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 Yishai Abrams hails from Johannesburg, South Africa and learned for seven years in Israel at Yeshivat Har Etzion and Yeshivat Ramat Gan.
He served as part of the Handassah Kravit (Combat Engineering) unit in the IDF and is currently pursuing a B.A. in History and Education at Israel’s Open University. Rav Yishai spent the last three years as a Shana Aleph Rebbe, teaching at Yeshivat Torah Ve’Avodah (YTVA) in Jerusalem. He is a graduate of World Mizrachi’s, RCA accredited, Rabbinics program (Musmachim) and a product of their Shalhevet Leadership Training Fellowship.
Rav Yishai served as a Rabbinic Intern at Kehillat Shivtei in Raanana and currently operates as the Director of Moshava Ba’ir MetroWest, a local Bnei Akiva day camp, located at JKHA.
He has vast experience working with communities around the world and is committed to developing the youth of today into the hopeful leaders of the future. He loves music, baking and hiking and is not afraid of complexity.
Rav Yishai is married to Rachel Zucker, who was born and raised here in Livingston. Rachel is a Registered Dietitian, a kallah teacher, and a certified Yoga instructor. She will be working in Spiritual Guidance for 9th and 11th grade girls in RKYHS, while running her private nutrition practice on the side. Rachel loves connecting with people and building deep relationships. She is excited to open up her home to the community and share her home-made sourdough bread.
Rav Yishai and Rachel have an adorable one year old son, Azi.