013.[7] In December 2023 it was announced that Rabbi Penner would be leaving RIETS and beginning a new position as vice president of the Rabbinical Council of America.[8][9]
Personal
Penner is the parent of an individual with special needs. He speaks across the United States on issues of families facing disabilities.[10] Penner also has a son who is a member of the LGBTQ community.[11][12]