Rabbi E. Samuel Klibanoff was born and raised in New Rochelle, NY. After completing a year and half of study in Israel, Rabbi Klibanoff spent seven years studying in Yeshiva Shaarei Torah of Monsey under the tutelage of Rabbi Berel Wein. During that time he received his Semicha as well as an undergraduate degree in Psychology and a Masters Degree in Secondary Education.
Rabbi Klibanoff’s first pulpit was here in New Jersey in a small shul in Parsippany. It is there that he learned the ins and outs of the Metrowest community as well as how to make a left turn in the great state of New Jersey. After five years in Parsippany, Rabbi Klibanoff took his talents to the South Shore of Long Island to the Jewish Center of Atlantic Beach. There, he and his family served the community with distinction for eleven years. In the summer of 2013, the Klibanoffs came back to Metrowest with the honor to serve Etz Chaim. Rabbi Klibanoff is married to Dr. Sarah Klibanoff. For a very long time, the family consisted of five beautiful daughters until the summer of 2015 when the they were blessed with a son, the Prince of Bel-Air (of Livingston).
Rabbi Isaac Bernstein joined Etz Chaim in the Summer of 2020. After spending 2 years learning in Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh in the Old City of Jerusalem, he attended Yeshiva University where he learned under Rabbi Elchanan Adler and received a BA in Jewish Philosophy. Isaac then continued his learning and received his Semicha from RIETS.
Before joining Etz Chaim, Isaac was the City Director of Teaneck NCSY. Isaac continues to work with NY-NJ NCSY, running programming for Metrowest Day School teens. Aside from his work at Etz Chaim and NCSY, Isaac has been a member of the Passaic-Clifton Community Kollel since 2021. Yael, Isaac’s wife, works as the high school social worker at Bruriah High School for Girls. They have four children: Leba, Rachael, Moshe Zalman, and Meir. Both Isaac and Yael are very passionate about their roles in the community and are honored to be a part of the Etz Chaim family.