About Our Shul

Congregation Chevra Linath Hazedek at 109 Clara Street, in the Kensington neighborhood of Brooklyn, is historically significant under Criterion A in the area of social history as an early 20th-century “”tenement synagogue”” surviving in Brooklyn. Constructed in 1928-32 as an alteration by architect Benjamin Goldberg to an existing building, the synagogue housed a congregation founded in 1926. It dates from a period when Brooklyn was emerging as one of the world’s major Jewish population centers. Congregation Chevra Linath Hazedek is architecturally significant under Criterion C as an example of an intact early 20th-century vernacular synagogue in Brooklyn, one that adapted the narrow “tenement synagogue” type initially developed on the Lower East Side of Manhattan to a wider lot available in a newly developing Brooklyn neighborhood. As such, Congregation Chevra Linath Hazedek survives today as a distinctive architectural, cultural and religious landmark of the Yiddish-speaking Eastern European Jewish community of Brooklyn, and New York City.

Our Rabbi:

Rabbi Tzvi Ortner is not only this Shul’s spiritual leader and Director of the Board, but is also the OU’s director of Halacha and Technology. The Rabbi has also founded Halachic Tech USA, a company that reviews products from a Halachic point of view. Rabbi Ortner received his rabbinic ordination from the Rabbinical Court of Karlsburg. He has written multiple sefarim on the topics of Nidda and Pirkei Avot. The Rav is originally from Israel, yet currently resides in Boro Park, Brooklyn.

                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Our President

Rabbi Menachem Keisler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Vice President

Mr. Yisroel Izhak

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Treasurer

Rabbi Yonatan Batyrov has been a part of our shul since 2005. He has been an integral member of our community from the moment he moved to Kensington. Yonatan spent 5 years in Yeshivat Mikdash Melech of Brooklyn learning under leading Gedolei Yisroel, including Rav Dovid Lopian, Rav Chaim Benoliel, and Rabbi Yaakov Meilech Konigsburg. He also spent time learning in the Mirrer Yeshiva of Brooklyn.

 

 

Our Secretary

Mr. Shlomo Shamir is a veteran journalist and political analyst. He was the New York correspondent for the Israeli daily, Haaretz, editor-in-chief of HaDoar, and a long time columnist for the Algemeiner Journal.