Rabbi Menachem Penner is the Executive Vice President of the Rabbinical Council of America, the largest rabbinical organization in North America. He is Dean Emeritus at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary at Yeshiva University where he has the privilege to inspire and train the rabbis of tomorrow. For two decades, Rabbi Penner served as the spiritual leader of the Young Israel of Holliswood in Queens, and he now holds the title of Rabbi Emeritus. He continues to teach, focusing on subjects like Tanach, Tefillah, and Machshavah, impacting communities worldwide. His upcoming book, Jewish Prayer: Three Steps Forward, delves into the experience of Tefillah and is set to be published by RIETS/Koren Press in 2024.
Beyond his academic and spiritual roles, Rabbi Penner is a valuable resource within the Jewish community for those facing personal and family challenges. He is married to Adeena, who serves as President of Kesher Families, and they are blessed with children and grandchildren in both the United States and Israel.
Rabbi Dubin returned to the RCA in 2018 after spending seven years working in the world of Kiruv and a holding pulpits different parts of New Jersey. As the Director of Operations, he is responsible for ensuring that everything runs behind the scenes. Rabbi Dubin grew up in North Carolina, holds a BA and an MSW from Boston University, and received Semicha from RIETS. He and his family currently live in Passaic.
Reuven Tradburks is a native of Ottawa, Canada. He received his BA from Carleton University in Ottawa and Semicha from RIETS. He served as Assistant Rabbi at the Young Israel of Staten Island and as Rabbi in Birmingham, Alabama and in Toronto. While in Toronto he was also the Director of the Beis Din of the Vaad Harabonim for 10 years. Following his aliya in 2009 he became the Director of the RCA, Israel Region. He and his wife Joyce live in Jerusalem.
Administrator, Regional Courts for Conversion
Rabbi Michoel Zylberman is the director of geirut for the Rabbinical Council of America. A Yadin Yadin musmach of RIETS, he was a member of the Bella and Harry Wexner Kolel Elyon, and holds an MA from the Bernard Revel Graduate School in Medieval Jewish history. In addition to his work at the RCA he functions as Sgan Menahel (Associate Director) of the Beth Din of America and serves as a maggid shiur at on the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. He is the author of Tov Lev on Masechet Pesachim with an appended Kuntreis Da’at Yehudit on the laws of Gittin and Gerut.
National Director of Conversion Services
Abby Lerner serves as the first national director of conversion services for GPS (Geirus Policies and Standards), the network of conversion courts established in 2008 to serve communities throughout North America. In this role, Rebbetzin Lerner supports candidates through the process of conversion, answering questions, addressing concerns, and acting as a liaison to the batei din. The Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) oversees the batei din and sets standards for the more-than-200 Orthodox conversions that take place every year in the United States. Prior to this position, Rebbetzin Lerner taught limudei kodesh at Yeshiva University High School for Girls in Queens, NY, for nearly three decades. She served as the Rebbetzin of the Young Israel of Great Neck, NY, for almost 45 years. She and her husband made Aliyah to Jerusalem in September of 2020.
Special Assistant to the Executive Vice-President
Rabbi Maury Rosenfeld is a teacher, writer, and community rabbi based in Woodmere, NY. He serves as Special Assistant to the Executive Vice President of the Rabbinic Council of America, where he develops creative content, curates rabbinic resources, and helps strengthen the daily work of rabbis across the country. A musmach of RIETS with a background in psychology and education, Maury also teaches at DRS Yeshiva High School and continues to engage learners of all ages with a focus on meaning, accessibility, and connection.
Rabbi Jeffrey Saks is the Editor of Tradition, the RCA’s quarterly journal of Orthodox Jewish thought. He is the founding director of ATID – The Academy for Torah Initiatives and Directions in Jewish Education, and its WebYeshiva.org program, serves as Director of Research at the Agnon House in Jerusalem, and teaches at Midreshet Amudim. A three-time graduate of Yeshiva University (BA, MA, Semicha), Rabbi Saks has published widely on Jewish thought, education, and literature.
Bonnie Leff serves as the administrator of the RCA and brings a wealth of corporate experience to our office, having been a career Chief of Staff in both healthcare and on Wall Street. Her work has included a concentration in human resources, organizational development, project management, and communications. In addition, she has served the Central New Jersey Jewish community as an effective lay leader for 20+ years in strategic planning, conducting rabbinical searches, and community engagement for organizations which include The Hebrew Academy of Greater Monmouth County, The Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey, and Congregation B’nai Israel in Manalapan, New Jersey.
After attending Yeshiva University and Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh, Dov completed his accounting studies at Touro College and has been the RCA’s Controller since 2004. A mokir rabbanan, he considers it a great privilege to serve our members in that capacity, and is the first stop for matters relating to Membership Dues and the Pension Plan.
Director of Rebbetzin Leadership and Engagement
Adina is a Career Transition Coach and Consultant for LHH, a global Talent Solutions firm. In addition, she has a private practice as an Executive, Career, Dating and Life Transition Coach in Southfield, Michigan. She has been successfully working with individuals for over 20 years as a Rebbetzin, educator, business entrepreneur, mentor, Kallah Teacher and credentialed Coach.